Is the Money that we spend really worth it?

[geekyguru]

Dont get mad @ me.. But i am here drinking ... and looking @ pics of my car. I have not been able to drive my car in almost 2 months.. from all the things i have been doing to it..
Anyway.. I got to thinking about all the money i have spent thus far on my car... and started looking on ebay.. autotrader,, etc.. @ what people are getting for their modded cars.
My thoughts:
My pockets arent arent deep enough to keep up.
I have spent almost 6k. on a car <not including the cost of the car> on a car thats gonna get beatup @ a street light.
How do people get the cash to keep up with everything?
Is it personal satisfaction? or is it the thought of creating something great... something of my own?
Lets face it, We arent gonna get shit for our car when we have decided enough is enough,... so why do we still surf the net for the best prices on parts, why do we still fantasize what we could become?
I dunno.. I am @ that irritated state... irritated about how much my so loved project is costing me.
I hope to post some pics tomorrow of some updates of my car.. if my upholsterer would get off his ass and make something happen.
Am I the only 1 feeling this waY?
I am in the army and fly helicopters.. so I dont make an incredible income..
My question is.. how is everyone paying for these bad ass rides.. or is it simply an illusion?

Signed...
Waiting for the day.

 

[Eliminat0r]

see when you put liek 10k in to ur car then you dotn get shit for it you realize i should just keep it.

 

[Defiant]

See why old guys don't hotrod unless they're in business doing it?

 

[LucidEclipse]

Well, when you're young its all about having the fastest, best looking car and I get a lot of satisfaction when people are aweing my car and knowing that i performed all the mods myself. I love beating up on v8's and then them asking me WTF is in that thing. Its kind of a pride/I have the coolest car type thing i guess.

 

[TBSpyder]

IMO, it's not worth it. You can spend $100,000 on a car such as an Eclipse...and you know what, it's still an Eclipse. Resale value is absolutley horrible and upkeep on a modded car is endless. The only way one could justify spending so much time and money trying to customize a car is if: one, money is no object to them; or two, they plan on keeping the car for a very long time and are completley in love with it. Personally speaking, this is the second car I've modfied and I'm sick of it. I'm anxious to get something I don't have to worry about so much...or instead just put all the customization, repair, and maintence bills into a car that is awesome straight out of the factory.

It's obvious, when you're young you have all that extra time and money to blow on stupid things like fixing up 10 year old cars with a retail value of less than $10k...but I've come to find when you get older you just don't give a shit anymore.

 

[jdmawd]

Originally posted by TBSpyder


It's obvious, when you're young you have all that extra time and money to blow on stupid things like fixing up 10 year old cars with a retail value of less than $10k...but I've come to find when you get older you just don't give a shit anymore.

No you just spend that same money on other useless crap. hobbys keep you sane, that is worth any price.

 

[*97GS_Eclipse*]

Its a hobby, just like any hobby its going to cost money. Obviously since its modding a car its going to cost a lot more then most hobbies. Still there is no greater satisfaction then knowing you can look back at your car and know you put YOUR time and YOUR work into the car. To me, theres nothing greater. I'll mod cars for the rest of my life, because modding cars is a way of life.


Luke

 

[greyforestgst]

so get a turbo car

 

[stock1g4g63]

It's all about happiness and the money you put out for it. Kind of like spending money to go to a movie and dinner with your girlfriend, or spending a day at a theme park. In the end, the money you spent on those things is for your happiness and enjoyment. Your car, and the money you spend on it, is not really about having the fastest car, or best looking vehicle, it's about how much enjoyment and happiness you derive from getting it from stock, to where you want it to be, and how happy you are with the end result. It's a hobby. It is, on a larger scale, like putting together model cars and airplanes. You spend a decent amount of money on paint, glue, the kit, things like that, and it's the enjoyment of putting it together, and the happiness of seeing the finished product that is worth the money. No one is going to buy your scale model car from you for even half the price you spent putting it together. So enjoy your car, and when you find you no longer enjoy it, it's time to find another hobby.

 

[Slappster]

To me to feel good about the money you spent on your is easy. Its all about speed. When your on the street and you snap your passengers necks back while you take down a mustang is all worth it to me.
Going fast is a release to me, kinda like watching movies. Your life's problems are gone in that moment and I love that.

 

[geekyguru]

Originally posted by stock1g4g63
It's all about happiness and the money you put out for it. Kind of like spending money to go to a movie and dinner with your girlfriend, or spending a day at a theme park. In the end, the money you spent on those things is for your happiness and enjoyment. Your car, and the money you spend on it, is not really about having the fastest car, or best looking vehicle, it's about how much enjoyment and happiness you derive from getting it from stock, to where you want it to be, and how happy you are with the end result. It's a hobby. It is, on a larger scale, like putting together model cars and airplanes. You spend a decent amount of money on paint, glue, the kit, things like that, and it's the enjoyment of putting it together, and the happiness of seeing the finished product that is worth the money. No one is going to buy your scale model car from you for even half the price you spent putting it together. So enjoy your car, and when you find you no longer enjoy it, it's time to find another hobby.

Damn dood..
Thats some nice words..
A lot to be said and learned from what you typed...
Thanks.

Thanks to all of you for not thinking im a ### for this posting

 

[eclipsed95]

I've been a car saleperson for 3 years and have constantly endured my managers saying "why are putting more and more money into that thing, it's not worth near the money you've spent on it."

It shouldn't be about what it makes the car worth. The more you customize a car, the smaller universal appeal it has. But when your car looks great and runs great, people who know anything about custom cars will appreciate it.

Without my cars (and my fiance), who knows where I'd be today. That why I love to mess with my cars.

Anyway, the good mods are worth it

 

[Defiant]

Originally posted by stock1g4g63
No one is going to buy your scale model car from you for even half the price you spent putting it together.

(Actually, check out what some finished models pull on eBay. Astounding stuff.)

 

[geekyguru]

Originally posted by stock1g4g63
It's all about happiness and the money you put out for it. Kind of like spending money to go to a movie and dinner with your girlfriend, or spending a day at a theme park. In the end, the money you spent on those things is for your happiness and enjoyment. Your car, and the money you spend on it, is not really about having the fastest car, or best looking vehicle, it's about how much enjoyment and happiness you derive from getting it from stock, to where you want it to be, and how happy you are with the end result. It's a hobby. It is, on a larger scale, like putting together model cars and airplanes. You spend a decent amount of money on paint, glue, the kit, things like that, and it's the enjoyment of putting it together, and the happiness of seeing the finished product that is worth the money. No one is going to buy your scale model car from you for even half the price you spent putting it together. So enjoy your car, and when you find you no longer enjoy it, it's time to find another hobby.

Hey..
Outta curiosity...
That pic you have of the eclipse.. is that a scale model? looks like it is

 

[Defiant]

Originally posted by eclipsed95
I've been a car saleperson for 3 years and have constantly endured my managers saying "why are putting more and more money into that thing, it's not worth near the money you've spent on it."

It shouldn't be about what it makes the car worth.

Anyway, the good mods are worth it

Ah--- well, there are a few definitions of "worth". There's what you can re-sell it for; on that scale, mods are possibly the most expensive stuff you can buy other than food.

Then there's the amount of loss you'd feel if it were stolen or blew up. For hobbyists, regular calipers don't fit: proven when someone else points out, "It's just a car".

And there's the cost it'd be to replace the hardware- which, as we all know, has nothing to do with "worth". Payoff from an insurance agent won't buy it back.

 

[eclipsed95]

Originally posted by Defiant
Ah--- well, there are a few definitions of "worth". There's what you can re-sell it for; on that scale, mods are possibly the most expensive stuff you can buy other than food.

Then there's the amount of loss you'd feel if it were stolen or blew up. For hobbyists, regular calipers don't fit: proven when someone else points out, "It's just a car".

And there's the cost it'd be to replace the hardware- which, as we all know, has nothing to do with "worth". Payoff from an insurance agent won't buy it back.

Agreed, you're never going to see the money side of it again. Insurance companies, dealerships, and most people will never give you back what you've invested.

There's is a sense of personal "worth" that I get when I do something new to my car. I don't think about the actual value to someone else. Anyone who's been a tuner for any amount of time knows, that unless they sell their car to another tuner, they're taking a BIG loss compared to what they've spent. Even other tuners will low ball, as anyone on here has seen

 

[myeclipseisnice]

Originally posted by TBSpyder
Personally speaking, this is the second car I've modfied and I'm sick of it. I'm anxious to get something I don't have to worry about so much...or instead just put all the customization, repair, and maintence bills into a car that is awesome straight out of the factory.

It's obvious, when you're young you have all that extra time and money to blow on stupid things like fixing up 10 year old cars with a retail value of less than $10k...BUT I'VE COME TO FINE WHEN YOU GET OLDER YOU JUST DON'T GIVE A SHIT ANYMORE!

AMEN BRO AMEN

my turbo intergra was stolen and it had 385 hp put over 12 into it, now im just doing the interior up to make it nice and get my gst to 260 275 hp, and thats it

 

[stock1g4g63]

Geekyguru, yes, that is really my car

 

[geekyguru]

Originally posted by stock1g4g63
Geekyguru, yes, that is really my car

You gotta admit it looks like a model?
hehe funny since its real.

 

[turboTSi1320]

I’m 17 years old and my car means everything to me! I pump gas for money so that i can make my car payment and put every last penny into my car. It took me a long time to save enough money to even buy the car and id say its well worth it for me, but i guess im 17 so what else do i have to spend my money on! I sit at school and think what I can do next and how soon. Im abscessed; cars are all I think about. I plan to keep my car forever but once again I am only 17 but I think the 6 dollars an hour I make pumping gas after school that goes into my car is well worth it I wouldn’t want to spend it any other way. it took me 5 weeks to save the money to do my timing belt and water pump and that was worth the 615$

 

[TBSpyder]

Originally posted by turboTSi1320
I am only 17 but I think the 6 dollars an hour I make pumping gas after school that goes into my car is well worth it I wouldn?t want to spend it any other way.

How about putting it towards college or something that actually has some financial potential

 

[cait sith]

You have a non-turbo, econobox car that you've put some cheap mods on, judging by your mod list, and you were expecting...?

I mean, come on.

 

[snipe99999]

cait sith

You have a non-turbo, econobox car that you've put some cheap mods on, judging by your mod list, and you were expecting...?

Thats what I was thinking

 

[DSMTurboEclipse]

I know I won't get as much for it as I put into it, but who cares? My car is my favorite possession. I may bad-mouth it once and awhile or tell people I hate but in the end, I love it and couldn't see myself driving anything else. Since i'm only 18, I can't say to much but I plan to keep on driving and modifiying my DSM for as long as I can. Its AWESOME when you can talk to people much older than you that still have and modify their DSMs. I was on DSMTalk.com last night reading about people who have had their DSM's since 90 and 91 when they first came out. Its awesome to see how people still have them and that they run good.