i was in atlanta today to visit some companies with the marketing club. as a Hertz #1 gold club member, i get some pretty nice treatment. i rented a mid-size far with GPS and they told me if i pay $20 more, then i can get upgraded to a Lincoln LS. tempted as i was, i refused. to get the GPS system was $9 extra and i wasn't willing to pay an extra $11 to have a cooler car. then the guy said, 'okay - $15.' then the lightbulb went off in my head. i can bargain the price down! so i said 'okay. i'll do it for $12.' in complicated pricing terms, the cost of marginal utility was less than the perceived benefit i would receive. in simple terms, it was worth it to me to pay a simple $3 to get a much much cooler car. after all, i was already getting a 20% discount off the mid-size price.

so the guy shook his head, and said okay. so i drove around in a shiny new red lincoln LS will XM satellite radio, dual climate control, seat heaters AND coolers (that felt really weird), and a ton of other options - all for $3. the car was a lot better than i ever imagined it would be. but with all those gadgets and gizmos, it got old rather quickly. it's fun to play around with, but it's like getting a new video game system. it's really cool in the beginning, but after awhile it does wear off. but speed and torque... that never gets old. i love gadgets and gizmos, but i definitely have the need for speed.