Life advice-getting married-how do you manage P-car expenses???

Blk95993 · Blk95993's Garage

All-

Let me just preface this thread-I am not trying to figure out a way to pull on over on the future Mrs. BLK95993...just want to see how others manage the cost of this hobby...

I am getting married and the days of spending every dollar on parts and cars may be over....Trying to learn from some more experienced pelicans regards P-cars and the wife.... have a little window of opportunity before I get married to buy another P-car. Found a high mileage 993 that fits the bill perfectly...She is very cool regards owning a 911 and by no means is she going to freak when I show up with another. Just bought a house and the deal was that after I got that in order, I would buy another P-Car if I could afford it....fyi..house has a 16 ft ceilings in the basement with drive around garage...and yes, i will buy a lift...

Discussion has come up regards "joint checking accounts".....you know the rest...How many guys out there have seperate accounts for p car expenses?

jbrinkley · 12-03-2006, 07:57 AM

tennis braclets, 3.5 karrats equals a turbo kit
and to be honest... I don't get aroud it

Don Plumley · Don Plumley's Garage

IMHO: If you are wondering how to hide things from your soon to be wife, she'll soon be your ex-wife.

Seriously - "hide the cost of ownership?"

Blk95993 · Blk95993's Garage

Point taken regards the diamonds..

Blk95993 · Blk95993's Garage

Don-point taken and edited....

Rick V · 12-03-2006, 08:10 AM

Man don't take this the wrong way but if you enter a marage with the intention of hiding things, I can see alot of lawyers bills in your future. Don't hide anything, You were doing this stuff before your marrage there is no reason you shouldn't continue after the wedding. Trust is a very-very large part of the commitment you are about to make, don't start off on the wrong foot. I'm closing in on 21 years of marrage, Trust me when I say don't do it wrong from the start. I do recomend seperate checking accts. works for us. It's all "our" money just we control half equally.

As for your 16foot celings in the basement.........you suck!

Zeke · 12-03-2006, 08:17 AM

It's all been said. You need some priorities set. And, a joint checking account is a bad idea, IMHO. Remember that she will want to hide some expenses too, LOL! Can you say 24 pairs of shoes?

I don't know how this topic is 911 related, but if you ever sell one for a profit, that will walk itself to the bank.

tonythetarga · 12-03-2006, 08:17 AM

There are always two main roads to travel, deceipt, which will likely put you onto the path towards divorce in a couple years or being honest about what you want and showing some patience to get there.
After 24 years, actually happy years, I have always tinkered with vintage bikes and sports cars, 911's included. I have my play money in an account aside from our joint funds and am always looking for angles to buy/sell and fill up my account to get the next upgrade financed. If I do well on a sale, I always split some of those funds to benefit both of us. If it is just a fund financed from income, the you need to agree how much can go there and what the primary purpose is for those funds.
Don't forget that you also need to make room and time (=$$$) for vacations and the above named sparkly items.
You need to decide what kind of person you are and proceed accordingly.
(sorry, sounds a bit heavy this early on a Sunday)

Blk95993 · Blk95993's Garage

Just to CLARIFY-Not trying to be dishonest or hide anything from the wife, just wanted to see how others managed the expense of these cars, while keeping the wife happy...because this hobby is not cheap....

jbrinkley · 12-03-2006, 08:18 AM

diamonds grease the wheels, it's not a dollar for dollar thing but 2k plus gets her attention, and it's just easier to compensate. spend on me and spend on her. I never hide anything, my life would be over if I concealed car money from her

PCA7GGR · 12-03-2006, 08:20 AM

I have been married for just over 30 years and have had Porsches, up to 4 at a time, for as many years. My spouse's opinion of my Porsche addiction can be best explained by the following story:

A few years pack, we had two couples over for dinner. While the guys out in the garage checking out the stable, one of the spouses asked Diane,"Don't you get jealous about how my time Sergio spends with his cars?". Diane's reply was, "He's never slept with any of them."

Plus what Rick V said.

gduke · 12-03-2006, 08:26 AM

I saved money to buy a boat by opening a secret bank account and having the statements sentto my mother's place. I deposited $200-$300/wk after cashing the pay check in my bank and stopping at the other bank depositing the money. When enough $$$ was in the acount, I bought a boat. Both the boat and woman are long gone, but I worked out nicely.

Gary

don911 · don911's Garage

I agree with the above comments. You can't go into it thinking that you have to hide the expenses of your pcar habit. If you're that concerned about it that you posted the question, it sounds like you need to have a realistic and honest talk with the future Mrs.
You'll have to find a compromise on the house and car(s) but you should not have to give up or hide your enjoyment in the pcars. Before I got married, I was very clear that the car was my hobby and it was going to cost money.

When you have that talk, find out what her shoe, hand bag and clothes expenses are. If she's anything like my ex-wife, you're pcar expenses will not equal hers.

Jims5543 · 12-03-2006, 08:38 AM

You have to come clean. You have a disease and there is no support group or known cure for it.

She will have to accept this disease coming into the marraige and fights about it are off limits.

Its a 2way street you might have to put off that turbo in lieu of a need of around the house.

I get sick when I consider what I have spent on my cars. I wish I could stop sometimes.

Z-man · Z-man's Garage

This is how we manage my P-car expenses:

I don't hide anything, but I also don't show my wife every penny that I spend on the car. She does the random method - every now and then she asks me what the bill was when I bring the car back from the shop.

I also have a DE/Track budget so I can keep track of the 'fun stuff' expenses. This Kim doesn't really look into, but if I'm planning on a trip to the track, she'll ask me if my budget allows for it.

She knows that the Porsche is a very expensive car to maintain, but knows that it gives me great pleasure.

Oh, and everytime I'm away for a track weekend, Mrs. Z-man gets a spa treatment or some type of special gift. Yeah, a spa treatment is typically far less expensive than a track weekend, but for Kim, it is knowing that I recognize the she needs to 'decompress' as much as I do is important and rewarding and effective. By doing this, I show her that even though I'm away and having fun with my car and 'the guys' that I care for her and want her to be happy.

-Zoltan.

austin552 · austin552's Garage

WE set up a savings account for my 911.

Blk95993 · Blk95993's Garage

Z-Man, thanks for the feed-back and ideas...

the · 12-03-2006, 08:52 AM

Nuthin' wrong with a little slush fund.

audi2.7t · 12-03-2006, 09:07 AM

My wife is a diamond dealer so that's out of the equation but we have an understanding as far as my "toys". I NEVER ask her how much she spends on shoes, clothes, knick knacks etc. and she never questions what I buy except to offer "realistic" pointers. So far, she's ahead in the spending Dept. for sure but she works hard, puts up with me and stays out of the garage. I've found that the best way to get something is to use reverse pshycology..ie. bring up the subject accompanied by pictures on the laptop while she's watching TV...start explaing in detail the handling characteristics of 18" versus 16" rims or the benefits of fuel injection over carbs...5 minutes tops before she gives you the green light.

rfuerst911sc · 12-03-2006, 09:26 AM

Does the future Mrs. have the same passion for your Porsche? It helps if the spouse at least understands your passion. My wife and I have been married for 28 years and known each other for 30 and we NEVER fight or hide about money. We take both our incomes and put it into 3 pots. The largest is for bills,groceries,gas etc. the other 2 pots each week get equal money for me and her. We can spend or save whatever we want out of our respective pots. She generally saves for Christmas buying I generally save for auto and house maint. and I set Porsche play money aside each week. The key to this working is both parties trust each other and we only change this plan if we talk about it and agree. It really works great and there is no reason to argue as you each get equal play money. I just purchased a 1975 Porsche 914 rolling chassis as a project car and the Mrs. was O.K. with it because it cost her nothing and she knows it keeps me happy.