I was proud of myself...

"RotaryLover" (rotarylover) 01/07/2014 at 20:27 • Filed to: None

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I didn't go out much this week and I've managed to save 300$ on last week's paycheck since I have less and less stuff to pay monthly and I have everything I need. I was calculating and if I keep this up, I can save about 900$ minimum per month without counting the money I get under the table from various sidejobs I'm currently doing. Now the thing is, I found a awesome ad about a guy selling his Turbo Miata in parts that is located near my house.......and I want a shit load of parts from him. At the same time, if I keep saving like this, I can get a nice low mileage Miata with nothing to fix or another small lightweight rwd car to try out (rotary powered maybe) or a Panther with a manual swap in less than a year. It's either fix it up completely or start over with something completely fixed. What would you do oppo?

Brian Silvestro > RotaryLover 01/07/2014 at 20:32

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What is the exact $/per month budget?

Aaron James > RotaryLover 01/07/2014 at 20:33

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Save your money so you can have a house and kids and stuff like that one day. Or spend it all on hookers and blow, which I've always found to be the most satisfying use for extra money.

Zipppy, Mazdurp builder, Probeski owner and former ricerboy > RotaryLover 01/07/2014 at 20:34

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Tuition for college has been taking a lot of my savings away, leaving me with nothing. The main issue is, Due to school, I didn't have time for work, fortunately this semester, my classes are short and I have the whole morning free. I've been sending my resume to various car-related places to work. If all fails, I can still work at the tech store at the college, as I am a computer geek as well.

RotaryLover > Brian Silvestro 01/07/2014 at 20:37

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About 800

Brian Silvestro > RotaryLover 01/07/2014 at 20:40

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*Clears throat*

Alfa 4C

New Corvette

-Can be had for 800/month for many, many months.

On a more serious note, if you do go in your desired direction, there's always that saying of never inheriting someones project.

RotaryLover > Aaron James 01/07/2014 at 20:42

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That used to be me hahaha...I just don't have my mind on family yet nor a house. I don't have a girl neither. If I ever pay for a house...I would do it elsewhere than where I currently live and it would be a container house like Flynn's house in Tron Legacy. But I dont feel like I'm there just yet.

RotaryLover > Brian Silvestro 01/07/2014 at 20:44

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Oh wait! You mean't how much I could spend?

Textured Soy Protein > RotaryLover 01/07/2014 at 20:44

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Calculate your typical monthly expenses.

Multiply by 6.

Keep saving until you have at least that much.

Only then should you worry about spending money on expensive toys like cars (or parts).

If you already have that then...um spend it on a mostly complete car.

Brian Silvestro > RotaryLover 01/07/2014 at 20:46

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Yes. I'm sorry for any confusion. I like Alfa 4Cs if that clears anything up. It doesn't? oh..

Aaron James > RotaryLover 01/07/2014 at 20:49

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To be completely serious about it though, you should save say half of your extra funds for whatever the future may hold and play with the other half. It's always nice to have an emergency stash. You know in case you need a hooker and an 8-ball to get you through a cold winter night.

RotaryLover > Brian Silvestro 01/07/2014 at 20:50

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Hum...the thing is that I always try to buy my stuff in one strike. I hate to pay monthly and new cars kills me on insurance...due to my speeding tickets. That's why I look at older cars.

Brian Silvestro > RotaryLover 01/07/2014 at 20:52

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Makes sense. One less monthly payment is always better in hindsight. I can also confirm that speeding is in fact fun. Everyone seems to be positive about 944's, ever thought about one?

RotaryLover > Aaron James 01/07/2014 at 20:54

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I see what you did there! MSI...how could I forget them!

RotaryLover > Brian Silvestro 01/07/2014 at 20:58

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I did, I was drooling on one that my friend's neighboor had back in the days. Last time I checked they were expensive and rusted but that was years ago. I'm gonna check again.

Aaron James > RotaryLover 01/07/2014 at 20:59

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Now to actually answer your question. Save up and get a nice low mileage Miata. You'll get more enjoyment out of something that runs right everyday and doesn't leave you stranded and always having to fix this and that.

RotaryLover > Textured Soy Protein 01/07/2014 at 21:00

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The car still drives properly...to be fully repaired, I would have to dump 3000$. Then I would have to make it to my taste and it would turn expensive. I'm gonna follow your tip on this.

RotaryLover > Zipppy, Mazdurp builder, Probeski owner and former ricerboy 01/07/2014 at 21:02

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That's another thing I gotta look for, college. I wanted to return to school and go into industrial design. I wonder how much I gotta save up...

themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles > RotaryLover 01/07/2014 at 21:27

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Get a co-op or a paid internship when you go to school and have a job + work experience + potentially college credit (depending on school and program).

RotaryLover > themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles 01/07/2014 at 21:57

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Lucky me, my job allows me to work while going to school as long as I can do 40h per week. I could manage something.

RotaryLover > Brian Silvestro 01/07/2014 at 22:48

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I've checked it out...still expensive and the versions I want are still at around 10000$. If I'd get a cheap porsche, I would get a 914.

DancesWithRotors - Driving Insightfully > RotaryLover 01/07/2014 at 23:45

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Now, admittedly, I'm not the person to ask, since I'm chasing a Fiat 124 Spider. (On that list of sensible cars to buy, the 124 Spider barely hovers above a pile of rust that used to be a '70s Lancia...) However, if you can afford it, get a car you love, and don't be afraid to pull the trigger if you get what James May calls the 'fizz'.

Keep in mind, I already have a reliable daily in the Mazda3, so... This leads me to a quote from my dad that I've taken to heart, after graduating and joining the "real world"... "Never mess with your daily driver. If you've got to work on something, get another car, so you can always get to work."

RotaryLover > DancesWithRotors - Driving Insightfully 01/07/2014 at 23:47

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This is why I got a Mazda 3 myself as a dd. The second car is just for fun.

DancesWithRotors - Driving Insightfully > RotaryLover 01/07/2014 at 23:54

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The 3 really is way more fun than an econo-hatch should be, isn't it? What year is yours?

Anyway... Miata is always a good choice. In other options, I loved my FC RX-7 when I had it, but I know I put a Saudi oil baron's kid through med school with the fuel mileage. Also, on the surprisingly fun-to-drive list, Volvo 240. The wagons are close to 50/50 distribution, IIRC. Plus, they don't seem to do /too/ badly in AutoX.

RotaryLover > DancesWithRotors - Driving Insightfully 01/08/2014 at 00:49

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I got a 2010 sedan with the slushbox. I had a FC also...but I didn't drive it much since it never passed the inspection here. I got a miata this summer. I did consider the 240 but I dont have much space in the garage...

DancesWithRotors - Driving Insightfully > RotaryLover 01/08/2014 at 00:57

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The 2010-2013 MZ3 has a great chassis, but I really feel like the Skyactiv + 6MT really brings out the best. Of course, I'm biased... I DD a 2013 Skyactiv with the manual, and it's an absolute blast on a curvy road.

Miatas are awesome, though. I learned to drive a manual in my aunt's NC and I've driven, though not owned, several NAs.

RotaryLover > DancesWithRotors - Driving Insightfully 01/08/2014 at 01:02

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What's your take on the NC vs the NA miatas? I drove an NC and I was really disappointed handling and feel wise.

DancesWithRotors - Driving Insightfully > RotaryLover 01/08/2014 at 01:16

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The NA is a lot sharper and more focused, and it's definitely the one I would prefer, as a weekend warrior. However, the NC does a great job of balancing sharpness and comfort, so I'd rather have one of them, if I had to daily-drive it. Also, and this is purely my opinion, an NC on stock tires is not showing the chassis's true potential. Drive an NC on good tires, and it's like driving a different car.

RotaryLover > DancesWithRotors - Driving Insightfully 01/08/2014 at 02:07

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Interesting...I'm trying to gather info on NC. I kinda felt in love with a specific model, a 2006 limited edition in red. If the driving feel can be improved to feel like an NA, I probably will get it.

Brian Silvestro > RotaryLover 01/08/2014 at 06:45

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Damn, oh well. 914 prices are shooting up nowadays for some reason as well.

RotaryLover > Brian Silvestro 01/08/2014 at 10:41

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It's not that bad here, they are still at around 5000$.

Brian Silvestro > RotaryLover 01/08/2014 at 10:49

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Wow I need to live where you are, their around $10-15k whee I am

RotaryLover > Brian Silvestro 01/08/2014 at 12:05

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It's a weird place. Cars gain value a bit later than other places but when they do, they are rusted POS. A bad condition AE86 will be sold for 3000$. A miata with all it's body panels with different colors, 3000$. S13's now goes for 6000 minimum. It's unequal as hell....