Pity poor me....

Guys, help me out here:

My girlfriend wants an engagement ring... at least 2 carats mind you.. (that's about $25-$30k).

My '74 to 930 conversion project is just SITTING in my driveway under a cover. I'm PARALYZED!

What's a guy to do? What would you do?

-Richard
'84 Carrera Cab
'74 Coupe

I think you should post a pic of your girlfriend and of your '74 project car, and let us vote. (No dangling chad allowed).

2 carats buys a lot of horsepower.

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Bill Krause
'79 911SC Euro

I should add that I already bought her a MBZ ML320 and a flower shop business.

Will the INSANITY never end???

I think that if you can even consider getting her that ring and you have bought the car then you should just swing it all.

Being a financial consultant, and never having been married, allow me to ask you this: Has the car ever demanded something from you, or have you WANTED to do things for the car? I have learned the GREAT LESSON my friend, and it is this: Cars love you always. If there ever is a problem, you can throw a little money at the situation, and if properly handled, you will never hear from it again. (I don’t think the same can be said for a bride.) Cars are there for you to admire, to show off so your friends can admire, they take you anywhere you want to go, any time, and give you that long lasting satisfaction that comes from having a soul mate.

Now, if your girl meets similar criteria, and she loves YOU and wants to be with you yet "wants" a $25K ring (for goodness sake) that she can show off and brag about, there is a very simple solution:

Tell her the ring is on order, and that you want her to finish your car. The ring should show up as soon as the car is finished. This will do two things: keep her happy and let her know where she stands in line of priorities so that the car never becomes one of those things she wants you to sell when she wants a new kitchen.

Good luck. God Bless. Keep the faith. Keep the car...

Just to put in my $0.02 (having done this fairly recently, and feeling pretty strongly about this particular topic):

As a poor (nearly broke, actually) grad student I went into debt to buy my girlfriend (now wife) a whopping 0.51 carat ring (obviously, I'm not in debt anymore). She was so happy about the prospect of getting married that she really didn't give a ***** that the ring was so small. She still wears it daily. And loves it. I've offered to buy her a new (larger) one and she has vehemently declined. She's a keeper.

If your girlfriend/fiancee/whatever measures how much you love her by the size of the ring you give her, find someone else.

IMHO.

blue

25 to 30K,,,, Oh the things you could do with that and a creative imagination!!!!!!!! ( porsche realated,, that is ) Tell her you'll spend have that amount and she can drive the car when its done. :-)
Seriously,, I'll have to vote for the girl. My new girlfriend is WONDERFUL and I'd give her what ever she wanted. Car projects are always going to be there to work on,, a good wife might not..................

please don't tell my jack-standing carrera I said that.

[This message has been edited by carrerajim (edited 11-29-2000).]

I would go with BlueSkyJaunte. I too was a poor grad student when I also bought a .51 carat rock. Now she wouldn't hear of me getting her a different one, despite many offers I have made. I suppose, however, that you could argue that the 911 is as important to you as the rock is to her. I say sell the Mercedes and get the diamond, use the rest of the $ to redo the 911 and give her your daily driver. Problem solved. Best of Luck.
Nick.




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Nick Shumaker
1982 911SC Coupe

Sounds like your girlfriend wants just too damn much. Or is it that you want to give her all that. Did she ask for it? Do you have to keep up with the Joneses? 25K could buy some nice furniture and dishes. How bout a swimming pool? Seems like a lot to throw away on a bauble for show. Check the depreciation on that ring as soon as it's out of the showroom floor.My wife's a fox and she's wearing a small diamond. I don't see how the sex could be better with a bigger ring on her finger!

Totally agree with Blue. I have a plain gold wedding band and my wife as well. If our love hinges on the size or lack of a diamond, then its time to either get a new girlfriend or have a long talk with her.

You have already bought her a nice car and she seems not to be happy with that alone. Have you spent the same amount (or more) on your 911 than on her car and is this the problem?

She either wants the ring to show it off to others (girlfriends, family), or possibly to keep in case the relationship does not work out. Either one is not a valid reason in my puny mind.

Tell her that you have no problem with her getting a $30K diamond, but that she better start saving from her paycheck right away. Tell her that she can pay for half and see her reaction. Being a couple and team together means you both support each other, and this is not happening here.

If she is not happy with something smaller, then its not love, and probably whatever you get her will not satisfy her in the end. If she wants something to show off to others, get a fake diamond in a nice setting, but $30K just for her to flash to others is crazy!

Put 25% into your car if it has not cost too much more than hers, 10% into a pair of nice and affordable wedding rings. I would put the rest into retirement or savings for your kids college. Anything else is being wasted...

When mama is happy, everyone is happy, but when mama is unhappy, life is a *****. That said, there are limits and she has gone way beyond hers were she my lady friend...

JoeA

Ha! I spent $6000, which is lots on my poor soldier salary, to engage my highschool sweetheart. The wedding was going to cost around $15k. As soon as she sarted getting wierd on me I blew the $15k on a 911. I was married once and there is no way the bitter twisted remains of my divorce was going to go through that again. The 911 hardly ever lets me down, and when she does I can figure out why. And chicks dig the car Having said that, I remember what it was like to be a romantic in love. Don't make too many sacrifices buddy! Someday you might just regret it. Oh I'm glad I'm not in your shoes.

I think you have trained her to expect to much. Demanding a 2 carat ring, well what happned to LOVE, she should love and cherrish what ever you buy for her. Heep the car and dump the gold digger!

Randy Jones
1971 911

25 TO 30 G's on 2 carat?
I can introduce you to my friend's father who has a few jewlery stores in Phila area and that ring will be much cheaper.

On the other hand, if she wants you to drop 30G's on a ring, what will come next? Did you think about that?
Just my 0.02

Richard, I think you already know the answer to the 'INSANITY' question ... and I think I would throw up every time I looked at the white ML320!!!

I don't know where you found your 'DINGBAT' ... but maybe they are looking for her back at the looney bin by now! Sounds like she ought to be featured on the Oprah show!

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Warren Hall
1973 911S Targa

I feel your pain. You are not going to get away with a diamond. I just purchased a 1.86 carat diamond ring for much less than 20K. The key is buy one out of state and save on any sales tax. Give The Diamond Gallery in Charlotte, North Caraolina a call. I dealt with Barry Wade and he set me up nicely. The diamonds were sent to me to review. Also, get a princess cut because it will look larger, to wit, a 1.5 carate princess cut looks as big as a 2.0 cut brilliant cut. I bought a ring and I still have enough for a complete suspension and brake upgrade. Good luck.

My friend if you go ahead with this purchase whats next? a $500,000 house,a $10,000 doberman,and the list goes on,as a hispanic male and( macho type)the things that you purchase for the wife she must earn just like i earn my living,house clean,good care of the kids ect,ect, will be compensated but not on demand, but when it comes to the car thing, we love our cars and some of us a bit more than the wife will ever understand.

Have you ever been married before or involved in a long term relationship?

You'll be happier with the car in the long run--regardless of how much money you have or spend!

Good Luck!


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ASKram
77' Targa
askjbsa@yahoo.com

motion:
I noticed you live in Laguna Niguel, so $500,000 for a house is about right, if not cheap. A $10K dog, that's a little rich. Better plan on $1,500 as that sounds about right.

If 30k will break the bank and she knows it I'd say shes a selfish parasite, if $30k is a drop in the bucket buy it for her.


Pity you is right with that woman, I run as fast as I can and speed away in my 911 from those types, my present girlfriend who looks exactly like Jacyln Smith and is absolutely gorgeous would never want something so elaborate just to wear and impress others and is way too practical for that, to each is own though

Good Luck!

DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA HOW MANY SETS OF TIRES YOU COULD BUY FOR THIR-TY THOUUUUUUSAND DOLLARS!!!!????



..........Geez

I told my girlfriend up front that I don't believe in jewelery from the beginning. She doesn't like it but hey....she knows who my real baby is...