Author Topic: Mustachian Life as a Gearhead  (Read 2437 times)

cmou

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Mustachian Life as a Gearhead
« on: May 21, 2019, 08:51:01 AM »
Hi All, long time lurker, first time poster. Listened to MMM on Tim Ferris's podcast maybe 3 years ago and it really changed the trajectory of my life! My wife and I have moved to a less expensive part of the country, small apartment, DINK, extra passive income, one car, everything is going great and I'm very appreciative of this web site and community!

One thing I'm battling with is answering the question "what do you want to do with your time"? My answer is fix and race cars(and things in general)! I'm trying to transition into mountain biking as a replacement but I have a crappy, old, somewhat rare car that I don't necessarily need to get around (not our main "family" car) that doesn't cost me much to keep that I use for track days which is somewhat expensive, around 120-200 for an hour of track time, maybe 3 or 4 sessions a year, some autocross sundays here and there. That adds up in tires and fees for someone who's trying to scale back financially. Working on the car wouldn't be a problem as there's rent-a-lifts local to the area. No need to pay extra for a house with a garage just sitting there.

There's the Tim Ferris approach about figure out what you really want and then figure out how to finance it. That's one way to use my extra time. The other thought is that this is a stupid hobby that almost exclusively saps up money, just ditch it.

Renting some space to fix cars locally could be an option but not one that I see as particularly fruitful, financially.

Has anyone else had difficulty reconciling situations like this and letting go of what they feel is their primary interest? I understand it's a personal issue and there's no "right" answer but I think it's the last piece to feeling fully free of extra things that cost me money regularly, which I have ever increasing disdain for.

« Last Edit: May 21, 2019, 08:56:14 AM by cmou »

RWD

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Re: Mustachian Life as a Gearhead
« Reply #1 on: May 21, 2019, 09:01:21 AM »
I like to prioritize my longest goals first (i.e. financial independence). If those are settled then you can work on the lifestyle you want.

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Re: Mustachian Life as a Gearhead
« Reply #2 on: May 21, 2019, 09:41:09 AM »

 I have a crappy, old, somewhat rare car that I don't necessarily need to get around (not our main "family" car) that doesn't cost me much to keep that I use for track days which is somewhat expensive, around 120-200 for an hour of track time, maybe 3 or 4 sessions a year, some autocross sundays here and there. That adds up in tires and fees for someone who's trying to scale back financially. Working on the car wouldn't be a problem as there's rent-a-lifts local to the area. No need to pay extra for a house with a garage just sitting there.

There's the Tim Ferris approach about figure out what you really want and then figure out how to finance it. That's one way to use my extra time. The other thought is that this is a stupid hobby that almost exclusively saps up money, just ditch it.

Renting some space to fix cars locally could be an option but not one that I see as particularly fruitful, financially.

Has anyone else had difficulty reconciling situations like this and letting go of what they feel is their primary interest? I understand it's a personal issue and there's no "right" answer but I think it's the last piece to feeling fully free of extra things that cost me money regularly, which I have ever increasing disdain for.

I faced a rare-car issue too.

 I like the Bentleys that were manufactured in the 1960s.

I wanted one though I have ZERO need for one.

If I bought one I'd drive it only a few times each year.

So happily, I made the wise decision not to buy one.


jeff191

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Re: Mustachian Life as a Gearhead
« Reply #3 on: May 21, 2019, 10:23:04 AM »
It seems like you're already going down the path to letting it go. It's not something you can force. I've been a car guy for most of my life, and mountain bikes, both of which are expensive. I'm down to one car after having sold 2 very modified but very impractical cars. Do I miss them? Sometimes, but the vast majority of the time I don't really notice. It's one of those things where the thought of owning it is a lot better than the reality of owning it. For me, it was cool to get sucked into working on them but then I would get done and not really be sure why I had spent so much on it, then only drive it a few thousand miles per year. But only you can make the decision - I would say to take your time and not force the issue. At some point, either the urge to keep it or the urge to sell will win out.

Sold my modified cars 2 years ago and once in a while I do get the urge to get back into it. Most of the time I remind myself why I sold them but at some point, I'll probably get something. As long as it doesn't significantly impact  your financial goals, not such a huge deal if it makes you happy.

plantingourpennies

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Re: Mustachian Life as a Gearhead
« Reply #4 on: May 21, 2019, 10:50:43 AM »
Hi All, long time lurker, first time poster. Listened to MMM on Tim Ferris's podcast maybe 3 years ago and it really changed the trajectory of my life! My wife and I have moved to a less expensive part of the country, small apartment, DINK, extra passive income, one car, everything is going great and I'm very appreciative of this web site and community!

Congrats! Welcome to the community.

Has anyone else had difficulty reconciling situations like this and letting go of what they feel is their primary interest? I understand it's a personal issue and there's no "right" answer but I think it's the last piece to feeling fully free of extra things that cost me money regularly, which I have ever increasing disdain for.

I FIRE'd a year ago and dropped out of the workforce-Mrs. PoP is still in it for now. The first thing I did was buy a 1991 honda CRX to compete in the Grassroots Motorsports Challenge-it's a race event where you build the best car you can for $2000. I also have a 1992 NSX (The official super car of the FIRE community!) that is currently on jacks in my garage for a clutch swap.

First, if you get to FI you will almost certainly continue to make money in retirement-so relax. I'd say stay away from taking up car repair as a side hustle-the margins are terrible for most shops, but you'll find something that you enjoy that also brings in some money.

Second, if you're not doing FIRE to pursue your passions, why are you doing it? Yes, this passion isn't particularly frugal, but if you're smart enough to put together 25x your yearly spend, you're also smart enough to control the costs of your hobby. Want to spend more? Increase the side hustle or go back to work. Spending too much time at work? Find a more frugal way to pursue the hobby.

FI/RE isn't a vow of poverty-it's a framework that allows you to live a happier life by understanding and controlling the tradeoffs between time and money.

cmou

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Re: Mustachian Life as a Gearhead
« Reply #5 on: May 21, 2019, 11:24:06 AM »
Thanks for the replies so far. It's not something that would really affect me financially but is in the way of trying to pursue a more minimalist life(and freeing up money doesn't hurt!) My wife has been supportive in also suggesting I should not force it in the pursuit of minimalism.  We are technically at FIRE levels but both continue to work full time for now. Going from working on/owning a large house and a few cars down to a small apt and 1 car has lifted this huge weight of time and emotion that I genuinely appreciate and its almost like a drug! How lean can I live?? The ability to pack up pretty much everything we own into an SUV and move is a really cool feeling that I miss from my 20's but is worsened by the more things I own.

I have this small feeling with regards to my track car(not overly modified, very streetable, not particularly valuable) of "hey that was sort of my 'thing' and now it's gone." It's almost like retiring after 40 years of grinding and not knowing what to do with your life. Here's this guilty pleasure I have dedicated alot of my time and life to, that I enjoy, but may not fit easily into my new slimmer lifestyle. It's not significantly detracting from FI but is also definitely not helping. Just trying to find the line of stripping out all the fat in life without going overboard. It's a good problem to have and I'm sure lots of people have dealt with similar transitions here. Again, not really looking for answers per se, just sort of talking aloud and interested in hearing people's experiences on similar matters.

I'm a big fan of GRM, I'm pretty sure I never renewed my subscription last year but I think they keep sending me new ones as a tickler to re-up.


I picked up my '88 Merkur XR4Ti as a second car maybe 6 or 7 years ago for $1500(no car payments on the first one!) converted it from auto to a T5 manual out of a 92 mustang for around $600 and have been abusing it with blatant disregard since then. It's exactly what I wanted out of the car and has held up great and has been easy to work on. Not unlike MMM's article on owning a bike that you can't afford to get stolen, don't race it if you can't replace it was my main goal when I bought it. I'm sure buying parts here and there have probably brought me to a total investment of maybe $4.5k since then, averaging less than 1000 miles a year. Mostly just shakedown cruises and driving to tracks and back. Probably worth about what I've put into it these days. Not too terrible as far as car purchases go!
« Last Edit: May 21, 2019, 11:39:37 AM by cmou »

dezfreeze

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Re: Mustachian Life as a Gearhead
« Reply #6 on: May 21, 2019, 11:45:49 AM »
Contrary to most posts on this thread, I continue to pursue car hobby through purchase and repair of often derelict vehicles.  I don;t really seek them out anymore, they just see to find me.  Example- brother of a friend neglects to change the timing belt on his Subaru Forester.  Idler pulley freezes, belt breaks, valves bend, chaos ensues.  He hears I might give him more than the junkyard offer of $250.  I give him $500.  Top end engine rebuilt, clutch, other assorted items in my garage costing $2,000.  I sell my $2,500 car for $5,000, double my money in a month messing around with it on weekends.  I've done this over and over again, and I usually double my money.  I don't count the time, as I enjoy the hobby, and it pays for new tools!  Best part is, the wife long ago gave me the green light to buy whatever car or tool I want, she knows we make good $$ on them.

RWD

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Re: Mustachian Life as a Gearhead
« Reply #7 on: May 21, 2019, 12:01:43 PM »
The first thing I did was buy a 1991 honda CRX to compete in the Grassroots Motorsports Challenge-it's a race event where you build the best car you can for $2000. I also have a 1992 NSX (The official super car of the FIRE community!) that is currently on jacks in my garage for a clutch swap.

Come visit my journal. The NSX is probably a [relative] good investment now.

cmou

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Re: Mustachian Life as a Gearhead
« Reply #8 on: May 21, 2019, 12:12:42 PM »
The first thing I did was buy a 1991 honda CRX to compete in the Grassroots Motorsports Challenge-it's a race event where you build the best car you can for $2000. I also have a 1992 NSX (The official super car of the FIRE community!) that is currently on jacks in my garage for a clutch swap.

Come visit my journal. The NSX is probably a [relative] good investment now.

Nice choices! I started more intently watching F1 last year and decided...you know I really should have a mid engine RWD car. Coming hot off my Fiat 500 Abarth Cabrio I got the taste for roofless action and I've been eyeing 986 Boxsters since then as rock bottom priced sports cars. Just need to find one that has had their IMS bearing cared for. It's this weird balance of Fun vs Good. My XR is Fun and squirrely and hard to drive. The 986(and subsequently the 987/Cayman)  as I've read is an excellently balanced car that some say is so good that it's too predictable and boring on track. I can't decide which one is best for me.

Then my brain goes "this is not FIRE, this is not FIRE, this is not FIRE"

I just read in that thread from a post in 2015 that you moved FROM arizona. I've just moved TO phoenix from the northeast and I'm bicycling more than ever. It's nice to have roads and and infrastructure and weather that allow for it and I work from home. It's sort of a driving force behind this thread.
« Last Edit: May 21, 2019, 12:28:19 PM by cmou »

RWD

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Re: Mustachian Life as a Gearhead
« Reply #9 on: May 21, 2019, 12:31:29 PM »
The first thing I did was buy a 1991 honda CRX to compete in the Grassroots Motorsports Challenge-it's a race event where you build the best car you can for $2000. I also have a 1992 NSX (The official super car of the FIRE community!) that is currently on jacks in my garage for a clutch swap.

Come visit my journal. The NSX is probably a [relative] good investment now.

Nice choices! I started more intently watching F1 last year and decided...you know I really should have a mid engine RWD car. Coming hot off my Fiat 500 Abarth Cabrio I got the taste for roofless action and I've been eyeing 986 Boxsters since then as rock bottom priced sports cars. Just need to find one that has had their IMS bearing cared for. It's this weird balance of Fun vs Good. My XR is Fun and squirrely and hard to drive. The 986 as I've read is an excellently balanced car that some say is so good that it's too predictable and boring on track. I can't decide which one is best for me.

Then my brain goes "this is not FIRE, this is not FIRE, this is not FIRE"

The 986 Boxsters are ridiculously cheap. A great value if you can avoid the IMS bearing issue. We have been very happy with our mid-engine RWD car (981 Cayman).

hadabeardonce

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Re: Mustachian Life as a Gearhead
« Reply #10 on: May 21, 2019, 01:17:04 PM »
As long as you're spending your time and money on what you value, you're fine. Questioning if you could get the same thrill from a less expensive vehicle may be the next step. Car culture is the posterchild for keeping up with the Jones'... car shows, dyno results, lap times, rarity, tires, paint, rims... just make sure whatever you're doing is for your own enjoyment and not to impress others.

I've loved owning my 30yo+ mid engine sports car, but it's been neglected since I've started cycling to work and for recreation. I'm healthier(25 lbs. lighter) and spending less time & money wrenching. My top speed on the bicycle is a little bit above 42mph and I've made it up some pretty good climbs. I'm digging the internalization of status symbolism. Someday I may use one of my cars as a donor vehicle for a Caterham build, but that's a ways out. Built > Bought.

Bernard

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Re: Mustachian Life as a Gearhead
« Reply #11 on: May 21, 2019, 03:12:40 PM »
I'm a life-long car guy as well. I road-raced with SCCA and NASA for 5 or 6 seasons, and although it was "on the cheap," it wasn't really cheap. A weekend cost me about $850 to $1,000, if memory serves me, much of it was tires. At age 49, I got DQ'd for some BS and hung up the helmet. It was the best thing that could have happened to me, as it cut the ties to the money-draining activity. As the saying goes, racing is an illness, and the only cure for it is poverty.

My business partner did land speed racing between 1991 and 2017. He spent about $80K per year on this hobby (14 land speed records), and that was "cheap" as well, as crazy as it may sound.

I still have (1) my wife's 2002 MINI Cooper that we bought 10 years ago, (2) our "family car," a 2012 Dodge Avenger that I bought 3 years ago for $4,500, (3) my 1992 Dodge Ram pickup, that I bought 18 years ago for $5,500, and (4) my daily driver, a 1962 Volvo, that I bought 20 years ago for $1,000 and consequently "restored" to driver quality. I also have a 2006 Ducati that I bought 2 years ago for $2,500, and a 1960 Lambretta motorscooter that I bought many years ago. I had more vehicles, but I sold the rest, not to be replaced.

While that sounds excessive, and it perhaps still is, the numbers are not that bad.

(1) MINI.
Bought it 10 years ago for $10K. Has 78K miles on the clock and is still in near new condition. No repairs worth mentioning. Will keep that another 8 years, 'til retirement, then sell it for $3K. So depreciation $7K in 20 years, or $350 per year, on average. That's less than a dollar per day.

(2) AVENGER.
Bought that from the insurance payout of my 1995 Diesel Mercedes that got hit by a truck while parked. Didn't pay a penny extra. Plan on keeping this another 5 years, is my guess, then sell it for $1,500. That's $3K depreciation in 7 years, or $428 per year, or $1.19 per day.

(3) RAM
Bought it 18 years ago for $5,500. Will keep it another 8 years 'til retirement. Will sell it then for about $8,500. Driven 28 years, and then made money when selling. And that's in addition to the money it saved me while working on the house. It has hauled siding, dirt, you name it! A total no-brainer!

(4) VOLVO
Bought that 18 years ago for $1,000. Will drive it another 8 years, 'til retirement, then sell it for $10K. Do the math.

(5) DUCATI
Bought that 2 years ago for $2,500. Don't really have time to ride it much. But if I were to sell it tomorrow, or next year, I'll get all of my money back. Free motorcycle fun!

(6) LAMBRETTA
Bought that 5 years ago for $3,750. Will keep it another 8 years, then sell it for $7K or $8K. Like the Volvo it's on collector car insurance, for $32 annually!

So here I am, still with 6 motor vehicles, and they all together cost me less than somebody's soulless soap box. And the satisfaction I derive from this is priceless!

plantingourpennies

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Re: Mustachian Life as a Gearhead
« Reply #12 on: May 21, 2019, 05:00:10 PM »
The first thing I did was buy a 1991 honda CRX to compete in the Grassroots Motorsports Challenge-it's a race event where you build the best car you can for $2000. I also have a 1992 NSX (The official super car of the FIRE community!) that is currently on jacks in my garage for a clutch swap.

Come visit my journal. The NSX is probably a [relative] good investment now.

Nice choices! I started more intently watching F1 last year and decided...you know I really should have a mid engine RWD car.

...

Then my brain goes "this is not FIRE, this is not FIRE, this is not FIRE"

I've heard great things about the Cayman/Boxter, but never looked that closely at them b/c of the hairdresser connotation-I was coming from an NC Miata and my ego couldn't take any more =P

Having said that, what you guys REALLY need is a Consulier =)
« Last Edit: May 21, 2019, 05:02:19 PM by plantingourpennies »

RWD

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Re: Mustachian Life as a Gearhead
« Reply #13 on: May 21, 2019, 05:10:24 PM »
Having said that, what you guys REALLY need is a Consulier =)
I've always been amazed that the bizarre Consulier GTP came from the same mind as the stunning Mosler MT900.

cmou

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Re: Mustachian Life as a Gearhead
« Reply #14 on: May 22, 2019, 07:13:13 AM »
The first thing I did was buy a 1991 honda CRX to compete in the Grassroots Motorsports Challenge-it's a race event where you build the best car you can for $2000. I also have a 1992 NSX (The official super car of the FIRE community!) that is currently on jacks in my garage for a clutch swap.

Come visit my journal. The NSX is probably a [relative] good investment now.

Nice choices! I started more intently watching F1 last year and decided...you know I really should have a mid engine RWD car.

...

Then my brain goes "this is not FIRE, this is not FIRE, this is not FIRE"

I've heard great things about the Cayman/Boxter, but never looked that closely at them b/c of the hairdresser connotation-I was coming from an NC Miata and my ego couldn't take any more =P

Having said that, what you guys REALLY need is a Consulier =)

That's what they said about miatas too. There's a noticeable trend there. I think NC's are on the rise as clean slates for new miata builds. How did you like it?

plantingourpennies

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Re: Mustachian Life as a Gearhead
« Reply #15 on: May 22, 2019, 10:04:45 AM »

I've heard great things about the Cayman/Boxter, but never looked that closely at them b/c of the hairdresser connotation-I was coming from an NC Miata and my ego couldn't take any more =P

Having said that, what you guys REALLY need is a Consulier =)

That's what they said about miatas too. There's a noticeable trend there. I think NC's are on the rise as clean slates for new miata builds. How did you like it?

We bought a NC for Mrs. PoP in 2011 b/c she felt the s2000 that we test drove was too much =(

The NC really was THAT good. At 140k the suspension was still tight, maintenance was cheap. My commute at the time was 25 mins on a superhighway at 80 mph so the soft top was really loud, but it was so nimble and quick. Yes, it was underpowered against the NSX/s2000/911, but the frugal choice at the time would have been a 2k supercharger and maybe a hardtop. I'll freely admit that my ego got the better of me and I pulled the trigger on the NSX instead.

There is a reason that Miatas are called "the answer." Last year at the GRM challenge I think 6 of the top 10 cars were NAs...

One other idea about the cost side of this. Have you considered doing this stuff as a team of 2-3 people? You can split costs and the social aspect can be as much fun as winning the race.

cmou

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Re: Mustachian Life as a Gearhead
« Reply #16 on: May 22, 2019, 10:26:04 AM »

I've heard great things about the Cayman/Boxter, but never looked that closely at them b/c of the hairdresser connotation-I was coming from an NC Miata and my ego couldn't take any more =P

Having said that, what you guys REALLY need is a Consulier =)

That's what they said about miatas too. There's a noticeable trend there. I think NC's are on the rise as clean slates for new miata builds. How did you like it?

We bought a NC for Mrs. PoP in 2011 b/c she felt the s2000 that we test drove was too much =(

The NC really was THAT good. At 140k the suspension was still tight, maintenance was cheap. My commute at the time was 25 mins on a superhighway at 80 mph so the soft top was really loud, but it was so nimble and quick. Yes, it was underpowered against the NSX/s2000/911, but the frugal choice at the time would have been a 2k supercharger and maybe a hardtop. I'll freely admit that my ego got the better of me and I pulled the trigger on the NSX instead.

There is a reason that Miatas are called "the answer." Last year at the GRM challenge I think 6 of the top 10 cars were NAs...

One other idea about the cost side of this. Have you considered doing this stuff as a team of 2-3 people? You can split costs and the social aspect can be as much fun as winning the race.

I think I'd go with a green(wish it was more BRG) NC PRHT(do they have an aftermarket rollbar that fits the PRHT?) GT with tan interior if I were in the market for a used Miata. It doesn't have the oomph of the boxster but its certainly easier and presumably less expensive to work on.

Not a bad point on cost! Especially for autocross where you can use the same car for multiple people. Maybe share the cost of tires at least. Maybe I'll search out a lemon's team or something to get on. Basically I've moved to PHX from CT, my XR4Ti is still in CT and I need to decide in the next couple of months if its worth the ~$600-800 to me to have it shipped over here when I know I don't really need it. With the car should come tools. Maybe I should bring my spare set of rims with snow tires and burn them up in some desert rallyx action. Of course I'll have to install that quaife equipped rear end I've got sitting around. You can see where this is going!  Again not completely a money thing but my mass consumerism over the past 6-8 years is starting to feel like very dead weight that I want to run away from, just want to make sure I don't over correct too much!

I tried doing some timed laps on my bike in the area but its just not the same without a giant turbo whirring!

« Last Edit: May 22, 2019, 10:41:11 AM by cmou »

FIRE 20/20

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Re: Mustachian Life as a Gearhead
« Reply #17 on: May 22, 2019, 11:07:41 AM »
Former NB (2nd gen. Miata) and Elise owner here - both were used for autocross and track days.  I kept my costs down by staying in stock classes, getting onto the leadership team (entry fees waived in my region), and having a co-driver to cover tire and consumable expenses.  As has already been discussed, doing things like that along with being smart about car purchases and doing your own work can keep your costs down. 
However, I noticed the same thing a few people above have said that wasn't get as much enjoyment out of owning them as I thought I would or as I did when they were new.  When MMM posted this article https://www.mrmoneymustache.com/2015/07/02/if-you-wouldnt-buy-it-you-should-probably-sell-it/ I knew that the Elise had to go.  It took me about a year to adjust to the thought of not having it and to get it ready to sell, but I feel so much better with it gone.  And there are a huge number of fantastic cars out there so if I decide I miss autocross or just having a fun car I will have my choice of a lot of other options.  Just this morning I saw an ND (current Miata) on the road and I felt a pang of desire, but I can wait a while to make sure I'm not in a SoR failure mode with FIRE and might pick up a used one eventually. 

cmou

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Re: Mustachian Life as a Gearhead
« Reply #18 on: May 22, 2019, 11:29:13 AM »
Former NB (2nd gen. Miata) and Elise owner here - both were used for autocross and track days.  I kept my costs down by staying in stock classes, getting onto the leadership team (entry fees waived in my region), and having a co-driver to cover tire and consumable expenses.  As has already been discussed, doing things like that along with being smart about car purchases and doing your own work can keep your costs down. 
However, I noticed the same thing a few people above have said that wasn't get as much enjoyment out of owning them as I thought I would or as I did when they were new.  When MMM posted this article https://www.mrmoneymustache.com/2015/07/02/if-you-wouldnt-buy-it-you-should-probably-sell-it/ I knew that the Elise had to go.  It took me about a year to adjust to the thought of not having it and to get it ready to sell, but I feel so much better with it gone.  And there are a huge number of fantastic cars out there so if I decide I miss autocross or just having a fun car I will have my choice of a lot of other options.  Just this morning I saw an ND (current Miata) on the road and I felt a pang of desire, but I can wait a while to make sure I'm not in a SoR failure mode with FIRE and might pick up a used one eventually.

Yeah at this point its either keep my car or have NO car which answers to that article. I had two tall wardrobes and a dresser full of clothes at my last house and now I live comfortably at my apt with everything that fits in a medium luggage and medium duffle bag. I'm currently trying to apply that feeling to everything and its exciting but a little scary. It's not the worst idea to just go bare bones and see how the frugal FIRE life works out for a few years and then see what I can fit back into my life. Worst case, I buy an NC in a few years :-) I think I can squeeze a few last Track Night In America sessions in New England this summer.

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Re: Mustachian Life as a Gearhead
« Reply #19 on: May 22, 2019, 11:57:30 AM »
Do you like driving, or do you like messing about with cars and being around them?

If its the latter, then why not ask about any race circuits if anyone wants pit crew or a co-driver? You get to play with other peoples cars, with other peoples money.

I volunteer in a couple of places, with a local steam railway, so I get to play with other peoples trains, that other people pay for, and I used to volunteer flying instruct, in other people aeroplanes, that other people paid to be in the air.

cmou

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Re: Mustachian Life as a Gearhead
« Reply #20 on: May 22, 2019, 12:10:03 PM »
Do you like driving, or do you like messing about with cars and being around them?

If its the latter, then why not ask about any race circuits if anyone wants pit crew or a co-driver? You get to play with other peoples cars, with other peoples money.

I volunteer in a couple of places, with a local steam railway, so I get to play with other peoples trains, that other people pay for, and I used to volunteer flying instruct, in other people aeroplanes, that other people paid to be in the air.

That's a great question and something to really keep in mind. I like driving but I love wrenching/fixing things. I find it therapeutic. I figured that out on my first/last motorcycle. It was a 1982 Honda CB650 Nighthawk that I bought in pieces for $100 bucks that had been sitting for 10 years. I really enjoyed restoring it but found riding it just fine. Happily sold it last year for 1300 bucks. Downsizing to a small apartment with no garage makes pursuing that logistically difficult but since I now rent, I can always find a place with a garage next year if I really get the itch or like you said, volunteer my time somewhere. I have a friend that does that with sailing in rhode island and he absolutely loves it. All the action and none of the cost.
« Last Edit: May 22, 2019, 12:12:24 PM by cmou »

 

Wow, a phone plan for fifteen bucks!