The cost-benefit to owning cars??

I get mad props from dudes old and young, never women. My coworkers tell me I drive a 'beater' because all they see is bad paint. I'll have you know I got $15,000 tied up in that beater thank you very much, lol.

Yeah, you got me. No cost benefit. Prolly couldn't get $10k for the Monte with crate motor. lol. sucks. I'm depressed now. But I still love my cars.

Ribbedroof said:

Here's one we drove to Mt Scott here in Okla, and to Dallas. We have been both places MANY times, but I can remember those trips to this day, because it was a great time, in a fun car...vs trips in the newer stuff

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This is why I need to get my AC working.

doood said:

I get mad props from dudes old and young, never women. My coworkers tell me I drive a 'beater' because all they see is bad paint. I'll have you know I got $15,000 tied up in that beater thank you very much, lol.

Yeah, you got me. No cost benefit. Prolly couldn't get $10k for the Monte with crate motor. lol. sucks. I'm depressed now. But I still love my cars.

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Yup, you almost never get back out what you put it. That's even before one considers the amount of time put in.

Mikej89 said:

Yeah, it's not so much the enjoyment of the vintage classics I'm talking about... It's like say back in 1967 you pulled into mainstreet with your new freshly washed car and everyone saw it! Nowadays nobody cares. Cars in general don't offer people that much status anymore.

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Pull onto 'main street' in that same '67 today & it WILL get noticed.

These days, cars are all belly-button copies. There are no significant design element differences for many Post 2K year model vehicles. On top of that, people will 'purchase' high end models knowing they won't be paying for it all because they have no intention to. They just want to enjoy the 'now' & most things are disposable. It will only get worse w/the EV push.

A co-worker just showed be 'mommas' new ride (a '24 Ford Explorer). They traded in an earlier Ford Explorer for a '22 CC 1/2 ton truck years ago & now traded that truck toward the new Explorer. Since just '22, he's spent $30k in payments & still has 5 more years @ $900mo which is ironically now saving (?) him $300mo (because of a lower payment for more years). I bought my '99 CC SWB 3/4 ton Chevy truck around that time he got that 1st Explorer for her @ <10% of what he's spent so far & put about that 10% into it (maintenance, tires, suspension rebuild, wheels). I don't have to worry about a $900mo payment for the next 5yrs either. It's all about perspective. She's driving something fancy & new to get her here & there. I'm driving something old & def not as pretty that will still get me here & there for a lot less $$ even though it pales in comparison on fuel efficiency. I'll take poor mpg's vs efficiency in an older 'hey man.... that's a cool truck' world.

With that extra $$ not spent on something 'status symbol' new, I bought & mechanically restored a 1930 Model -A & my '78 Malibu.

melloelky said:

think people driving horse drawn carriages had this same problem? 🤔

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that's what I'm talking about

When we were young punks hanging out on main st. back in the 70s any one of us could tell you what make and model car was coming down the road.

Try that now.

Mikej89 said:

You'll probably just make fun of me for pointing this out but ever consider even a POS old beater car costs thousands of dollars to keep on the road yet is anyone really that impressed by it?? When you fill up a Kwik Trip is a cute girl working there like "wow, I'm so impressed you were able to not only purchase that vehicle but also do oil changes, brakes, new tires, etc. and it's amazing you could fill er up when gas costs $4.00 gal!"

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You are correct in that girls won't be impressed by 40 year old run of the mill cars......but my 86 442 gets a fair amount of attention when I have it out and about......moreso than the modern belly button Camaros, Mustangs, and Corvettes.

I've got to think that the Cadillac in your signature gets attention....I would strike up a conversation if you pulled up next to me at the gas station.

Mikej89 said:

What made me really think about it was when I spent endless hours cruising around the cities in my late wealthy grandpa's nice vehicles like his Escalade and Yukon Denali.... Nobody cared, most the time nobody will even see what you're pulling up in in today's world.

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I guess I would fall into that camp......I'm more impressed with someone that has spent 100s of hours on a $10k project, then someone who wrote out a $75k check to a dealership.

Mikej89 said:

Even from someone like me who loves cars; I'm starting to think the cost-benefit is actually pretty low unfortunately and it often feels like a scam...

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I see the cost/benefit of my 86 442 working out in my favor. I bought the car in 2009 for a reasonable price. Swapped in a 4.8l LS and 4l60e on a budget......and now I just enjoy it. Liabilty insurance is a few hundred $ per year. Gas mileage is 20+mpg.......I drive it April -Nov....maybe 5000 miles per year. I can't think of anything else I spend my money on where I get so much enjoyment for such a minimal investment..

As it is in this household it is cheaper than the two modern rides. Then have two older cars that share 75%-90% of their parts makes it even cheaper with what spares that have been collected over the years. This was one of the reasons for Jr. getting his '79 dispite how certain parts specific to it do cost more than for my '81. Go back 30 years these were dirt cheap with about everything that could of been cored for rebuild/reman at a state side shop instead of new from an overseas source.