Author Topic: Anyone tried to "quit" being a car enthusiast?  (Read 11274 times)

norajean

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Re: Anyone tried to "quit" being a car enthusiast?
« Reply #150 on: February 02, 2021, 07:48:30 AM »
2 thoughts on this:
1.  Buying cars that are older and bottom of the depreciation curve is a good way to enjoy vehicles without going broke.  Something like an E46 M3 could be kept as a 3rd car, driven 2-10k a year, and it'll never lose value.  Same goes for a 996 Turbo, any Japanese halo car from the 90s, etc.

To be honest, cars are only money pits if you're buying them very new and eating depreciation or modding them heavily.  If you can stay away from those two issues, cars really aren't that expensive.

Good advice. Late model cars are generally vulgar, common, uncool and depreciate too fast. Getting something older and wrenching on it yourself is much more fun, cool, and wayyyy less wasteful. The farther back you go the cooler the cars get, easier to work on, and in some cases cheaper to buy. 60s-90s Japanese sports cars are amazing. I nearly picked up a modded Datsun Fairlady roadster last year. I’m still looking for a cool bargain two-seater.
Along a similar line of thinking: the Civic Type R is very quick for what it is.  May be a challenge to get one at 25k but they have held their value very well so I wouldn't be opposed to stretching the budget a bit to get into one.  You have to be okay with roughly 30 fake vents and wings though... which is a deal breaker for a lot of people. :)
« Last Edit: February 02, 2021, 04:20:14 PM by norajean »

Just Joe

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Re: Anyone tried to "quit" being a car enthusiast?
« Reply #151 on: February 02, 2021, 08:24:26 AM »
Another option is building a sleeper. cheap car, big engine. Old car newer engine. Outside plain and cheap.

My version has always been go slow - build out the hobby vehicle over time. Mostly b/c in the past I was either short of time or money. That requires alot of procrastination. ;)

If you want to quit, just go cold turkey. Reasons: Maintenance of hobbies will never end, only slow down. Enough "toys" and that can create quite a cost or a maintenance cycle. As a person gets older maybe that goes from fun to a weight on their mind.

KarefulKactus15

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Re: Anyone tried to "quit" being a car enthusiast?
« Reply #152 on: February 02, 2021, 09:41:00 AM »
I wish sales tax wasn't so high.  I've owned more cars then I can remember.  I can't seem to find a "forever" car.

In a perfect world I'd buy mostly depreciated cars, drive them for a few months till I get bored and fix whatever maintenance items are due in that time my self then sell them and get something else that excited me. 

But without a dealer license the purchase  transaction just takes too high a % of the vehicle price since sales tax alone is a %.   

I actually looked at leasing basically a shack that meets the minimums to have a dealer license in my state.... For reasons I haven't.... But it would be cheaper than eating the transaction cost every time.  If you had some buddies and you guys all went in on it, that would be the way to do it.    Each of your inventory vehicles is basically a slow flip.

I'd like to acquire a Q50 sport Hybrid and daily that for a while. Really good specs for an affordable hybrid.
« Last Edit: February 02, 2021, 09:43:18 AM by Kroaler »

ericrugiero

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Re: Anyone tried to "quit" being a car enthusiast?
« Reply #153 on: February 02, 2021, 10:21:55 AM »
I wish sales tax wasn't so high.  I've owned more cars then I can remember.  I can't seem to find a "forever" car.

In a perfect world I'd buy mostly depreciated cars, drive them for a few months till I get bored and fix whatever maintenance items are due in that time my self then sell them and get something else that excited me. 

But without a dealer license the purchase  transaction just takes too high a % of the vehicle price since sales tax alone is a %.   

I actually looked at leasing basically a shack that meets the minimums to have a dealer license in my state.... For reasons I haven't.... But it would be cheaper than eating the transaction cost every time.  If you had some buddies and you guys all went in on it, that would be the way to do it.    Each of your inventory vehicles is basically a slow flip.

I'd like to acquire a Q50 sport Hybrid and daily that for a while. Really good specs for an affordable hybrid.

+1 

I've thought that for a long time.  If you shop around you can find good deals.  It's totally possible to buy a $25,000 vehicle, drive it for 6 months and sell it for $25,000+.  The problem is the $1,750 sales tax I would pay to do this.  This makes the transaction costs way too high in most cases.  If they had a "1031 exchange" program like real estate rentals where you only pay sales tax on the difference between purchase and sale price of prior vehicle (or income tax on profit) it would be much more manageable.  Alas, the gov is not interested in making less money. 

rothwem

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Re: Anyone tried to "quit" being a car enthusiast?
« Reply #154 on: February 03, 2021, 09:45:43 AM »
I'd like to acquire a Q50 sport Hybrid and daily that for a while. Really good specs for an affordable hybrid.

Stay far away from these, they use the weird direct adaptive steering that has a clutch on the steering column that allows the wheels to be disconnected from the steering wheel so it apparently feels super weird to drive.  They pan it in such a hilarious way in this car and driver review: https://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/a15106981/2014-infiniti-q50s-hybrid-awd-long-term-test-review/

I think a cool value in high performance hybrids right now is the Acura RLX sport hybrid, which uses a well received dual clutch transmission, the proven Honda J35 V6, and an electric motor between them. They then put an additional two electric motors on the rear axle for torque vectoring.  Of course since it was an expensive sedan (not an SUV), it sold poorly so they depreciated like crazy. 


cmou

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Re: Anyone tried to "quit" being a car enthusiast?
« Reply #155 on: February 07, 2021, 10:30:40 AM »
Great question, I quit being a "car" guy by quitting being a house/two car garage guy. I realize now that wrenching in the garage was a form of meditation for me so I just look for other ways to get that mental isolation. My wife and I moved to a small apartment in PHX and kept just her SUV. There I became a mountain bike guy with a cheap mongoose fat tire bike so I got my wrenching kicks on that.  Mountain trail days replaced my track days and I could go as often as I wanted for free. Then we moved to a very flat Florida where the closest mountain biking spot is an hour away so I took up skateboarding for the first time at a ripe 37. Theres a skatepark two blocks from my condo and again, you get to gear out and tune for even cheaper than MTBing. I go at 7am when the park is empty and get plenty of old guy thrills learning to skate bowls. costs go down, exercise/health goes up(not including some character building bruises and scrapes). I do also have a small Vespa 150 to get around town faster that scratches the itch when I'm desperate to do vehicle maintenance.
« Last Edit: February 07, 2021, 10:32:48 AM by cmou »

Just Joe

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Re: Anyone tried to "quit" being a car enthusiast?
« Reply #156 on: February 08, 2021, 01:28:45 PM »
Keep downsizing. Next in line is R/C cars and ships in a bottle. ;)

I know what you mean about wrenching as meditation. Its a good thing.

mtnrider

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Re: Anyone tried to "quit" being a car enthusiast?
« Reply #157 on: February 08, 2021, 04:50:40 PM »
Yup.  Quit it back in my 20s.  As a hobby it was too expensive.  And as a side business I realized that I was losing money when looking at the big picture.  I lost some friends when moving away from it.

Plus, where I live, cars older than 10 years or so are rusting away.  It's less fun than the LA scene.

I still do the wrenching on my bicycles, with some of the same wrenches I owned at age 19.

Just Joe

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Re: Anyone tried to "quit" being a car enthusiast?
« Reply #158 on: February 09, 2021, 09:22:56 AM »
Yep, I have some tools that I bought at around age 14 or 15 when I started working on cars. Yes to everything else you said.

I really like the learning aspect. Sort of like engineering - finding solutions, learning to apply them correctly, improving upon the original sometimes.

I oscillate between electronics (I'm very much a novice) during the cold/dark months and cars/carpentry/scooters/bicycles during the warm months with long evenings.

Last night I built a 90V/9V AB battery for a 1951 Zenith radio that is an amazing long distance radio.

Not quite as exciting as a long sweeping curve at high speed steering with the throttle but its something to do that I find interesting and affordable.

This spring I'll put a paint job on one of my antique cars. I have to stay busy. With enough DIY I can get my money out of my hobbies when I sell.

Bloop Bloop Reloaded

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Re: Anyone tried to "quit" being a car enthusiast?
« Reply #159 on: February 09, 2021, 08:36:11 PM »
Audi e-Tron unveiled today - looks great. With that, the Taycan, and Tesla's upcoming Roadster v2.0, car enthusiasts have a lot to look forward to, even in the electric car age.

Now just have to get battery tech to improve so that we can get lighter cars. Imagine a 1.0 - 1.2 tonne car with the power of one of those EVs. Would be ballistic!

RWD

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Re: Anyone tried to "quit" being a car enthusiast?
« Reply #160 on: February 09, 2021, 08:57:09 PM »
Audi e-Tron unveiled today - looks great. With that, the Taycan, and Tesla's upcoming Roadster v2.0, car enthusiasts have a lot to look forward to, even in the electric car age.

Now just have to get battery tech to improve so that we can get lighter cars. Imagine a 1.0 - 1.2 tonne car with the power of one of those EVs. Would be ballistic!
The Hennessey Venom GT comes to mind. 1,250 kg. 1200+ hp.

paulkots

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Re: Anyone tried to "quit" being a car enthusiast?
« Reply #161 on: February 10, 2021, 06:42:27 AM »
Audi e-Tron unveiled today - looks great. With that, the Taycan, and Tesla's upcoming Roadster v2.0, car enthusiasts have a lot to look forward to, even in the electric car age.

Now just have to get battery tech to improve so that we can get lighter cars. Imagine a 1.0 - 1.2 tonne car with the power of one of those EVs. Would be ballistic!

Those cars will bring new enthusiasts and some old enthusiasts will also be into them but they have nothing in common with petrol burning cars(except for shape and 4 wheels). Most of enthusiasts that I know will never be into electric cars, they are great daily drivers but they have no emotion. Changing gears, hearing a rumbling V8 or a screaming flat 6, vibrations, smell, etc.

Googs860

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Re: Anyone tried to "quit" being a car enthusiast?
« Reply #162 on: February 10, 2021, 07:14:42 AM »
I'm a car guy through and through.  In the past, i've jumped between cheap cars (E46, mini, '81 honda civic wagon that-i-wish-i-didn't-have-to-sell) to the shiny cars (brand new Focus ST, Hyundai Genesis Coupe) while i've grappled between financial efficiency and that sweet, sweet smell of oil and grease on your hands after you wash them for the 30th time and your back hurts because you laid down on your torque wrench accidentally.

My 'solve' to merge my petrol and mustachian tendencies has been to try to make the most cost efficient performing car I can, and I finally got it right this time around.  I bought a used Miata for < 5k, did my research, compiled a list of the best bang-for-your-buck improvements that would result in the car that i wanted at the end of the road, and then scoured CL and FB marketplace for those parts.  Bought a couple pieces new (Flyin Miata wheels and tires), but the majority was all either sourced on CL (sway bars) or the DIY route (air intake, lots of elbow grease to fix/clean rust rather than replace parts, etc).

Currently sitting at $7,156 all in cost (including registration, taxes on purchase, etc).  Only major purchase left may be an exhaust if I can't patch the stock one.

MiatAccountant

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Re: Anyone tried to "quit" being a car enthusiast?
« Reply #163 on: February 13, 2021, 09:25:31 PM »
I'm a car guy through and through.  In the past, i've jumped between cheap cars (E46, mini, '81 honda civic wagon that-i-wish-i-didn't-have-to-sell) to the shiny cars (brand new Focus ST, Hyundai Genesis Coupe) while i've grappled between financial efficiency and that sweet, sweet smell of oil and grease on your hands after you wash them for the 30th time and your back hurts because you laid down on your torque wrench accidentally.

My 'solve' to merge my petrol and mustachian tendencies has been to try to make the most cost efficient performing car I can, and I finally got it right this time around.  I bought a used Miata for < 5k, did my research, compiled a list of the best bang-for-your-buck improvements that would result in the car that i wanted at the end of the road, and then scoured CL and FB marketplace for those parts.  Bought a couple pieces new (Flyin Miata wheels and tires), but the majority was all either sourced on CL (sway bars) or the DIY route (air intake, lots of elbow grease to fix/clean rust rather than replace parts, etc).

Currently sitting at $7,156 all in cost (including registration, taxes on purchase, etc).  Only major purchase left may be an exhaust if I can't patch the stock one.

I came to the same conclusion but in my case, did buy a new Miata after waiting for it for 25+ years after I realized I wanted one.

Exhaust, definitely go aftermarket (not sure saving a stock one is worth it). Adds so much driving enjoyment.

SoBurntImCharred

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Re: Anyone tried to "quit" being a car enthusiast?
« Reply #164 on: March 15, 2021, 12:36:09 PM »
This is an ongoing struggle for me. I grew up with cars and, like many here, they provided access to opportunities and communities that helped to shape my identity. Being an enthusiast in many of the ways I used to find exhilarating as a youth (more power, smokey burnouts, etc.) is now at odds with the values I hold, especially after finding this board several years ago. However, my industry requires lots of time on the road, so it's hard to detach from car ownership altogether, even if I were to rearrange my life in ways frequently suggested by MMM.

For me, the answer has been a Fiat 500 Abarth. It's no bigger than I need, has very cheap consumables, and is an absolute riot to drive at all speeds. While I accept a higher level of maintenance for an enthusiast car, the Fiat has been surprisingly reliable with no major unscheduled maintenance up to 90k miles. Alternatively, I would suggest a Miata or other affordable roadster, but I often haul kids around and need the back seat. Many fun four-cylinder options can be had reliably for no more than four figures.

If and when I hit full FI, I may go back and examine other options with V8s, but I suspect the desire may not be there.

Good luck as you find what works for you.

StachelessNicholas

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Re: Anyone tried to "quit" being a car enthusiast?
« Reply #165 on: March 23, 2021, 08:57:01 AM »
Car enthusiast who is currently in remission checking in. I will always love a heavily modified track car or 4x4 capable of crawling all over southern Utah, but I’ve been able to refocus my efforts into bikes. While they certainly aren’t cheap, I’ve found that a high end bike gives me the same pleasure with the added fitness component. A few enduro events throughout the year give me reason to train through the winter as well as a hobby to tinker on.

Best of luck, kicking car habit seems compatible to kicking a heroin addiction. I still can’t go to track days or even dealerships without feeling the pull.