I have read this thread with pleasure. Lots of opinion, good information, and wonderful humor here.
I myself prefer vintage tools. Just because they are vintage. I'm like that with a lot of other things, too, and like to restore them to working order and use them.
If I had the cash for new, I just might buy them, but there is a character, or a feel/emotion for me using the older stuff that really makes using them such a pleasure, especially when they were restored to usable condition by my hands.
But I'm not doing this for money, I'm doing it for pleasure, so I can spend my time as I choose, and part of that pleasure is what I just mentioned above. I know it's not technically wood working when we spend time restoring, but it for me is soooo much fun. There is time for it all, for me.