Burnt out on cars???

[fastfredracing]

I am 38 years old, and a self employed auto mechanic by trade. My main hobby since I have been 18 has been cars, spent most of my adult life building, modifying /racing/ buying/ selling cars etc.... I now have a 2 1/2 year old son, and I am finding it real hard to spend so much time spinning bolts.My main goal for this summer was to get my track whore sc back together, and run it on the street for a while, but every Saturday morining I wake up , I cant find the gumption to leave my family and spend another 20 hours in the garage. I hope that this is not a permanent thing, I am pretty sure my kid will be a gearhead too, as he is fascinated with anyting with wheels and a motor, and maybe we can take the hobby back up together. but I think I am going to take a couple year hiatus from the hobby. Have any of you gone throught this?? I did not think this would ever happen to me, as cars have been pretty much the staple of my existance. I think I am going to pack up the 930 and the SC for a two year nap, and live life a little outside of the garage. Just imagine the mad cash I will save though.

[cantdrv55]

You are not alone. I think though that you are going to miss working on and tracking your cars once you have them packed in for a nap. Better to put them under a car cover but still have access to them rather than put them on jackstands and then throw a bunch of crap on top like your fake Xmas tree, file boxes, camping gear, like I did.

[Evans, Marv]

I think you have a good idea there. It's not just necessarily cars/mechanics but I think most people find the need to take a break every once in a while from most things they are instensly involved in over long periods of time. It gives you a chance to add some variety to your life and try some new things knowing your old standby interests are still there waiting for you when you become reenergized. Have fun with whatever comes along.

[svandamme]

sell the kid

[azasadny]

You go through phases in your life and then move onto the next one. We have been married 21 years, our kids are 16 and 13 and we are secure enough to be able to buy a few things we've always wanted, so the car for me and the house stuff for my wife. We keep it in perspective and spend time together as a family as much as we can. Have fun and don't take the cars too seriously...

[LakeCleElum]

You have mixed your career with your hobby. Doing both 24/7 will burn you out after a while. Take a break and come back later.

I did the same with motorcycles. Earned my living riding one for 10 yrs and spent all my spare time taking trips, racing or doing dirt bikes.

Enjoy your family while you can. By the time children are in their mid-teens, they'll have no time for dad. Then, it's time to tinker again!!

[RANDY P]

when I worked on cars I didn't even have the energy to properly finish my own projects I wasn so burned out working on other people's garbage.

I fully understand - the realization it can and will never end unless you put a stop to it. You can spend the rest of your life under a car if you choose.

[Rick V]

I grew up the son of a mechanic, it is all I know. I did some other things when I was younger, like plumbing, security work ect, but I always returned to the cars. I started making a living with the wrench over 20 years ago and I can no longer stand it. For the last several years I have been looking for something else to do. Starting over at the bottom isn't an option so I plan to stick it out for another 7 years then walk away from it. I feel ya brother. I get no joy from wrenches any more it is just a job and that is not a good feeling.

[cab83_750]

Originally Posted by LakeCleElum

......Enjoy your family while you can. By the time children are in their mid-teens, they'll have no time for dad. ........

I was going to type it in, but heck, I found out I can just + to it.





You should probably step back and analyze further. Are you also emotional nowadays? Do you feel more sympathetic? Protective? Bottom line is..... most likely you are changing due to your family (which is a very good thing).

Do you have a daughter? Be warned, my son is now 19 but I am still close to him (not as close). My daughter is 17 but (crap), she and I closer now than before.


Consider yourself lucky as it sounds like your 'hobby' is the only one being 'put aside.' Some of us had to give up careers, fortune and opportunities just for the sake of the family ----- heck, for the record, I for one, do not have regrets.


Keep Up The Good Job. Your mentality would most like create a very strong and happy family.

[89911]

I am. When I got my 911 about 10 years ago, I was looking for things to do on it. I dreamt of building a garage with a lift, compressed air, heck even a tire changing machine. Now, I love my car. Love driving it. But the thought of doing it myself has really gotten old. Thank goodness it really hasn't needed much over the years, I don't think I have another engine drop in me.

[Porsche-O-Phile]

When things start to become work, it's time to take some time off from them for a while. One reason my 911 is still under a cover in the garage where it's been for the last 6-7 months. Wrenching has gotten to be too much like "work" and not enough like "fun". Slowly I'm getting my motiviation back though.

[Seahawk]

I know exactly where you are concerning cars. I took a loss on two projects when spending time with my young kids was more important.

But now? My son and I are looking at car projects before we tackle bigger builds...he is 13 and has helped my work on the maintenance cars and farm equipment most of his life. There is really nothing more I want to do than spend time with him in the garage. He wants to be there.

[cab83_750]

Is it me or just a majority of the responders are misreading this thead?


Guys, he is seeking input based on effects/guilt of his family (kids)!!!!!

He is not taking a 2-year vacation because he is getting old like the majority of us!!!!

[Noah930]

Originally Posted by cab83_750

Is it me or just a majority of the responders are misreading this thead?


Guys, he is seeking input based on effects/guilt of his family (kids)!!!!!

He is not taking a 2-year vacation because he is getting old like the majority of us!!!!

That's what I thought. Is it that you find you'd rather spend time with your young family on the weekends (though you still loves cars), or that you're actually getting tired of working on cars (the burned out part). Your title doesn't seem to match what you wrote in your post.

If it's that you're torn between family and hobby, I'm in the same boat. I love cars (and bikes). I also have a young family. I don't wrench for a living. There are days during the work week where I get up before the kids do, and come home after they're asleep. Or if I do see them in the morning or evening, it's just for a half hour before I'm out (the door) or they're out (asleep). So when the weekend rolls in, I have to make a choice: go out for a drive/ride, or play with the kids and spend time with my wife.

Fortunately, my wife always encourages me to do whatever I want. She's OK if I go for a canyon drive with the guys. She doesn't press any guilt onto me. But kids grow up so quickly, at the same time. And I miss despite living in the same house as them, I miss them as the week goes on.

So, in the end, I'll usually spend one weekend morning doing family stuff, and another doing something car or bike related (driving/riding/minor wrenching). I've decided against doing anything really time-consuming like building a racecar or project car.

[Zeke]

Work and play should not be the same type of activity. For a woodworker like me, metal work and the occasional wrenching is a nice change. Still with my hands and physical at times, it's not like the normal work I do. Coming inside and sitting at the computer is fun too, because I don't use a computer at work.

Try this one: being a professional carpenter and remolding your own house. My car just got back together, the kitchen has been under the knife for 2 years.

[Noah930]

Hmmm. Perhaps we should figure out some sort of Pelican barter system, milt.

[Seahawk]

Originally Posted by cab83_750

Is it me or just a majority of the responders are misreading this thead?


Guys, he is seeking input based on effects/guilt of his family (kids)!!!!!

He is not taking a 2-year vacation because he is getting old like the majority of us!!!!

I thought I did pretty well a few posts ago, but let me try a different angle.

I took a very lucrative job eight weeks ago in DC...it meant that I would have to stay in DC during the week and come home on the weekends. After three weeks of this my son, soon to be a freshman in HS, told me that he would rather have me home all the time.

I thought he was right...I've made changes and am back during the week.

Do we have to make hard choices based on our responsibilities as a parent? Yes.

Fastfredracing, try and include your boy in what you love to do...I have no other advice.

[126coupe]

I have been racing for 10 years and am burnt, put the race car on jackstands in March and am relieved, dont have to work on it, trailer it, drive it.
I like spending my time going to San Francisco to visit my daughter and eating and drinking. Doing some traveling, Italy in November. Italy in Jan. too.
I may race the car again in 3-4 years. Thats a big maybe.
The racing just became more of a job than a hobby.

[DanielDudley]

Some of us still wish we had kids to hang with.

Aside from that, My car building has always gone in cycles.

[Oracle]

Originally Posted by fastfredracing

I am 38 years old. I now have a 2 1/2 year old son, and I am finding it real hard to spend so much time spinning bolts.

I'm exactly on the same boat..
I don't want to let this short window of innocence and care in my son to just fly by... People ask me at work about the car project, etc.. always the same answer.. nope nothing, I went to the zoo, playground, bday party, kung-fu panda, etc..

I'm loving every minute of it!