Lexus or Avalon? I chose wrong.(new car leasing)(Brief Article)(Column)

Recently I was wishing the hand of God would reach down through the clouds and put a car in my driveway, with the pronouncement, "Here, this is what you're driving for the next three years."

But no, I had to make The Car Decision.

Why me, God? I'm always torn between frugality and preference in car buying.

I was commuting in a tan V-6 Toyota Camry on a 36-month lease that ended this month. Highly functional and inexpensive. Not exactly a winner in the Serrano parking lot at a charity golf event, but hey, I was above that. (So why did I notice?)

Nothing went wrong with my Toyota, except I often couldn't find it at the supermarket or the …