imagine how cheap life would be if you were not a car aficionado?
 

you see them everyday. regular folks that simply drive some car as basic transportation from point a--->b. blissfully happy to be in some 90's chevy malibu, unwashed, cheap nameless tires from costco, regular oil changes from jiffy lube, 175,000 miles on the odo, no intentions of buying anything new until the car simply drops dead. these people wash cars with dishwashing soap, let it sun dry, put plain old tap water in the washer reservior.

my bro in law is like this...he couldnt identify a new car model to save his life. no car magazine subscription, no dedicated car wash bucket, no stockpiles of the latest synthetic oil. what happened to us? we drive a billion dollar money making machine, fueled by our car addiction.

sorry, i am bored today. i wonder where i got to the crossroad in life that made me a car lover. my parents were not, my sister pretends...my brother and i...we are both all in. i would be much richer financially, if i was a non-car freak.

(no disrespect for the chevy malibu lovers...not even sure if chevy had one in the 90's)

Met my wife. We see a GT3 going down the road, and I'm going crazy looking at it. She just sighs and says, "Its a car. You get in it, your drive." Then I sigh, and we forget the whole thing....until 4 minutes later when a 930 rounds the corner and.....

Guys that aren't into cars = at least 1-4% more gay.

For the record, if you happen to be gay, you are 1-4% straighter if your into cars. Its a scientific fact.

You know, I've also tried to figure that out myself... I remember as a grade school kid, a buddy & I would ride our bikes to main street to watch the cars drag the gut...passing on the movies.

My room mate is the guy vash describes. He has a gun habit that makes my car habit look cheap. I guess we all have our vices.

My wife says if she didn't have me she would be driving a Bentley. I do all the cooking.

I have a friend like that...licensed for full rock & roll...his "collection" is conservatively worth 1/2 million...all fully functional, all fired from time to time. Told me he goes through "about 30 pounds" of powder annually.

Cars? He couldn't care less.

Most people drive newer cars. Buy them new, sell them 3 years later and start over because they are scared of cars out of warranty or over 100k miles. They usually have a car note, always paying $400+ a month. They can not service their car if their life depended on it. These people spend as much money on cars as us regular Joe old Porsche owners. They have a lot less fun doing it.

Georg

I have a friend/distant relative who has a budget set aside for gambling. He literally goes to an Indian casino or finds a poker game locally every month. Makes my car and bicycle habits seem cheap.

The guy renting out my house has an $8k mountain bike. Documented.

I agree tho, people wonder why we're car obsessed, I wonder how you could not be.

Then again, there's nothing grosser than a balding, old obviously single dude who has no wife or other life other than cars- everyone knows one.

Now, that is creepy. Cars are OK but you have to have other interests and for chrissake, please make sure the house at least looks like a normal person lives there.

Houses where the cars took over are creepy too.

My $.02

rjp

I'm sitting next to two bicycle frames and forks worth $6,500 each.

My theory on this is to make only ONE payment...avoiding the interest...and believe me, "0% interest" isn't.

I have a friend who is not interested in anything. Of course he had a girlfriend, married her, and have kids. He does buy regular things such as cars, house, machine and I has needs but those are normal needs. He didn't like stereo like I did. He didn't like to modify japanese cars like I did when we were young. He likes Porsche if you give he one, but he doesn't even know what model it is if one pass by. There are times I wish I don't have hobies, not only to save $$ but also save a lot of time. Imagine if I can't have the car I like now, I think I will be very bored or maybe into something even worse. But oh well, this is how I am built.

I am one of those guy Vash described. I wash the 930 once or twice a year, at least it is with car wash soap. Most of time, when I take it in for oil change or general maintain BS, It gets detail there if I can. I hate ******* washing cars especially the inside. I may have clean the inside once in 20 years of driving. It was my first clunker I think. The 930 doesn't get driven much since the kids came along. My S2000 is basically my daily driver along with some other larger vehicles. I couldn't tell you what size motor I have in my wife's Toyota van, or my SUV or trucks, or the different models for that matter. They go to the car wash when they get really dirty, or change oil when the light comes on. In my Land Cruiser, the oil gets change when every 4 months llike clock work. A gazillion miles on the odo with the faded paint on the hood and the roof, but it goes, and never a problem.

My other weekness used to be bicycles. I raced for many years, so any light and go fast items were a must. I was dumb enough to buy it and use it then pitch it in the corner after a season of racing. I try and sell it but its usually pennys on the dollar. I lost count how much and may never want to know how much actually. Thank goodness I stopped that but missed the competitive riding badly.

Now there's the semi production wood working machines and construction equip. I know its for the business, but I get carry away sometimes. No more spending, now the kids and vacation are getting most of my $.

As the proud owner of 5 pretty darn nice bicycles, I can assure you that when it comes to anal-retentive about every gram of weight, every snick of the shifter, no car nut in the world can hold a candle to an avid cyclist! Gram to gram, I think competive (and those of us who DREAM of being competitive...) cyclists spend more for their equipment than any other sport on the planet.

Me? Car geek and a bike geek... I drool over a vintage lugged Bottecchia much as I lust for the rich, purposeful curves of a 930 quarter panel. I can ID just about any car on the planet with a glance. Can often nail the year or at least hit within 5 for less common cars. We were watching TV last night and a car came onto the screen - Steve says - "wow, what is that?"

Being the car-geek chick that I am, I said "oh, that's a Maserti Merak, it has a V-6 in it. Remember the V6 that was in the Citroen your Dad had in the shop? Same motor."

You know what the cool part is? Steve just accepts it as being 100% accurate. How freakin' great is that? Damn I married good!

angela

Being without a Porsche for 11 months has made me feel rich!

No, not being a car guy wouldn't help me financially at all. I've got more than enough interests to go around. I've just learned to have interests without being able to spend much money on any of them. What I need is more of a one-track mind so I'd only have 1 interest.

I might have more money but it would have probably gone somewhere else but life sure would have been boring with out all the neet cars over all the years

Honestly, since I got the Porsche sorted out, it has hardly cost me anything.

I too cannot understand how some people can be so oblivious of cars. I don't necessarily blame them, it's just that my gear-head fails to fathom their lack of lust for the 4 wheel form!

Interesting topic to me, I've spent a bit of time pondering this. Hobbies and interests can add a lot to life and they can also take a lot. Balance is the key but who has that? ;)

My life has been ruled by a certain level of OCD and honestly, it's a mixed blessing. It has made me obsessively study things that interest me but they're not always the most important things to know, objectively speaking.

My Dad's next door neighbor and friend for 50 years is from a prominent, rich family that made it in the car dealer business of all things. He may have his other indulgences but he always drives the cheapest car sold at any given time. I'm not kidding, I think it's a Chevy Aveo or tiny Toyota right now. (Can't even look at it long enough to notice, it's that non-descript). In the past he had a Geo Metro. For some reason, he either hates cars or just thinks that they are a 100% waste of money. He's obviously not into cars at all and he grew up in a Chevy dealer w/ new 'vettes around when they were really cool cars.

There would be some freedom in not caring I suppose but he'll also never know the fun some of us have w/ cars and bikes. I guess the bottom line is always whether a hobby is adding more to your life than it's taking away in terms of time/money, which are the same thing unless you're absolutely loaded. :cool:

Since we are talking about expensive hobbies and someone has already mentioned bicycles....

I have a question, if it is too far off scope let me know and I will move it...

Why the obsession with grams of weight on a bike? I get it if you are in 100% PERFECT physical condition, but if you are 1lb heavier than you could be than all of the obessesion and cost seems wasted.

I get that the bike is lighter and easier to move, but at some point the difference between what you had for breakfast and the weight of bike component seem silly.

For the record, I concede that there is clearly a law of diminishing returns in all hobbies. (Audio, cars, etc).

Thanks,
t.

+1

I would just spend more money on my other expensive hobbies: water skiing, snow skiing, and golf.

I broke up with what could have possibly been the best girlfriend I ever had or would have. She loved me more than anyone I have ever known.

But she was not "in to" Anything I liked.

A Porsche was just a car. A Key West Sunset was just dark coming on. A 5-pound lobster was just something to eat. Single malt Scotch was just something to give me a buzz. The Art Deco hotels in Miami were just buildings.

Miami. We took a trip to the Keys. Down there two week. She liked the sailing - because I was there. That's how she was about most stuff. She didn't have feelings for anything but because I was there she went along with it.

Anyway, Miami. Coming back home from the trip I took her through Miami Beach. Sitting at a red light, to my right, in four parking spaces there were two Lamborghinis, a Ferrari 550 and a GT3. I was ohhing and ahhhing over the cars, discussing what they were worth, how fast they were. She was bored stiff, then she said it, "They're just cars."

To me this confirmed what I had been thinking for a long time. We didn't have the same interests. Except one place. That's about all we had. Sex was fantastic. But that won't sustain a relationship.

It wasn't long after that we called it off.

edit: she didn't have any passions outside of the bedroom. and she was so negative about most everything else as well. the negativity really became more than i could handle.

my wife is not passionate about cars, or any of my hobbies. 95% of the time, i consider this a good thing.

she has her own passions.


i met a man with a car lift at his home. i was jogging by, and stopped, mouth gaping. he gave me a tour. stunning. the dude spent thousands on his car shop. basically to make a $19.99 oil change easier. and you know what? i fully understand. i want a a modest home, on a sprawling property, with a separate car shop. a car shop big enough for me to pull a trailer in and do a u-turn..:) 25,000 oil changes later, and it would have paid for itself..;)

I'd have a lot more money in the bank and probably a much nicer house, but I wouldn't be happier.

Yep. Unfortunately, i have both habits. :(

For me, being a car nut pays for itself.

Doing my own work allows me to run a nice older car ('99 Benz) very cheaply, and an ultra-cheap daily driver for Mrs Notfarnow.

A couple weeks ago the brakes on my benz started squeeling, and I was really busy so I took it to the shop, thinking I'd bite the bullit and have them do it. Quote was $930 for two new calipers (seized) and new pads. Screw that, I ordered the caliper repair kits ($22/side) and the good brake pads $60, and did all the work in 3 hours for ~$100.

When Mrs Notfarnow needed a good reliable daily driver, I was able to pick up a $1000 1998 Honda civic that needed rear shocks, two brake lines and a heater fan. I'm in $1400 and it's probably one of the most reliable cars I've ever owned. Looks great too, and she loves it.

In fact, when I compare what we spend on cars in the last two years to what our friends and family spend, we are friggin miserly. Between the MB and the Honda, we spent ~16k. If I decided to sell them, we'd get maybe 10-11k for the benz and 2k for the Honda. Compare that to what our friends pay for new Accords, Pilots, Envoys... and then figure the depreciation!

When I sit down and figure how much we save, it makes it pretty easy to justify going out and buying a decent but tatty 964 Carrera4 for 16-17k. Almost sensible, really

Actually, I agree with you. Lighter isn't always better on a bike any more than it is on a car. After all, no matter how light the part is, it still needs to FINISH the race. The guy with the super light busted wheel finishes LAST or doesn't finish at all. A few more grams in critical parts often makes them much stronger. You frequently see a guy (or in my case - a gal) who could stand to loose 20 lbs riding a 16 pound road bike. WTF? I think we need to ride a huffy for a while and shed those extra personal pounds THEN switch back to the light bike - LOL!

I do 24 hour mountain bike races. I pick my equipment with great deliberation. It needs to be light, but more importantly, it must be durable and standard configurations. If you break something that is a totally unique part, you're going to ride your backup back for the rest of the 24 hour race or finish carrying what you broke.

There's a real well known racer in the 24 hour circuit who cuts the chamois out of his shorts to save weight. Then rides for 24 freakin' hours at the speed of light with no chamois (padding) at all! GAHHHH!!

Fuhgedabout it. Hand me that extra padded pair of shorts and don't be shy with the bag balm! - LOL!

angela

If I didn't have the Porsche, I'd have just used that money to buy more motorcycles... I'd be no farther ahead financially.

Oh how is that the same thing?!? http://katriders.com/vb/images/smilies/transport031.gif

That, and quitting booze...now, the money just piles up in my checking account until I invest it. Then it goes away! :rolleyes:

I agree a lot of people ask me how I can afford a Porsche and I look at what they drive. One of them pays $700 a month for a lease on G35, another one just bought a small VW SUV thing for $25k and makes $470/mo payments, etc. I tell them that my 911 cost me less than what people spend buying a new Honda Accord.

It is just one of those thing every gram geeks gotta to do unti things go kaboom. I use to drill out brake levers and chain rings on Campy Super Record stuff. cut my handle bars shorter just to save weight. That's only on race day. I remember doing the doing the District Road Race as my last junior year, I cross a wheel going up hill (I know, stupid youth, and dumb) and crashed. Busted my home drilled front brake lever. I would have kept going but there were a lot of crazy down hill riding that day. I learned my lesson well. You sure don't see a lot of light high tech stuff in Paris Roubaix. Pretty much standard stuff that they have using for ages (wheels).

The only thing siller than owing a 911 is owing a boat.

After having become interested in guns since all the talk on this BBS from you guys ;) I've been spending quite a bit of time at a gun club. The guys come in with a new gun and say defensively "It cost.... but it's a really nice...." I think "bargain - cheaper than a track weekend."

I don't get it. Being without a Porsche (or some other fun car) for 11 months would make me feel poor. Hell, I get itchy when it goes away for 6 months in the winter. There's more (much more) to life than money.

Yep, I agree 100%. I was talking with a friend and 964 owner the other day. He said "I couldn't ever not have one of these" in that tone that says he doesn't have to explain - I get it.

It's quite tough, but I try my best. Fortunately, I love playing with my kids as much as I love playing with the car, so that balance is easy. It's balancing work in there that's difficult. I make my own hours (self-employed) so I have to be disciplined about it. Come to think of it, I should stop f##king around on PPOT... :)