Why being a car lover sucks

"ViperGuy21" (viperguy21)
08/24/2014 at 16:34 • Filed to: People don't get my love for cars

I hate being the only one in my family who understands being a car guy at heart. I'm the only one who understands that's it's fun to detail my car or look at other cars at shows. They think it's a waste of money because they only think about it through themselves. If it brings me honest joy, then what's the difference in me spending my money on that, and me spending money on things they think are 'normal'? Why does it matter how I am happy, not simply that I am? People that don't love cars, or anything seriously like we love cars, can't relate and belittle a love for a car. I don't care that my car is 10yrs old, or that it's already fading from red to pink and really scarred up. I can fix the paint issues, or at least restore them partially, and I can help prevent these from getting worse. If this costs me a little money in the process, that's ok....because I enjoy it. Putting money into a old car is a waste of money, but for someone who loves cars, taking excellent care of an old car isn't a waste of money...Those are both the same processes, but ones provides unparalleled joy and happiness to the person. And getting to do this process with someone you love, without causing them any monetary harm, is priceless.

DISCUSSION (26)

Trevor Mohr > ViperGuy21
08/24/2014 at 15:45

I cannot agree with you more. I'm dealing with the exact same issues and I know how it feels. It's really sad.

RiceRocketeer Extraordinaire > ViperGuy21
08/24/2014 at 15:46

Wait until you get more responsibilities, then you'll start hating yourself for spending money on cars and car parts ... but can't help doing so anyway.

ViperGuy21 > Trevor Mohr
08/24/2014 at 15:47

I'm glad I'm not alone. I don't know what to do to convince them. I'm in the top 5% of my class, have always been a pretty good kid, been responsible, and never done anything significant to give them a reason to not trust/believe me. I don't know what else to do...

ViperGuy21 > RiceRocketeer Extraordinaire
08/24/2014 at 15:49

That's the thing, I'm wanting to spend a few bucks on some nice products to take care of it. It's in great mech. condition, just not aesthetically perfect in ways that can be easily fixed

Tuned-Port-Injected-Rage > ViperGuy21
08/24/2014 at 15:49

Trevor Mohr > ViperGuy21
08/24/2014 at 15:51

This is exactly me. I'm a good person and all, and I'm really questioning why it's not "acceptable" to be a car enthusiast. Meanwhile, it's perfect and great for other kids to be obsessed with sports and such. Honestly the people I get along with best are car people. It's not that I'm antisocial, I just get along with people with my same interests (what the heck is wrong with that?!) I take so much garbage that I bought a GTI (I'm 17, and I worked very hard and saved up for it because it was a goal I had in 7th grade). Everyone goes on about how it was such a ridiculous waste of money and how stupid I am for not getting a Camry, basically.. I'm looked at like I have some sort of mental condition and it's really getting on my nerves. This is why I'm always talking with car people or I'm always on sites like this. Rant over. :(

ViperGuy21 > Trevor Mohr
08/24/2014 at 15:55

I'm young too, 16. Anyways...

Exactly, it's okay to buy $120+ cleats you'll use for a month or two for football season, but not $40 on car care products that will last you a VERY long time?

Trevor Mohr > ViperGuy21
08/24/2014 at 15:56

Exactly! This is exactly what I am talking about. There's this ignorant lack of understanding. I'm always in arguments with my parents over this and I'm tired of hearing how it's an obsession. They do everything they can to try and get me away from being an enthusiast. Not being rebellious or anything, but they will never get to do that.

ViperGuy21 > Trevor Mohr
08/24/2014 at 16:04

For me my mom is the only one that hates me loving cars, but doesn't care about my brother's insane sports love and the fact that he goes through phases constantly(he's on the Simpsons now and he was just let to buy a old crappy Simpsons video game for almost $30) and I'm not a phase person. The things I've loved, I still love. My dad just hates when I spend money(meaning he won't let spend any) on my car. He doesn't mind that I love cars because he likes them, but doesn't love them. He's got to go to my bro's soccer stuff the next few weeks and won't have any time to hang out with me, so I wanted to detail my car with him today, and then this post happened.... I don't even know if we will even do basic washing now...

mazda616 > ViperGuy21
08/24/2014 at 16:06

I've gotten lectures and odd looks from almost all of my family and quite a few of my friends for caring so much about my car, modding it or even taking care of it. They all see cars as transportation devices and nothing more. Lame.

I worry it will only get worse with the advent of self-driving cars.

mazda616 > ViperGuy21
08/24/2014 at 16:07

I used to have parts for my car delivered to my friend's house. I'd go over there, install them, and come home. Parentals never knew the difference lol

Trevor Mohr > ViperGuy21
08/24/2014 at 16:07

As a 1-year old I only wanted to play with cars. My dad "likes" cars, but he doesn't really see them as anything else besides transportation. My mom doesn't even fill the car with higher octane gas (which it requires) because she just doesn't care. It's a 2010 MDX. She didn't test drive anything and didn't care at all before buying.. She's always against it and it's aggravating. I always wash/detail on my own.

ViperGuy21 > mazda616
08/24/2014 at 16:08

Don't even get me started on autonomous cars. they have pros and cons, but as long as I don't have to have one, I'm ok with it...until it hits me...

ViperGuy21 > mazda616
08/24/2014 at 16:10

I can't go to a friend's house to wash and detail my car. It would make such a huge difference they would notice

ViperGuy21 > Trevor Mohr
08/24/2014 at 16:12

Same here. But I just wanted to spend some time with my dad today being the last time we are gonna probably get a chance to hang out for a while. And he likes washing cars, just not detailing

ViperGuy21 > Trevor Mohr
08/24/2014 at 16:16

I wish I was into cars that early, my uncle introduced me to cars in the form of 100mph in a 997 GT3 when I was just turning 13

KusabiSensei - Captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs > ViperGuy21
08/24/2014 at 16:38

I've already had this discussion with my mom. She plays a lot of golf (averages out to 3-4 rounds per week). I've told her that I would never spend money on getting golf clubs and lessons and playing a ton, simply because I don't enjoy it.

However, I spend less in track day fees than she does on greens fees. She spends about $200/wk on greens fees. $250 gets me a track weekend at Roebling Road.

This doesn't even count the amount that dad spends on golf, or his firearms.

ViperGuy21 > KusabiSensei - Captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs
08/24/2014 at 16:44

Problem 1) my parents aren't really into much

But they seemed to have calmed down as my mom is pondering letting me get my products, and my dad is about to go wash my car with me

Long Live the Longdoor > ViperGuy21
08/24/2014 at 16:45

I know how that feels and while other people's "hobbies" might cost less or seem more meaningful, I've developed the opinion that many people absolutely need to drive in life (to get where we need to go) and since we're already doing that, why not enjoy the shit out of it? We can turn on the appliance that transports us to work everyday or we can start our car, listen to the engine and carve some corners with a smile on our face. Sure it costs money, but we're taking the task of road travel and are turning it into something that makes us happy and thats a win in my book :)

KusabiSensei - Captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs > ViperGuy21
08/24/2014 at 16:46

That just seems to be an incredibly boring existence with no hobbies.

I need to wash the cars, but it's August in Georgia, so I think I'm going to skip the heat stroke for a while. Maybe in a few hours.

Trevor Mohr > ViperGuy21
08/24/2014 at 17:44

Back when I was 8/9, I was playing Gran Turismo 3. Even Midnight Club and Need For Speed games were my favorites.

Kanaric > ViperGuy21
08/24/2014 at 18:47

How about the opposite. Being always a car enthusiast and your parents are into cars but they never care to try to help you in what you wanted. Every christmas as a child I would ask for slot car or RC cars. Never got them. Wanted to watch racing. Never would be put on TV. Wanted to go to car shows. Never took me. Wanted an interesting car for my first car and wanted my dad t work on it with me, coaxed me into buying auto mazda protege for first car ford taurus for 2nd. Never would teach me how to drive a manual. This is despite my dad being a messenger for a living at the time, this was a LONG time ago, and working on cars daily and knowing everything about them and his friends having all kinds of classics and going to car shows every month. Never tried to help me in my life long pursuit. It took me until my late 20s to get into cars again.

Always as a child I told them that I wanted to race cars and have a nice car, etc. Always wanted car toys, etc. Was really into it. Instead they would buy a nintendo or action figures make me join the school's band and make me play baseball which I hated. Have a lot of resentment for that.

Kanaric > ViperGuy21
08/24/2014 at 18:56

Yup. My parents would buy me cleats and band instruments so I can fulfill their dreams, not mine. Bought me computer, games, and Nintendo so they can park me in the finished basement when I was home after the helicopter parent activities they planned for me. Meanwhile I totally turned off in high school because of it, got all Ds and Fs, quit band and all school activities and started doing drugs and they wondered why.

Lucky for me I actually have a brain and got a degree by going the community college to university route, joined the air force and got a security clearance so make all the money I need to do what I want with cars now that i'm out.

ViperGuy21 > Trevor Mohr
08/24/2014 at 21:02

My first car love was 2006 Drake and Josh movie had a red conv. Viper. Viper been my fav since

ViperGuy21 > Long Live the Longdoor
08/24/2014 at 21:04

Couldn't have said it better.

Atomic Buffalo > ViperGuy21
08/24/2014 at 21:19

1. I'm learning maintenance techniques that will save me thousands over the life of my next car.

2. Chicks/Dudes (as appropriate) dig a person who takes care of their stuff.

3. It's cheaper than hookers and blow.