Buying a Car, Then Justifying the Choice
By Fiona van Iersel
Minerva Empowerment
Consumer Behaviour
8 January 2025

A car purchase combines long-term financial consequences with everyday practical ones. I bought a Leaf, and the experience left me thinking about how attached we become to a decision once changing it would be expensive. You are stuck with your choice even if it feels like a lemon—or, in my case, a Leaf that does not even produce lemons.

Post-purchase evaluation is fascinating. Even after thorough research, we continue asking whether the choice was right. Are we assessing the car fairly, reducing cognitive dissonance by justifying the purchase, or already planning our escape into the next one?

Comparing makes and models looks rational on the surface, but brand reputation, social influence and emotion enter the process too. How much of what feels like a “reasonable” decision comes from factors we barely notice?

My grandparents tended to stick with one thing for years. I sometimes wonder whether they were happier for it. More choice gives us more possibilities, but also more alternatives to keep imagining after we have chosen.