My case for spending big money on cars.

[SteveSS]

A friend of mine is traveling to visit Australia and New Zealand for a month. That's fine she doesn't have any family she should go for it. But I put myself in the same situation. Why do people travel? I understand New Zealand has beautiful untouched landscapes but so does most of the western United States. I can travel 100 miles and be way into a mountainous National Park. She might get to see some penguins. BFD! She'll spend $25-30K.

I can understand how you might want to visit a country your ancestors came from but then what? You've got some photos. I'm 62 I'll be dead in 30 years and who'll care where I traveled to.

Now instead of spending money on traveling the world build a house. Buy a fancy car. In 100 years some great-grandchild of yours can say back in 2018 my great-grandfather bought this Dodge Demon brand new. Or I'm living in a house my great-grandfather built.

It has to be pretty fancy. Nobody says y great grandfather bought a model T. But what if he bought a Dusenberg? People say you can't take it with you but damn you can sure pass it on.

I'm kind of guilty of the same thing. Now that I have more time I read and learn like crazy. So did my dad. That all goes away unless you do something with it and I'm not going to write a book. I should be out building a cabin or pouring some concrete or restoring an important car. Even if it's a rusty POS like we all see on here, preserving it is better than lying on a beach IMHO.

 

[vintage chromoly]

Chocolate vs. vanilla.

Folks get their kicks in different ways.

I like to travel and I like old cars. No reason they have to be mutually exclusive.

 

[kiwigtx]

A friend of mine is traveling to visit Australia and New Zealand for a month. That's fine she doesn't have any family she should go for it. But I put myself in the same situation. Why do people travel? I understand New Zealand has beautiful untouched landscapes but so does most of the western United States. I can travel 100 miles and be way into a mountainous National Park. She might get to see some penguins. BFD! She'll spend $25-30K.

Don't knock it until you've tried it yourself.

At least your friend won't be eaten by wild animals or bitten by poisonous snakes or other reptiles while here. And if the friend does need medical care while here, they won't be paying for it for the rest of their lives.

 

[BeeKool]

At least your friend won't be eaten by wild animals or bitten by poisonous snakes or other reptiles while here. .

Are you telling us to skip Australia and just go straight to NZ?

 

[Darter6]

I feel somewhat the same way. I love to eat, a good meal for 2 of us and a few drinks,tips lets say $130 for a good night out. The next day that meal is just sewage. But now a part for the car for that $130, it will be something that lasts,you can use over again and then re-coop some cash if you sell it. Makes sense to me but won't make the wife happy. Oh well...

 

[kiwigtx]

Are you telling us to skip Australia and just go straight to NZ?

Pretty much.

How many kangaroos do you need to see to have fun?

 

[Lets Roll]

My wife and I went to Europe once and we still talk about it 10 years later. But the whole trip was amazing, however I've had a few bad trips ha ha.

 

[747mopar]

A friend of mine is traveling to visit Australia and New Zealand for a month. That's fine she doesn't have any family she should go for it. But I put myself in the same situation. Why do people travel? I understand New Zealand has beautiful untouched landscapes but so does most of the western United States. I can travel 100 miles and be way into a mountainous National Park. She might get to see some penguins. BFD! She'll spend $25-30K.

I can understand how you might want to visit a country your ancestors came from but then what? You've got some photos. I'm 62 I'll be dead in 30 years and who'll care where I traveled to.

Now instead of spending money on traveling the world build a house. Buy a fancy car. In 100 years some great-grandchild of yours can say back in 2018 my great-grandfather bought this Dodge Demon brand new. Or I'm living in a house my great-grandfather built.

It has to be pretty fancy. Nobody says y great grandfather bought a model T. But what if he bought a Dusenberg? People say you can't take it with you but damn you can sure pass it on.

I'm kind of guilty of the same thing. Now that I have more time I read and learn like crazy. So did my dad. That all goes away unless you do something with it and I'm not going to write a book. I should be out building a cabin or pouring some concrete or restoring an important car. Even if it's a rusty POS like we all see on here, preserving it is better than lying on a beach IMHO.

You speak my language lol. When I was building my Charger the wife and I argued many times about those very things. Her argument was always "we could go on vacation with that money", mine was always "after the vacation the money is gone and you have nothing tangible where building memories in a 69 Charger lives on". We managed to balance both taking vacations, cruises, ect and got the car done as well. I don't regret it at all, I love vacations and thoroughly enjoy cruising around with the family in the Charger.

 

[streetwedg]

My argument was just the opposite. You can buy your kids everything they want,and in 30-40 years they won’t remember any of it. But they will never forget the places you took them.

 

[Don selleck]

vacations, what vacations?

 

[steve from staten island]

You spend your money as you see fit and i'll spend mine as i see fit.
My opinion is you have a hobby car and spend money on it at your own responsibility and discretion.
I take vacations to see things, spend time with family and make memories.
Many great things to see in this country and the rest of the world
When the time comes and your spouse who was loyal to you, bore your children passes your not going to remember some car you built, but rather than the time and places you went and spent with her and if you dont your a self serving selfish prick

 

[WileERobby]

Different strokes, for different folks... And so on, and so on, and scoobee-doobie-doo.

 

[67belvedere/225]

Nothing like landing in airport of a foreign country and exploring , it s so new and exiting . getting out of your comfort zone .
eating different foods , meeting people and sharing some good times , why not
Don't always half to spend it on your car , you can do both.car and vacation
just depends on people , hey some People like ford , some gm some a bit of all.
variety is the spice of life

 

[coronet68mx]

The greatest moments in my life was the vacation i spend it with my grandma, after 42 years I still remember dearly, the adventures we have with my dad ( rip) in vacation time, remember Steve, you don't know for who you being working for, but the travels and the vacations you take, knowing new places, meeting new people, learning different cultures ,eating new food ( I don't know what lutefisk was until I met you ) spend the money you earn in your family, and you that's what you are going to take to the grave, your memories, not a car or your house.

take this websites as an example of how fun can be meeting someone else from a different country, you're a Viking, me, am an Aztec, lots of peoples from all around the world even new Zealand ( you know am kidding @kiwigtx)

 

[Roger63]

I get amused reading these comments as it really sheds light on people's different tastes. I have never been out of the states,nor do I want to. After spending 37 years on the road a vacation to me now days is 2 weeks of front porch beer drinking.

 

[moparnation74]

Different strokes for different folks....Hey it is not your $$$ so who cares?

 

[Speedbird]

A fellow I once worked with (who came over from Germany after WW2) made the comment that the best beaches in the world were on the Gulf, less than a day's drive.
We call it The Redneck Rivera.
Your armpits will get sunburned.

 

[Runner 68]

My problem is that I got the traveling bug out of me before I was married. 23 foreign countries and all 50 states by the time I was 26. Traveled allot from 26 to 40 on business. I'm so sick of living out of a bag the only place I want to be is in my shop. Drives my wife nuts.

 

[kiwigtx]

You speak my language lol. When I was building my Charger the wife and I argued many times about those very things. Her argument was always "we could go on vacation with that money", mine was always "after the vacation the money is gone and you have nothing tangible where building memories in a 69 Charger lives on". We managed to balance both taking vacations, cruises, etc and got the car done as well. I don't regret it at all, I love vacations and thoroughly enjoy cruising around with the family in the Charger.

I agree with you to a certain extent. My wife and I travelled a heap over 20 years ago, and those memories are still with us today. We often talk about stuff we saw or did...and most of the memories are happy ones. She still wants to travel, but I have said recently that if we spend that money on trips, all we'll have to show for it are a few more souvenirs, lots of photos and a smaller bank balance.

One day soon I hope to take my boys somewhere special like Disneyland, or the West Island ..I mean Australia.

 

[moparedtn]

Like others have said - to each their own. You all know my story with the GTX. To me, that was a moral imperative.
"One last time...." Had to be done. She ain't pretty, but I saw her through.
She kept me going all the while I got her going. Fair trade, eh?

I don't have the "worry" (luxury) of having money to travel and never will, but that's ok.
Given my own "journey" of these last half dozen years (AKA the "fluck cancer" tour),that's a given - but it's also Ok fine, too.
It's cliche', maybe, but I AM just damn grateful to be on this side of the dirt.

As far as any grand plans of travel, I would like to do the usual lap of America and see everything I've read and seen online in person if God is willing. The call of the wild Winnebago is not lost on these ears.
Beyond that, meh, not so much. Not because I wouldn't love to see the world, but more because I knew if we ever scraped up enough to do any overseas travel, all I'd do is worry about the "wasting" of the money required to do so.
Remember, I am hellbent and adamant NOT to leave my wife with a mess next time my number is called - and let's be morbidly honest here:
A cat has nine lives. We know an Ed has at least 5 now.
Smart money is I've already used up all my mulligans.

It's a great gig. No complaints here. I beat all the odds and still have some of my body parts.
I also have my wife, a decent paying job, my own little corner of the world with no worry of crime and of course, the satisfaction of finishing the GTX.
Latest calculations are that I'll only have to earn a paycheck 5 years after I'm dead to pay for everything, too.

Perspective, gentlemen. All about perspective.