Most piston owners who fly old pistons are relatively broke (which is why they fly old planes; they didn't have the capital) and couldn't even pay for the jet engine overhaul Those that fly new stuff don't have millions and probably bought at the top of what they could afford.
The best way to become a wealthy individual is to make wise financial decisions. I know several pilots that could easily afford just about anything that can be legally operated with a single pilot but they choose something smaller.
I am totally in love with the Extra 500 but even if I could afford it at € 1.3m + VAT, I would probably not do it. A reasonable Silver Eagle (Cessna P210 Turbine) sells for about €600k. It's an old design, the pressurized cabin isn't that great at all and you need blankets on the back seat but the price difference is huge.
PS: Just got back from the AERO show in Friedrichshafen. Very much worth a visit this year, general attitude among exhibitors and visitors is a lot more positive. I was totally shocked when I saw that the UK CAA had a booth there! Their goal was to inform about the London 2012 airspace restrictions. The highlight of the show was the Diamond DA52 IMO.