I had an appointment for an oil change at Mazda on Saturday. Somehow I had a feeling that a lot of work was going to be needed although I couldn't tell you what felt wrong with the car, so I blamed the feeling on my new car fever. I hypothesized scenarios with my dad about how much money I should be willing to put into the Mazda (even though at the time I didn't know anything was wrong with it) before saying no since I planned to trade it by the end of the year. Anyways, it turned out it needed $1800 worth of work done. Something about the suspension, axle, brakes blah, blah, blah... I stopped listening after I heard $1800. I told the service lady not to perform any of the work, so I just paid for the oil change and tire rotation that they already performed and took my old lady (my 10 year old Mazda) home.
Obviously, I decided not to put the money into the Mazda. Once I got home I talked with my mom and dad. I was pretty set on getting a new Mazda6. However, I asked my parents to go with me to look at Mustangs to rule them out. My dad came along for fun because he also wanted to test drive one and I felt my mom came along because she's mom and I'd like both my parents there to consult with. Although I half expected my mom not to support the whole idea of getting a Mustang. Test driving seemed like a logical thing to do because I've never driven a Mustang before. Ever since I was a kid I have wanted a Mustang. In fact, when I first saw the 2015 body style of the Mustangs, I was disappointed because I knew this would be the year I would be in the market for a vehicle. I dislike the rear end of the 2015 Mustangs, but I went to Ford to make sure I really didn't like it. After all, it's been a dream since I was a kid.
I told the sales guy I was looking for a coupe... preferably black. I also let him know that I liked the 2014 body style better than the 2015, but I needed to see the 2015 to rule it out. He took us to the pre-owned section first. This is where I found a black 2014 Ford Mustang Coupe V-6 with 26K miles on it for $18,900. I loved the body style and loved the way it felt when I sat in it, but I asked the sales guy if we could look at the 2015's and then maybe come back to the 2014. After looking at the new 2015 Mustangs, I knew right away I didn't even like it enough to test drive one. We headed back to the 2014 to test drive it. The guy made a copy of my license, told us the test drive route, and sent us on our way unsupervised. The sound of the engine was music to my ears. By the time I pulled back onto the lot, I was in love.
After my dad took it for a spin, we looked at the Carfax. The fact that it had been a rental almost made me walk away, but it was a certified pre-owned Ford that came with more warranty than a new vehicle. My parents and I discussed it and they didn't think it was a bad decision to get it, so I financed it. Adios Mazda! My credit score was beautiful and I qualified for their special APR. I did purchase some additional warranty to protect my investment. Plus, that gave me more peace of mind since I was apprehensive about it being a rental. I even found out that they ordered leather for the vehicle and that was included in the price, so I'm going to schedule an appointment to get leather installed when it comes in.
Overall, I saved a ton of money by going with a pre-owned. I absolutely love it and that's how everyone should feel after getting a car. I have no buyers remorse. I certainly don't regret not getting a Mazda6. The Mustang is so much fun to drive! I can't stop smiling because I am one happy lady.
