To buy or not to buy…

December 5, 2008 in automotive, the life, various daily
Tags: alfa romeo, auto, automotive, car, cars, christmas, christmas shopping, economy, hitchhikers guide to the galaxy, love/hate, motoring, online shopping, press, random, recession, winter

There’s things I love about winter and tied into those are things I hate.

For example, I love the chill in the air, even in the morning. It wakes me up and makes me feel more alive. Yet, as mentioned before, I hate the effect it has on my car’s shine. I’m beginning to lose patience with defrosting it in the mornings.

I also love the gradual build up to the big day.

Don’t mistake this for being as excitable as a child about Christmas. While I’m far from Scrooge, I look forward more to the break and putting my feet up after a big meal and watching rubbish tv. It’s the only time of the year I can excuse the normal television programming. I really enjoy the feeling that builds within as the day draws in. What I don’t like though is the constant reminders in supermarkets and television.

Not to mention the press of people that fill the town centre on weekends during December. This, however, shouldn’t be a problem for me this weekend. Firstly because I’ve only just started my Christmas shopping and will be doing it at various quieter intervals – not having to worry about bedtimes for kids as I don’t have any – and a large part of Christmans will be dealt with thanks to a bit of online shopping.

There’s also the fact that I’m going to be heading down to my local Medway Alfa Romeo dealership tommorow. I know I’ve only just bored you all with the details of how much I love my car but the idea of looking at some new ones is too tempting.

Not that it’s a done decision, I’m taking mine in for a service yet I know I’m going to be sorely tempted to trade up.  This ties into the love/hate thing nicely though: I love both driving and driving my car, though I hate the maintainence side of the deal which is why I hand it over to the dealer to do the job I guess.

I’m often outspoken on what I think is wrong with the automotive industry and it usually boils down to the fact that so many new cars look alike or identical. That’s one of the reasons I’ve always like Alfa Romeos, in my mind they are one of the few brands out there that exert a sense of distinctive and attractive styling.

Plus I say nuts to the fear-mongering press, it’s still a good time to buy a car.  Yes, we’re all looking at the grim end of a recession but how is not-spending and believing the worst going to help? No wonder there’s no consumer-confidence when all the press wants to do is tell us we’re doomed. I’m starting to think Marvin the Paranoid Android is in charge of the press. If we all cower in fear and start hiding our money away how is the economy ever going to recover?!

Can I withstand temptation or will my wallet be confiscated in time?