That New Car Feeling

Let me just start off by saying, there is absolutely no feeling better than getting the car you wanted, and brand new too boot. I have had many, many new cars in my day and I will tell you the feeling is the same over and over, and over again and again. It just doesn't change.

The smell when you get in. The rush when you stomp the gas. The smile when you hit the turn sideways, it just feels good every single time. You just spent 60k on a car. You are the talk of all your friends. Your neighbors are all asking how it is. You feel on top of the world. In your head you believe nothing can be better than this feeling you are experiencing.

Then the flip side approaches.

You realize ten seconds after driving away from the dealership, your 60k car is now worth 50k. You than drive by another dealership, and start to question your decision. Buyer's remorse? Maybe. Or it just may be that you are experiencing, what I like to call "reality".

You realize you do want that other car you are looking at. This is not to say you don't want the car you have right now, but you know you want the other one as well. Then you drive by another lot and realize you want one of those as well. The vicious circle continues, until you can no longer take it, and go home, still questioning your recent decision, and no longer feeling like the king you thought you were just a few days or maybe even hours before.

Sure you did your research, you test drove every car you could think of, and the one you bought just did something for you that the others didn't. Now for some reason you don't remember what it exactly was that it did to make you choose that one. You say to yourself, well that one is faster, this other one over hear is better on gas, and yet the other one, over there has more features. You scratch your head. You wonder what exactly you were thinking, you must have made a mistake, if this is how you feel, right?

Well I can not speak for anyone else, but I have been through this more times then I care to remember. I have lost more cash on trading in cars, trying to get "the one". You know what I am talking about, that one that doesn't let you have any of the negative feelings addressed earlier. You trade it in, bite the bullet lose the money, get in the new car, and ooh that smell, what a rush, and then cut a turn sideways and smile. You have finally made the right choice. Wait a minute this seems all to familiar doesn't it? Oh no you think to yourself, did I make another bad decision? Was I wrong again?

If you were me then the answer is: Yes!

I can't really explain why, but no car ever "does it" for me. It is awesome on the test drive. I join as many forums as I can, and research the hell out of it. I change my screen saver, to my new car. I am happy. Well at least until I go to the other dealerships that is.

I try to rationalize my decisions. I try to convince myself that this is normal. I just know it is not. I have thought long and hard as to what may be the reason I do this, and I have come up with a couple possible answers.

Answer One

I am an idiot.

Pretty blunt but, if you only knew how much money I have lost in my days, over this you would understand completely why that is the answer I came up with. In all seriousness tho answer #2 is the more likely of the 2.

Answer Two

I love the rush of making a big purchase.

I realized today while I was picking up my new Lexus, that it isn't the car I was craving, it wasn't even the change either. It was that rush. That rush you feel when you are letting loose. That rush of not being in control. That risk taking feeling. They are all the same to me, and I guess sub-consciously, I discovered that I didn't have to jump off a cliff with a parachute, to get the rush I crave so badly. I just had to spend some money.

So I guess that new car feeling to me is just a little different than most people. I know, I need help right? Well guess what I finally found the car that "does it" for me this time. I finally have the one I wanted, so I am good now. I can put the therapy sessions idea on hold, I am cured.

Oh wait I have had 3 other Lexus's, before. I have gone and done it again, haven't I? I am so weak.

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