dissecting a car purchase
 

It's only after the fact that we can really assess ourselves and how we feel about the car we just purchased.

Here's mine:

I see the mustang. I go home and do some research on the mustang. I like what I read. So far-so good.

I see the price of the mustangs, but I don't want to pay over 30,000 for a car. No problems though....I'll just give up on some of the options that I want.

Options that I really wanted:

1) shaker stereo with that cool mp3 sync thing
2) nicer interior that has those gorgeous seats and brushed aluminium trim

But, that's out of the question now....they have to be tossed, so that i can get the car for under 30,000 dollars.

No big deal because you are still able to get the car that you want. That's what you think at the time of the purchase, anyhow.

And so......you do just that. You buy the car that you want, but without all the options that you wanted.

But here's the dilemma, you do get what you want, but you just wish you had gotten exactly what you wanted.

I don't regret buying the car. I love the car, but I just wish I had paid another 3,000 grand and got the options that I wanted.

I hate the look of my plasticky steering wheel. I loathe the sound of the stereo, which looks like it would be impossible to replace with something better, that doesn't destroy the looks of the car, and the cheapness of the seats is something I feel every time I get in the car.

There is an old saying that says, "once you pay the money for something, you never think of the money again, but if you don't pay for what you want, you will always be reminded of it."

I love the car, but I have a feeling that everytime I turn the radio on, or kick back in those cloth seats, I'm going to be reminded of my mistake.

You are so right. I have found that i need to go all or nothing so to speak. If I can't afford a car exactly how I want I'm better off going a different route since I know I will regret it later on. This rational convinced me to drop 2 g's on the glass roof option. I sat in one not expacting anything dramatic but i was sold instantly and felt it was so unique the insane price for it was worth it.

This rational also forces me to always order vehicles though. I'm too particular to buy off the lot usually.

Every thing you listed is fixable and can make your mustang more personal to you.
There are a bunch of seat covering options. Alot of people have good things to say about Katskinz.

And you don't have to replace the headunit to get better sound.

I wanted a bare bones GT with just a 5-speed and 3.73 gears. It was impossible to find one here. I knew how much the extra options would cost me a month and it was no big deal at all so I ended up getting one pretty loaded.

I put money down to cover a trade and to get me under the $30K

I'm pretty happy I did, but don't think I would have regretted it or wish I had later on if I didn't.

For that $3k you could get some new custom leather seats just the way you want and some stereo peices to make the stocker sound better.

Just a thought, but have your local salvage yard be on the look out for a wrecked premium GT and snag the leather seats out of it.