Open Thread: Discuss your next big purchase

"E. Julius" (soonerfrommi) 04/12/2015 at 14:31 • Filed to: Open thread

1

100

Just about everybody desires something they can't have right away. Want to share with the community and talk about your upcoming big plans? Well this is the place! No minimum price or specific thing, just something you're saving up or waiting for. Car, house, boat, baby clothes, PS4, anything!

TheHondaBro > E. Julius 04/12/2015 at 14:33

4

One of these:

Because I really want one.

bob and john > E. Julius 04/12/2015 at 14:33

2

I want to get a Xbone by the end of summer, but I might get a 500$ beater bike/resto project

Agrajag > E. Julius 04/12/2015 at 14:34

2

PS4. I always wait awhile to get a new console so that there is a decent catalog of cheap used games for me to buy.

TheVancen- In Pursuit of a Greater Payday and Car Parts > E. Julius 04/12/2015 at 14:34

0

An engine and transmission for my Capri.

E. Julius > E. Julius 04/12/2015 at 14:34

3

I'll kick things off. My next big buy (since I already bought my plane ticket back from France!) is going to be a motorcycle. Nothing super expensive or flashy, just something to get me started on a bike for about $2k. I'm really looking forward to it, but I have to wait until get back to the US. It's going to be a bit of an exciting moment since, not only will I be getting into motorcycling, this will also be the single most expensive thing I've bought with my own money and the first object I've owned with a title that has my name on it!

I've been making good money at my internships these last two summers, but I've gone to Europe both years, so almost all of the money I've spend has gone toward travel. All the sights and experiences were definitely nice, but I'm certainly looking forward to finally getting to spend some of my hard earned cash on a new toy!

E. Julius > TheHondaBro 04/12/2015 at 14:35

0

Oooh those are cool. That's always something I've wanted to get into. Do you think the Exo is going to make it, or will this be the replacement?

djmt1 > E. Julius 04/12/2015 at 14:35

4

It was gonna be a car but then this happened.

Had to get the roof redone and my ceiling fixed. Blew 70% of my car budget since insurance wouldn't cover it and having a leaky roof isn't an option in England.

For Sweden > E. Julius 04/12/2015 at 14:37

6

I hope my next purchase is some tacos

E. Julius > Agrajag 04/12/2015 at 14:37

0

Smart move. I pretty much play games on a 2–5 year delay, that way they're all super cheap and my computer can run them pretty well. I think there was an xkcd comic describing that, which I found hilarious when I read it because I did exactly what it described. What's one of those things run these days? I'm barely conscious of the console market.

jariten1781 > E. Julius 04/12/2015 at 14:37

2

Widen driveway, take down a tree. Need to get a PS4 at some point so I can play Bloodbourne but I'll probably wait a bit till the game is selling for 20 bucks or so...I don't pay full price for games unless it's some limited Atlus release or something that's going to sell out and appreciate.

TheHondaBro > E. Julius 04/12/2015 at 14:37

0

It's not going to replace it. I'm going to keep the Exo for when I can get it fully functioning again.

E. Julius > bob and john 04/12/2015 at 14:37

0

Oooh tough call. What kind of bike do you think you'd be looking at for that kind of cash?

E. Julius > TheVancen- In Pursuit of a Greater Payday and Car Parts 04/12/2015 at 14:38

0

Upgrading existing components are is the car currently lacking them?

E. Julius > TheHondaBro 04/12/2015 at 14:39

0

Ah ok, so it's still salvageable then? Your last post I saw seemed pretty pessimistic about the diff being broken.

TwinCharged - Is Now UK Opponaut > E. Julius 04/12/2015 at 14:39

1

University fees, strut tower clamps, a pair of silver earrings as a parting gift for my Biology teacher and maybe GTA V for PC.

E. Julius > djmt1 04/12/2015 at 14:40

0

That's a damn shame. Hate how life just gets in the way sometimes. At least you had the cash to be able to fix it in the first place. Just for shits, what would you have gotten if you hadn't had to fix the roof?

E. Julius > For Sweden 04/12/2015 at 14:40

0

Those must be some mighty special tacos if you're saving up for them. Either that or you've got an army to feed.

TheHondaBro > E. Julius 04/12/2015 at 14:40

0

That's because it's a discontinued kit, so parts support fell out the window. Best chance I have is to find the whole front end for sale on eBay (which there is one, but it's $60), so it will be out of commission for a while.

E. Julius > jariten1781 04/12/2015 at 14:41

0

Damn I still need to get a PS3 haha

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > E. Julius 04/12/2015 at 14:41

5

I mentioned it before, but we just bought a house and close in a few weeks. Before this, the single most expensive thing I ever bought was a $1700 pickup. On closing day we will be dropping 20% down for the house... That's a lot of coin.

Agrajag > E. Julius 04/12/2015 at 14:43

0

I think $399 right now. I've got quite a few PS3 games to get through still until I'll get antsy for something new. Hell, I'm still replaying MegaMan Legends 2 right now.

Flat Six > E. Julius 04/12/2015 at 14:43

1

Cool! Got any specific model in mind? I would love to get a motorbike, but my wife and mom would kill me ;)

E. Julius > TwinCharged - Is Now UK Opponaut 04/12/2015 at 14:43

0

Is it common to give gifts like that to teachers in HK? I think in the US there are some prohibitions on (or at least most teachers wouldn't accept) gifts like that. Although I guess if you're done with school then it's a different situation. Either way very nice gesture.

coqui70 > E. Julius 04/12/2015 at 14:43

0

Sure ... why don't I blast personal financial information to the web for all to see! Hmm ... because that's dumb! "Hey crooks look what I bought! I live at this address! Yes, come and take my shit!"

bob and john > E. Julius 04/12/2015 at 14:43

0

There is a 80's kawasaki 300 on the local kijiji...dunno how much longer thats going to be around though. guy wants 400 for it. Need tires, brake pads, and a small tune up.

djmt1 > E. Julius 04/12/2015 at 14:44

0

Either a Clio 172/182

or a MG ZS 180

E. Julius > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo 04/12/2015 at 14:45

0

That's awesome, congratulations! What aspect of the house excites you the most?

JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder! > E. Julius 04/12/2015 at 14:45

2

Hopefully by June I will be buying a PS4.

And in a little over a year and a half when the Civics lease is up I hopefully will have my Volvo C70

f86sabre > E. Julius 04/12/2015 at 14:46

3

we are remodeling our master bath, pulling a jacuzzi tub and installing a tile shower, and if we have money left over we will open up the bearing wall and install hardwoods downstairs.

car wise, I would like to get my wife an electric for hauling the kids around. It makes sense for the driving she does and it would keep the miles off the Evo.

Finally, I have a work trip to Puget Thailand at the end of the month and I am adding some vacation time so that will be fun . Wife is coming along for that as well.

E. Julius > TheHondaBro 04/12/2015 at 14:46

0

Ah ok. Is it fun to work on a little machine like that or is it just tedious? I've never dealt with an RC car that was better than $20 Radioshack special, so I've never had the chance to take an interesting one apart.

LongbowMkII > E. Julius 04/12/2015 at 14:46

1

catch up with projects/repairs/organization.

Then a used 3 row vehicle. My heart wants a Mazda5. We'll see what my head and wallet say in the fall.

E. Julius > Agrajag 04/12/2015 at 14:47

1

Ahhh that game is sick. What part are you at?

Hoccy > E. Julius 04/12/2015 at 14:48

1

Next large investment: House/apartment (years away)

Next minor purchase: New old front seats for mye car (hopefully this spring/summer)

Dream purchase: Racecar.

TheHondaBro > E. Julius 04/12/2015 at 14:48

1

The Exo is tedious on its own, because it's fragile and complicated to work on. Most other RCs though are much easier to work on.

Flat Six > E. Julius 04/12/2015 at 14:48

1

My family is going to Mexico on vacation later this summer so we are saving some money for that. Any car purchase is going to be 2 or 3 years away, but we have been thinking of getting a Wrangler.

Spaceball-Two > E. Julius 04/12/2015 at 14:49

4

Furniture for a nursery. Crib, dresser, chair, etc. Shit adds up QUICK!

Our first is due in July.

E. Julius > Flat Six 04/12/2015 at 14:49

3

Haha it took a little while to convince my mom, especially since I'll be keeping it at their house until I get a place of my own! I'm not dead set on any specific model. I'm heavily considering the Kawasaki Ninja 250 or a Buell Blast, mostly because those are solid, commonly available beginner bikes. If there's something else available around my price point when I'm looking to buy though, I very well could go with that. Don't want to wait around all summer and buy the bike right before I have to leave for school!

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > E. Julius 04/12/2015 at 14:50

2

It has to be that our monthly principle and interest plus homeowner's insurance plus taxes is equal to our current rent. Our costs of living will be the same except now we own something instead of just renting it! We made the correct choice driving beaters for the last five years so we could save for a home. Sorry , oppo

TheVancen- In Pursuit of a Greater Payday and Car Parts > E. Julius 04/12/2015 at 14:50

3

It needs everything.

E. Julius > coqui70 04/12/2015 at 14:51

2

You'd have to be pretty forthcoming with your answer and go far beyond the scope of the question to include enough relevant information for a burglary to be committed.

CB > E. Julius 04/12/2015 at 14:52

1

I'm aiming to grab a GoPro in the next month or two so I can record myself running a Spartan Race.

E. Julius > bob and john 04/12/2015 at 14:53

0

Wow that doesn't sound too bad at all. My friend who flips bikes pretty much exclusively buys bikes that need carburetor work that 80% of people are too lazy to do, does a quick carb rebuild and detail, and turns it around for ~125% of the purchase price.

How much does a set of bike tires run, installed?

bob and john > E. Julius 04/12/2015 at 14:54

1

well, I'm picking up a set of tire levers and I use balancing beads, so i can do it myself now :D

Agrajag > E. Julius 04/12/2015 at 14:54

0

I think it's the final (Calinca?)ruins. The ice ones. I've never actually beaten the second game before. The first one a shit load of times, but never the second.

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > TheVancen- In Pursuit of a Greater Payday and Car Parts 04/12/2015 at 14:55

1

Worth it.

E. Julius > djmt1 04/12/2015 at 14:56

0

Knowing next to nothing about either of these cars and based purely on looks alone, I'd pick the second one. How do they compare in reality, and which one are you leaning toward?

E. Julius > f86sabre 04/12/2015 at 14:57

0

Sounds like you've got some exciting plans! What model electric were you thinking, Leaf, i3, Tesla?

misfitmascots > E. Julius 04/12/2015 at 14:58

1

One of these two.

Desu-San-Desu > E. Julius 04/12/2015 at 14:59

2

-XBox One

-Repairs and such for the new home

-A bevy of handling and power mods for the Mini

-Some upgrades for the PC

-Full repair and off-road prep for the Audi

-Get the fiancee a new car. Hoping for a 'hawkeye' Outback XT.

E. Julius > Flat Six 04/12/2015 at 15:00

1

Definitely worth it to save the money to travel. I know there are lots of cool things I could have purchased in the past, but when you're traveling and you don't have count every single penny to make sure you're on budget it's so much more relaxing.

Also, Wranglers are awesome. My dad wanted to get one to two our sailboat/transport mountain bikes, but he couldn't find one in decent condition at the price he wanted so we ended up getting a Ford Explorer. Which has since been replaced with Hyundai Santa Fe :'(

E. Julius > Spaceball-Two 04/12/2015 at 15:00

0

Yeah I've heard the baby bills hit hard and fast and stay that way for the next ~20 years.

marshknute > E. Julius 04/12/2015 at 15:00

1

My first ever post-college apartment! I doubt I'll be able to afford something in Manhattan on an Intern Architect's salary, so I'll probably end up somewhere like Brooklyn.

E. Julius > Spaceball-Two 04/12/2015 at 15:00

0

Congratulations, by the way.

djmt1 > E. Julius 04/12/2015 at 15:01

1

The MG since it has a humongous boot and good rear leg room but they are getting hard to find unlike the Clio which I'm pretty much tripping over since there are so many. When it comes to performance the Clio is a bit quicker and probably more fun but the MG has a V6 and a ridiculous wing both of which are things I like.

E. Julius > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo 04/12/2015 at 15:02

1

Aye, the responsibilities of real life often stand in the way of Oppo nirvana. That's great that you managed to get such a sweet payment though, and when it's all done you'll have plenty of cash for whatever sweet ride you want.

E. Julius > CB 04/12/2015 at 15:03

0

They're pretty cool, although I haven't had a chance to play with the newest model yet. Which one are you eyeing?

E. Julius > bob and john 04/12/2015 at 15:03

0

Nice!

twochevrons > E. Julius 04/12/2015 at 15:04

2

I'm quite excited to start a new job in May, with a salary nearly double that of what my wife and I are currently earning combined. I'm a university student, and she works in nonprofits (great job satisfaction, not-so-great pay), so the budget has been pretty tight for the past few years, and the prospect of having so much more money on tap has definitely opened a few opportunities for us.

In the longish term, it hopefully means that we can realise our dream of buying a Citroën DS sooner rather than later, travel more (both back home to New Zealand, and around the rest of the world), and make a few improvements on our house.

In the short-term, though, I'm just looking forward to getting some stuff fixed on the cars. The 850R's brakes and suspension are pretty sad, so I'm looking to do a complete refresh, with a few upgrades thrown in for good measure. Having some extra cash also bodes well for a potential manual transmission conversion – I'd rather install new parts rather than used ones, and the dollar signs quickly add up. The MG needs a bit of love as well, and I'm trying to squeeze some body work and maybe a new convertible top into the budget, too.

f86sabre > E. Julius 04/12/2015 at 15:06

1

I would love a Tesla, but I don't have that kind of money. Amazing to drive. An i3 or Leaf most likely. We get a deal through work of $229 a month on the leaf.

the travel thing is fun and kind of crazy for the next two months. Miami Beach next week for a conference, Huntsville next weekend for my son's cub scouts, Thailand the Thursday after that and I will be in Asia until the 7th of May and then Istanbul for work at the end of May.

E. Julius > Agrajag 04/12/2015 at 15:07

0

That's actually the farthest I've gotten as well. I think I played a little bit of the last dungeon on my brother's save file a looong time ago, but I've never finished it. Do you prefer the first or the second game?

E. Julius > misfitmascots 04/12/2015 at 15:07

0

Oooh tough choice. Stang gets my vote, but I'm not much of a truck guy.

E. Julius > Desu-San-Desu 04/12/2015 at 15:08

0

Sounds like you've got a lot on your plate!

TheJWT > E. Julius 04/12/2015 at 15:08

1

I'll hopefully buy a new engine for my car over the summer, an SR20VE to replace the worn out SR20DE I've got now.

Spaceball-Two > E. Julius 04/12/2015 at 15:08

1

One bonus to the situation is that we'll be car shopping soon!

Funktheduck > E. Julius 04/12/2015 at 15:08

1

a house

Spaceball-Two > E. Julius 04/12/2015 at 15:08

0

Thank you

E. Julius > marshknute 04/12/2015 at 15:09

0

That's exciting!

TheVancen- In Pursuit of a Greater Payday and Car Parts > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo 04/12/2015 at 15:09

1

Yes indeed. It'll either get a 2.0L Cologne V6 and a four speed, or a 3.0L Vulcan V6 and a five speed.

Jayhawk Jake > E. Julius 04/12/2015 at 15:10

1

Other than an eventual C6 GS I don't have anything in particular coming up. Id like to arrange a trip to Seattle with the girlfriend in August or so, I guess that counts?

E. Julius > twochevrons 04/12/2015 at 15:10

0

"our dream"… your wife sounds awesome haha

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > E. Julius 04/12/2015 at 15:10

1

I will actually be buying another car hopefully in autumn. I already think I've picked the make and model, but I will probably change my mind several thousands times before the day.

TheVancen- In Pursuit of a Greater Payday and Car Parts > TheHondaBro 04/12/2015 at 15:11

0

Unless its nitro of course. Think you can retrofit a different diff? Like one from a 4wd Slash or Revo?

E. Julius > f86sabre 04/12/2015 at 15:11

0

Wow you're going all over the place! Have you been to Asia before?

TheHondaBro > TheVancen- In Pursuit of a Greater Payday and Car Parts 04/12/2015 at 15:12

0

I'd have to find a diff that's similar to mine. Maybe I can get away with a Yeti diff.

E. Julius > TheJWT 04/12/2015 at 15:12

0

*dons noob hat* what is the difference between the two?

f86sabre > For Sweden 04/12/2015 at 15:13

2

I went to the local taco supply store and purchased materials for a homebuilt. Sadly, all they had was crumbling cheese and not melting cheese.

E. Julius > Spaceball-Two 04/12/2015 at 15:13

0

Always fun. What do you think you'll end up getting?

Tohru > E. Julius 04/12/2015 at 15:14

1

I've got two jobs lined up to be putting in about 70hrs/wk. at around $14/hr.

Once my bills are paid off, this is the plan:

1. Buy my dad's motorcycle - A 2013 Honda NC750X. I've gone too long without two wheels good.

2. Buy a donor vehicle to put a drivetrain in my '86 720. I'm not going with the stock Z24 4-cylinder with a carb. For the cost of just a stock engine shipped, I could get a Nissan Pathfinder with the 3.3L V6.

3. Xbone and Fiveza.

yamahog > E. Julius 04/12/2015 at 15:14

3

I have my student loans basically killed, just shelled out for the Camaro, so the next real big thing is a proper garage/house for Travis and me. The next not-as-big thing are Camaro mods (ordered the skip shift eliminator and dirty side oil-air separator, picking up some wheels and tires tomorrow), a set of custom race leathers, and potentially a track bike.

E. Julius > Jayhawk Jake 04/12/2015 at 15:14

0

Always nice when you're in a spot where you don't really need much else. Seattle sounds awesome by the way. I've never been, but I've heard great things.

Agrajag > E. Julius 04/12/2015 at 15:14

1

Right now the first. My mind may change after I complete this one. The first one has a completely different atmosphere about it that I love.

E. Julius > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo 04/12/2015 at 15:15

0

That's how it always goes haha. What are you thinking at the moment?

thebigbossyboss > E. Julius 04/12/2015 at 15:17

0

Test drove a Dodge Challenger V8 R/t Yesteray. 2012 20,000 miles, $27K CAD. In love. Must save all the pennies.

E. Julius > yamahog 04/12/2015 at 15:18

2

Well it sounds like you're sitting pretty for the time being! And people say it's a bad time to be young in America…

coqui70 > E. Julius 04/12/2015 at 15:20

0

All they need to know is 1. What you bought 2. Who you are. Remember some folks login with linked social media accounts (Who you are). By telling them what you're spending money on they can pretty much figure if you make a good target. Companies do this kind of data mining and profiling all the time - and so can criminals. You don't have to take my word for it: http://content.time.com/time/magazine/…

twochevrons > E. Julius 04/12/2015 at 15:20

2

Haha, I won't lie that it is slightly more my dream than hers, but she's a car nut, too. She got me a vintage diecast DS as a birthday present last year, to tide me over until I could get a real one.

E. Julius > Agrajag 04/12/2015 at 15:21

0

You're definitely right that the two games have completely different atmospheres, although I'm not sure which one I'd prefer myself. That's what I've always loved about those games though; the worlds both just felt so rich and detailed, even compared to a lot of modern titles. Although in my opinion the quality of the story has never quite matched the world in which it takes place.

Officer Jim Lahey is not a real cop > E. Julius 04/12/2015 at 15:22

2

E. Julius > coqui70 04/12/2015 at 15:23

0

Fair enough. How do you view somebody linked social media profile from their kinja account?

E. Julius > twochevrons 04/12/2015 at 15:24

0

Aww that's a nice gift!

Spaceball-Two > E. Julius 04/12/2015 at 15:24

1

We've been looking at a Mazda CX5. Reviews seem to be pretty good.

E. Julius > Officer Jim Lahey is not a real cop 04/12/2015 at 15:25

1

Well that's exciting! I have mixed feelings about the ring purchase myself, although my gf and I have an agreement that whatever I spend on the ring she has to spend on a watch for me (I don't plan on wearing a wedding ring).

f86sabre > E. Julius 04/12/2015 at 15:28

1

Luckily I have. This will be my third trip to Singapore and fourth time to Tokyo. First trip to Phuket. Tokyo is one of my favorite places anywhere. Singapore is pretty amazing, but expensive.

E. Julius > f86sabre 04/12/2015 at 15:31

0

I believe according to The Economist 's most recent survey of city prices, Singapore ranked as the most expensive in the world. My dad travels to Asia on business fairly frequently and he convinced me to go to Shanghai for study abroad, but I couldn't find a compatible program unfortunately. Want to make it out there one of these days though.

How is the language barrier out there? (assuming you don't speak the languages)

coqui70 > E. Julius 04/12/2015 at 15:33

0

It depends on how much the person protects their identity. Some people actually place their email address in the profile name, or use their real name. In other cases their previous posts provide all the information needed to establish identity (for example posting the title of an article you published will reveal your name).

Once identity is established residence information can be found. After that it's just a question of deciding whether you are a good target or not for a criminal. They especially love it when people post future travel plans - nothing like an empty residence full of previously identified goodies! It may seem paranoid but unfortunately it's a side effect of the freedom of expression these blogs allow - you can say anything including self-endangering things.

E. Julius > coqui70 04/12/2015 at 15:42

1

That's very true, and also pretty much internet 101 at this point. I was just assuming that anyone who responded to this post would either have taken the necessary precautions to conceal their identity or didn't feel it posed a significant risk.

TheJWT > E. Julius 04/12/2015 at 15:44

2

Vtec, yo.

The SR20VE has variable valve timing, and puts out more HP. All the ones for sale also have considerably fewer miles than my engine.

Flat Six > E. Julius 04/12/2015 at 15:46

0

Used Wranglers are crazy expensive. I don't think any (non-vintage Ferrari) holds its value so well!

Agrajag > E. Julius 04/12/2015 at 15:54

1

Agreed on that. One thing I always loved was the nods to a shared universe with the other Megaman games.

The painting in the museum

!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!

And then finding the Zero's zetsabre in one of the ruins.

Sad we'll never get another one.

Oontzoontzoontz > E. Julius 04/12/2015 at 15:55

1

I just finished building a new PC, along with purchasing a set of TSW Nurburgrings for my summer rubber. Oh, and snagged a double-tap kegerator.

On the horizon is a DA orbital, power washer, compound miter saw, and paying off the upcoming trip to Jamaica.