See, and for those reasons you don't 'get it'. Understandable. But for a minute imagine spending your 12-17 years old time saving and saving for your neighbor's cool car until one day you owned it. Swore to yourself you would never sell it, loved it, drove it, lost your --- in it, then a short time later had to sell it due to xx (insert reason here). Killed you seeing it driven away.
Fast forward 20 years and you spent 19 of those years kicking yourself for selling it.
Yes, I think most people would at least 'try' to locate it knowing all the time if you found it, it would never leave your possession the rest of your life.
It happens all the time. Just to varying degrees. (and not just cars)