by "gmctavish needs more space" (gmctavish)
Published 09/10/2017 at 19:04
by "gmctavish needs more space" (gmctavish)
Published 09/10/2017 at 19:04
Tags: first world problems
STARS: 2
My Subaru is a good car, and it makes a lot of sense as a daily. I fairly regularly utilize it’s wagon-ness, and the cargo room is wonderful for trips, despite having less room than the Blazer. It’s decent on gas, reliable, the AWD system is wonderful in the snow and especially rain that is semi-constant during three of the seasons. Basically, it’s a grown-up car, the sensible choice. Not that I actually chose it, I inherited it. Because of that, I don’t have the option to sell it when I get bored, like I have with any other cars. I would feel too guilty about selling it, it would be disrespectful to my grandpa, who decided I was the one who should take care of his car when he was no longer able to.
My problem is that I feel boring, and am bored, driving it every day. I miss dailying an old BMW, or my Blazer, or something that required attention. Maybe I just miss the idea of it, since in reality it is better to not be randomly stranded by 35 year old fuel injection, or a moody starter motor.
I do have the Raider, and to a large extent it was scratching that itch by driving it on weekends, or really just whenever I felt like the Subaru was too boring. However, I only had it insured for three months, hoping to get it behaving well enough to take on some off-road trips. That didn’t happen, since all the wildfires up here closed a lot of the backcountry, and I still don’t have it quite where I want it for trips. I can’t justify insuring it again until I want to drop more money on it, and actually have some trips mapped out. I also can’t justify spending the ~$650 or so on insurance when I’ll be spending nearly that much on a trip to Tofino next month.
So the Raider sits until next spring, when, if I’ve controlled my spending, I can throw some more money at it, and do some off-road trips.
And then there’s the Volvo. If I had it up and running, that might also help with not feeling boring. It needs a lot thrown at it to be on the road again, and I really don’t think it’ll happen any time soon, unless I get myself a significantly better paying job.
Now I know that a Dodge Raider and a nearly 50 year old Volvo can’t be considered practical, but it’s the driving the Subaru every day, and leaving these two on the back burner that is the practical thing. I can’t see any way around that, unless I exponentially increase my income, and get myself the space, time, and money for more cars. Those things coming after better housing, my significant other, and about at the same level of priority as traveling, and then stereo equipment somewhere after that.... I mean really, at my income level I should barely have one car, let alone three. They just all mean too much for me to consider selling any of them, and I sure as hell can’t have more.
Anyways, this turned into more of a typed-out conversation with myself instead of the vaguely cohesive post I had in mind. Oh and don’t misconstrue this as complaining or whining in any way, I’m very lucky to have as much as I do, and am not ungrateful for it. This is just musing/reminiscing/stream of consciousness.
"Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo" (thetomselleck)
09/10/2017 at 19:21, STARS: 5
I am sympathetic to the feels of owning multiple neglected vehicles and being bored with a reliable DD. Not being able to sell the Legacy... I would say that if you fell on hard times, or if it became unreliable, no one’s sending you to hell if you sell it. But selling it before either scenario occurred, I can see where the guilt would come in. But I don’t think anyone had a right to judge. It is ultimately your car. It’s not like you inherited a 1964 Plymouth Valiant that he spent ever waking moment working on.
I think you need one reliable do-anything car (the Subie), and one really exciting to tickle your fancy in good running shape. Some kind of manual RWD uhhhh thingie. Or bigly V8 touring something.
"Chariotoflove" (chariotoflove)
09/10/2017 at 19:27, STARS: 1
I bet if you had one good itch-scratching car that you could take out whenever you wanted, you could do with just the two. Or maybe you’d just get tired of that and get another itch?
"gmctavish needs more space" (gmctavish)
09/10/2017 at 19:28, STARS: 1
I think you’re probably right, I just need to convince myself of that. I’m terrible at being present with what I have, and I’m always thinking about what’s next, but I’m working on it.
Mmm bigly V8 touring something
"gmctavish needs more space" (gmctavish)
09/10/2017 at 19:30, STARS: 1
I think there’s a very real chance I’d get tired of it and get another itch. More of a personality fault than not finding the right cars. That said, I bought my Volvo back, and don’t regret it. So maybe there is hope for cars I won’t get tired of.
"Chariotoflove" (chariotoflove)
09/10/2017 at 19:38, STARS: 1
Fidelity is hard sometimes.
"E90M3" (e90m3)
09/10/2017 at 19:51, STARS: 1
Mmm bigly V8 touring something
Say no more:
"AestheticsInMotion" (aestheticsinmotion)
09/10/2017 at 19:52, STARS: 1
I had this problem, going from a Datsun pickup, to a GMC Jimmy, to a 2002 Mercury Sable, to my 08 outback. They were all “fine” cars that worked and got the job done, but there was no joy in any of them, so none of them lasted long. Finally picked up a Miata and with all of it’s flaws, it has lasted for over two years as a fun daily driver. As soon as I start thinking about different cars... I just upgrade it! And bam, 100% back to loving it for awhile. The Outback (which I still have for some reason) gets driven maybe twice a year. It’s practical yeah... But it brings no joy.
Maybe slowly build your Outback up as an overlanding rig? It’s fairly cheap if you do little by little, there’s great aftermarket support and the end results can be pretty impressive. Or even something like new lightweight wheels/better tires to really improve handling. That’s normally my first change because it makes such a huge difference, and if I’m broke, I can buy wheels/tires one at a time with free shipping to spread the cost out
"gmctavish needs more space" (gmctavish)
09/10/2017 at 19:58, STARS: 1
That is exactly what I had in mind
"gmctavish needs more space" (gmctavish)
09/10/2017 at 20:03, STARS: 0
I’ve thought about modifying the Subaru, but most anything I do to it would make it a worse daily, and there’s no getting around the auto trans. I did get good tires for it, and I’ve been enjoying those as much as I can in a slow, auto, AWD wagon. It does handle quite well for its weight. I was looking at getting a second set of wheels to put all-terrains on, but now that I have the Raider, I’ll be putting overland money towards it. If I had lots of money, I’d do something dumb like a Legacy GT or Spec B drivetrain swap, once the head gaskets inevitably go.
"I have another burner, try to guess it!" (ihaveanotherburner)
09/10/2017 at 20:21, STARS: 1
>Sell your Canadian citizenship to a rich American for 40k.
>Move to America and pay jack shot for insurance.
>Profit from not having to pay all your commie taxes. WHAT Y’ALL PAY LESS TAXES!? WHAT FRESH HE’LL IS THIS!!!????
"TorqueToYield" (torquetoyield)
09/10/2017 at 20:47, STARS: 2
Get your money right. Everything else is secondary.
Delayed gratification for the win.
Just imagine how good it will feel when that day comes when you have the money to fix up what you want to fix up, drive what you want to drive, because you made the sacrifice.
That being said, don’t be afraid to spend a bit of money once in awhile for fun things you enjoy, whether cars or travel or stereo toys or whatever. Otherwise you’ll go crazy and hate yourself.
"gmctavish needs more space" (gmctavish)
09/10/2017 at 21:47, STARS: 0
That’s what I’m shooting for. I’m figuring out what sort of job I want to line myself up for, and my significant other is doing the same. Once she’s done the schooling she’s planning on, I’ll do something as well, and we can get ourselves set up nicely, if all goes well. I mean we’re still doing alright now, but not living in a downstairs suite would be a good thing. The cheapness of the downstairs suite is what’s letting me throw more money at vehicles than I should, but I am shifting that towards more saving and less spending.
"gogmorgo - rowing gears in a Grand Cherokee" (gogmorgo)
09/11/2017 at 02:23, STARS: 0
Interesting. I find Saint Jimmy is pretty boring. Going back through photos of it, I can no longer remove the LeMons livery as initially planned, because it just looks so drab and awful without it.
"gmctavish needs more space" (gmctavish)
09/11/2017 at 10:16, STARS: 0
I guess the Blazer on its own is a pretty boring vehicle, I just got very attached to it because of the big trip to Montreal I did, and learning all its idiosyncrasies. I’ve put more kms on it than any other car so far.
"gogmorgo - rowing gears in a Grand Cherokee" (gogmorgo)
09/11/2017 at 19:45, STARS: 1
Heh. I’ve put just shy of 20,000km on this $250 POS since May. I don’t know if I’ve put even 1000km on my MJ in that timespan. The Niva got like, 40km added to the clock during that period... if that. I’m still not hugely attached. But the big advantage is its legally registered here in Alberta, whereas the other two are still registered in MB, and it’s getting pretty well to the wrong side of grey as to whether they’re still legally registered or not. Hoping to fix that soon though. It’ll just take time and more dinero than I gots right now. Although the Niva is just a shipment of parts that hopefully will be here next week away from being ready to inspect I think.