First, David -- it's the COMPATIBILITY meter, not appropriate(ness) meter. Which is what you meant when you said "my first thoughts were not appropriate at all." Which brings me to the carmic debate: is a human an "appropriate match" with their automobile or are humans and their autos "compatible." I vote compatible and I named the meter, so it's compatibility. Settled. On another note, my father (Zoltan) just announced the purchase of his latest auto. Let me preface this story with a summary of a series of phone calls we've exchanged regarding this impending purchase: "have you seen any good M3s out there {here in San Francisco}," "I found a great '87 Targa," "A cherry '92 RS America just slipped by me for $38K," -- you get the picture. Last night when I spoke to him the conversation went something like this:
Me: Dad, what's up?
Zoltan: Your mom's at work, Dave's here, we're going powder skiing tomorrow, I'm making sausage, and I bought a Range Rover.
Me: (processing for a minute) No.
Zoltan: Yes, it's supposed to dump 4 inches tonight.
Me: What year!
Zoltan: 1990. White. Corduroy seats. No sheeit. (Hungarian accent)
Me: Nice. When does she get home?
Zoltan: I pick her up from the woman who owns her tomorrow.
Me: No, I mean mom.
Zoltan: Around 8:00. And get this -- this chick's about your age {between 25 and 38 in my Dad's world} and had four cars, the Rover, a new 911, a Ford truck and a Mercedes c-class. No sheeit.
Me: Must not be a designer.
Zoltan: It's the one with the short wheel-base. Rides like an elephant.

Love that guy.