Steppin Razor

iTrader: (5)

Now that I've got your attention, do you think there's any truth to the statement that true car enthusiasts are disproportionately made up of a financially "lacking" demographic. What I'm getting at is that I'm worried that being as enthralled as I am with cars in general will lead to me wasting all of my money on car parts and other related expenses (terrible financial return on investment) instead of putting the money away or investing it in a more financially intelligent manner.

This also begs the question, can I make a very good living (able to live the lifestyle I'm accustomed to living and give my wife and children the same) in the auto industry doing something I'm truly passionate about or will I be forced to pass this off as a hobby that I can only do in my spare time? I guess it's really up to me and what I can put together, but I'm at a point in my life where I have to start making important decisions like this. I feel like if I keep "wasting" my money on car parts, then I'm gonna end up living in some crappy apartment, become a total bum, and look back and really regret it.

This is the type of thing I'm talking about.

jimr

12+ years of drag racing/hot-rodding old VW's = lots of burned up cash, a few 12 second slips and not much else.

I sit at a desk most of my day selling import parts wholesale. When I'm at lunch I read car mags, tuning books, this forum...etc. When I get home I thumb through more car stuff. I fall asleep while reading about car related something-or-other. My wife is constantly trying to organize my cascading wall of car magazines (even throwing some out when I'm not looking !!)

My point is, what you make isn't the point (completely), but doing what you makes you YOU is. All the years I spent goofin around chasing V8's in my VW Bug pretty much got me nowhere money wise, but so what, I loved every minute of it. Watching some meathead in a 5.0 gaping open-mouthed at the VW that just trounced him was well worth it all.

does that help?

Steppin Razor

iTrader: (5)

yeah, it helps, but unfortunately i've been exposed to so many outrageously cool things, i feel like i'll be selling myself short if i don't pull it off. what i mean is that i don't want to die knowing that there were things that i wanted to do but couldn't afford to. i've got the tools to do it, i just need to find a way to make the money. and i hope that i can make that money doing something that i'm passionate about because there's nothing you're gonna work harder at than something you're passionate about. is that naive? possibly, but if i know i can do it, who's going to stop me?

iLoqin

iTrader: (5)

Live life to the fullest. Even though I'm pretty much athiest, but I heard a quote sayin' somethin' like "God doesn't give us a problem that we can't over come". Roll with it, I'm sure down the line you'll realize that there will be balance. It'll hit ya sometime down the road, but live life. Don't limit yourself to somethin' that you can still enjoy and work around with. It's not fun.

Group B

iTrader: (3)

This is why I leased my '02 WRX back on 7/1/02, while I still owned a business (tax writeoff), knowing fully that I would eventually turn her back in at the end of the 3 year term (subsidized lease, no less), and pick up the STI when it came out.

If I had actually bought her (instead of leasing), and then thrown cash at her (mods), and then her tranny broke????

Then I would have been pissed.

But since I suspect I may be content with an STI w/VSO, Volks & exhaust, I don't mind throwing away cash to purchase that, since that is a lot less than I would have done to my WRX.

dr3d1zzl3

iTrader: (1)

that guy is the president of a division of verizon. That is why he has those cars.

As for not making enough money.

You will have to decide to cous your attention on one of two things,

making your self happy

or

getting the stuff that will make you happy.

First option is prob the easiest and most fullfilling for most people.

I am lucky, what i want to do and what i love to do will make me lots of money. And i happen to show a very large amount of talent in the areas needed as well.

DetailAddict

iTrader: (52)

i know what you meam my friend.... While I was in college, I would race once if not twice a month and I wanted and planned to do more. But once I am college, and now with a gf, things are different. Now I no longer have financial aid to pay for my housing and food and everything else. Things seem to be tighter now, even I make way better money than before. Having a stable job and relationship really drag racing down. My gf doesn't really like it when I race because she wants me to spend 'quality' time with her. But I am still pushing it :devil: But I am young and things are alright at the moment. I will continue to pursue this until I hit a dead end. But that's just me and my life.

dropkick_muppet

iTrader: (4)

car enthusiasts (and motorcycle enthusiasts) tend to come in one of a couple of flavors. you have the guys like Jay Leno with huge collections, and more money than they know what to do with. these guys show up at historic races and 'race' old machines, drink $200 a bottle wine and hobnob. some of them are really cool, and hardcore gear heads. then you have your working class gearheads, which are the bread and butter of the industry. thats where most of us fall. then there are the car enthusiasts whose cars live on blocks in front of their mobile homes. to become a car enthusiast once you're older than about 14, it takes a fair ammount of financial expenditure. i would argue that most car lovers tend to be fairly well off financially, because if they weren't, they wouldn't have the time and money to spend on their rides. lets face it, cars are not a cheap hobby.
whether you're wasting your income or not is a personal decision. i've known guys who tow their beater race bike to the track with a really nice car, and wear their leathers until they fall off them. on the flip side, i've known guys who haul their $30k race bike to the track in a beater pickup that looks like it was driven straight out of the salvage yard -- and both guys couldn't be happier about it. it's no differant with cars. it all comes down to your priorities, and what's important to you. if you're happy living in an apartment, and driving a mind blowingly trick car, great. if you'd be happier living somewhere else at the cost of driving a slightly modified ride, go for it.

Group B

iTrader: (3)

I've got to admit I've met several very wealthy individuals who dressed like truckers, and drove jalopie trucks.

Kenn

iTrader: (1)

I think it's the money making mentality. Millions don't just fall into most people's laps. If I had a mil, I'd lose it within a year; I bet most people are the same.

In one book (I think it's "The Millionaire Next Door") they describe how many self-made millionaires make/keep their money not only be being smart, but frugal. In fact, none of the ones they studied had cars costing over $40k, an amount some of us here have already thrown into our $25k WRXs

If you're a car enthusiast, you'll have a lot of car stuff. If you want money, most likely you'll need to be a money enthusiast

dropkick_muppet

iTrader: (4)

that's so true that it's not even funny. i've always been of the opinion that in and of itself, money serves no purpose. it's what you can do with it that makes it worthwhile. i've always seen it as exchangeable for entertaining activities and items which contribute to those activities, whether it's a bigger turbo, a surf trip to Costa Rica, or going go-kart racing on a friday night. staring at the number of zeros in my bank account isn't enjoyable, but the other things are.

jimr

[ Having a stable job and relationship really drag racing down. My gf doesn't really like it when I race because she wants me to spend 'quality' time with her. But I am still pushing it :devil: But I am young and things are alright at the moment. I will continue to pursue this until I hit a dead end. But that's just me and my life. [/B][/QUOTE]


wait until you get married. RACE becomes a four letter word in the worst way, my friend.

Kevin M

iTrader: (12)

It's not the zeros that bother me, it's the -.

Speed Element

iTrader: (39)

Ha Ha, so true...

Remember marriage is not a word but a sentance.....

Mike

(510) 487-4447
www.mpjperformance.com
www.gb-motorsports.com

jimr

no parole