I think I want to change directions, I kinda want a street car again Options

[axoid]

"A race car is way better then a girlfriend. You can let it sit around for as long as you want and it's still just as happy whenever you decide to come back to it. The maintenance is less and you can beat the crap out of it and it'll still love you." (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/rotf.gif)

I love that. (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/bigok.gif)

[mitchntx]

Wow ... just wow ...

How many times have I had similar thoughts over the last year or so.
I keep fighting the urge to sell out, sit back and enjoy a less hectic life. But I keep plugging along.

Kevin, when you find nirvana, let me know, Okay? Cause I'm searching as well.

[trackbird]

Good comment on the GF vs. Race Car.... I always have to keep mine out of the race car!

This thread reminds me of something I have to tell customers a lot. Remember what you want out of a car! If you want something you can drive then you have to remember not to make it into a 100% drag or road race car. It's not going to be AS good at racing but if you like tooling around in it then it has to have some trade offs. Two things other than an interior make a car a fun street car to me, how well it drives and how loud it is. If it's too loud you want to shoot somone, if it drives like complete ass then you don't want to drive it. One is easy to fix with the exhaust and it's not going to hurt power too bad and the other is pretty much cam choice. The right camshaft always makes the car drivable.

Bret,

I hated having a dual purpose car when I had the cash for something else. Now that I'm divorced and inhereted all the bills and her car payment, I have 40% less cash, 50% more cars and am back wishing I had a fun toy to drive to work so I could at least enjoy it. It's not so much that I picked the wrong purpose for my car, I'm trying to get back to having a car that fits my current situation.

I knew what I was getting into...until she split. (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/mad.gif)

[StanIROCZ]

The day I found out I was getting divorced, I did drive it to work (in "Nashville" trim). I also drove it on a 150 mile round trip. I wound up in a rainstorm with no interior lights, the climate controls laying on the floor (with the wires for the power windows) and I wasn't really sure I was going to get home that night. I've been there. (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

I plan on giving RainX Anti-Fog a try.

I was playing tough guy earlier but admittedly I do think about buying a C5 sometimes. I usually get that thought when I'm over my head in some crazy project that I dream up and am having trouble getting through it. When considering the amount of money and time that I have already put in my car, plus the time and money that will put into it in the future I could EASILY justify buying a C5. If I told the fiancé how much I spend on the car she would even agree. But I think the hook for me is that I enjoy the projects, most of the time. Sure I run into problems that get me bummed out sometimes, but I have gears turning and they aren't going to stop even if I have a C5 or whatever, and I have a feeling that yours won’t either.

I just dug up my insurance info. I’m paying $352 / year through American Modern Home Insurance Company. If you can get a similar deal you can save 2K/year.

Combined liability - 500,000
Personal Injury Protection - Basic
Un / under insured - 500,000
Vehicle Value - 15k

I technically can’t drive it too work, but what’s to stop me.

[trackbird]

Yea, I (in some twisted way) enjoyed the "Nashville thrash". But I'm starting to think I'd rather just enjoy a car and not try to race it. Between gas, towing, tires, trailers, consumables, etc, it's not even a reasonable idea for me in the near future (until something changes) and since my autocross region pretty well pissed me off, I just don't need the car anymore. I'm simply not going to do anything with it. That's what really put this out there for me.

[nape]

Yea, I (in some twisted way) enjoyed the "Nashville thrash". But I'm starting to think I'd rather just enjoy a car and not try to race it. Between gas, towing, tires, trailers, consumables, etc, it's not even a reasonable idea for me in the near future (until something changes) and since my autocross region pretty well pissed me off, I just don't need the car anymore. I'm simply not going to do anything with it. That's what really put this out there for me.

If you can get what it's worth, put it up for sale. If you think you'll have any regrets, keep it around. It doesn't cost you anything to let it sit in the garage, so why take pennies on the dollar? I love working on race cars and I think about selling it once in a while and wrenching for someone else. The biggest thing that holds me back is wondering if I'd ever get to do it again. Life is unexpected and sometimes you've just got to go for it.

Another favorite of the elder racers in my family: "Ditch the bitch, let's go racin'!" (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

[KeithO]

Maybe some mumbles from me could provide a way to look at this with a different thought process.

I haven't mentioned to this to many outside CMC circles but I sold my CMC car due to some work assignments. The buyer picks it up on Sunday. I didn't want to sell it but it was the only thing that made sense since I couldn't drive it for the foreseeable future.

Anyway, I am down to the tow vehicle (Tahoe - wife loves it so it isn't going anywhere) and my street legal, but track prepared 97 WS6. With the pending empty garage bay, I've had all kinds of thoughts about a C5 Z06, 3rd gen toy and on and on. I concluded that the WS6 is a great balance between streetability, autox-ability and track day fun. By accident, I think I settled on the best compromise for me.

The unintended side-effect is that when my mind wanders, I am not constantly mentally planning the next set of work on the race car. That has been an unexpected positive side effect.

If cost is an issue, dump everything you have, get a largely stock car, and fiddle with it as you decide you want to. I personally think that at some point I will get a GTO because they are relatively inexpensive, versatile (unless you fiddle it too much) and finding examples of decent f-bodies will get harder. ...until they become collectors cars...

Just mumbling, I guess. ...sounds like you need a "hard reboot" with the cars and the only thing you need to decide is what to get.

This post has been edited by KeithO: May 2 2008, 09:56 AM

[Teutonic Speedra...]

Wow ... just wow ...

How many times have I had similar thoughts over the last year or so.
I keep fighting the urge to sell out, sit back and enjoy a less hectic life. But I keep plugging along.

Kevin, when you find nirvana, let me know, Okay? Cause I'm searching as well.

I've been thinking the same. May slowly phase out over the next year or two. Getting married in September, buying a house, and have been enjoying some simpler things in life that are nearly free. Would love to just arrive at the track by helicoptor and drive.

Between gas, towing, tires, trailers, consumables, etc,

Yeah....I'm leaning towards a sweet simulator setup for GTR2, Simracing, and GT5 that I can race others online ALL YEAR round, for nearly free. I just feel guilty considerig all the work I've done to the car and how potent it is. I'd love to sell it one day to a buddy and have him race "the car I built".

[vanwyk4257]

Kevin,
I can empathize. I was going down the dedicated track car route with my black B4C 4th gen, but I quickly came to the conclusion that having so much money wrapped up in a car I might drive 2-3 times a month was not what I wanted.

That's why I'm rebuilding the other car as a dual purpose car. It has all the right suspension and brake upgrades, but a full interior and A/C. I know it's going to eat up brakes and tires faster with all that extra weight, but I don't care anymore.

I say put insurance on the one you have and drive it on the weekends or when the mood strikes during the week. I'll be driving my car to work regularly (probably smelling like gas too) and I'm a banker, imagine smelling like gas while you're wearing a suit! (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

[marka]

Howdy,

Have you driven a shifter kart yet?

It sounds like its money that's driving this... Sell the car, get a kart, and run the hell out of it for cheap.

Tires are cheap, entry fees are cheap, maintenance is easy, and you don't have a wife to get all annoyed at you when you're so sore climbing out of the thing that she's worried she'll have to take care of both you and your infant son.

Mark

(ok, that last one might be more my personal experience... :-)

(seriously, karts are a freaking hoot.)

(If the truck isn't good enough on gas, get a regular car with a hitch and a small trailer)

(either way, at least go try a shifter kart somewhere)

This post has been edited by marka: May 2 2008, 02:02 PM

[slowTA]

So you've stopped autocrossing because one person gave you attitude about a mistake on their part. I've seen arguments that have almost turned into fights and everyone involved is back the next week.

Seriously I would blow off this incident and move on with the season. I wouldn't let one person's problem ruin my fun for good.

[trackbird]

So you've stopped autocrossing because one person gave you attitude about a mistake on their part. I've seen arguments that have almost turned into fights and everyone involved is back the next week.

Seriously I would blow off this incident and move on with the season. I wouldn't let one person's problem ruin my fun for good.

I won't say it was a mistake on their part. The rules are the rules. My co driver put in for a "credit" for us both since I didn't make it with the car (since it rained, I wasn't going to get any useful testing done so I was swapping a diesel in a Ford F250 that day). I understand him getting a credit and me not (since I didn't show up with the car). This would have been easy enough to explain since I know what the rules are and such, but that's not the approach that was taken. I was basically yelled at and told that this is how it's going to be, get over it (in so many words) and I owe $35 for the day. If I hadn't had a co-driver that day, I'd have hopped in the truck and gone home, unloaded and gone back to bed. I have better things to do with my time, or at least different things (I'd have probably spent the day relaxing with a benchrest rifle in my hand at the 100 yard range while testing various handloads for accuracy).

I've become increasingly disenchanted with autocrossing as our region has grown (230 cars at an event). You spend 6 hours out in the sun to drive the car 3-5 minutes (if you're lucky)... I may as well take up drag racing. This is not to berate autocross, I've enjoyed it and learned a lot, but I spend all day for 3 minutes of seat time. With the current entry fees (and the requirement to buy weekend memberships to the scca, I'm paying about $8 a minute for seat time, plus gas, towing and consumables, which probably makes it closer to $30 a minute...or even far more). This is the same registration person who's rubbed many people the wrong way, and when both of our registration people are just evil and nasty to deal with (both of them gave me attitude in sufficient quantity that I no longer care), you really don't find yourself wanting to go back. I'm a pretty customer service oriented guy and I believe in being nice to people. I don't give instant attitude from the first word out of my mouth...

And, I don't want to become an SCCA member (which will save me $10 per event) since I hate the junk mail I get from them. I don't feel that I get much benefit from being a member (which someone will argue with me about the events I wouldn't be attending if they didn't exist, but I'm not really planning to attend them anyway...).

Yes, Mark, I'm trying to trim expenses and find ways to have fun. With the price of fuel, I have very ineffecient daily drivers (either of them) and my 2002 Z28 did far better for daily use. I'm back to thinking something fun might be the answer and get rid of the ton of cars that I have right now. I could buy one Corvette for all the payments and bills I have. Or, I could dump it all, buy a used truck and a Kart. Or anywhere in between. That's what I'm trying to decide. I'm looking for ways to maximize my fun and minimize my expenses (I'd sell the house and move, but I can't give that away in todays market).

On top of that, someone hit the Mazda yesterday. I saw it this morning. They drove into the front passengers side door and left white paint and two small dents. So, I'm back dealing with insurance companies for the 4th (or so) time in the last few months (September, uninsured illegal ailens hit the back of the Mazda while I was sitting in a drive through and scratched it, a few months ago a girl smashed her firebird into my truck tire, I had two windshields put in the mazda in a week, the first one was the wrong one, and now I get to have the door fixed and painted).

Some days it doesn't pay to get out of bed. (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

I need to go research the Solstice/Sky twins and maybe go drive one.

[axoid]

I need to go research the Solstice/Sky twins and maybe go drive one.

Keep in mind that next year there will be a Solstice coupe with a targa top roof.

[LT4Firehawk]

Most fun car(s) I've ever had for a daily driver, were my two Porsche 944 Turbos. Absolute blast to drive on the street (and the track too), got great gas mileage (if I could stay out of the throttle), were very comfortable to drive, and have a huge removeable sun roof. The only issue was that mainteance can eat you alive. The last one I had cost me over $10K in a year, but then that one was a little bit of a basket case when I bought it. If you pick one up that's had all it's service maintained, and you don't mind turning a wrench, then it wouldn't be too bad. You can find a good one for anywhere from $8K to $15K, and then budget maybe $2K a year in maintenance just to be safe (or for mods). If it says anything, I still keep my eye out for another one, and am strongly considering getting another once we get our rental house sold. Either that or maybe a C4 ZR1.

My second favorite car, was my 92 Vette. Very reliable, great performance, and you really feel like your driving a sport car. Only downside was that it was a little rough/harsh riding sometimes (no worse than a typical fourth gen f-body). The C5 Z06 I had was an awesome car, but it felt too isolated. The Porsches are the best at telling you what's going on without beating you up, the C4 told you what was going on, but was a little rough, the Z06 didn't tell you as much of what was going on, but was very fast in spite of that.

If you want new GM, I'd definitley look at the Sky. I personally like it's looks a lot better.

[CMC #37]

It is funny how misogyny creeps in when guys aren't getting what they want.... (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif)

That sucks Kevin, I just love going out to my vehicles too and finding that big, or small, dent with some other car's paint in it, and no note or explanation or apology whatsoever! (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/rant.gif) Karma and Darwin are looking for you ahole!!!!

I noticed some time ago when I attended SCCA autox events out west here it was "tense." I shook it off the first time or two and then just decided that was the atmosphere at these events. More than a few local serious competitors regularly attending seemed to also carry this attitude around. Maybe if you are just getting a short time to go at the cones you develop some sort of psychological anger defect after a while....... (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/sadbananax.gif) (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/hitwithrock.gif) (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/rant2.gif)

I too like the Solstice. I am going to have a talk with Brady (CMCer who was on Set-Up) about the car and how he liked driving it. I too face a dilemma about my next new GM street car, which one! After hearing some interesting inside information though, I am going to hold off until after the Z28 comes out.

I find a lot of folks I know are scaling back on their automotive hobbies as they are getting older and have more responsibility (kids, etc.) , or for various reasons like yours Kevin, have to streamline things due to personal circumstances and the economy. Personally I am cutting back on events this year due to the economy and that I shelled out a forkload of cash to go to the nationals last year! Great experience, but major wallet damage!

Great thread, a lot of us are in a similar boat....

[trackbird]

The solstice GXP starts at almost $29k and AC is an almost $1k option on top of it? Oof. There are a lot of other fun toys out there for $30k+. Hmm....

[Sidney]

Trackbird,

How much track experience do you have? NASA Great Lakes is looking for instructors and in case you didn't know...instructors play for free. So divide 4 hours of track time by the same cost of an SCCA autocross weekend and see how cheap per lap/minute NASA HPDE is.

Sidney Franklin
NASA Certified Instructor
AI #64

[SStrokerAce]

I need to go research the Solstice/Sky twins and maybe go drive one.

Keep in mind that next year there will be a Solstice coupe with a targa top roof.

Yeah that's the one I want!


I agree with mark about the kart. If I was in your spot I would find the closest kart tracks and see what class is competitive and get one. You can also AutoX the thing (even though I hate them at events!) and you can wheel to wheel the thing for cheap, really cheap. Now team that up with the G8 "sport truck" and you might have a winner on all counts.

I hear what you are saying about nasty registration members and too many cars at an event. One of our local regions reminds me of exactly what you are talking about. I don't understand why they are so nasty all the time and why they can't just limit the number of racers to a certain amount? There is no fun in getting 50-60% of the runs of other regions, being treated like crap and having to watch 50 novices go out and plow over cones just so you can race 10 good drivers at the same event........

Bret

This post has been edited by SStrokerAce: May 2 2008, 09:07 PM

[Crazy Canuck]

think outside the box.
sell house, move, go where ppl are great... Mtl is hugely competitive and fun.

[Mojave]

think outside the box.
sell house, move, go where ppl are great... Mtl is hugely competitive and fun.

Ohhh, Canada, where it is warm enough to drive the car like 4 months out of the year. What a paradise!!! (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/2thumbs.gif)

Why don't you come to Texas where you can track/AX 12 months out of the year. There is no off season and there are plenty of friend people.

This post has been edited by Mojave: May 7 2008, 05:29 AM