Ever find yourself putting cars before other financial and practical priorities??

So I'm looking for another project (see signature). I tell my buddies and family what I'm going to do and all I get back is "youre crazy" or "can you afford that?" or "where are you going to keep it?". I dont' know about you guys but sometimes (maybe too much) I just say f#$% it I'm going to just do it. I want it. I don't care.

Anybody sympathize??????

 

Never.. The car, to me, is a toy. I would rather not dump money into the car for a month and pay my morgage instead.
That is probably why the caddy is taking twice as long as I had hoped.

 

Not really. I work on my cars as money allows, and would rather pay off my Visa bill than buy that cool crossram I saw.

I think more for the long haul than short term. This is why I probally have never been forced to sell a car to pay my morgage.

 

Sure everyone normally spends too much too quickly on their project. Not very often does anyone really make money during a sale when you consider the time and money spent.
One thing I have noticed though...
The younger generation does want to wait for their dream car...house... whatever.
Thats exactly why you see so many loosing there homes.
I have made my share of stupid money mistakes over the years...I am far from anything that resembles perfect..
I have now been married for 35 years with three children and two grandchildren.....But I can say, I never had so much as any type of toy until my kids left college. Not even a motorcycle or go cart..
But now its daddy's turn to play... My wife may disagree with that last statement.

 

If I want something I just have to work more hours to pay for it. it's nice to have a project that is 100% yours (not the banks).

oh.. I do have a motorcycle, a 4 wheeler, a hotrod project, a house and a nice garage (the house is the only thing financed).. but my daily driver is not much to look at. you just have to make those choices for yourself.

 

Happens to me all the time. I put the car first, then the other stuff I have to work harder for. ha ha.

 

Nope. You will never have financial security that way.

Good luck anyway.

 

My cars are my hobby. I play with them & spend $$ on them when I can. They will never come before my family & it's needs.

I think there is a big difference between buying something impractical (for whatever reason) & buying something that is going to have an adverse effect on you, your family, finances, etc....

Most anyone could own a Tri-5 Chevy, 1932 Ford, etc.... if they set their mind to it. It'll just cost a little more & take a little longer. I'm betting some of your buddies (who say you're crazy for hoping to own a Tri-5) could sell all their toys & buy a decent Tri-5 Chevy. Some here who complain about the cost of '32 Fords have 25K worth of projects in the shop/yard/barn.... & could own a nice Tudor if they would just set their minds to it.

It's ALL about priorities. Get 'em straight & make your dream car happen.

JH

 

Ask anyone who has raced a circle track race car. They will tell you that they have used money that was to be used to pay bills and put it in the race car. I have done it in the past. Buy tires/engine parts/ or what ever you think you needed and hope you win enough to pay the bills. Would I do it again. NO.. not No but Hell No.. Live your own life and do what you want to. That way you will have no regets.. Bobby..

 

If I didnt have the money to spend on my projects I would to mechanic work for friends and co workers on weekends to buy the parts I needed. Never took money away from the family budget.

 

Nope, if I can't afford something I wait till I have the EXTRA money to do so. Hence the reason it took me 7 years to complete Big Olds. I knew I wanted my interior installed this year so over the winter months I painted the inside of peoples houses for the extra money.

I have also held down a second job in the winter to pay for upcoming cruz season expenses. I don't put anything on a credit card THEN pay it off. I earn the play money BEFORE I spend it.

 

Everyday, I never put it before my family or money that should go to them, but if it come to me saving money or buying a part I need or paint etc., typically I buy the part.

 

College student here. I've got a great job, but I pay my own way for everything, and hate those whose parents foot the bill for their new land rover or 350z (not that I want either.) Quite obviously,I don't have a bunch to spend on the galaxie. It hasn't run in 2 months. And i'm ok with that. It might get a little attention this weekend, but only because it's a wiring snafu, and I think i've figured it out and IT WON"T COST ME ANYTHING TO FIX!

That being said, I won't put bill money into the car, but I will do without what some consider normal things to save a little to work on it. For instance, I haven't ever had any form of television in my apartment. Too damned expensive, waste of time, nothing good on, etc. etc.

I also eat a lot of hamburger helper and ramen noodles. You gotta do what you gotta do. But you don't skip the rent payment to buy tires or anthing else.

 

I've never been evicted, or had had anything repossessed, or declared bankrupcy, but I have loaded up my credit cards, then taken a year (or two, or three) to pay them off, should have them down to zero in a few months, ready to load up for the final stretch of nickel and dime stuff to put the '46 on the road. Yes it's a piss poor way of doing it.

I'm (technically) single, so I don't have a family to deprive of anything...

 

I was just thinking of taking a check I got and "investing" it in a car to part out and then crush.

I'm just now selling off all the extra junk as I can to finance the completion of my 54 truck and 68 satellite.

That will leave me with the 53 truck project and the 67 plymouth as projects to satisfy the tinkering need.

I will buy stuff to "flip" as they say whenever possible like the 66 4 door plymouth I just picked up for $400.00. It's worth double that easy parted out.

 

Ditto what Denise said. The bills come first and then the toys. That way you sleep easier at night.

 

hotrodladycruser said it best...make sure you have the money first before you can spend it, i work with too many people that just slap down the plastic and think its free money, little are do they realize that by time they are done paying the balance off, if ever they do, that they have just paid 4x the amount!!! i will never put a project or "toy" ahead of my house or other obligations and i always try and keep a certain amount in the bank because you never know what might happen tomorrow or hell even five minutes from now!!!

 

If you spend all of your money on the car and none on your other bills then someday soon you will find yourself amongst the many other people selling their project to pay for the bills. If you want to build an over the top car but can't afford it then you might want to stretch out your build time a few more years in order to accomplish your goal, if you want you car done fast and spend a fortune doing it even if you can't afford it then please reread my first sentence.

 

Mortgage/land taxes, utilities.......then cars.

 

People always ask "How do you afford such an expensive hobby?"
Answer: We don't have any un-necessary bills, cable, long distance on the phone, just little things like that make a big difference in your income every month.
Well, you only live once, so you might as well enjoy it while you are here. Do what you love BUILD HOT RODS..............

 

My wife and I have a system that works for us.

First off we buy nothing on credit. We're both entirely too cheap to give money away on interest. We willingly make do "until then".

Then we take x% of our individual income as individual hobby money, right off the top, in designated seperate hobby accounts. The "house" buys NO hobby anythings at any time. Any house windfalls (refunds and such) are house monies and personal windfalls are personal monies.

The only thing we adjust from time to time and as needed is the percentage we allot to our hobbies. We're presently at 7%, and have been as high as 10% and as low as 2%.

The best things are that it reflects fairly what we each bring in and we don't gripe about how the other spends theirs (though we do enjoy ribbing each other a bit). I love my tools and cars and she loves her bingo.

At those times when we were on a single income we took equal percentages at about half what we could do on two incomes.

I just wish I were as lucky at finding parts as she is at bingo. THAT part makes me a little jealous .....
She says it's only "just compensation" for her mistake in marrying me 22 years ago.

Worst of it is I think she may be right ........

 

I guess not.
Not much sympathy for the Italian Stallion here. Does it change his mind? probably not.

 

I consider it not only my hobby but a way to make an investment and turn a profit when Im done with the cars I buy or fix up, its part of the fun to me. So i guess if you find a tri-five chevy for a good deal, buy it, fix it, and turn it and make a buck. Then get a nicer one with the profit money instead of the house payment money.

 

I try to keep a balance. As long as the big bills are paid (mortgage, electric, oil, etc) I let other things slide (food, phone, student loans). I'm not proud, but I'll eat Ramen and dodge phone calls if I NEED something. Besides, when they shut off the phone, it's a lot easier to dodge phone calls.
Jesus. Reading this doesn't make me proud, and I'm trying to get my shit together, but it's a day at a time at this point.
I'm just grateful I don't have any kids running around. I know my responsibilities would change damn quick if that were the case and I probably would just stare at old cars in magazines until I won the lottery.

 

I was all set to get married this past June.

I'm still single, but I have a new project out back...and one or two more on the way.

 

Well, you certainly said it all.......family first ! Whenever i get too enthused about my ancient car projects, my wife reminds me that it was her that nursed me through two cancer episodes, NOT THE CARS

 

If you have babies PLEASE feed them before buying another intake, rim or "too good of a deal to pass up".

I've known way too many guys, yes guys, who have mis-spent their money on hot rod or 4X4 or dirtbike parts BEFORE even thinking of their families.

So don't just say 'f&*# it' if you have any type of family.

Thanks!

 

I've NEVER sold a child, dog, or body part to pay for '32 Ford parts. That's about it for my responsible tendencies. Anything worth doing is worth doing to excess!

 

My hobby is my daily driver. So, I usually Don't dump tons of money into it regularly. But when something is in need of repair, I always upgrade the "worn-out" part w/ the best I can afford @ the moment. It's a slow way to get there, but I also get to enjoy it every day that way. It's never apart for more than a weekend.

 

"Ever find yourself putting cars before other financial and practical priorities?? "

No, dammit. Sometimes I wish I did.