One of the things that really frustrates me is when I pass something up, later decide that I do want it after all, only to discover when I go back to the store that it is already gone. And of course, none of the others stores I proceed to check will have it either, making me want it even more because of the weird way human nature works. Such was the case with the GMC Motorhome pictured above, except that thankfully I did eventually find one. But I was really kicking myself for a while there. When I first happend across one, I did consider buying it. I liked the colors and the "shuttle" motif since I'd been on a few at airports, not to mention my love of traveling. But at the time I was still clinging to my original philosophy of only purchasing cars of the sort I would have raced as a little girl. A motorhome was, as the British say, right out. In part because of this model, I now buy anything that I find appealing. But it isn't always easy to tell what is just passing infactuation that I'll regret in the morning and what is real love. And if I pass something up, I just have to accept the fact that I may never happen across it again. That's life, but at least it's fair.
Another car that I initially passed up -- more than once actually -- and then had a devil of a time finding after I eventually changed my mind was the Dodge Charger SRT8 decorated as a police car. I liked the model, but I had no interest in getting a police car. Was I supposed to race it or put it on the track after other cars to chase them down and give them tickets? But then on two or three occasions I noticed a County Sheriff's car parked outside a nearby Burger King during lunch hour. It was brown and tan, but it was a new model Dodge Charger. Suddenly the thought of having a little Dodge Charger police car in my collection was much more appealing. Needless to say, the store in which I had seen it on several occasions was sold out. But once again, I was fortunate to find it elsewhere soon after.
One car I did not make that mistake with was the '77 Custom Dodge Van painted to look like a news van. I knew I had to get this one the first time I saw its image online, but I was beginning to wonder if I was ever going to see one. When I finally found it last Sunday (the only one Target had, by the way), I pounced on it. I'll probably see a few more of them in the next month or two, but even if I don't, Bang Bang, I've got mine! 
The casting called Bread Box is another one I passed up repeatedly, but fortunately I came to my senses just in time. Target had a boatload of these red ones for the longest time. Only after all their Hot Wheels went on sale for 79 cents did I think to get one, and it was the last one on the racks. Sure, I would have preferred to get the white version since I've never seen a red postal truck, but the white ones were long since gone by the time I started collecting Hot Wheels in August. I understand there is also a blue version out there, though I haven't stumbled across one of those yet either. For what it's worth, the check-out lady did coo over it and say, "How cuuuuuute! A little van!"
I also decided to buy this yellow Rescue Ranger, not for myself, but for my brother who is an electrician. I thought he might find it interesting. Personally, I think the massive engines on it look ridiculous. On the bright side, if the electric company really used trucks like this, the power would probably never be out for more than, like, 30 seconds.
Another car that I am NOT adding to my collection is the Armored Truck. Sometimes Hot Wheels just goes a little too far in slapping labels on things, in my opinion. If I could figure out for the life of me why any paramedics crew would need an armored truck, I'd consider it.
A perfect example of an absurd car is the Hummer H2 SUT, except in this case, I've decided I want one. And no, there are none to be found, even though I know for a fact that the store had two or three of them on the rack the day before I decided to buy it. I had passed it up because it was so ridiculous. No Parks Department could afford to have its employees tooling around in a Hummer, not to mention that the Hummer has long been considered the embodiment of all that is evil by anyone who actually cares about the environment (as I would hope the Parks Department does). But I eventually decided that I needed to get one just because it is so utterly absurd. And with the Hummer now going the way of the dodo, I thought it might make for an amusing little footnote down the road. So yeah, this is my "unicorn" at the moment. And the only "bang bang" going on is me hitting my head against the wall for letting it get away.
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