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Life Advice Needed
The unfortunate harshness of life is enough to get me down sometimes.
This is an automotive story. You will understand.
It all began when I graduated from college, and decided that I would finally get a real sports car after years of driving Crown Vics and Oldsmobiles. I read Grassroots Motorsports looking for ideas, and read about 944s and how 'cheap' they were. I did my research, came here and learned all about PPIs and whatnot. Drove a 924S that was basically pristine, but the owner wanted WAY too much for it. Then went and drove a 951. I almost crapped my pants I liked it so much. It was extremely difficult to walk away from it. But I had to- because I knew that all those warning lights and smoke meant trouble. Finally found my baby months later and paid for it. Drove it for about three years. It was disfunctional for about 10 months of that, mainly because I lacked a garage and extra money for fixing it. Finally, I needed a daily driver for my new job and had to part with it. I wanted to cry when it left, but at least it went to a Pelican.
So then, the plan was to get a reliable 4 door car. Then, the animal within me convinced me that an RX8 had 4 doors, and driving one clinched it for me. Nevermind that I had no business buying a car this expensive- hey! I can just lease it and write off the payments! I used the proceeds from the 951 sale to get into the RX8. The RX8 is a phenomenal vehicle. I love it. It manages to be practical and is a blast on the track.
Fast-forward to the end of my 2 year lease. I made pretty much no money, so although I could write off the payments, I had nothing to write-off against! I've had to accept my reality- that I am piss-dirt poor. I finally, just this week, restructured my position within my company to have a salary and commission sharing. So I will finally be making money.
I have a host of options coming to me in May when I have to turn the car in. I can:
A) Buyout the car-> the buyout will be around $17k. The car will only have about 21K miles. I can continue to AutoX it, and have an awesome car. I will have to finance it through a credit union, so thats something to consider.
B) Go lease or finance another car-> I can write off against my 'salary' (my company will actually be paying me, so 1099 is cool).
C) Buy a craptastic *****box. Find a 2000+ Daewoo or something. Buy it for like $3k. Write that off. Drive the unholy piss out of it for a few years. Deal with the sadness that my life has come to this, although feel good at times about the mature decision that I made, as I watch my bank account actually go up. Make plans during those years for what SUPER sweet car I will eventually buy, all cash.
The logical choice is C, but already twice in the heat of the moment I have abandoned this for something fun. What should I do everyone?
P.S. I don't buy cars for image at all- its just that to be reliable and fun on the track, you have to spend $$$. If only it didn't need to be reliable...
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