Anyone tried to "quit" being a car enthusiast?

[Luke Warm]

i used to be into vw beetles. then i moved on to a 59 chevy truck. i built a 350 engine in my kitchen for the truck but i ran out of money due to getting married so i got rid of the truck and the engine. then my job had me doing a lot of driving so having reliable transportation became important. years later my gf and i were doped up on cough medicine (we had a cold) and on our morning dog walk we found a 71 vw van for sale. we bought it and pushed it home. i built a new engine for it but i didn't drive it much because the gf bought a 1959 mercedes 220 sedan. i got rid of the van. the mercedes turned into a real issue because i just wanted to drive it and she wanted to restore it. needless to say many $$$ later the car ended up getting sold for parts due to the restorer getting killed in a motorcycle crash and no one had any idea what parts were where. now i don't drive that much but i would like a miata to go on sunday drives. i'm telling myself to wait until the electric version comes out but it would be way out of my price range. i actually like the toyota sienna i drive now.

[MilesTeg]

Alternative take:


You can pour your car enthusiast passion for aerodynamics, power curves, and turning of wrenches into hypermiling/ecomodding. It's very much the exact same "game" of wringing the highest performance possible from your vehicle and driving skills, just played to achieve fuel efficiency instead of speed. It requires just as much understanding of vehicle systems, tinkering in the garage, and hatred of automatic transmissions as a normal "I'm a car guy" hobby. But you can do it with a car that works way better as your commuter/daily driver, and there is no need for track days of any sort.

As long as you don't do the stupid things like massively over inflate tires or turn your engine off at every light or merge into traffic at a fraction of the prevailing speed or all the other dangerous and counterproductive things.

[alsoknownasDean]

I used to own a Peugeot 306 XSi with sport suspension, nice firm steering and the best gearing of any car I've owned. After it had some mechanical issues, I sold it for pennies in the dollar and spent a year without a car.

That year without a car kinda stopped me wanting anything too fancy for a while, the next car (and it's replacement) aren't all that exciting, just boring basic transportation. When owning the 'nicer' car, I wasn't really driving it on twisty roads all that often.

Now I'm happy enough with cheap cars, although I still like small lightweight agile hatchbacks. The current car's a big sedan with a 6cyl engine and an automatic transmission.

If I do buy something else on the sportier side, it'd probably be more along the lines of another warmer/hot hatch like a Hyundai i30 N-Line or maybe a VW Golf GTI, although I've lost interest in driving a manual transmission after the last three cars were manual.

I'm also watching a lot of car-related YouTube videos, and have thought about doing some more wrenching. I was going to do an oil change/ATF change/etc on the current car, but the bonnet release mechanism has broken and I need to get a mechanic to do the roadworthy anyway, so I'll get them to do a 'catch up' service on the car and replace the bonnet release cable (I've ordered one from eBay).

[iris lily]

I am a girl who likes cars. I’m not about performance I’m about pretty lines and attractive shapes.I like them but I don’t have to own them all. I like going to car shows.

I’ve had a few frivolous cars in my life, even while saving for FIRE. My first car was an MG midget. My second frivolous car was a Triumph TR 6 Which in my mind is still pretty much the ultimate sports car.Neither ran especially well and once I became a serious adult I had to have cars that were reliable.

 Then when I retired, and could be unserious again and found I have plenty of money I bought a zippy little two-seater convertible, a Fiatta ( Fiat Spider made by Miata factory.) That’s always the kind of classic cars I like, small ones, usually two-seater convertible. But I like any other little  odd funny cars like Metropolian Nash. Izetta from the 40’s. OG mini Cooper. If I won the lottery I would go out and buy a fleet of funny little cars.

DH is a car guy. In his life he also owned an MG midget before he met me, and then bought a TR 6 after knowing me for a while. But he likes German cars generally I think. His midlife crisis car was a 1979 Mercedes-Benz SL.

I like curvy (zaftig ha-ha!) cars because they are curvy.

The MBZs of the 1960s are among the most beautiful cars ever manufactured.

I lusted for and almost purchased one like these.

These are all beautiful, by the way!

[APowers]

Alternative take:


You can pour your car enthusiast passion for aerodynamics, power curves, and turning of wrenches into hypermiling/ecomodding. It's very much the exact same "game" of wringing the highest performance possible from your vehicle and driving skills, just played to achieve fuel efficiency instead of speed. It requires just as much understanding of vehicle systems, tinkering in the garage, and hatred of automatic transmissions as a normal "I'm a car guy" hobby. But you can do it with a car that works way better as your commuter/daily driver, and there is no need for track days of any sort.

As long as you don't do the stupid things like massively over inflate tires or turn your engine off at every light or merge into traffic at a fraction of the prevailing speed or all the other dangerous and counterproductive things.

Agreed. Safety is very important.

I think the level of possible dangerous behaviour and/or vehicle mods is pretty similar between the two pursuits. Either way you go, there is the potential for high levels of personal/public injury, depending on how irresponsible you want to be. But I think there's a huge range of edge-of-your-seat fun before you hit "irresponsible danger".

[The Frugal Expat]

I used to love cars, but maybe not as much as you do. I loved the way they felt when you could turn around tight corners. The feel of shifting in a manual transmission, and even the freedom to go where ever you could imagine. The offroad abilities of certain cars even excited me.

What I am trying to get to is, you have to look at the pros and cons of car ownership. Maintenance, gas, traffic, stress, and ownership can really cost you some money. What is the point of having a car?

I got to the point where it was just a vehicle to get me from point A to point B. I think I realized that when I moved abroad.

Being abroad lent me the opportunity to not have to rely on cars. I relied on a bike, my own two feet, and public transportation. My reliance on vehicles was gone, and therefore my love of vehicles disappeared.

Other things became important to me in life besides cars. So what you need to do is to see why you value your car? Would the cost of maintenance, gas, insurance, and anything else deter you from owning your BMW or a new fun car?

What are your goals? I am working to save for Financial Independence so car payments would deter that. Loving cars is just something I got out of.

[Model96]

I,ve never tried, I know it won't work

[skip207]

I am a car guy.  Always have been, since the age of maybe 5 or 6.  Over the years I have spent a lot of money on cars.  I have always had a fairly normal day to day car but also a "weekend" car of some kind.  I also used to race quite a bit in my early 20s which took up a lot of money. 

I would not go back and change things.  Cars give me a lot of enjoyment.  Its one of those things that generally costs money to have - sure there are some people who turn their love of cars into a job but often they grow to actually dislike the cars or the job!! So for me I have always wanted to keep it a hobby.

I still have a weekend car.  Its more of a classic really.  I have had various sports cars over the years, 911s etc.  But now I have just the one car and its actually been quite a good investment.  The value has gone up quite a bit the last few years and has offset the cost of repairs and maintenance etc.  So its "free motoring" in that regard.

Due to COVID its not had any use the last year, but I bought the car with the intention of driving it quite a bit once I FIRE and probably take some road trips.  Its always been my dream to drive the car back to the factory where it was made and I will do that one day - hopefully sooner rather than later. 

The day will come when I have to sell the car and that will be sad, but it will also be a nice injection of funds into my FIRE pot.  I plan to keep the car for 3-5 years after I FIRE so if the values carry on as they have been it will be a nice little nest egg.

I dont think I will ever not be a car guy but as I get older my passion has faded a little, its probably a case of been there and done it-itus.  But I still cant resist the sound of a V8 or V12...  and I am sure that will be with me forever.

I think once I sell my current car I will probably keep back some of the money and buy something a bit more frugal, perhaps classic Alfa or maybe a Lotus Elise or something like that.  Small and light - which is where I started out 20+ years ago so would be nice to go back full circle. 

[Metalcat]

That is true but there is a visceral/emotional reaction that I (and I suspect many others) get from revving an engine with not much inertia all the way to redline. The rise and fall of the revs and the howl that it produces. Likewise an emotional reaction from hitting a curve fast and getting pinned into your seat. It makes your heart beat and the hairs on your neck stand on end. For me it gives me chills. So it's not so much the intellectual bit of tinkering (and you can do that whether on track or while hypermiling) but the emotions and adrenaline associated with hearing a howling engine and feeling the wind around me. It is very hard to replicate this short of, I don't know, going on an even more extreme activity.

As always, YMMV

That's just one version of being a car enthusiast.

If that's your version, cool, enjoy, but others have different causes for their car passion. Some are more into the information aspect, some more into the tinkering aspect, some more into the collecting aspect.

We each have our own reasons behind car enthusiasm, some require owning an expensive car and others don't.

No judgement from me, I'm seriously considering becoming a pilot and owning a plane in the future once I figure out what I want to do when I grow up, lol.

[rothwem]

Alternative take:


You can pour your car enthusiast passion for aerodynamics, power curves, and turning of wrenches into hypermiling/ecomodding. It's very much the exact same "game" of wringing the highest performance possible from your vehicle and driving skills, just played to achieve fuel efficiency instead of speed. It requires just as much understanding of vehicle systems, tinkering in the garage, and hatred of automatic transmissions as a normal "I'm a car guy" hobby. But you can do it with a car that works way better as your commuter/daily driver, and there is no need for track days of any sort.

Ugh, not interested in hypermiling at all. 

Engineering is all relative and changes over time.  If you had a 2010 Tacoma truck in 1960 you would be simply amazed at the technology.  The BMW tech you admire today will seem pretty boring in a couple decades.  Germans love gizmos and buttons in their cars so a great choice if you like lots of engineering in the form of systems, complexity and features.

I prefer Japanese engineering as I find there is a lot more thought put into precision, durability, usability, simplicity and the "human" element of driving or riding in a car.  In particular, Lexus excels at "touch and feel" of the interiors, controls, seats, engine smoothness, noise, vibration, etc.  Top Gear did a video in the 90s where they put a glass of water on the motor of a revving Lexus, BMW and Mercedes. The water barely rippled on the Lexus engine but nearly splashed out of the glass  on the European motors.

I've owned Mercedes, BMW, VW and countless other cars but we currently have two high-mile Lexi and are shopping for a Toyota "farm truck".

I think you're overgeneralizing, and the cup test you mentioned is silly for a million reasons, but I get why some people prefer different engineering approaches. 

I used to love cars, but maybe not as much as you do. I loved the way they felt when you could turn around tight corners. The feel of shifting in a manual transmission, and even the freedom to go where ever you could imagine. The offroad abilities of certain cars even excited me.

What I am trying to get to is, you have to look at the pros and cons of car ownership. Maintenance, gas, traffic, stress, and ownership can really cost you some money. What is the point of having a car?

I got to the point where it was just a vehicle to get me from point A to point B. I think I realized that when I moved abroad.

Being abroad lent me the opportunity to not have to rely on cars. I relied on a bike, my own two feet, and public transportation. My reliance on vehicles was gone, and therefore my love of vehicles disappeared.

Other things became important to me in life besides cars. So what you need to do is to see why you value your car? Would the cost of maintenance, gas, insurance, and anything else deter you from owning your BMW or a new fun car?

What are your goals? I am working to save for Financial Independence so car payments would deter that. Loving cars is just something I got out of.

I think this might be the discussion I need to be having.  Covid obliterated our goals when my wife was furloughed, and we slashed just about everything.  We still ended up doing okay due to the slashing, but I think that seeing my car sitting in the garage with its poor weeping valve cover has triggered me a bit.  I need to set realistic goals for 2021, and make a decision about whether I can still enjoy the hobby with the budget we come up with. 

[ROF Expat]

OP,

I haven't really "quit," I just live in a place where a utilitarian and very off-road capable 4wd makes a lot more sense than the kind of performance car I'd enjoy driving otherwise. 

But if you really want to quit being a car enthusiast, I have a one-word solution for you:  Motorcycles

If you like high performance machinery, the visceral sound and feel of acceleration, braking, and high-g turns, and the irreplaceable experience of a high power to weight ratio, almost nothing compares with a motorcycle.  You can go out and buy a relatively inexpensive used superbike that will be cheap to maintain and run and it will still smoke all but the very newest and highest end of supercars.  In terms of adrenaline per dollar spent, no car competes with a high performance motorcycle. 

YMMV (but you'll get well over 30 mpg!)

[Bloop Bloop Reloaded]

I'd love to be a motorcyclist. So much cheaper and more thrilling. But I'm clumsy, and I'm convinced I'd die. This is also why I'm not willing to be a pilot. Cars, in comparison to light planes and motorcycles, are so much safer (at least in my perception, which may or may not be accurate) when taking moderate risks. On track or on the twisty roads in a car the worst that can happen, as long as I'm not truly an idiot, is a moderate accident.

[rothwem]

OP,

I haven't really "quit," I just live in a place where a utilitarian and very off-road capable 4wd makes a lot more sense than the kind of performance car I'd enjoy driving otherwise. 

But if you really want to quit being a car enthusiast, I have a one-word solution for you:  Motorcycles

If you like high performance machinery, the visceral sound and feel of acceleration, braking, and high-g turns, and the irreplaceable experience of a high power to weight ratio, almost nothing compares with a motorcycle.  You can go out and buy a relatively inexpensive used superbike that will be cheap to maintain and run and it will still smoke all but the very newest and highest end of supercars.  In terms of adrenaline per dollar spent, no car competes with a high performance motorcycle. 

YMMV (but you'll get well over 30 mpg!)

Enh, I used to have motorcycles.  I sold my last one in 2015.  Trackdays were a silly amount of fun but they just made me realize how un-fun riding on the street is, and I eventually sold my last sportbike after it sat for several months looking forlorn in my shed.  Also, this might be a regional/local thing, but I was not crazy about the community.  I'm not saying everyone that rides sportbikes is an idiot, but idiots are massively over-represented in the community. 

It was incredible how quickly you get used to a 0-60 time in the 3 second range though. 

[MilesTeg]

OP,

I haven't really "quit," I just live in a place where a utilitarian and very off-road capable 4wd makes a lot more sense than the kind of performance car I'd enjoy driving otherwise. 

But if you really want to quit being a car enthusiast, I have a one-word solution for you:  Motorcycles

If you like high performance machinery, the visceral sound and feel of acceleration, braking, and high-g turns, and the irreplaceable experience of a high power to weight ratio, almost nothing compares with a motorcycle.  You can go out and buy a relatively inexpensive used superbike that will be cheap to maintain and run and it will still smoke all but the very newest and highest end of supercars.  In terms of adrenaline per dollar spent, no car competes with a high performance motorcycle. 

YMMV (but you'll get well over 30 mpg!)

Don't forget one of the best things about motorcycles (especially when riding hard!): the high probability of having an opportunity to pass your stash on to your next of kin before you spend it down. Oh, and your vital organs on to those on need.

[The Frugal Expat]

Alternative take:


You can pour your car enthusiast passion for aerodynamics, power curves, and turning of wrenches into hypermiling/ecomodding. It's very much the exact same "game" of wringing the highest performance possible from your vehicle and driving skills, just played to achieve fuel efficiency instead of speed. It requires just as much understanding of vehicle systems, tinkering in the garage, and hatred of automatic transmissions as a normal "I'm a car guy" hobby. But you can do it with a car that works way better as your commuter/daily driver, and there is no need for track days of any sort.

Ugh, not interested in hypermiling at all. 

Engineering is all relative and changes over time.  If you had a 2010 Tacoma truck in 1960 you would be simply amazed at the technology.  The BMW tech you admire today will seem pretty boring in a couple decades.  Germans love gizmos and buttons in their cars so a great choice if you like lots of engineering in the form of systems, complexity and features.

I prefer Japanese engineering as I find there is a lot more thought put into precision, durability, usability, simplicity and the "human" element of driving or riding in a car.  In particular, Lexus excels at "touch and feel" of the interiors, controls, seats, engine smoothness, noise, vibration, etc.  Top Gear did a video in the 90s where they put a glass of water on the motor of a revving Lexus, BMW and Mercedes. The water barely rippled on the Lexus engine but nearly splashed out of the glass  on the European motors.

I've owned Mercedes, BMW, VW and countless other cars but we currently have two high-mile Lexi and are shopping for a Toyota "farm truck".

I think you're overgeneralizing, and the cup test you mentioned is silly for a million reasons, but I get why some people prefer different engineering approaches. 

I used to love cars, but maybe not as much as you do. I loved the way they felt when you could turn around tight corners. The feel of shifting in a manual transmission, and even the freedom to go where ever you could imagine. The offroad abilities of certain cars even excited me.

What I am trying to get to is, you have to look at the pros and cons of car ownership. Maintenance, gas, traffic, stress, and ownership can really cost you some money. What is the point of having a car?

I got to the point where it was just a vehicle to get me from point A to point B. I think I realized that when I moved abroad.

Being abroad lent me the opportunity to not have to rely on cars. I relied on a bike, my own two feet, and public transportation. My reliance on vehicles was gone, and therefore my love of vehicles disappeared.

Other things became important to me in life besides cars. So what you need to do is to see why you value your car? Would the cost of maintenance, gas, insurance, and anything else deter you from owning your BMW or a new fun car?

What are your goals? I am working to save for Financial Independence so car payments would deter that. Loving cars is just something I got out of.

I think this might be the discussion I need to be having.  Covid obliterated our goals when my wife was furloughed, and we slashed just about everything.  We still ended up doing okay due to the slashing, but I think that seeing my car sitting in the garage with its poor weeping valve cover has triggered me a bit.  I need to set realistic goals for 2021, and make a decision about whether I can still enjoy the hobby with the budget we come up with.

Covid put a lot of our goals in perspective. The threat of being furloughed has changed how view some of our hobbies. With cars it gets to the point of seeing if this hobby is worth the amount of money and time we are putting into it.

Maybe, once you reach Financial Independence you will have a new appreciation of your old hobby.

Focus on your goals, focus on where you see yourself in the future.

[asauer]

My good friend was a major car guy, quite a bit of his disposable income went into doing mods, fixing up cars, owning cars, etc.  When he decided to get serious about his finances he reframed his love for cars.  He became interested in more of the engineering and history.  He started a YouTube channel doing detailed walk throughs of year over year changes to cars and started writing a car history blog.  Way cheaper but he still gets to love cars and be part of that community.

[ericrugiero]

OP,

I haven't really "quit," I just live in a place where a utilitarian and very off-road capable 4wd makes a lot more sense than the kind of performance car I'd enjoy driving otherwise. 

But if you really want to quit being a car enthusiast, I have a one-word solution for you:  Motorcycles

If you like high performance machinery, the visceral sound and feel of acceleration, braking, and high-g turns, and the irreplaceable experience of a high power to weight ratio, almost nothing compares with a motorcycle.  You can go out and buy a relatively inexpensive used superbike that will be cheap to maintain and run and it will still smoke all but the very newest and highest end of supercars.  In terms of adrenaline per dollar spent, no car competes with a high performance motorcycle. 

YMMV (but you'll get well over 30 mpg!)

Enh, I used to have motorcycles.  I sold my last one in 2015.  Trackdays were a silly amount of fun but they just made me realize how un-fun riding on the street is, and I eventually sold my last sportbike after it sat for several months looking forlorn in my shed.  Also, this might be a regional/local thing, but I was not crazy about the community.  I'm not saying everyone that rides sportbikes is an idiot, but idiots are massively over-represented in the community. 

It was incredible how quickly you get used to a 0-60 time in the 3 second range though.

Yes, idiots are WAY over-represented in the sport bike community.  I think it's because to actually use anywhere close to the capabilities of those bikes on the street you have to ignore the laws.  There are several that can break any speed limit in the US without leaving first gear.  The only "safe" place to ride a bike like that is on a track meant for motorcycles (with open spaces to wreck rather than walls to hit).  I used to have a relatively slow sportbike.  Even it was WAY overkill for the street.  I'm a fairly law abiding citizen but it sure is tempting to twist that throttle when you have that instant acceleration on tap. 

One common and true saying is "it's more fun to ride a slow bike fast than to ride a fast bike slow".  In other words, you can have fun riding a Kawasaki Ninja 250 hard and not exceed the speed limit by that much.  Riding a Ninja 1000 at the same speed is very boring because it has 5X the hp and you are only using 1/4 of them.  The ninja 250 or 300 is fun to ride at that pace, you won't get in so much trouble and you are MUCH less likely to kill yourself.  Plus, you will get WAY better MPG, tires are cheaper, and tires last longer. 

[waltworks]

I was a car racing enthusiast, if that counts. I mostly raced shifter carts and various types of motorcycles when I was young and dumb.

That's actually a super cheap hobby, though, and it doesn't make you care one whit about "normal" cars, because those feel like driving a mule.

I don't understand people who are into street legal cars. Crazy offroad Jeeps? Sure. Autocross? Awesome, the answer to everything is Miata. MX racing? Rad, though it was a little too rad for my left knee.

But, like, what on earth do you do with a nice street legal car? Drive it over the speed limit/recklessly on public roads? Just have it to show off how you have a fancy car? Take it to track day and get smoked by a bunch of old guys and kids in Miatas? I don't get it.

-W

[ROF Expat]

OP,

I haven't really "quit," I just live in a place where a utilitarian and very off-road capable 4wd makes a lot more sense than the kind of performance car I'd enjoy driving otherwise. 

But if you really want to quit being a car enthusiast, I have a one-word solution for you:  Motorcycles

If you like high performance machinery, the visceral sound and feel of acceleration, braking, and high-g turns, and the irreplaceable experience of a high power to weight ratio, almost nothing compares with a motorcycle.  You can go out and buy a relatively inexpensive used superbike that will be cheap to maintain and run and it will still smoke all but the very newest and highest end of supercars.  In terms of adrenaline per dollar spent, no car competes with a high performance motorcycle. 

YMMV (but you'll get well over 30 mpg!)

Enh, I used to have motorcycles.  I sold my last one in 2015.  Trackdays were a silly amount of fun but they just made me realize how un-fun riding on the street is, and I eventually sold my last sportbike after it sat for several months looking forlorn in my shed.  Also, this might be a regional/local thing, but I was not crazy about the community.  I'm not saying everyone that rides sportbikes is an idiot, but idiots are massively over-represented in the community. 

It was incredible how quickly you get used to a 0-60 time in the 3 second range though.

Yes, idiots are WAY over-represented in the sport bike community.  I think it's because to actually use anywhere close to the capabilities of those bikes on the street you have to ignore the laws.  There are several that can break any speed limit in the US without leaving first gear.  The only "safe" place to ride a bike like that is on a track meant for motorcycles (with open spaces to wreck rather than walls to hit).  I used to have a relatively slow sportbike.  Even it was WAY overkill for the street.  I'm a fairly law abiding citizen but it sure is tempting to twist that throttle when you have that instant acceleration on tap. 

One common and true saying is "it's more fun to ride a slow bike fast than to ride a fast bike slow".  In other words, you can have fun riding a Kawasaki Ninja 250 hard and not exceed the speed limit by that much.  Riding a Ninja 1000 at the same speed is very boring because it has 5X the hp and you are only using 1/4 of them.  The ninja 250 or 300 is fun to ride at that pace, you won't get in so much trouble and you are MUCH less likely to kill yourself.  Plus, you will get WAY better MPG, tires are cheaper, and tires last longer.

I think there's a sweet spot of exciting, high performance bikes that aren't superbikes.  Something like a KTM Duke 690 makes "only" about 70 horsepower, but it only weighs around 330 pounds.  That power to weight ratio is definitely in supercar territory.  They are a lot of fun in real world riding and you can actually make use of a lot of their capability without killing yourself or losing your license. 

[ericrugiero]

I think there's a sweet spot of exciting, high performance bikes that aren't superbikes.  Something like a KTM Duke 690 makes "only" about 70 horsepower, but it only weighs around 330 pounds.  That power to weight ratio is definitely in supercar territory.  They are a lot of fun in real world riding and you can actually make use of a lot of their capability without killing yourself or losing your license.

That's another good option.  Not quite as frugal as a ninja250 but lots of smiles/dollar.  Still WAY cheaper than a supercar.  The KTM is still going to have the temptation to break the law.  Is it possible to ride something like that without doing wheelies?

[RWD]

I think I am contractually obligated to post something in this thread.

I don't think there is any need to stop being a car enthusiast. There are ways to enjoy cars for every type of enthusiast for every budget. Porsche too expensive? Consider a Miata. Environmental impact have you concerned? Look at performance electric cars. Don't have space for cars? Maybe start collecting some die-cast models. You absolutely must own a BMW? Break your turn signal stalk (just kidding). Etc.

[ericrugiero]

Another idea to replace being a car enthusiast could be electric bikes.  You could build and tinker with a pretty nice electric bike for a couple thousand (more or less).  If you live in an area where that can replace a significant portion of your transportation needs the bike could pay for itself.  I've never ridden one but they look like lots of fun. 

[HawkeyeNFO]

I will tell you, driving around in my Fiatta with the top down during Covid has been an Important avenue of entertainment. We’ve had quite a mild winter here in St. Louis and so I’m still driving around with the top down. And the heater on. And heated seats on.

 I burn gas for the sake of burning gas And I don’t care.

I bought the 124 Spider last summer.  Great car!  I too look for an excuse to go for a drive.  I had an '83 VW GTI in HS and college, and that was a lot of fun.  The Spider is less practical, but way more fun than the GTI.  Have you done any mods yet?  I'm thinking about the exhaust....

[paulkots]

I was a car racing enthusiast, if that counts. I mostly raced shifter carts and various types of motorcycles when I was young and dumb.

That's actually a super cheap hobby, though, and it doesn't make you care one whit about "normal" cars, because those feel like driving a mule.

I don't understand people who are into street legal cars. Crazy offroad Jeeps? Sure. Autocross? Awesome, the answer to everything is Miata. MX racing? Rad, though it was a little too rad for my left knee.

But, like, what on earth do you do with a nice street legal car? Drive it over the speed limit/recklessly on public roads? Just have it to show off how you have a fancy car? Take it to track day and get smoked by a bunch of old guys and kids in Miatas? I don't get it.

-W

Right car, right road, good weather, amazing scenery. You should try it. Cars don't need to be a competition and winning on a track day is pointless, you go racing for that.

[waltworks]

Yeah, but you're just *sitting there*.

I can go for a bike ride or a hike and look at great views in great weather too, but I'm not sitting on my ass in a depreciating expensive item that, unless it's a Tesla, is actively pumping awful stuff into the air. I used to live in Salt Lake, so I can tell you what's coming out of your tailpipe from firsthand experience.

It's like watching TV but more dangerous and worse for the environment.

-W

[paulkots]

Yeah, but you're just *sitting there*.

I can go for a bike ride or a hike and look at great views in great weather too, but I'm not sitting on my ass in a depreciating expensive item that, unless it's a Tesla, is actively pumping awful stuff into the air. I used to live in Salt Lake, so I can tell you what's coming out of your tailpipe from firsthand experience.

It's like watching TV but more dangerous and worse for the environment.

-W

I also hike, mountain bike, camp, etc.

[Daley]

You absolutely must own a BMW? Break your turn signal stalk and stick M badges everywhere.

FTFY. ;)

[waltworks]

I also hike, mountain bike, camp, etc.

Sounds like you're ready to stop being a car enthusiast and just use the car as a boring tool that gets you around, then!

-W

[Metalcat]

You absolutely must own a BMW? Break your turn signal stalk and stick M badges everywhere.

FTFY. ;)

*chef's kiss*

Perfect

[Just Joe]

I like aircooled engines. I really like all the engineering choices required to make an antique design like that last.

Even better when they are behind the passenger compartment. Tons of cars to choose from in that category. I own a couple.

Also led to motorcycles until we started having kids years ago. Never had a ticket, never had a wreck on motorcycles but I decided that they needed to go away while the kids were living at home for reasons of responsibility. DW enjoyed us having a motorcycle too but she was supportive in this decision. Not sure if I'll ever have another bike or not.

Still have aircooled cars. Progress on their restoration has been at a stand still over the years while we put our time and money into other directions (mortgage, education, etc).

When we couldn't afford cars I was still tinkering with other things. Antique analog electronics for example. Carpentry. Cabinetry.   

One cheap solution when you don't have a car of your own to work on is to help a friend with their car project a little. Or volunteer at one of the museums - train, plane or car.

Check out Lane Motor Museum. Really worth the trip. https://www.lanemotormuseum.org

[Bloop Bloop Reloaded]

Yeah, but you're just *sitting there*.

I can go for a bike ride or a hike and look at great views in great weather too, but I'm not sitting on my ass in a depreciating expensive item that, unless it's a Tesla, is actively pumping awful stuff into the air. I used to live in Salt Lake, so I can tell you what's coming out of your tailpipe from firsthand experience.

It's like watching TV but more dangerous and worse for the environment.

-W

Many cars do not depreciate much, if at all, if you buy them at the right part of the depreciation curve. Even expensive cars like a GT3 or a 458 will not depreciate much if at all. In my country it's easy to write it all off as a business expense anyway, if you're self employed. And I like the sensation of "pumping awful stuff into the air" - the thrill of a naturally aspirated flat 6 or V8 or V10 engine is just too much for me, and cars sure sound a heck of a lot nicer than the awful chug of a motorcycle. There's also no danger to driving a car hard as long as you do it in controlled conditions.

[waltworks]

And I like the sensation of "pumping awful stuff into the air"

Fair enough.

-W

[YK-Phil]

I never was a car person, but I do love trucks and vans not for their form but for their function. Over the past ten years, I did spend a ridiculous amount of money on pickup trucks, campervans and the likes because they allowed me to do what I love which is to go on multi-month road and camping trips (aka overlanding). When I am falling asleep at night and do a mental tally of how much money I wasted on trucks/vans/campers in the past few years on vehicle purchase, maintenance, repairs, upgrades, etc., I get slightly nauseous even before I am done counting. My current rig is a small but very versatile and surprisingly very roomy Mitsubishi Delica van diesel 4x4 that I love -and hate, but it is now 25 years old and a bit too old to take on my next post-covid-19 adventure (travel from Northern Canada to Patagonia), so I am currently looking at offerings for a new vehicle (on a couple of other tabs as I am typing this). I'd love a Sportsmobile 4x4 or a Mercedes Sprinter 4x4 but the price tag would definitely derail my retirement budget...Funny thing, I was always frugal and I am now retired, but YOLO has never felt so tempting...

[rothwem]

You guys crack me up.  Its like I'm trying to quit smoking and you're all like, "here, try heroin instead, it'll destroy your liver but your lungs will be fine!".  For now I guess I'll stick with smoking (figuratively).

I think I am contractually obligated to post something in this thread.

I don't think there is any need to stop being a car enthusiast. There are ways to enjoy cars for every type of enthusiast for every budget. Porsche too expensive? Consider a Miata. Environmental impact have you concerned? Look at performance electric cars. Don't have space for cars? Maybe start collecting some die-cast models. You absolutely must own a BMW? Break your turn signal stalk (just kidding). Etc.

My (15 month old) son is absolutely insane for matchbox/hotwheels cars, they're just the right size to fit in his little hands.  He's technically not old enough to be playing with them so he needs supervision, but he loves to "drive" them on the couch making car noises. The poor kid is doomed just like me.

 I just got him a Corvette C6R and a BMW 2002Tii, MY favorites.  His favorites are a Raptor, a Honda Civic Si and a Taco truck.  Like, a food truck that says, "tacos" on the side.  Gotta love toddlers. 

[ROF Expat]

I think there's a sweet spot of exciting, high performance bikes that aren't superbikes.  Something like a KTM Duke 690 makes "only" about 70 horsepower, but it only weighs around 330 pounds.  That power to weight ratio is definitely in supercar territory.  They are a lot of fun in real world riding and you can actually make use of a lot of their capability without killing yourself or losing your license.

That's another good option.  Not quite as frugal as a ninja250 but lots of smiles/dollar.  Still WAY cheaper than a supercar.  The KTM is still going to have the temptation to break the law.  Is it possible to ride something like that without doing wheelies?

Certainly it is.  I am a prime example.  I never succumbed to the temptation to lift a front wheel.  I only rode my KTM to church on Sundays.  Well under the speed limit.  Really. 

[BussoV6]

Like RWD, I feel obliged to post something in this thread, based on username. As a lifelong car nut, I have similar advice.

I have 3 fun cars, all slightly different versions of the same car, the early 1980s Alfa Romeo GTV6. One is a more powerful car that I use for fun track days with my similarly-minded mates, another is my own first car, bought 2nd hand as a student and the 3rd a rare version (one of 208 built) that is currently under restoration.

The 2 non-rare cars are collectively worth very little (peanuts) but provide much entertainment and pleasure at very low cost. I have a global network of contacts to source any parts I can't find locally, while some parts can be machined from scratch when we get a few made.

Don't quit being an enthusiast, perhaps just focus on a "cheaper" niche.

[DrinkCoffeeStackMoney]

Yeah, but you're just *sitting there*.

I can go for a bike ride or a hike and look at great views in great weather too, but I'm not sitting on my ass in a depreciating expensive item that, unless it's a Tesla, is actively pumping awful stuff into the air. I used to live in Salt Lake, so I can tell you what's coming out of your tailpipe from firsthand experience.

It's like watching TV but more dangerous and worse for the environment.

-W

I sold 4-5 classics  a decade or so ago that are now bringing 3-5X what I sold them for in similar condition; so not all cars are depreciating assets.
As far as pollution, I currently live in Salt Lake and I've never experienced pollution like we have here, so I get your point on that. When you can literally taste the air on a good day, there's a problem.

[Smevans]

Honda Prelude, Mitsubishi Evo (spent way too much upgrading), Nissan 240sx, '82 Mercedes 240D, Mitsubishi Ralliart, Jeep Wrangler Unlimited, Ford Focus, VW Golf TDI, Datsun 280, Ford Fusion, Chevy Malibu, Toyota Tacoma TRD, Ford Fiesta ST, Chevy Colorado ZR2 diesel.

On averaging I was buying a new car each year. I would go from a fun car or two and then try to be smart and downgrade to a cheap econo. Then I would get bored and splurge on a fun toy. The ZR2 diesel being my latest at close to $50k.

I ripped the bandaid off though. Sold my ZR2 in November and have been "carless" the last three months. The wife still has her Mazda that we use for groceries and longer trips. Otherwise I walk in the freezing single digit temps of Wisconsin.

[zoro]

I've loved cars since I was a little kid--My dad had an Omni GLH that was always broken, but when it was working, the shove into the seat along with the WOOSH of the turbo spooling was one of the big things I remember from my childhood. We'd egg him on to accelerate faster when we were merging onto freeways and I sobbed when my dad sold it. I was pissed at him for days, hard stuff for a 6 year old to manage. I had an enviable matchbox/hotwheels car collection, with all the ramps and stuff to go with it.  We used to cut out pages from my dad's car magazines and hang them on the walls of my bedroom. 

Basically I was screwed from birth. 

I love cars, and have owned way too many of them.  I currently have an 11 year old BMW, and while its not the least reliable product they make, it has a bit more involved care and feeding than a Corolla or Honda Fit which in turn takes more money and time than a Corolla or Honda Fit.  I've tried to stop liking cars before--I bought a base model Tacoma a few years ago in an attempt to stop the cycle of upgrading and fiddling with BMWs, but I hated everything about it--the crappy transmission, the flexy chassis, the poor ride, the uncomfortable seats, the dim headlights, the coarse motor etc.  I made it 6 months in the Tacoma before I got rid of it and got another BMW. 

I think it must be easier for people who own cars to impress people, but my issue is that I notice the bad stuff, and I'm super impressed when I notice some clever engineering.  For example, the BMW I own right now uses a magnesium engine block, and its one of the lightest engines on the market despite being a 3.0L inline 6.  It uses an electric water pump so that it warms up faster for less engine wear, and it has a thermostat that can regulate the temperature of the motor to bias it towards efficiency or performance.  It makes 230 naturally aspirated horsepower, but it can still get 30+ mpg on the highway! 

I know that a lot of people don't care about that stuff.  I honestly wish I didn't, but when I drive something else, I just can't seem to hedonically adapt down.  I've flirted with selling my car and getting a Honda fit or a Corolla, but I'm leery about making another "Tacoma mistake" as my wife puts it. 

So are there any former car enthusiasts on the board?  How did you quit?

[zoro]

Im a car guy. For a while my cars were getting worse and worse. I started rebuilding a spitfire when I was 17 and ended with a ford. I realized because i can fix everything on a car, and do it all myself, its was about as expensive to fix the 20 year old ford I had as to fix a 10 year old Audi. So I got an Audi and I love the manual, turbo charged driving experience, but I paid $3k (the most I have ever spent on a car)  and I enjoy fixing all the stuff on it. That gives me my car fix.
Now I'm retired I wondered about getting an old e type jag, and fixing it up, I always wanted a V12 as a kid and I probably have the time to do a glass out rebuild.

[iris lily]

Im a car guy. For a while my cars were getting worse and worse. I started rebuilding a spitfire when I was 17 and ended with a ford. I realized because i can fix everything on a car, and do it all myself, its was about as expensive to fix the 20 year old ford I had as to fix a 10 year old Audi. So I got an Audi and I love the manual, turbo charged driving experience, but I paid $3k (the most I have ever spent on a car)  and I enjoy fixing all the stuff on it. That gives me my car fix.
Now I'm retired I wondered about getting an old e type jag, and fixing it up, I always wanted a V12 as a kid and I probably have the time to do a glass out rebuild.

Are you kidding? You could have an XKE?!!! Do it do it do it!!!!

[partgypsy]

Sometimes you can't pick what brings you joy. But you can express that interest in more or less financially responsible ways. For example a bunch of guys in my family are really into cars.
 My two uncles used to buy, fix up, and sell cars as a side business. My little brother always had the "bug". He started with models as a kid and went from there. Took a AutoCAD course and designed an engine. Self taught enough he worked as a diagnotechnician at a dealership. Hes into mororcycle (maybe even more than cars), and has a rotating collection of bikes he buys, fixes up, rides, then sells if something else catches his eye. I'm not going to complain about his hobby because he has helped a number of family members save money on vehicles, by going along, test drive, inspect, also negotiate. He also does a lot of the maintenance/small repairs.  I think you just need to know yourself, and keep to a budget that makes sense for you to maximize enjoyment per dollar.

[MiatAccountant]

I agree with others. I don't think you need to give up something you enjoy. Just keep things balanced.
I have no intention of giving up my hobby since teenager. I just incorporate it in my FATFIRE calc.

I also agree with Miata Is Always The Answer. (my sig is the giveaway).
Much better than Broke My Wallet.

[rothwem]

I also agree with Miata Is Always The Answer. (my sig is the giveaway).

I agreed with this a couple days ago, BUT then I started looking at them.  I totally don't fit in a Miata.  I'm 6'2" and 190 pounds, and when I sit in one, all I see is windshield frame.  I'll bet I couldn't pass a broomstick test with a helmet on even sitting on the floor pan.  Also, has anyone here seen what Miatas are going for these days?  I can buy a clean-ish E46 for LESS than a beat Miata. 

Unfortunately, Miata is not the answer for me.  Minata basically. 

[iris lily]

I also agree with Miata Is Always The Answer. (my sig is the giveaway).

I agreed with this a couple days ago, BUT then I started looking at them.  I totally don't fit in a Miata.  I'm 6'2" and 190 pounds, and when I sit in one, all I see is windshield frame.  I'll bet I couldn't pass a broomstick test with a helmet on even sitting on the floor pan.  Also, has anyone here seen what Miatas are going for these days?  I can buy a clean-ish E46 for LESS than a beat Miata. 

Unfortunately, Miata is not the answer for me.  Minata basically.

I am old and fat and cannot get out of my .Fiatta gracefully but I am not tall, so I fit fine.

[rothwem]

I also agree with Miata Is Always The Answer. (my sig is the giveaway).

I agreed with this a couple days ago, BUT then I started looking at them.  I totally don't fit in a Miata.  I'm 6'2" and 190 pounds, and when I sit in one, all I see is windshield frame.  I'll bet I couldn't pass a broomstick test with a helmet on even sitting on the floor pan.  Also, has anyone here seen what Miatas are going for these days?  I can buy a clean-ish E46 for LESS than a beat Miata. 

Unfortunately, Miata is not the answer for me.  Minata basically.

I am old and fat and cannot get out of my .Fiatta gracefully but I am not tall, so I fit fine.

I feel like this is me when I sit in a miata:

[RWD]

Eh, how bad could it be?

[Luke Warm]

i'm 6'5" so i was wondering if i would fit. i got to drive one with the top up and i fit fine but i have poor posture so maybe there's that. i had a honda crx si back in the day and i fit in that barely.

[iris lily]

I also agree with Miata Is Always The Answer. (my sig is the giveaway).

I agreed with this a couple days ago, BUT then I started looking at them.  I totally don't fit in a Miata.  I'm 6'2" and 190 pounds, and when I sit in one, all I see is windshield frame.  I'll bet I couldn't pass a broomstick test with a helmet on even sitting on the floor pan.  Also, has anyone here seen what Miatas are going for these days?  I can buy a clean-ish E46 for LESS than a beat Miata. 

Unfortunately, Miata is not the answer for me.  Minata basically.

I am old and fat and cannot get out of my .Fiatta gracefully but I am not tall, so I fit fine.

I feel like this is me when I sit in a miata:

Well yeah, it’s like you are in a cockpit. That’s part of the driving experience! Little sports cars aren’t supposed to be comfortable. I am old now, but when I am super old I plan to trade this .Fiatta in for a more comfortable Benz convertible but I know .I will never love that German hunk as I have loved my little roadsters.

[alsoknownasDean]

Yeah a friend of mine used to have an NC MX-5 that I was a passenger in a few times, and it cured me of any desire to own one. That and I sunburn way too easily for a convertible to be worth owning, any days where it's warm enough to take the top down the UV is going to be too high 🙂

Although if I knew ten years ago how much old S13s and R32s/R33s and other Japanese coupes would be worth now I probably would have bought one. Used to be able to find a rough S13 Silvia for pocket change, and R33 GTS-Ts for under $10K. Not now!