You Have to Understand...It's ALL about the Car(s)

"The 2006 Mustang GT was named Best Muscle Car, beating out 71 other top sports cars vying for the title. This is the fifth time the Mustang has been named one of Car and Driver's Best and is certainly not the last. The power the Mustang GT displays is outrageous and has certainly turned heads all year long, not to mention made its competitors feel weak and wondering how to muscle up and really compete with the Mustang for the 2007 model year. However, with what Mustang has in store that seems unlikely. The 2006 Mustang GT boasts a 4.6 liter aluminum V-8 engine that has 320 pounds per foot of torque, 300 horsepower, and three valve heads. Also, the Ford Personal Safety System, which is designed for increased driver safety, comes standard on all Mustang models."

This is not an article I read when I decided to get a Mustang. But it definitely held true. All I knew was that this was the car I had decided on and it wasn't about anything but a want. Not a need...ok so I needed a new car but I WANTED a Mustang....After almost 2 months to the day of deciding that my next new car was going to be a Mustang I took possession of the keys. The following is a blog I wrote after getting the pony.

The New Baby has arrived...ok so it's a car...but not JUST a Car. Those who know me, know that this was quite the process. Deciding what kind of car I wanted was only half the battle and that alone took over a year. Then there was the decision of model (regular vs.GT), the color (originally wanted blue but fell in love at first sight with the Tungsten Grey) and what upgrades I wanted. It had to have the spoiler, it HAD to be a manual transmission and it had to have the interior upgrade package and I wanted the kickass stereo but it wasn't a deal breaker if I couldn't get it. Anything else it had was gravy.

We went to two dealers in our area and none had what I wanted and they weren't willing to help me find it. But they were more than happy to try and sell me what they had on the lot. There were also some snide questions...like when asking to test drive a manual, could I handle it? Wasn't a V-8 just a little too much power for me? I refused to settle and I wasn't going to deal with sales people like that. Too bad they didn't know it was going to be a cash purchse. I hopped onto the internet and in 4 hours I had located the car. The only problem was it was 500 miles away in Brookings Oregon.

This past weekend we went down to Oregon to sign papers...or so I was told (more on this later). The drive down there I was going through buyers remorse. Do I really want this car? Do I really want to spend that much money on a car? Is it the color I truly will be happy with for years to come? So many questions and no true answers forthcoming.

We went to our friend and fellow Mustang owner,Dan's on Friday night since he lives in the Medford area. On Saturday the three of us got up and Dan drove us 120 miles to the dealer. The closer we got the more the butterflies were fluttering in my tummy. It was like getting to meet a blind date. We pulled into the parking lot and my eye instantly found the car.

Within 5 minutes of stepping onto the lot I finally got to drive it. I was sold! Yes, yes and yes to the questions I had asked. Now the question was would we be bringing it home or having it delivered like we had discussed? I didn't want to put the first 500 miles on it to drive it home. Dan didn't think we should have it delivered as the price was outrageous in his opinion (This is an opinion I trust since he is in the trucking industry). We signed papers, I wrote a check (I have never wrote a check for that much in my life! I even ran out of room.) and they handed us the keys and said enjoy.

So what we ended up with is a 2006 Premium Tungsten Grey Mustang GT with:

manual 5 speed transmission,spoiler, interior upgrade package (you can change the gauge lights to one of 120 different colors to suit your mood on a daily whim) which included the leather interior, 6 dash gauges instead of four, and silver applique. It sports a stereo system that is 1,000 watts, 10 speakers and 2 subwoofers with a six CD changer which is so cool because it displays what song is playing. The stereo also has volume control that monitors road noise and adapts the volume. It has the 18 inch aluminum wheels with 5 spokes and pony caps (an upgrade Tony wanted) keyless entry and active security system. It came standard with air conditioning, power everything, cruise control, tilt steering and a 6 way driver seat that is the most amazing thing I have ever had the pleasure of sitting in. You can raise or lower the seat and there is even lumbar support which shows who they are marketing the car for. There are other little things that it is loaded with but unless you researched the car it would bore you even more than you may already be.

When we got back to Dan's that night I walked into the kitchen, looked at Tony and said. "You know that buyers remorse I was having?" He cautiously looked at me and said "yeah." I gave him a big smile and said "It's gone."

On our way home Sunday(driving two seperate cars) we had stopped for gas and some chibo. We were sitting at the table and Tony asked me how I liked driving it. I love it! Are you glad we brought it home? Yes! I knew we would bring it home this weekend. I gave him a look asking him what he was talking about. He said but would you have fought me on it if I would have told you that at the beginning of the week? Yes. He said that if we would have bought it and had it delivered I would have worried myself sick not getting to see the car before giving them the money and then to put it on a truck and it possibly getting dings on it... He knows and understands me so well. Just one of the many reasons I love him so much.

...Almost two years later and this has been the best experience ever...which is why I say, it's not just a car, it's an experience...

Modifications to her: Chrome exhaust tips, Chrome around her backlights, Sticker on her third brake light (who knew this was classified as a mod?), Tinted windows, Chrome around quarter windows, Plenum cover,calipers done in matching color of car...or was supposed to be, I still say they look black...and last but our most favorite item is the sequential tail lights.