Upgrading the horseless carriage

I decided it was high time I changed my car, well it was either that or wash it. So not being a car-o-phile I didn’t have a specific model in mind so decided to head to that area of down where all the showrooms are located. I gave the GM dealer a miss, their financial position seems way too exciting for me to come involved in just at the moment, I wish them luck.  I pick a showroom based largely on reputation and anecdotes and set about selecting a model that I thought would suit, a wheel on each corner, the right number of seats.

Much discussion about accessories, gadgets, gimmicks, colours and finish ensued and after a few hours the “ideal car” was selected. The sheer range of options was amazing, but of course selecting certain features rule out other features, and not all combinations are possible on all models, and then there’s the cost which keeps ticking up with each choice made. That initial ticket price was long forgotten — we were on the hook now!

It seems obvious now but as I left the showroom I realised that I hadn’t actually driven the chosen vehicle. A u-turn, somewhat embarrassed discussion, they thought I’d already driven one, and I thought they should have asked me. But a couple of signatures later and I drove away in the car I had selected, minus some features and with the addition of ugly metallic blue colour – they didn’t have the exact model to hand of course.  Disaster. It didn’t fit me, or I didn’t fit it, either way the ride was uncomfortable and tiring, I felt I’d been dragging the car around, not as it should be at all.

Returned to the showroom, handed back the keys and cancelled the previous set of paperwork. Of course I was no longer in the frame of mind to look further, the experience was ultimately an exercise in frustration.

I should have done more homework: financial position, what my actual requirements were, read some reviews had some expectation on price, and made sure I had a budget in mind which would not be swayed by those self leveling auto cornering, self cleaning, xeon dazzling headlights.

At the end of the day, it didn’t really matter how many features I added; the fundamental construction was not as I expected, the performance simply not good enough, with or without that  iPod connector. I still fancy changing the car but I’ll drive it first!