Please talk me off the ledge...

[Nords]

To add to the wealth of advice you've received so far, let me fill in one niche:

The worst part, is my wife has actually told me I deserve it, and to GO BUY THE CAR.

In our marriage this is code for "If I tell you it's OK to buy the freakin' car, then will you stop blathering about it and make up your damn mind and just leave me alone? Fine."

Either that or she's really lookin' forward to driving it while you're slaving away to pay for it.

 

[TargaDave]

Was a sports car nut until I was 45 or so. Don't regret any FIRE delay it might have caused. I will say that the last shiny "look good" car (for me a pristine 911 targa) became a garage queen bore. Sold it and got a Subie WRX that I modified and autocrossed the heck out of (SCCA Solo II). It was an absolute blast. My highlight was getting FTD (fastest time of the day) one outing in a field of 48 cars my rookie season. Also enjoyed doing much of the mod work myself.

It was always an irony to see newbies show up with their $80k Euro machines only to run through a course clueless and get smoked by a kid in his $8k modified junker. Alway's the skill, not the car.

My autocrossing days are over. I know waste FIRE money on modest water toys with no regrets

 

[thegarman]

WOW

Wow, thanks for all the wonderful input!

First, I want to say that the act of simply typing the story of the car in this forum helped put it in proper perspective for me.

I had already told my wife (and boss) that we wouldn't be buying the car, and now I am more solid in that decision, thanks to you guys.

For those of you who were asking more detail, I'll now share a little more about the experience. I have always been a "car guy", but I have kept it supressed by driving boring sedans and SUV's for the last 10-15 years. So the car wasn't just a impulse buy. It was actually the super car we used to dream about when we were young and just starting out trying to get the house settled, start careers, etc. It was always one of those "WOW, maybe someday" kinda things. So about two weeks ago, it shows up at a local car lot, a red, first generation Dodge Viper R/T-10 roadster, 18,000 miles, and because of the time of year here in PA, she was "priced to move"

For a while it was just hard to look at that car, and then at the small heap of money sitting in the bank, and know we could do it! (finally)

But I must admit, the last few days have been easier, and I actually slept pretty well last night

There will be other cars, there will be other tests. I just need to keep focused.

thanks again!

Gar

 

[mouschi]

Gar - I had your struggles also. Except, mine was a torch red 500hp C5 Corvette Convertible ... and I got it LOL. I already had the house paid off though, and know I can make a bit of money off of it once I sell it since I never buy "toy" cars that I can't make money off of. I don't regret it at all, though I will be selling in the next few months ... only to look for another one to make a few bucks off of

 

[F4mandolin]

Never really had the urge for a sports car, just not useful. Now....if I retire this summer I have had an urge for a Subaru Outback or Forester. Living in the Spokane area I can kind of justify by the weather etc....but in the "real world" we don't have to travel if the weather is bad so AWD is nice...but not required. If we buy new it will likely be the Hyundai Elantra Touring....if we don't go there it will be used and a fair amount cheaper. We need a car that 1. is dependable 2. has a decent amount of room in it 3. doesn't cost a ton of money 4. gets decent gas mileage. Never really had an urge for a sports car. Even if I had tons of money, it would likely be a Sub Outback with the bigger engine.

 

[MasterBlaster]

Here's a nice convertable car...

 

[wanaberetiree]

Ok, I am done rambling, I guess my question is, how do you guys make it through rough spots with regard to "temptation"? How do you keep focused on the next goal, and the next one without splurging on that "big vacation" or in my case something as frivolous as a sports car?

Help me fight the urge, and stay on track!!

Gar

I am cheap and never enjoined cars as an example. Bought maybe 5 new and 3 used cars or so over last 20 years, always thought about them as a mean to get to and from work safely. So, from investment standpoint - in my opinion it's a waste. However, if you really like it - I don't see any problems getting it. The part that bothers me - "deserve it". I would not buy it for my boss and anybody else or because my management title demands to drive $40K cars vs $25K. Main driver for me would be only desire to have and enjoy driving it....

 

[BigNick]

I had my first mid-life crisis at 39.5 when my Dad died. That was when I got the Miata. 10 years later I still have it, and it still puts a grin on my face every time I take the top down.

Second mid-life crisis is this year (50 next month), and all I'm getting is the kilt. The rest of the possible spending has gone into the FIRE fund.

 

[skyvue]

I have been where you are and made the mistake to give in to my temptation. I always wanted a Corvette but after getting married that chance had been lost (i thought).

Well, I had an unexpected divorce, so after I dug myself out of initial debt from that, I saved up and bought a brand new 2001 C5 Corvette. It's now 2010 and I still have the car, but it has spent the vast majority of it's life collecting dust in my garage. Even though it is 10 years old, it only has 18,600 miles on it. I put 5,000 in year one and thoroughly enjoyed having it for about 12 months. For the last 9 years, I really could care less whether I had it to drive as I have driven "good enough" sedans as my everyday vehicles. I just can't bring myself to sell the thing now because I hope to enjoy it more in retirement or give to my daughter in a few year.

By my own calculations, including purchase price, insurance, gas, etc...I have spent around $3 per mile I have driven it thus far. Not one of my better investments!

I used to think and obsess about how much money that $40K would be worth had I invested it in the stock market instead (could have double or tripled)! But I recently realized that given the market performacne that $40K would still only be worth about $40K!

 

[Moscyn]

Gar, congrats to making a decision and resisting the temptation. I am sure you will buy your dream car in future. DH bought his dream car 4 years ago but after 3 years of owning it, he said he would like a newer model.

 

[haha]

Never really had the urge for a sports car, just not useful. Now....if I retire this summer I have had an urge for a Subaru Outback or Forester. Living in the Spokane area I can kind of justify by the weather etc....but in the "real world" we don't have to travel if the weather is bad so AWD is nice...but not required.

I disagree. I think a car with AWD, like the Sub, is worth it in any climate where you are apt to get snow. I lived in Eastern Washington, and some years if you were planning to not drive when there was snow, you would have parked your car in early November and brought it out again after Valentine's Day.


Even in Seattle, where snow is less common, you would have been marooned for 2 weeks winter before last. And it is common to leave home in the afternoon dry, and come back a few hours later with a lot of snow collecting on the road, even I-5 and I-90. I live in the city, but on a high hill. My AWD brings me home when cars are littered all over the road. Plus, don't forget emergencies. I have an Impreza. I wanted a WRX, but cooled myself down and I like this one just fine. I can't kid myself that I wouldn't like the WRX better, but I would just have more speeding tickets.

Sometimes I have a little will power.

Ha

 

[F4mandolin]

haha, this is a subject that has kind of come up a couple times just in the last year on the site. There are some people who won't consider a car less than (3000-3500lbs etc) for what they consider safety. Over the years I have noticed that more and more people insist they need AWD/4x4. I grew up in W Wash...we had some snow (more than now for sure), almost nobody had 4x4 and we just dealt with it. Spent 5 years in Eburg, if things got too snowy I just threw some more weight in the back (rear wheel drive only at that time) and dealt with it. We have a house out in Nine Mile Falls just NW of Spokane, should get a little more snow than Spokane. Even with the snow year they had 2 years ago, I would kind of assume that the roads would only have been terrible 5-10 days at the most out of all that....or at least what I would consider terrible. Snow doesn't bother me unless the car just won't go. We actually had a few days here in N Yorkshire last winter when I wish I had AWD, but it is kind of hard for me to justify AWD for 3 days of tough weather. But....we test drove the new Outback last summer....we really liked it and even as big as it is we would get around 30mpg with the driving we would be doing. Just tough for me to release my grip on $25k+. Used ones just aren't such a deal these days and aren't much cheaper than new ones. Then my wife looks at me and mentions something like "you can get that car, but I can't have a better kitchen?"....hmmm, hard for me to argue that one. We don't drive much. Bottom line, seems in the old days (with generally worse winters) not that many people seemed to "need" AWD, now almost everybody thinks they do. To me it is kind of like when everybody moved to SUV's all of a sudden when they became popular and justified them with whatever excuse they needed. I have owned things as small as the old mini and up to a mini-van.....I have never felt I needed 4x4. But damn.......I want one. Same basic urge as the person who started this thread.

 

[jayc]

As other's have said, it is for you to make up your mind. In my personal experience some of the cheapest cars Ive owned were sports cars that were bought right. My first car was a 66 corvette convertable that I paid $7,000 for and drove for several years in the early 80's. And I sold it for $8,500. I have had several sports cars over the years and as long as I stayed away from new they were not to expensive for my budget. Ive got 3 Porsche's now, so I may not be the best to give advice.

+1. I also buy big ticket toys used. It is also a line item in my net worth spreadsheet. If I sell a toy that money stays in the toy budget.

 

[haha]

haha, this is a subject that has kind of come up a couple times just in the last year on the site. There are some people who won't consider a car less than (3000-3500lbs etc) for what they consider safety. Over the years I have noticed that more and more people insist they need AWD/4x4. I grew up in W Wash...we had some snow (more than now for sure), almost nobody had 4x4 and we just dealt with it. Spent 5 years in Eburg, if things got too snowy I just threw some more weight in the back (rear wheel drive only at that time) and dealt with it. We have a house out in Nine Mile Falls just NW of Spokane, should get a little more snow than Spokane. Even with the snow year they had 2 years ago, I would kind of assume that the roads would only have been terrible 5-10 days at the most out of all that....or at least what I would consider terrible. Snow doesn't bother me unless the car just won't go. We actually had a few days here in N Yorkshire last winter when I wish I had AWD, but it is kind of hard for me to justify AWD for 3 days of tough weather. But....we test drove the new Outback last summer....we really liked it and even as big as it is we would get around 30mpg with the driving we would be doing. Just tough for me to release my grip on $25k+. Used ones just aren't such a deal these days and aren't much cheaper than new ones. Then my wife looks at me and mentions something like "you can get that car, but I can't have a better kitchen?"....hmmm, hard for me to argue that one. We don't drive much. Bottom line, seems in the old days (with generally worse winters) not that many people seemed to "need" AWD, now almost everybody thinks they do. To me it is kind of like when everybody moved to SUV's all of a sudden when they became popular and justified them with whatever excuse they needed. I have owned things as small as the old mini and up to a mini-van.....I have never felt I needed 4x4. But damn.......I want one. Same basic urge as the person who started this thread.

Everything you say is true. I have lived in WA most of the time during the past 40 years, and just got my first AWD car 5 years ago. Although the winter I mentioned in Eastern WA I parked my Volvo and drove an IH Scout 4x4 I had from work, and I alwys hoped to finda buddy with a 4x4 for hunting trips. Also true that I slid off the road more than once, and had the good luck of some helpful guys coming along to help lift me back on. And I had helper springs on my Volvo so it could take the sand bags, and reinforced chains, etc- but todays price of good AWD is so low that IMO it is worth it, and likely safer too. The reason many people made do with 2wd (not all did, plenty drove 4x4 pickups) is that nice smooth functioning and durable AWD passenger cars did not exist, at least in popular price ranges.

If you can do without the turbo-boost and higher clearance of the Forester, get an Impreza. They are excellent, and I have always had good cars- Volvo, Saab, Acura, VW, Taurus- none better than this Subaru, even without the AWD benefit.

And be a sport, get your loyal wife a nice pretty kitchen while you are at it.

Ha

 

[skyvue]

I got my first AWD car a couple years ago. I wasn't even looking for that as a requirement, but the car I liked happened to have it. It has made all the difference in the world living here in Cleveland. I am "able" to drive 20 mph faster than most people on the highways when the snow is on and haven't come close to "losing it". When i go shopping again for another car, AWD is going be very close to the top of my list of requirements.

And I am not one who ever minded driving in the snow with any vehicle I have ever had. I just was amazed at how much easier the AWD made it.

 

[travelover]

............. I am "able" to drive 20 mph faster than most people on the highways when the snow is on and haven't come close to "losing it".............

Sure you can.

 

[Jay_Gatsby]

Coming a little late to the party, but there is nothing wrong with indulging a long-held desire for a sports car if your budget won't be the worse for it. Delayed gratification is a practice for people who have no self-control and/or self-awareness. If you've lived a life of frugality to ensure ER, then you have enough discipline to know whether buying something would not be in your best interests.

 

[aida2003]

You need a couple of kids (I didn't notice them mentioned in your OP) and you'll have no time to have frivolous thoughts... Well, actually we do manage to get a silly idea here and there, but if we die prematurely $$ will be left to kids.

 

[se012101]

For me, the car was a corvette. I resisted, and paid the house off. But, boy was it hard! What did it for me was working out what the $53k odd plus interest would become if invested over 15 yrs with a 7% return (the 15 yrs was my ER target at the time). It was a chunk of change, and that woke me up a bit. I realized it might easily be the difference between being ER'd in time for the last year or two of my oldest son being in high school, versus after he was already away at college. That woke me up a lot more. That, and I realized that as much as I loved the car, eventually the thrill would wear off. So, I passed on it, though I still have some twinges now and again.

 

[chinaco]

What Brewer said.


BTW, your sports car was my boat back in my 30's. I made it a point to look for the right deal. That way when the boat turned from enthusiastic hobby to unneeded expense (after several years)... I was able to recover the cost of the purchase. That temporary hobby cost me up keep, insurance, and dock fees for several years. I do not regret it for a minute! But as they say: the best days of a boat owners life are the day they buy it and the day they sell it!

Another story. BIL's buddy (pushing 50) wanted an early 70's muscle car. He has had it for about 4 or 5 years and not it has run its course. He is unloading it. Hopefully he looked for the right deal so he can recoup his investment.

In the end this thing will runs its course... but that is ok and certainly not a reason to avoid buying it.... just take your time and look for the right deal!

 

[keegs]

well...it's cheaper than a divorce...but it's right up there with a boat.

sorry...I'm no help.

 

[Jay_Gatsby]

well...it's cheaper than a divorce...but it's right up there with a boat.

sorry...I'm no help.

Not if you let her drive it.