Important Issue for the Experienced Members on this Forum

[AAA240SX]

I was talking to my g/f of 3 years on the phone. She was bringing up college, and starting a family. She's been saying in 2-3 years when college is nearing it's end she wants to get a place and everything.

But, when I said: "I'm hoping the place will have a huge garage, so I can play w/ my toys." She FREAKED out! "It's always about ur car recently, get off that shit," she says.

Also, my brother has been modding his car since he was 17 years old. 99 GSR that is fully stacked exterior to interior. But, now he's looking for another car. A 4-Door sedan that he doesn't want to work on (just a nice sound system).

My childhood friend, who has also been a car enthus., just recently bought a 04 TL. Said he was moving away from the modding and just chillen out...

It seems that every1 around me, even the ones I love, are moving away or want me to move away from this hobby.

I'm going to be finishing off my body work. But, i dunno if i should dive into the $2000+ expense for finishing the install/paint. the investment is making me conscience. As you can see in my sig, its not done. If I decide not to, it'll go back to stock and the $1k I spent on the kit/paint/accessories will be lost. I'll be selling it for less on eBay or here on the forums. The car will be fixed to stock with no more mods than it has now.

I know many of you, if not some, are in your 20's. Some with families, some not. But, I want to know:

Have you looked back on your projects and thought it was a good investment and time worthy? Although the money could have been saved towards your upcoming child's college tuition?

Also, do you guys garage your cars after they are finished or do you sell and move on?

It's been a major issue and I just need help finding it in myself, if this hobby is worth it...

I'm very serious about this situation. Please no ridiculous comments.

[nismo skyline]

i'm only 19, but I can chime in on this. recently i realized it isn't really worth it. it never actually is if you think about it, but thats what being an enthusiast is all about. people like different things, my thing will always be cars, i enjoyed them ever since i was like 5 yrs old.

For some people other priorities come up. Marriage, Home, Career, etc. But whatever it is it shouldnt stop you from enjoying your thing. Thats what life is all about, enjoying it. whats the point of living life if ur not happy.

As far as keeping the car after modifying it really depends. My 240 I plan to keep until I no longer find it a thrill, which will be a long time from now, maybe even never. My e46 330i I plan to sell to upgrade to something else, but the 330 is all done and got old real quick. So it really depends i guess

[ralphyboy]

Cars are never a good investment from a financal standpoint ever, having said that you need time to yourself away from the kids and the woman Your car is you not the both of you. If you spend enough time with your g/f then she should have no problems with the fact that you have a hobby, that being said it should never go past hobby status, bills and food and stuff of that nature always come first no matter what ( sometimes that part sucks the most ) if you have some left over then enjoy the fruits of your labor. I do not spend my money wisely all the time and I have come to be ok with that, you should to. She probably talks about the clothes she bought from the mall all the time to and you put up with that, she should understand car parts are our clothes and we are as proud of them as she is her wardrobe. There is a middle ground where "we can all get along" car people and non car people just have learn the barriers and stay within them.

I friggan sound like Dear Abby

[DRFT]

i thought abotu this for a long time, cars are not wworth a penny to put into but tis fun. its a hobby, an expensive hobby that is.

my theory is just do as much as you can and be happy then start looking forward besides the car.

[Toahk]

Yeah its all just a hobby, I dont intend to ever get what I put into my car. I think the biggest thrill in car modding is what I Plan to do. Im not about to save my money for the future at this point in life, I wanna blow it and have fun.

[SilviaDriver]

coming from somebody i know..my half bro..he spent 10k into his LS back in 95..hez about mid 20s now and says its a waste of money

[Buffalo Daughter]

It's called "growing up". Its all fun and games to fix up you car and drift, race or what not but it hits everyone when you finally need to grow up. The only way this will ever stay with you is in the backseat as a hobby when you get yoru life straight and finish school or have a job career where you become an adult and still have to fix up your car while living your life. OR you somehow have a career based on car's i.e mechanic, bodyshop etc etc.

Your GF is just telling you to open your eyes. You cannot be stuck fixing up your car forever while living at home with no house and all that good stuff. Shes just looking toward teh future and not wanting to be stuck with someone who isnt on the same track as her. She wants you to be on the same level as her as well as being headstrong about yourself and your future.
Welcome to becoming an adult kids. Its a rude awakening if you dont live your life now and prepare for the future. A car will always be there for you but will your gf always be there if you always choose your car? You can always come back to fixing up a car. Establish your life first then do what you love to do.

[Buffalo Daughter]

Oh i also forgot to add so im not bullshitting no one....

I'm in my 21 going on 22 almost finish with college. Been a hard knock life since ive been working most of my life and should have been done along time ago. Never found my path in life until this year. Money has always been an issue and in my 3 year relationship w/gf we talked about our future. It's a big eye opener to abandon the things you love to grasp the future. I've been in the whole import scene before it was even a scene. I was in it in 1995 when it began in berreyess, when honda civics and integras used to be the only car's out with just a poke hole in there exhaust and homemade intakes made out of cereal box's with stockings on it and ducting. i was 14 at the time riding shot gun learning the way in an integ. 99-2001 dragging with my 95 240 and learning how to drift when no one even knew what drifting was and presently i can tell you this much. I have seen people dump so much money into car's and abandon so much of there life just for a hobby not take them anywhere but just for that breif limelight. It's a great hobby and all dont get me wrong we all love our car's but what im saying we all just need not to lose sight of what we need to do in our lives. We need to put our lives first before our hobbies.

[elevator]

You CAN still be an old fart and like cars. (don't ask me how I know) The trick is, that as you mature your priorities must change while you and your situation change. You may have periods where you cut back. You may have periods where you spend more time with your cars. Everyone NEEDS a hobby. I happen to hobby with my son. It makes for good father/son time. I spend more time with cars now than I have in years.

[MakotoS13]

as a 21 year old single guy college graduate who has dumped thousands of dollars into cars before i can say that it is definately worth it. why? cause it makes you happy. your car never nags you or cheats on you or leaves you or gets pissed when you get sidetracked for a while.

if anyone is stupid enough to give up something they love for someone that can't understand why its ann important part of you doesn't deserve to have such a blessing to begin with.

i'll have my cars and my garage and if it takes me a decade to find a chick that's totally cool with it i'm down with that. steady g/f's only eat mod money anyhow.

[aznpoopy]

hmmm as alot of people have said, it's just for fun. i do it b/c it's fun. i also do it b/c i don't have money to buy a new car so I really need to maintain this one.

if you look at it from another perspective, most enthusiasts don't spend as much on their car compared to people who buy a car brand new. a 240sx needs liability insurance only. that saves money. on top of that it doesn't have a 20k+ pricetag. even if you bought a s13 and dumped 5k into basic maintenance, repairs and a few upgrades you'd still be a good 10k+ under a new car, and you would be able to fix most problems yourself.

i totally agree with makoto... why would a girl try to make you walk away from something you really love. seems to me like she doesn't understand you at all... it's not about the money. it's probably about the time invested and emotional commitment. 2-3 year when college is over? you're gf is a little nuts IMO. you guys must be like 18-19. around here ppl dont stand having kids until they are 27+.

[Replicant_S14]

Originally Posted by gladhatter

You CAN still be an old fart and like cars. (don't ask me how I know) The trick is, that as you mature your priorities must change while you and your situation change. You may have periods where you cut back.

Ha, you're not kidding. I essentially stopped having hobbies when I started college. I'm 36 now and I feel like I'm just now able to afford the time and money for a "fun" car. I bought my 240 a few years back and it's the first non-practical car I've ever owned even though I've loved cars and racing since I was a kid. I do stuff to it, but it's concentrated on motorsports (no appearance mods) and I only do it once I have every possible responsibility taken care of. I have a wife...a home...a business. It's a huge list so sometimes the car is not even on my radar screen. Sure, I wish I could spend more time/$$$ on it, but I also sleep pretty good at night knowing that I've got my shit handled.

So anyway...AAA240SX, maybe you girl just needs to know you got it under control. I wouldn't view it as nagging or "cracking the whip".

[AAA240SX]

you guys are really helping me out here. i'm gunna talk to her about being more understanding about this hobby. the major problem was the money. in 2-3 years here parents are retiring and moving home to the Philippines. this is forcing her to move out; so she had been making plans. she wants me with her obviously, but money matters don't see it happening for me.

we're both going into nursing: me a nurse anesthesiologist, and her a registered nurse to work at the er. we have helped each other plan or futures. matter of fact, one of my friends (Antonio) was the only male nurse that worked at the nursing home I work at now. he said he was singled out for being a guy. but he was supporting his family. i've always seen him as a person to follow. a good example.

one of the things he told me was,"Try to stay under your parents' wings for a while at their house. Once you move out, all the expenses are yours and you may regret it later on. That ride of yours won't be lookin so pretty any more. haha."

I've taken that to heart and seen it as a reality. I guess that's why i rather not get i place of my own with my g/f.

I'm blabbing. I guess for maturity's sake, I'm going to open a savings account at the bank and start to fill it up bi-weekly. For whatever situation may be coming.

If anyone else has some suggestions/stories/advise please post, it would be really helpful for me...

[the head]

I have some friends doing the same things right now (leaving hobby)

If you are worried about it being a good investmnet then sell it you will never get the money and time back from your project, you have to do it because you love it and for no other reason

I am 23 my las g/f had no issues with my car habit, she even liked to work on it with me

i don't really plan to have a family and never plan on growing up

i have worked on cars since i was 12, no matter waht my friends do i wll continue to do so as long as i am able

whent it all comes down to it you need to make your own decision; do you enjoy this enough to continue with your project, or do you feel that it is time to move on?

[sciamop]

If you are sensible with the modifications to your car, you will get almost all the money back that you put into it. The 4 rules of affordable car modification:

1) Do all the work yourself.
2) Start with a cheap car. It helps if it has a blown engine/trans/major problem.
3) Buy used shit when possible. There is always someone getting out of 'the hobby'.
4) Stay away from body kits and wild paint jobs.

As AznPoopy pointed out, you can also laugh at all the suckers driving 2004 cars that took a $2500 to $7000 hit the moment their front wheels left the new car dealer's parking lot -- And this is considered the reasonable thing to do!???

Todd

[AAA240SX]

hmm...i'm already on the ground effects route. i was thinking of getting a more reasonable paint though. I'm using the House of Kolor Cobalt Blue Metallic. It looks like the Corvette's blue. It's kinda wild, I was thinking of getting a more down to earth oem nissan paint like the midnight purple, or millenium jade from the Skyline. I'd still be using the 3 stage clear coat but I'd sell the cobalt blue. what you guys think?

i don't want to look back at my car when I'm older and think of it as my "juvenile" stages of tuning. I'm suffering from anxiety...

[aznpoopy]

Originally Posted by AAA240SX

hmm...i'm already on the ground effects route. i was thinking of getting a more reasonable paint though. I'm using the House of Kolor Cobalt Blue Metallic. It looks like the Corvette's blue. It's kinda wild, I was thinking of getting a more down to earth oem nissan paint like the midnight purple, or millenium jade from the Skyline. I'd still be using the 3 stage clear coat but I'd sell the cobalt blue. what you guys think?

i don't want to look back at my car when I'm older and think of it as my "juvenile" stages of tuning. I'm suffering from anxiety...

i think you think too much, especially for a 20 year old. if you're really worried about your future, save a little bit now. while you are a sophmore in college, get your MAJOR DOWN FIRM. and get GOOD GRADES. yes, it does matter. work is competition and every little bit that you can put over the other guy helps you land a cushy job. finally, and this is probably the most important, get internships and jobs and never stop working all through college. assuming you have the proper educational requirements, JOB EXP = #1 CRITERIA. you should have a real job landed by the middle of senior year. if you do this, you can blow as much money as you want on a car until you are graduated from college; i guarantee you the money you spend now is really peanuts compared to the shit you have to pay for when you are out of school and living on your own.

[240meowth]

i have my car for ha ha's, i spent all that i had in it for about a year, than i looked back and went... should of went w/ stock everything! nothing fits better than oem stuff. but yah, again, cars are for ha ha's it is fun to work with them and on them, just don't expect to get anything back from it.

[Var]

Originally Posted by AAA240SX

i don't want to look back at my car when I'm older and think of it as my "juvenile" stages of tuning. I'm suffering from anxiety...

#1-Paint doesnt count as tuning

#2-if putting 2 grand in your car is a big deal for you , then you shouldnt do it. Living on your own costs a lot of money, and it should make 2 grand look like chump change unless you're so damn broke that you're gonna be selling ass just to make ends meet.

If you asked me if my cars are "worth it" . i'd say: If i didnt race my cars, they would be piles of shit. I dont care about how cool it is to have a 240. It's a waste of money if it's just sitting there with all these performance mods. Your car on the other hand, seems to have only body work, which makes it ok. Since you want a nice looking car, and you want to have a body kit and nice paint, just finish your paintjob, keep it clean and drive around in a nice looking car. If you keep going with "show car" mods i'm afraid you will regret it in the end. I would just rather have a better car, like a stock civic.

[Andrew Bohan]

when i first got into cars, i thought it was cool and fun to make em look cool and go fast. then after a while, i thought, "why am i doing this? all i do is drive fast to work/school and back."
then i went to watch illegal drag racing with my roommate once, and even though i thought it was gay, i realized that the people doing it had a goal, and that was someting i didn't have. there was nothing i was trying to acheive by modding my car other than having a modded car.

if you race or drift with some goal in mind (getting better, winning, whatever), it helps you focus your hobby's priorities and gives it some kind of purpose, and that makes it much more fulfilling and worth the effort.

[tastyratz]

not much to gain with my opinion over the other guys because like everyone else said its a hobby. its an expensive hobby but its better than spending all your money on cocain or hookers so its not that bad. what you need is your priorities and thats it. you need to spend time with the things you love. that means your girlfriend, your family whatever your car etc. having a nice car is like having an nice house. are your priorities wrong when you paint your living room or buy a tv? what about a new couch? you spend alot of time in your car whether driving it to work or whatever. why shouldnt you raise your level of enjoyment with your car like you would your house? whats different between the 2 besides the fact that 1 is more fun unless you think curtains are fun then you have your own issues. if you have to give up your car then she has to give up her shopping. if she cant understand you have a hobby you enjoy as well shes not right for you, period. she starts by "taking away" what you do for fun then who knows where she goes less. dont be whipped, dont let her run everything because you will just find yourself miserable. if you are irrational and blow the rent on coilovers then thats one thing but if kept within a decent check and all the bills get paid then there shouldnt (and tell her it will not) be an issue. talk about her having too many shoes and all of a sudden its different lol. reckless carelessness is seperate, drinking gambling whatever same thing in the end. just keep whats a priority first, dont drop your own priorities, then it will all work out in the end.

[240meowth]

Originally Posted by i'm driftaholic

when i first got into cars, i thought it was cool and fun to make em look cool and go fast. then after a while, i thought, "why am i doing this? all i do is drive fast to work/school and back."
then i went to watch illegal drag racing with my roommate once, and even though i thought it was gay, i realized that the people doing it had a goal, and that was someting i didn't have. there was nothing i was trying to acheive by modding my car other than having a modded car.

if you race or drift with some goal in mind (getting better, winning, whatever), it helps you focus your hobby's priorities and gives it some kind of purpose, and that makes it much more fulfilling and worth the effort.

ahh, well spoken. that's how i feel too. When i first got the car i exhaust my money on mods expecting to go to the track one day, than i realized i'm too poor for track, so now i suffer daily w/ some stupid super stiff suspension mods that hurts my back...

[Toahk]

but its better than spending all your money on cocain or hookers

Who says?

[cali240sxdrifter]

i hate the word growing up. I like the word getting more mature than what you were in highschool.
Am going into about 5grand right now maybe a little more into my car. Was it worth it yup. Getting into cars is my way into getting socaliable with people, am a very shy guy that won't talk to anyone. I gotton to know tons of people at meets and so on. So to me this is worth it.

Girls, ehh, i was in love, heart broken, shit, 2 years down the drain, now that wasn't worth it! Kids, ehh i think i'll adopte a kid and raise him on my own.

Just have control on where your money goes. Your car should be the last thing on your list that gets the money. First its house, food, bills, insurance, gas, car. Well thats my opinion, good luck.

[GlacierFreeze]

Originally Posted by cali240sxdrifter

Just have control on where your money goes. Your car should be the last thing on your list that gets the money. First its house, food, bills, insurance, gas, car. Well thats my opinion, good luck.

I agree.

#1. Make sure you have your priorities in order.
#2. Other people around you should have some consideration of you that you like to mess around with/fix up cars and accept it. It's something that you enjoy doing and no one should be able to ruin that as long as it doesn't interefere with #1.

[tastyratz]

yip yip. i still dont understand how modifying a car has anything to do with maturity and growing up. manipulating your priorities is part of growing up bit you dont have to be a kid whether mentally or physically to enjoy a hobby such as working on/building/modifying/etc cars. if the girl asked the kid to ditch his ninja turtle doll battlethons with the local littles or still couldnt get to bed without a good old fashioned game of pogs thats one thing. cars are a mature hobby and a 2k$ car with 5k$ into it that makes someone happy is alot better than a boring car for 7k$ stock that doesnt. its a form of art like painting or sculpture where you form your own self expression (except when your a civic with altezzas and a big wing with stickers then your just forming everyone elses self expression)

[AKADriver]

I'm always baffled why people think cars are a kid's hobby when keeping up with them requires an adult income. The happiest, coolest car guys I know are 40, 50, 60+ years old. A lot of them are married and have kids and houses and lots of responsibility. They also have enough money and experience to afford the good stuff and do things right the first time.

Starting a family, even if that just means getting a place with your S/O and moving out of your parents house, does require tightening your belt. But it doesn't have to be bad, if you plan. You sound like you both have excellent careers ahead of you, so you'll be okay. I think your gf is overreacting a bit - I'm sure she has hobbies and things she likes to spend money on, and I'm sure she wants a place to put them, too. Let her know you understand that cars are a hobby - one you're passionate about, but one you won't let stand in the way of your life together. No more eating top ramen for a month to afford the parts you want... you'll just wait longer. As long as she knows you're just as serious about real life as you are about cars (and it sounds like you are), you're golden.

[MakotoS13]

2 grand? if 2K is a lot of money to drop on the car then you need to take up model airplanes cause you get what you pay for. to the guy that says he wished he wouldn't have modded all i can say is "your car can only be as good as the effort/money, knowledge, and taste of its owner".

this sounds like blasphemy to me. you guys are talking like this is just some little thing that doesn't matter. if you take care of a car it will take care of you. do the same with a girl? she'll eventually call you a pussy and elope with the pool boy.

that's the problem with women today. they want to get hitched and start a family so they don't have to put out anymore, have you by the nuts, and can strip everything you love only to replace it with what they want.

no thanks, i like my nuts just where they are.

[HyperTek]

im thinking this now.. im 20.. ive spent soo much on parts for my car that im waiting to put in.. and now my car has been getting beat up by unfortunite happenings like dents etc... and im getting fustrated that I gotta fix it back up before i drop these parts on it.

im getting sick that as much as u drop into ur car, you can easily loose it. I mean i love my car and done alot of stuff already, but I cant take it to some places, I dont trust leaving it at malls etc. And I know it wont do much for me while attending school and work, but its still a personal goal of mine. Another thing that gets to me is the sudden rush of people into cars now, which is a big turn off for me. Cars should be a hobby and experience, not a lifestyle.

[MakotoS13]

Originally Posted by HyperTek

Cars should be a hobby and experience, not a lifestyle.

for the people in it for the right reasons it isn't a lifestyle. its in their blood. these people that wear a car like a new Fall jacket that'll just fall by the wayside once their fickle minds find other interests are the individuals that bother me.

motorsports isn't something you just grow out of. its like skating. you love it enough to sacrifice stuff in order to do it or you don't.

posers