Car Indulgences - Driving 3 Cars

[DawgMan]

I have been in part time retirement mode since the end of 2019 with plans to start withdrawals in 2022. My biggest vice is probably cars... I like (and enjoy) a nice car and currently drive a 2019 AMG GT 53 and my wife drives a 2019 X5. While I don't drag around clients anymore, I "compromised" with the practical side of my brain by owning one 4 door sedan and one SUV which was good for some hardware store pickups and hauling extra peep(s) and luggage on vacations. On my car bucket list has always been a convertible 911 Cabriolet, but if I did buy this car, I feel the need to have some other vehicle with some "practicality", like a pickup, as I would not drive the 911 every day and want something else that made some sense.

So here's my rub and my questions... indulgence aside, am I setting myself up for a big disappointment (i.e. "2 best days... bought a boat/sold a boat")? For those of you who have the extra "fun" car, how often are you driving it compared to the other car? Any regrets, glad you you have the 2 car combo, do it differently next time? What cars do you own?

I get it's all personal, but curious of the experience of those who might fit in this category.

 

[Amethyst]

Husband always wanted a Porsche, but would not spend the money (not just for the car, but insurance, maintenance etc).

We bought a Toyota MR2, a tiny midengine sports car, as a wedding present to each other in 1986. Kept it till the suspension fell apart in 2003; donated the remains to charity. It was great fun (particularly driving back roads, in deserted areas, at high speeds, and not getting caught, yes we were bad newlyweds), and I'm glad we had it when we did.

All vehicles since then have been highly practical and economical, "get you there" types.

I'd like to turn in our Hyundai Sonata on an EV truck when those become a bit more common. Love the looks of the Tesla Cybertruck, but the bed on that is vestigial and we need hauling capacity.

 

[HawkeyeNFO]

Much like Amethyst in the 1980s, I picked up a small sports car last year - a FIAT 124 Spider. It's a blast to drive, especially on a curvy road, and it even works with the top up, if you need to drive it that way for some reason. Cheap and fun. I make sure it gets driven at least once a week. The daily driver is my 2003 Chevy Trailblazer with 178k miles, because I don't care about door dings received in the parking lot.

 

[audreyh1]

Gosh, if you enjoy cars what’s to worry? It’s easy to sell one you decide you don’t want or need.

We are a one car household with a very aged Jeep but hope to seriously upgrade soon. It will definitely be a fun to drive car. Part of the motivation is age: “if not now, when?”.

 

[Midpack]

If we had a three car garage, we would have something sporty (probably a new Cayman) to go with our practical wagon and sedan. IME the boat 2 best days doesn’t apply to cars. If you enjoy cars, probably better sooner than later, bonne chance.

 

[Jerry1]

If I had a pole barn, I’d have a car for every day or purpose. I like cars and trucks. At one point I did have a fun car (Buick Grand National) but unfortunately with no proper place to store it, it was stolen. So, my criteria wouldn’t be how much I drive it, but could I afford it and keep it in good condition. You can always sell it and get a lot of your money back. If you have the spare funds, get it and have some fun.

 

[Car-Guy]

A few years ago, I sold off my collectables and pared down my daily drivers to only 2. I was just getting to the age where crawling over/under/around cars everyday is more work that I wanted/could do... I've written all this here before, but since you asked...

I drove Vettes for almost 20 years as daily drivers and I loved them. As I got older, the problem of getting in and out of the Vettes became more than just inconvenient. (Think PIA, literally) Looking for a new daily driver to replace the Vettes, my top three requirements were, high performance, high performance and high performance. Next requirements were comfort, luxury/gadgets and spaciousness. That pushed me towards higher end SUV's. I was seriously looking at the Porsche Cayenne Turbo but decided against it due to limited dealerships/service in my area (as in none) and maintenance issues I kept hearing about from Porsche owners I've known. After that my choices quickly got down to Range Rover, Urus, X5 and Jeep. There were things I liked on each of them, but after it was all said and done I went for the crazy performance numbers of the Jeep. Probably because of general service availability too which was almost as important for me.

I also have a full sized 4x4 Pickup... (Hey I live in Texas) Now, after several years I have zero regrets other than I do miss the collectables, sometimes... Never thought I'd own a car quicker than the Vettes I had, especially a SUV...

 

[RetiredAt55.5]

Like Amethyst, we've had a less expensive sports car as our 3rd car for years.

I bought a 4 year old Mazda Miata in 2002 with 50k miles on it. IIRC, I paid a tad over 11k for it.

I still have it(over 110k now), but I don't put many miles on it since RE (used to be my fun, sunny day commuter car). As a third car, insurance is cheap (less than $400/year with full coverage). It's still a blast to take out on a nice day with the top down, snicking through the gears with Queen on the CD player.

No plans to get rid of it as it's still in excellent shape. Paint still shines and original top, but it's always garaged (that's the key).

Having said that, Porsche's are a whole nother level from a money perspective. Miata's are extremely reliable and it's not a complicated car to work on. Mine's never been to a dealer since I've owned it.

YMMV, but some have remarked that a Miata Is Always The Answer (MIATA).

 

[jollystomper]

One of my retirement "gifts/blow that dough" action was to buy a 2nd car, a mid size SUV . So I can no choose between driving it and a sedan. I like having the choice, as depending on various factors (activity, distance, etc.) one is better than the other. It makes me feel "rich" ("self, what do you feel like driving today?" ).

I track my mileage, such buying the SUV I still drive the sedan more, primarily since I use it most often for trips to the golf course I joined. But the SUV is used for longer trips, particularly with DW as she finds it more comfortable. As things open up we have been doing more and for this year the SUV has a little more mileage than the sedan.

Between the two cars I be putting around 13K miles on them, which will lengthen their usage lives. The sedan is a 2011 model (bought used in 2013) that already has around 125K miles, but being a Toyota that has never giving me any issues and has only required the factory maintenance, it should still have a few years on it. But I am not ruling out "blowing that dough" and replacing in later this year or next.

DW is fine with me using those two cars. She drives a compact that she loves, and will only drive the other two under duress .

 

[38Chevy454]

Well I have 10 cars, 7 which the forum here would consider as extra beyond normal. They're old classics that get driven only occasionally. That still leaves 3 newer daily driver type for DW and me. Add in big motorhome that is obviously occasional use. So I think you know my opinion on your question. Get the fun car, drive it when you want and don't worry about it being an extra vehicle.

 

[skyking1]

We have 3 for two people. it just made sense as the least of them cost us very little and having a spare is nice.
Ironically they all sit now as DW works from home and I have a company truck. We got her a new rig to drive ~400 miles a month.

 

[Bamaman]

I worked in the automobile industry for 24 years, and have had over 100 new automobiles of all kinds. I had company cars until my ER 12 years ago.

Our family still owns a Lexus dealership, and I can brag that it's undoubtedly the finest car dealership I've ever seen--in every way. It's hard to believe that 4/2021 was the dealerships' best sales and profit month since it's inception in 1989.

Now that I'm paying, I'm scaling down the cost of my vehicles. Instead of another Lexus, we went to a Camry Hybrid in 2018. And we just traded it for a 2021 Venza Hybrid AWD that's an especially good value. I went from 49 mpg for 42 mpg, however. My daughter is currently driving my 18 year old F250 diesel, and I have a 2020 F150 to haul my 24' boat and Waverunner. The play car is a Jag XK convertible. We're good for many, many years with these vehicles.

I've come to the place in life where cars and trucks are just transportation. With $125 an hour mechanics, I'm into dependability more than ever. And Toyota hybrids are amongst the most trouble free vehicles on the road.

Now if we could just get manufacturers to quit putting $250 tires on vehicles, I'd be completely happy. Ultra high performance tires just don't last either.

 

[doneat54]

Just sold 3 cars after buying 2 more nearly new SUVs. That brought me from 8 to 5 cars. 3 of them are antiques. A 1957 VW Beetle that I spent 7 years restoring and finished in 1999, a 1957 VW Singlecab pickup truck I bought out of CA in 2018, and a 1969 Mercedes 280SL that I gave my wife in 2010 as a reward for surviving 20 years of marriage to me. Our daily drivers are now a 2018 Jeep Grand Cherokee, and a 2017 VW Tiguan.

I truly enjoy driving the old cars, always have. It's like going back in time and adding my history to the long history the car already has. I have been in the VW hobby since the 80's.

More pertinent (maybe) is the fact that the Jeep I bought last March is by far the nicest and most expensive vehicle that I have ever owned. Before that I was driving a 2002 Ford Taurus wagon that I bought for $1300, put 16k miles on it (after doing some minor repairs) and then sold it for $1500. I am done with the "phase" of daily driving 10+ year old car and dealing with the needed repairs.

 

[nphx]

Ten after trimming the herd.. I do have a large warehouse-like building which makes holding on to toys easier. i do enjoy tinkering. Computer skills make sourcing parts fun. Hagerty insurance on the classics is inexpensive. 25 years ago it was easier to buy... glad i did, now i have the fleet to enjoy. Daily driver quality but corvettes, firebird, elcamino, convertibles...

 

[brett]

Last time I went in the dealer showroom to shop was to replace our aging 97 Camry. It was thirteen years old or so, 200K on the clock. I was ready to buy a new Acura. But I did not.

Problem was I felt zero excitement. Sat in the cars, the SUVs, breathed in the new car and leather smell. It do zero for me. So I left. Spent $1500 on Camry and drive it for another 50K miles before passing it to my son. Replaced with a three year old Accord a few years later.

What I did by a year or so later was a summer car. A pristeen 2007 Toyota Solara convertible. 60K on the clock. Really just a convertible Camry. Still have it four years later.

Lot of high end cars on our small cull de sac. Late model Acura, Lexus, Merc. etc. When I worked my employer provided me with a new car every year. Various models from Taurus to Lincoln. Would not thank you for one today.

 

[freedomatlast]

Go get the 911 Cabriolet. If it's something you always wanted to do, go do it. If you find you don't like it in a year, sell it. Yes, you'll take a financial hit, but so what? You'll have the memories from the experience for a lifetime. Disclosure: This is coming from someone who presently has seven vehicles for two drivers.

 

[RockyMtn]

+1 on getting the 911. We are down to two cars now. When we lived in Colorado it was almost necessary to have 3 cars for two drivers if one of the cars was a sports car. They just don't cut it in the Colorado weather year round.

Now that we are in Az I drive my 911 year round, most of the time with the top down. DGF has a Mercedes SUV for hauling groceries, people and road trips where we don't want to be in a small car too long and need more luggage room. She has been hinting at a Macan as she wants something a little smaller.

Another thing on the Porsche. The older you get the harder it is to get out of the front seat. I can see me having to go to another vehicle at some point just because of that!

 

[Out of Steam]

I'm in the market for a modest manual transmission car that will serve as a third vehicle. Used car prices are very discouraging and may push me towards a new or late model used vehicle.

Having trouble convincing myself to pull the trigger to buy it.

 

[Bigdawg]

posted some of this in other threads. Strange reading this today as I bought a BMW X5 diesel 2 hours ago. I drop off the cash this afternoon and pick the car up Friday. That will give me 3. 2000 Chevy Silverado Z71 4x4. That will probably go bye bye. I also have the 1983 Jeep CJ8 Scrambler. That's the keeper. DW drives a 2020 Mini Cooper countryman. She loves it. In October my buddy bought me out of our 1968 Chevelle. Last June I sold the Nissan 350Z. Like others I am about done with projects. Getting to the point of just wanting something reliable. I have enough work with the riding mower, JD Gator and the wave runner.

 

[GreenEggs]

Having room to store them is my limiting factor. Nice cars need to be kept indoors. We have a 3-car garage. One spot for DW's car, one for mine, & a spot that has 2 motorcycles, a golf cart, a mower & garden trailer, a generator, air compressor, & a couple of bikes.
The pickup, van, and DD's car are parked outside.

I recently saw a great looking 07' Porsche Cayman for $17K that I would love to have bought, but we just don't have anywhere to park it.

If we didn't live in this damned HOA ruled neiborhood I'd build a pole barn or some kind of large outbuilding. Adding an HOA approved garage would be an expensive PITA that I'm not in the mood to deal with or pay for.

So, I remain content with my sporty enough Audi A6 3.0, which really is a nice car that's pretty fast and fun to drive. It's a 4-door sedan, but will get up and go when you "put the peddle down". (An ECU upgrade is available for it that would bump the power up from 333 hp to about 425 hp, but I don't want to give up my unlimited mileage warranty for it.)

 

[Nick12]

Not me but my brother lived in Newport Beach/Corona Del Mar, CA. He knew some who had 6-7 car garages attached to their million dollar plus home. Every Saturday a Hispanic group of males would drive out his exotic car collection to the street, wash, wax them and drive them back into the garage. Some have so many toys that a number of the cars hardly ever get driven.

 

[OldShooter]

My car journey has been a bit different. My "college car" was a 3-carb Austin Healey 3000. It was followed by a Porsche 356B, a 911, a Lotus Elan coupe and a few 122 series Volvos. Then came the 289 Cobra, which I did a little vintage racing in. I also flipped a '66 GT350, a '68 GT500KR convert, a Jensen Interceptor, and probably some I don't remember. Then, around 1979, I sold the Cobra and bought a race car I could afford to crash, an investment duplex, and cedar shingle siding for our house.

Following that came a little more than a decade of dull cars (kinda dull: some Merkur Scorpios) and many thousands of mile of racing -- mostly Formula Fords. Finally I sold my race car (Swift DB-1) to concentrate on buying a business.

The racing pretty much killed my excitement for performance street cars. They have potential that can't be used, often primitive suspensions, etc. It ended up feeling like kissing my sister. Nothing on the street (or on street car "track days") can come close to the half-hour endorphin high on a real track in real competition at serious three-digit speeds.

So ... today DW has a Mini Countryman with which I have a love/hate relationship and I have a Soob WRX, which is a grocery-getter that wants to be a performance car. More "performance" than I want, actually; the big turbo and intercooler result in completely unpredictable throttle response. 3rd car is a 2006 Nissan Frontier extended cab, which is probably the most cost-effective and reliable street car I have ever owned.

YMMV.

 

[MRG]

Please delete.

 

[Amethyst]

Interestingly, the Hyundai will also get up and go when switched to "sport mode." I usually have it in "Eco mode" to save gas, but there's a certain intersection where it's important to get across before people start turning right on red. Sport mode does the job.

Also surprises people in BMWs, when I step out before they do on a green light (years ago, I did autocross in parking lots in the MR2, and like to check to see if the reflexes are still there).

 

[MRG]

DW has either owned a Wrangler or sports car(MR2 turbo, Nissan 370) for many different years while I have driven 4x4 pickups.

Last year we bought a Rubicon Unlimited to replace the 10yo 2 door. While a blast on the trails it stunk over 50mph. Last year I got rid of my GMC full size pickup and bought a Model Y performance model that is insane to drive. Despite having performance sports cars this 4 door crossover blows them away for acceleration, cornering, and fun.

If we had room I'd pick up an ATV just to play.