"Tripper" (tripe46)
05/19/2018 at 15:20 • Filed to: None
7
11|
"Tripper" (tripe46)
05/19/2018 at 15:20 • Filed to: None | 7
| 11 |
I love cars. So do you, but how wonderful it must be to be someone who does not.
My best work friend, Craig is nearly the same age as myself (33) and he does not care about cars. In fact he has had the same car since high school! In the same amount of time I have had at least one of 14 cars. He recently needed to lease a new car because the lease on his wife’s jeep was up. He bounced a few ideas off of me knowing that I like cars and eventually decided he and his wife would like a Subaru Outback. He decided he wanted the cheapest brand new one he could get his hands on. He went out and found one, haggled a little bit and leased one for an extremely reasonable price. I doubt he has thought about it since. The article comparing car enthusiasts to washing machine enthusiasts fits perfectly here.
I have been thinking about a 911 since the first time I drove one (about 10 years ago). The past year or so I have been seriously thinking about one, and today I went to look at one that I considered to be in my wheelhouse but not quite my dream 911. It’s a silver, non-”S” 997. Where as my dream 911 looks more like a bright or otherwise unique colored 997 with an S or even Turbo on the back if I’m really dreaming. Then I drove it...
There was no “getting to know you” period. I connected with the car instantly like one of the blue dudes in Avatar when they wrangle a pterodactyl thing. I bliped down from 5th to 4th to 3rd to 2nd before burying it exiting the highway. It was perfect. The car spoke back in the tongue of the rear mounted flat-6 and said “YEEEEEEEEEEA Dawg, get it!!!!!”
Now here I sit in that place I’d imagine you all have been in. “Do I buy? Do I not buy? What if the PPI says it’s shit? Ok then I don’t buy it, but then I don’t get it! What if the PPI says it’s awesome? Ok then I buy it, but then I have to pay for it! What if it breaks? What if it doesn’t? What if it’s the best thing I’ve ever done? What if it’s the worst? How will I feel if someone else buys it first? How long will I have to deal with the nauseating effects of the pre purchase anxiety? Could be a few days, could be a week or more. Either way I will be totally and completely distracted until a verdict is reached.
To further complicate the situation, I’m expecting my first child in 3 weeks...For most people that would make this sort of purchase a hard “nope”. However my fabulous wife, approached me before I left to go and see it this morning to make sure I wasn’t planning on coming home with it without talking to her first. I reassured her that I wouldn’t, and that I wasn’t in love with the color etc. When I returned and she asked how I felt I sadly said, “I loved it”. She then re assured me with reasons that it would probably be fine if I got it etc...
This would be a goodbye S3 hello 911 situation. M3 and Ranger stay put. I don’t know how E90M3 goes and test drives cars with no strings attached. I fall in love almost every time.
Anyway, I thought typing this out would be like therapy. It didn’t help much but I hope everyone’s having a nice Saturday!
LOREM IPSUM
> Tripper
05/19/2018 at 15:26 |
|
The only time you’ll feel true regret is when the one you really wanted rolls up next to you.
...or when something expensive grenades.
WilliamsSW
> Tripper
05/19/2018 at 15:32 |
|
Well, you’ve got an awesome wife, that’s for sure - and I realize that you already know that.
I have taken a million test drives lately myself - and I liked virtually every car that I drove, but driving a lot of cars helps you find the nits that keep you from falling too much in love with any one car. Granted, most of these were sedans, because I actually need a new car, but they were pretty nice sedans.
That said, on a whim one day, I drove a 997 S Cabriolet and a 981 Boxster S. For me, it was the Boxster that I fell in love with - the 997 was awesome, but I found the clutch heavy, and pedal placement odd. Otherwise I probably would have preferred the 997. Now the 981 is at the top of my dream car list, but it’s not quite time yet.
Good luck with the new baby - and also good luck whichever way you go on teh car!
|
Tripper
> WilliamsSW
05/19/2018 at 15:39 |
|
Thanks!
The focus RS and Toyota 4 runner are the only two that I have driven and not been in love with. I liked the 4 runner but not for the kind of coin the bring. The RS just wasnt for me.
I’ve driven the Cayman variant of the 981 and share your sentiment. They are great!
farscythe - makin da cawfee!
> Tripper
05/19/2018 at 15:45 |
|
lol my brothers like craig... he’s had the same car since he passed his test 12 years ago.. a black 2.0 diesel toledo (black ice nearly totalled it but insuranced paid up and he had it fixed)
in the same time frame ive had a seat terra, opel kadett, chrysler voyager, mitsubishi galant, daihatsu cuore and a panda (the cuore and panda being by far the most fun of the bunch... voyager was comfiest and galant was best)
TheRealBicycleBuck
> Tripper
05/19/2018 at 16:09 |
|
Life-changing events that really aren’t that life changing:
Graduating High School - Biggie, but not so much. You’re ready to go by that point.
Graduating College - Now you’re making money, but it isn’t much of a change because you’ve been living independently for a while.
Getting Married - Face it, you’ve been hanging around with this person for a while and can’t wait to spend the night with him/her without feeling guilty.
Life changing events that really are life changing:
Having your first child - If you are a decent human being, you realize that this little person is completely dependent on you for everything a nd you love this little person with everything you have. The things you care about change. Your sleeping habits change. Your household changes. Everything about this change brings a new perspective on life.
While you will still want to drive fast cars and have fun, you will realize that those things aren’t nearly as important as that child. Don’t be surprised if you start thinking about reasonable cars that can haul your family in safety and comfort AND be good enough to go to the track/autocross course on the weekend.
|
Tripper
> TheRealBicycleBuck
05/19/2018 at 16:21 |
|
Yea I guess I won’t know until he or she is here. We’ve got a 17' forester for parental duties.
|
TheRealBicycleBuck
> Tripper
05/19/2018 at 16:31 |
|
For the first few years we got by with one “parental” car. However, once my wife went back to work, the situation called for two “parental” cars to make life easier for both of us. I would go to work early while she dropped off the kids, then I would pick up in the afternoon which she was still at work. Doing it this way made it much easier for me to play a bigger role, usually helping out with their after-school sports activities (I coached volleyball, basketball, track, and assisted with robotics, depending on the season ) .
Which would be more heart-breaking: buying a Porsche just to give it up again; or not buying it at all?
While I’ll probably end up with a Porsche or Corvette someday, I’ll be happy with my WRX for now. It goes fast and hauls kids (just not both at the same time).
Neil drives a beetle and a fancy beetle
> Tripper
05/19/2018 at 17:40 |
|
I think test drives are tempting but keep in mind; you’d love any 997 that much and maybe more with a different color. Take your time with the purchase.
|
Tripper
> TheRealBicycleBuck
05/19/2018 at 17:44 |
|
Yea we’ll definitely need another when activities start and or when we have another kiddo. My plan is to swap the ranger for a new/newish full size pickup then, or lease something like an alltrack/allroad.
I’ll let fate decide. Every time I’ve bought a cool car it has more or less fallen into my lap. If someone else buys it first or if the PPI comes back with any red flags. I’ll pass. If the stars align I’ll bring it home.
|
Tripper
> Neil drives a beetle and a fancy beetle
05/19/2018 at 17:49 |
|
Yea Im trying to keep that in mind. I have a colleague that wants to buy my S3 regardless if I get a new car. I could just sell it to him and dd the ranger/m3 until the perfect one shows up.
7:07
> Tripper
05/19/2018 at 19:00 |
|
I’m putting off test driving a Durango SRT because I may marry it and my wife would be mad. And I hear you on the bonds made while driving. Sometimes I obsess about something and then hate how it drives, which is why we test drive things. I think I need part ownership in an auto dealer so I can drive something different every few weeks. Maybe that would cure this illness...