Have you decided what road bike you're getting?
Either a Specialized Roubaix or a Cannodale Synapse. Both are carbon sportive bikes with 11 speed 105 components. Priced the same too. I just need to ride both to decide.
Not sure what your budget is but have a look at the Felt F series.
Bought an F2 carbon fibre couple of years ago and it's a fantastic road bike. Very rigid frame and super light, SRAM components etc. There's plenty of good ones at varying prices in that range.
Whatever you go for, always worth trying to pick up previous year's stock too as price is usually much reduced as opposed to new season stock and barely any difference in the bike.
Thats why I dont even look at new cars on the street anymore. Or think they must be doing well they have an X. Having a new car now meens nothing, actually it meens less than nothing as 99% are basically just renting cars. Id think more of someone running an old 500 quid car than a new one now as at least they own it.
I agree, the days of cars as status symbols is largely over. But I still don't like the idea of 'renting' a car, some of us still like to do it the old fashioned way and actually own it. I'm buying my mk7 outright, and even if it isn't the most cost effective way, at least it's mine and there's that satisfaction of having saved for it.