Northern MI Cucklyfe: Floating Garage Edition

[razr390]

Thanks dude! Any idea if the paint work hit Carfox?

This is really the perfect answer for me having a fun car in this area...

Not sure. In the past, with the GTI, this shop hasn't dinged the fox. It didn't come up on autocheck, Carvana did the check on it and said it was clean. So I have no clue.

Just as an FYI, it's about as fast as a tuned MK6 GTI. It's nowhere near as fast as your vette.

Sure, but being as fast as a tuned mk6 in any driving scenario (including snow) > being as fast as his vette that needed flat straight roads to remotely enjoy.

[ChrisoftheNorth]

Thanks dude! Any idea if the paint work hit Carfox?

This is really the perfect answer for me having a fun car in this area...

Not sure. In the past, with the GTI, this shop hasn't dinged the fox. It didn't come up on autocheck, Carvana did the check on it and said it was clean. So I have no clue.

Just as an FYI, it's about as fast as a tuned MK6 GTI. It's nowhere near as fast as your vette.

The vette was too fast to be usable. I don't really want something with that much speed again, there's nowhere to enjoy it really.

The STI is pretty ideal, especially because it could be a year-round fun vehicle. I love the idea of carving corners in the summer and sliding them in the winter. Hardest hurdle to get over is the complete lack of need for a vehicle. I can make a case for a pickup because it hauls. But a fun car when I have no commute or any real reason to own such a thing is tough, especially at the price point (not that it's not worth it).

[wap]

Not sure. In the past, with the GTI, this shop hasn't dinged the fox. It didn't come up on autocheck, Carvana did the check on it and said it was clean. So I have no clue.

Just as an FYI, it's about as fast as a tuned MK6 GTI. It's nowhere near as fast as your vette.

Sure, but being as fast as a tuned mk6 in any driving scenario (including snow) > being as fast as his vette that needed flat straight roads to remotely enjoy.

[max225]

I think assuming that you will never have to go into the office or drive again is a bit near sighted. Vaccine is months away... mid next summer we should go back to somewhat "normal"

[troyguitar]

Not sure. In the past, with the GTI, this shop hasn't dinged the fox. It didn't come up on autocheck, Carvana did the check on it and said it was clean. So I have no clue.

Just as an FYI, it's about as fast as a tuned MK6 GTI. It's nowhere near as fast as your vette.

The vette was too fast to be usable. I don't really want something with that much speed again, there's nowhere to enjoy it really.

The STI is pretty ideal, especially because it could be a year-round fun vehicle. I love the idea of carving corners in the summer and sliding them in the winter. Hardest hurdle to get over is the complete lack of need for a vehicle. I can make a case for a pickup because it hauls. But a fun car when I have no commute or any real reason to own such a thing is tough, especially at the price point (not that it's not worth it).

Sounds familiar.

[ChrisoftheNorth]

I think assuming that you will never have to go into the office or drive again is a bit near sighted. Vaccine is months away... mid next summer we should go back to somewhat "normal"

Truck gets me around just fine in that case.

Plus, if I end up regularly commuting ~3hrs downstate, a comfy truck with a small engine is probably a better way to go than a high strung sports vehicle thing, especially when they get similar gas mileage.

A fun car is 100% a luxury.

[max225]

I think assuming that you will never have to go into the office or drive again is a bit near sighted. Vaccine is months away... mid next summer we should go back to somewhat "normal"

Truck gets me around just fine in that case.

Plus, if I end up regularly commuting ~3hrs downstate, a comfy truck with a small engine is probably a better way to go than a high strung sports vehicle thing, especially when they get similar gas mileage.

A fun car is 100% a luxury.

So is a house in the woods and so is a brand new truk.

I was just watching out for ya bud. Your earlier post about the woman controlling your car choices to that extent seemed off to me, considering you run the financial show.

[razr390]

Truck gets me around just fine in that case.

Plus, if I end up regularly commuting ~3hrs downstate, a comfy truck with a small engine is probably a better way to go than a high strung sports vehicle thing, especially when they get similar gas mileage.

A fun car is 100% a luxury.

So is a house in the woods and so is a brand new truk.

I was just watching out for ya bud. Your earlier post about the woman controlling your car choices to that extent seemed off to me, considering you run the financial show.

His goal is not to swang his dick to prove he is the bread winner and therefore decision maker. His goal is to be as financially lean as possible in case he throws a middle finger to FCA and quits his job.

[max225]

So is a house in the woods and so is a brand new truk.

I was just watching out for ya bud. Your earlier post about the woman controlling your car choices to that extent seemed off to me, considering you run the financial show.

His goal is not to swang his dick to prove he is the bread winner and therefore decision maker. His goal is to be as financially lean as possible in case he throws a middle finger to FCA and quits his job.

Everything has a balance.

[ChrisoftheNorth]

His goal is not to swang his dick to prove he is the bread winner and therefore decision maker. His goal is to be as financially lean as possible in case he throws a middle finger to FCA and quits his job.

Everything has a balance.

Indeed, but Trudy hit it. While the wife is absolutely a major hurdle, I'm more caught up in my own brain and my desire to live a lean/simple life. was just step one of that...my COL is going to be DRASTICALLY lower soon, which enables two things...toys or freedom. Right now, I chose freedom. I hate my job with such a passion, that I value being able to just quit and take my time finding something else. ESPECIALLY if/when I'm forced back into the office on the regular.

My entire view of life and work has been changing. I've really enjoyed living a much simpler life (been at it for 2 months now), and it's made me really rethink what I truly value and what I don't. Shifting priorities I guess.

[max225]

Well there are several thought-streams happening simultaneously. You expressed frustration about not having a fun car because SHE bitched about it and you just reneged and mentioned that you WANT to not have anything and be cheap. Make up your mind

[ChrisoftheNorth]

Well there are several thought-streams happening simultaneously. You expressed frustration about not having a fun car because SHE bitched about it and you just reneged and mentioned that you WANT to not have anything and be cheap. Make up your mind

Yea, no shit. But like you said, it's about balance.

A sub-$10k fun car I can get into no problem. I think I could even get her into that without much issue. A $20k+ fun car is a much harder sell for me personally because of what I mentioned. But a $20k+ ONLY car is something I can justify. That's where I'm so stuck on the STI because it's damned near my perfect only car. I just can't get out of the need for truck utility for at least the next year or so, so the optics make the STI a $20k+ fun car.

I know I should think longer term and just grab the damned STI and let it sit in the garage for a year and drive it occasionally, then it becomes my only car if the truck needs subside...but that just seems like a lot of waste at this exact moment in time.

[max225]

Well there are several thought-streams happening simultaneously. You expressed frustration about not having a fun car because SHE bitched about it and you just reneged and mentioned that you WANT to not have anything and be cheap. Make up your mind

Yea, no shit. But like you said, it's about balance.

A sub-$10k fun car I can get into no problem. I think I could even get her into that without much issue. A $20k+ fun car is a much harder sell for me personally because of what I mentioned. But a $20k+ ONLY car is something I can justify. That's where I'm so stuck on the STI because it's damned near my perfect only car. I just can't get out of the need for truck utility for at least the next year or so, so the optics make the STI a $20k+ fun car.

I know I should think longer term and just grab the damned STI and let it sit in the garage for a year and drive it occasionally, then it becomes my only car if the truck needs subside...but that just seems like a lot of waste at this exact moment in time.

Yep. No one needs it. But if it makes you happy you only have one life. We’re worm food soon anyways

[troyguitar]

We act differently but it seems like Chris and I think pretty similarly on these things. My car is fucking cool and fun but it's such a waste of money. Will I enjoy it enough to be worth delaying retirement for a year or two by the time you add up all of the money wasted on it? How can you even attempt to answer that question?

[ChrisoftheNorth]

We act differently but it seems like Chris and I think pretty similarly on these things. My car is fucking cool and fun but it's such a waste of money. Will I enjoy it enough to be worth delaying retirement for a year or two by the time you add up all of the money wasted on it? How can you even attempt to answer that question?

It's becoming an existential life question for me. I've spent the last 2 months living more frugal than I have in a very long time and guess what? I'm the happiest I've been in a long time. Due in large part to location, but not having all this crap and overhead has really cleared up my mind and overall existence. We've been offing crap either to the trash or sold to others at an rate and it feels great.

Which has spiraled into what exactly is "retirement" and what is a "good life". Do I need to slave away at an office paying super high COL prices, and buying crap in a never ending cycle chasing "happiness" while I sock money away in a 401k to one day maybe do....exactly what I'm doing today? It's not like I'm living in my parent's basement sucking off the system and want to do that forever. I want to just live simply and cheaply so I don't have to deal with the stresses and of conventional "work till you die" life.

The concept of "work your ass off to amass a bunch of stuff so you can one day stop and die shortly after" is just not what I want. If I could achieve a simpler/happier life halfway through, that seems a lot more appealing than stressing myself for 80% of my life just to enjoy MAYBE 20% then die.

Would fun cars enhance my life? Sure. But it's a LOT of cost that could instead be deployed elsewhere like traveling or experiences or maybe a year or so sabbatical to reassess everything. Hell, I'll have enough cash to pay the mortgage on the house for 10 years...what if I just take a few years off working and see and do all the shit I've wanted to do but never had time to...WHILE I'm young enough to enjoy it?

Life is short, I'm not going to waste it. Everyone values different things differently though and I'm sure most will tell me I'm That's fine, because I probably am to most. Different strokes.

[max225]

We act differently but it seems like Chris and I think pretty similarly on these things. My car is fucking cool and fun but it's such a waste of money. Will I enjoy it enough to be worth delaying retirement for a year or two by the time you add up all of the money wasted on it? How can you even attempt to answer that question?

Depends on the amount of money. 30/50k is a spit In the retirement bucket imo. But yes a 150k mile Camry is obviously the answer with one way insurance

[D Griff]

We act differently but it seems like Chris and I think pretty similarly on these things. My car is fucking cool and fun but it's such a waste of money. Will I enjoy it enough to be worth delaying retirement for a year or two by the time you add up all of the money wasted on it? How can you even attempt to answer that question?

Depends on the amount of money. 30/50k is a spit In the retirement bucket imo. But yes a 150k mile Camry is obviously the answer with one way insurance

Not really... That amount dumped in at age 30 will turn into a couple year's income for most of us mere mortals (from what I can guess most DFDers are bringing in like $75-150K/year). A couple of year's income = a couple of year's retirement.

I think the concept of viewing everything you do as "time in retirement" is flawed though. It will just make you miserable for the best years of your life. Every dinner is probably another week you could not work, every vacation another month or two, etc. but then you wind up just not doing anything and being miserable for the most able years of your life. Also, the whole concept of investing in retirement requires a lot of time, so even if you do absolutely nothing for say, your full 30s, you still have to give that money time in the market to grow.

I contribute the max allowed in 401K each year and can't really stomach saving more than that for retirement when I could just die at any point.

[max225]

Depends on the amount of money. 30/50k is a spit In the retirement bucket imo. But yes a 150k mile Camry is obviously the answer with one way insurance

Not really... That amount dumped in at age 30 will turn into a couple year's income for most of us mere mortals (from what I can guess most DFDers are bringing in like $75-150K/year). A couple of year's income = a couple of year's retirement.

I think the concept of viewing everything you do as "time in retirement" is flawed though. It will just make you miserable for the best years of your life. Every dinner is probably another week you could not work, every vacation another month or two, etc. but then you wind up just not doing anything and being miserable for the most able years of your life. Also, the whole concept of investing in retirement requires a lot of time, so even if you do absolutely nothing for say, your full 30s, you still have to give that money time in the market to grow.

I contribute the max allowed in 401K each year and can't really stomach saving more than that for retirement when I could just die at any point.

30k today is not 30k 30 years from now... more like 5k the whole “watch my money grow” is just a land of make believe. Unless you’re far above 5% roi which can but is not guaranteed to happen.

Driving a shitty car in your 30s so that you can “enjoy” a poorsche when you’re 60 is probably not gonna happen. As mentioned you will waste the best years of your life in a shit box.

Point is... Chris, live a little

[wap]

Depends on the amount of money. 30/50k is a spit In the retirement bucket imo. But yes a 150k mile Camry is obviously the answer with one way insurance

Not really... That amount dumped in at age 30 will turn into a couple year's income for most of us mere mortals (from what I can guess most DFDers are bringing in like $75-150K/year). A couple of year's income = a couple of year's retirement.

I think the concept of viewing everything you do as "time in retirement" is flawed though. It will just make you miserable for the best years of your life. Every dinner is probably another week you could not work, every vacation another month or two, etc. but then you wind up just not doing anything and being miserable for the most able years of your life. Also, the whole concept of investing in retirement requires a lot of time, so even if you do absolutely nothing for say, your full 30s, you still have to give that money time in the market to grow.

I contribute the max allowed in 401K each year and can't really stomach saving more than that for retirement when I could just die at any point.

Agreed. Like everything, it requires a balance to achieve without wanting to kill yourself daily. So it's not binary, as DFD would have you believe.

[razr390]

We act differently but it seems like Chris and I think pretty similarly on these things. My car is fucking cool and fun but it's such a waste of money. Will I enjoy it enough to be worth delaying retirement for a year or two by the time you add up all of the money wasted on it? How can you even attempt to answer that question?

It's becoming an existential life question for me. I've spent the last 2 months living more frugal than I have in a very long time and guess what? I'm the happiest I've been in a long time. Due in large part to location, but not having all this crap and overhead has really cleared up my mind and overall existence. We've been offing crap either to the trash or sold to others at an rate and it feels great.

Which has spiraled into what exactly is "retirement" and what is a "good life". Do I need to slave away at an office paying super high COL prices, and buying crap in a never ending cycle chasing "happiness" while I sock money away in a 401k to one day maybe do....exactly what I'm doing today? It's not like I'm living in my parent's basement sucking off the system and want to do that forever. I want to just live simply and cheaply so I don't have to deal with the stresses and of conventional "work till you die" life.

The concept of "work your ass off to amass a bunch of stuff so you can one day stop and die shortly after" is just not what I want. If I could achieve a simpler/happier life halfway through, that seems a lot more appealing than stressing myself for 80% of my life just to enjoy MAYBE 20% then die.

Would fun cars enhance my life? Sure. But it's a LOT of cost that could instead be deployed elsewhere like traveling or experiences or maybe a year or so sabbatical to reassess everything. Hell, I'll have enough cash to pay the mortgage on the house for 10 years...what if I just take a few years off working and see and do all the shit I've wanted to do but never had time to...WHILE I'm young enough to enjoy it?

Life is short, I'm not going to waste it. Everyone values different things differently though and I'm sure most will tell me I'm That's fine, because I probably am to most. Different strokes.

I aspire to this and I am 26. It’ll be tough with the kiddo but we’ve had her young enough to where even when she’s 18 and making her own decisions I’ll be 43, which is still young enough. I’ll do everything in my power to get her everything possible to help her succeed as her own person, but I am taking a very mentality when it comes to my stuff from here on out. Just enough to get by and not buying shit just for the sake of buying it.

[max225]

It's becoming an existential life question for me. I've spent the last 2 months living more frugal than I have in a very long time and guess what? I'm the happiest I've been in a long time. Due in large part to location, but not having all this crap and overhead has really cleared up my mind and overall existence. We've been offing crap either to the trash or sold to others at an rate and it feels great.

Which has spiraled into what exactly is "retirement" and what is a "good life". Do I need to slave away at an office paying super high COL prices, and buying crap in a never ending cycle chasing "happiness" while I sock money away in a 401k to one day maybe do....exactly what I'm doing today? It's not like I'm living in my parent's basement sucking off the system and want to do that forever. I want to just live simply and cheaply so I don't have to deal with the stresses and of conventional "work till you die" life.

The concept of "work your ass off to amass a bunch of stuff so you can one day stop and die shortly after" is just not what I want. If I could achieve a simpler/happier life halfway through, that seems a lot more appealing than stressing myself for 80% of my life just to enjoy MAYBE 20% then die.

Would fun cars enhance my life? Sure. But it's a LOT of cost that could instead be deployed elsewhere like traveling or experiences or maybe a year or so sabbatical to reassess everything. Hell, I'll have enough cash to pay the mortgage on the house for 10 years...what if I just take a few years off working and see and do all the shit I've wanted to do but never had time to...WHILE I'm young enough to enjoy it?

Life is short, I'm not going to waste it. Everyone values different things differently though and I'm sure most will tell me I'm That's fine, because I probably am to most. Different strokes.

I aspire to this and I am 26. It’ll be tough with the kiddo but we’ve had her young enough to where even when she’s 18 and making her own decisions I’ll be 43, which is still young enough. I’ll do everything in my power to get her everything possible to help her succeed as her own person, but I am taking a very mentality when it comes to my stuff from here on out. Just enough to get by and not buying shit just for the sake of buying it.

Easy to do when the parents buy you a 30k Vehicle that a non breeding dude that has been working for a decade longer than you is not indulging himself in

[razr390]

I aspire to this and I am 26. It’ll be tough with the kiddo but we’ve had her young enough to where even when she’s 18 and making her own decisions I’ll be 43, which is still young enough. I’ll do everything in my power to get her everything possible to help her succeed as her own person, but I am taking a very mentality when it comes to my stuff from here on out. Just enough to get by and not buying shit just for the sake of buying it.

Easy to do when the parents buy you a 30k Vehicle that a non breeding dude that has been working for a decade longer than you is not indulging himself in

Sure, and I won't argue the merits of that. I won't regurgitate my talking points about how I ended up in this situation. However, my current car was purchased before a child was ever in the picture, and I pay for it myself. My dad co-signed on the loan for me since I did not have enough credit history to qualify for a car. I re-financed by myself in 2019 and am now the only person on the loan. Again, I pay for the car myself. But, I also understand at my young age (whereas most 26 year olds might not yet realize) that paying $498/month on the GTI (much as I love it) when I could either not spend that amount on a car or spend less and have more money to use at my disposal.

I know that I am the forum resident but I would argue that my viewpoints on life have changed drastically, mostly due to the realization that I am no longer making decisions for myself, or even my partner, but now my child as well.

I think everyone eventually reaches some sort of similar conclusion, I just had to reach it much quicker than most. However, there are plenty of young parents (some younger than me) that still try to live out their youth and party, go out, etc. I never liked that and even more hate it now. I am fairly to myself.

But, I would argue what my parents did for me I want to do at minimum for my kid. I am not a shithead kid who pouts and stomps feet. My parents immigrated to the states and had no idea how college, scholarships, etc. worked. I got myself a scholarship that paid me to go to college. I took that burden off of my parents, and I am hoping that as long as my kid is as level headed and motivated to succeed herself (we will always be there for her) that I can reward her in a similar fashion.

[ChrisoftheNorth]

Kids would change the equation greatly. What I'm doing is admittedly very selfish and not what the masses would consider responsible. But I've never wanted kids, married a woman who feels the same and made choices in life to enable my selfish lifestyle.

But the real point I struggle with is "live a little". I almost view choices to forego fancy material things in the pursuit of freedom from normal life bullshit as "living a lot", not "a little". Traditional retirement schemes, property ladder bullshit, and college savings accounts don't have to apply to everyone. it's a big choice that I'm not taking lightly, and also why I'm torturing the car spending so much. Other than the house, it's the highest dollar purchase decision we make and I'm trying to be smart with weighing the balance between TRUE wants and needs.

[Tar]

Easy to do when the parents buy you a 30k Vehicle that a non breeding dude that has been working for a decade longer than you is not indulging himself in

Sure, and I won't argue the merits of that. I won't regurgitate my talking points about how I ended up in this situation. However, my current car was purchased before a child was ever in the picture, and I pay for it myself. My dad co-signed on the loan for me since I did not have enough credit history to qualify for a car. I re-financed by myself in 2019 and am now the only person on the loan. Again, I pay for the car myself. But, I also understand at my young age (whereas most 26 year olds might not yet realize) that paying $498/month on the GTI (much as I love it) when I could either not spend that amount on a car or spend less and have more money to use at my disposal.

I know that I am the forum resident but I would argue that my viewpoints on life have changed drastically, mostly due to the realization that I am no longer making decisions for myself, or even my partner, but now my child as well.

I think everyone eventually reaches some sort of similar conclusion, I just had to reach it much quicker than most. However, there are plenty of young parents (some younger than me) that still try to live out their youth and party, go out, etc. I never liked that and even more hate it now. I am fairly to myself.

But, I would argue what my parents did for me I want to do at minimum for my kid. I am not a shithead kid who pouts and stomps feet. My parents immigrated to the states and had no idea how college, scholarships, etc. worked. I got myself a scholarship that paid me to go to college. I took that burden off of my parents, and I am hoping that as long as my kid is as level headed and motivated to succeed herself (we will always be there for her) that I can reward her in a similar fashion.

Based on what I'm reading and what I know about you I vouch for you as a mature and complete adult in every sense of the word. As a parent to parent, you're doing great and i know how tough the first year is. Good job bro!

[razr390]

Sure, and I won't argue the merits of that. I won't regurgitate my talking points about how I ended up in this situation. However, my current car was purchased before a child was ever in the picture, and I pay for it myself. My dad co-signed on the loan for me since I did not have enough credit history to qualify for a car. I re-financed by myself in 2019 and am now the only person on the loan. Again, I pay for the car myself. But, I also understand at my young age (whereas most 26 year olds might not yet realize) that paying $498/month on the GTI (much as I love it) when I could either not spend that amount on a car or spend less and have more money to use at my disposal.

I know that I am the forum resident but I would argue that my viewpoints on life have changed drastically, mostly due to the realization that I am no longer making decisions for myself, or even my partner, but now my child as well.

I think everyone eventually reaches some sort of similar conclusion, I just had to reach it much quicker than most. However, there are plenty of young parents (some younger than me) that still try to live out their youth and party, go out, etc. I never liked that and even more hate it now. I am fairly to myself.

But, I would argue what my parents did for me I want to do at minimum for my kid. I am not a shithead kid who pouts and stomps feet. My parents immigrated to the states and had no idea how college, scholarships, etc. worked. I got myself a scholarship that paid me to go to college. I took that burden off of my parents, and I am hoping that as long as my kid is as level headed and motivated to succeed herself (we will always be there for her) that I can reward her in a similar fashion.

Based on what I'm reading and what I know about you I vouch for you as a mature and complete adult in every sense of the word. As a parent to parent, you're doing great and i know how tough the first year is. Good job bro!

I’m still not 100% satisfied, but I also think I am doing better than majority of folks at my age. Max contribution to 401k, saving some here and there and investing some here and there. Single income and scraping by, but that’s OKAY. I have some $0 balance credit cards for emergency SHTF moments and some savings for that as well. Once the little one is in school and we get dual income again we will be Cush af. Especially since I’ll probably be at a director level position by the. (3-4 years or so).