Your car hobby. Was it a mistake? Or a blessing?

[sugarwood]

This was an interesting quote from another thread:

After years of begin a compulsive do it yourselfer on cars and homes, I am now happy to pay someone else to recommend how it should be done, and do it that way, thus avoiding the disagreements and the fights. Instead, spending my time taking her out to dinner and enjoying glass of wine and her company.

We are getting old and eventually she will be gone. The hours I've wasted on metal and tools...

In retrospect, was your car hobby a poor allocation of your finite time, energy, money, and efforts?
Do you wonder about the opportunity cost? If you could do it again, would you do it differently?
Spend your free time in other ways? On your career? Family? Other hobbies?

Or was your car hobby a great thing in your life?
Gave you something to do with yourself. Gave you a goal?
An opportunity to learn and grow? The feeling of accomplishment?

Did the car thing get in the way of your life?
Or was your life a way to do your car thing?

Live to car? Car to live?

What is your take?

[wdfifteen]

Absolutely a great thing. Half of what i am now is because I have always been a car nut. "356 Porsche guy" is part of my identity. My wonderful wife would not have given me the time of day if I hadn't been able to talk cars with her. I don't hold it against her that she is a Corvette fan.

[manbridge 74]

Family is the true blessing for me.

Car thing is serious. It's me living.

[SilberUrS6]

I have met many interesting people and made a good number of friends through my car activities. I don't think any of the time was wasted.

[Craig T]

Originally Posted by SilberUrS6

I have met many interesting people and made a good number of friends through my car activities. I don't think any of the time was wasted.

Ditto^^^^^^

[sand_man]

My father is a car guy. I grew up around the 1950s and '60s German, British, and Italian sports cars that he always drove (I'm 46). He is also the one who turned me onto motorsports.

I learned to work on cars out of necessity. More often than not, it was cheaper to buy the tools and parts and do it myself, as I couldn't afford to pay someone else. Over the years I just developed a feel for mechanical things and I'm quite good at it. I'm also a tool whore, and love acquiring the right tools for the job.

In most cases it’s a blessing. I love mechanical things. I love seeing how far I can get into a project, wondering if It’ll all go back together and start! I feel better connected to the cars having sacrificed a little blood and sweat. Usually, the cars I work on are my daily transportation, so I have to plan repairs carefully, so I’ll have wheels to drive; I also like that challenge. I attend lots of car races and spend most of my time in the paddock/pit area watching the crew.

Having done a few restorations, the only thing I dislike doing myself is paint and bodywork!!! I am much more of a mechanic than a body-man. So I prefer to buy nice cars (more on the “driver” scale) and maintain them. I try not to think about what I might be losing when I’m ready to move onto the next car and project.

I think my next goal is to learn how to weld.

[A930Rocket]

I've spent a lot of time and money over the years on cars. I don't smoke, drink, play golf etc. Its been my hobby and my passion since I was 10-12 years old.

My wife hasn't always been supportive, but she says she regrets me selling my 930. I regret it too, but there will be another car one day.

[A930Rocket]

Well said, Jeff.

[Nickshu]

Originally Posted by A930Rocket

I've spent a lot of time and money over the years on cars. I don't smoke, drink, play golf etc. Its been my hobby and my passion since I was 10-12 years old.

My wife hasn't always been supportive, but she says she regrets me selling my 930. I regret it too, but there will be another car one day.

This is me too. Except I enjoy a good beer. I joke with people that my car hobby is cheaper than cocaine.

[Tidybuoy]

If I had a brand new 2016 Chevy I wouldn't be happy until I took something apart on it.

My car is a hobby. I'm very happy to have a Porsche hobby rather than the other options out there.

[onewhippedpuppy]

Originally Posted by Craig T

Ditto^^^^^^

Ditto +1, including Craig.

I've met amazing people and had a huge amount of fun. I have a passion to share with my kids and something productive to do as a hobby. I have a supportive wife who has come around to the way of the sports car, recently commenting that she wanted her own Porsche when our kids are grown. No complaints, this is a great hobby.

[bpu699]

It's about balance... Family come first. Kids grow old and move out quickly...

Beyond that, everyone needs a hobby... Cars vs golf, your choice.

If you get sick of your cars, you can sell them... Can't say the same for golf...

[john70t]

Originally Posted by sand_man

. Over the years I just developed a feel for mechanical things and I'm quite good at it. I'm also a tool whore, and love acquiring the right tools for the job.

Yeah. Tools usually pay for themselves with the first job.

Originally Posted by sand_man

I think my next goal is to learn how to weld.

Well, what are you waiting for? Geesh!

Get a used110V Miller or Lincoln MIG w/gas and go to it. Best sub$500 bucks you've ever spent.
It will do everything but the important stuff.
1). Burn-through is too hot or too slow. Same with flat welds surrounded by rainbows.
2). Chicken poop is too cold or too fast. Cut through with a wheel and measure penetration.
3). Pop-popping is way too hot. The feed wire is burning back in segments as soon as it touches.
4). The sound is as important as the sight.
5). Buy a high quality helmet and lens. Do not ever skimp there.
6). Have good lighting to know where to start.

Get lined paper and start drawing scallops along the lines.
Slow and loop at the edges.

[Dantilla]

I've met good friends. I save money maintaining the cars myself. My wife is impressed if I do something as simple as replacing a burned-out wiper motor!

I've struggled with racing- Is it totally selfish? I also have a pilot's license, but I can take friends and family to great destinations with an airplane. The race car has only one seat!

Who knew goofing off at the track could lead to doing something truly worthwhile:
You know you're among exotics when the Ferrari is ignored

When you're a kid with cancer, you're always an oddball-
The kid with puffy cheeks.
The kid with hair missing.
The clumsy kid.
The kid who is constantly missing school.

One of their most common questions: "Why can't I be normal?"

This camp is the one place these kids get to be "normal", where everybody understands. Nobody gets teased. Also gives parents a needed break.

I was honored to be able to help raise funds for a worthy cause by driving a (borrowed!) Lamborghini.

[sand_man]

Originally Posted by john70t

Yeah. Tools usually pay for themselves with the first job.


Well, what are you waiting for? Geesh!

Get a used110V Miller or Lincoln MIG w/gas and go to it. Best sub$500 bucks you've ever spent.
It will do everything but the important stuff.
1). Burn-through is too hot or too slow. Same with flat welds surrounded by rainbows.
2). Chicken poop is too cold or too fast. Cut through with a wheel and measure penetration.
3). Pop-popping is way too hot. The feed wire is burning back in segments as soon as it touches.
4). The sound is as important as the sight.
5). Buy a high quality helmet and lens. Do not ever skimp there.
6). Have good lighting to know where to start.

Get lined paper and start drawing scallops along the lines.
Slow and loop at the edges.

Thanks, John!!! I gots no more excuses, so it's time...

[cstreit]

Yes to both

[porsche4life]

Undoubtedly it has changed my life. If I had never gotten into Porsches I would have never joined pelican. If I had never joined pelican I would have never met Thuy and moved to AZ. It has drastically changed my life.

Being around you goons has been a big influence on me too. It's yet to be seen whether that's good or bad.

[Hugh R]

Owned the Aston Martin DB4 for 35 years, yes a hobby, but also my ONLY car for many years. I sold it in large part because of the unavailability of parts, and I just wasn't driving it. Bought it for $1,750 in 1971 (about the price of a slightly used Pinto). Sold it a few years ago to the Prime Minister of Kuwait for a lot of money. Looking at values today, I should have hung on to it for a few more years, but whatever. I paid off my 2nd on the house, my daughter's schooling at UC Santa Barbara, bought a new Camry Hybrid, hardwood floors and double pane windows and doors in the house, re-plastered the pool, and took the remaining 1/2 and put it in the stock market and have done very well with that.

Do I miss it, yes, but it was a stupid expensive liability to own at that point, given my position in the economic food chain of life.

My 84 911 Targa, I'm kind of torn with, I like it, but don't drive it much. It costs nothing to insure/register, and its worth about 2-1/2x what I bought it for, its a nice 3rd car to have around.

[LWJ]

A hobby. Mostly made money as I am cheap. Had fun. Better than watching television.

[aigel]

I have saved more money doing my own repairs and making educated purchase decision than I spent on the fun side of the car hobby.

That OP quoted - whoever wrote it - reads like some whipped guy. Go for dinner and drink wine instead of being able to repair a car for your wife? My wife is always super happy and appreciative if I fix her ride. She has been to he shop before and knows it takes a ton of time and hassle. She also knows how much money it costs.

As I get older and do have less time than money, I do buy newer or new vehicles, so I don't have to wrench as often at inopportune times.

One thing I do look forward to during retirement is the ability to drive beaters again, as I will be able to fix them and the savings will help retiring a couple years earlier!

G