who feels torn between their car and other goals?

[qbodsyt]

Well, I do.........

I bought a 92 Accord Wagon thats in very good condition, it's stock, barring some 17" BSA rims which are growing on me.

Thing is, I don't want to halfass anything on this car. Its in really great shape, and I love the car so far. Naturally I've started thinking about suspension mods, engine work or swaps, and all that good stuff.

But it seems that to do the suspension right, I'll be looking at probably $1000. That's doing it RIGHT. No cheaping out on any components, or buying used/iffy parts. Whether I go with a proper struts/springs combo (I'm talking Koni Yellows with Neuspeed Sports) or Form and Function Autolife Coilovers, once I've acquired the main components, purchased a camber kit, polyurethane bushings, Progress sway bar, Neuspeed brace, etc.... I'm going to be out at least $1000.

I would love to do my suspension, but $1000 is still not something I can just throw away. I have to think about saving money, and I also would like to do some travelling as well as my desire for other earthly possessions separate from my car.

I have a good job, I can clear $3000 a month during the busy season......but I'm not sure I want to stay with the company forever. If I do leave, I'll want to have some savings put away to help me start up whatever it is I'll do next.

Just curious, am I an infidel for not being sure about making my car the first priority? I could imagine putting $5000 into this vehicle on my short list of modifications, and I would certainly do that rather than spend 10k on a newer vehicle that basically is the same thing. But as long as everything is functioning well stock, should I just leave well enough alone?

[mozzandherb]

It's easy to say, but you really have to get the priorities straight. I'm not one to talk because I know exactly what you mean and I've taken it from all angles (friends, girlfriend, mom) as to how much I spend on the car. But if you want to travel, I would say go for it. Don't let your car come in the way of other goals, unless your other goals include your car!

[gloryaccordy]

I don't take modding my car very seriously. If I get a part I spend the money to do it right, but I'm in no rush and don't have any extravagant plans.

[MikeW]

Very well put guys.

qbodsyt, i often think that myself. If i werent always prepping for the next mod, or having to constantly be repairing my car, id have a ton of money. Repairs are necessary, but i often add up the list of things i wanna do, and at the rate of doing them right, id spend well over 10k.

Now that 10k would get me a new-ish engine, quite a decent little ride and a ton of new-ish parts, but its still a 16 year old car.

For the $2200 i paid for it, plus the potential $10k id like to spend, i could get a reasonable used car. Hell, my brother only paid $5k for his 2000 Taurus and its a great car. Has like 150k on it, but the EXT and INT is immaculate.

I dont have goals like wanting to see the world(well id like to, but its not a passion) and id like to have nice things in the future once i get older, but i often think why i put so much money into my car. And its not just the CB, its any car. Im afraid the next car i get will be based on "How well i can mod it?" or "How fast can i go?", as opposed to "How reliable is/will it be?". Which, sadly for me, is a huge downfall.

I dont know what it is, but theres just something about modding and going fast. Everytime my car breaks down and i have to ride around with my brother for awhile i always wander if i made a mistake not only buying that particular car, but i often doubt myself and my decisions. And i ask myself, "Why cant i just buy a nice car and like it cuz it safely and cheaply gets me from A-B?"

I know i kinda got Off-Topic, but in a way, my car is getting in the way of my goals. I cant have a nice job if my car is always breaking down and costing me a fortuen to fix.

I may have my foot in my mouth, but i agree with the above. Pay bills and keep the food on the table. Then have a DD that is reliable and cheap. Anything left over can be spent on a project car.

GL with your future endeavors though

[91 EX-R]

i used to feel the exact same way, but with college coming up soon, i can't afford to be dumping hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars into my car, especially when i don't need it.

you have to plan ahead for the future. i'm not saying you shouldn't be doing stuff to your car, but keep it in moderation. if you don't necessarily need the $1000 worth of suspension, hold off on it for a while. you know, set aside a few bucks every pay check until you have enough. or you could grab the parts individually, and build your suspension set up slowly.

from what i've seen of your car, it looks to be in REALLY good condition. if i were you, i would just try to maintain that by keeping up with all maintenance and crap, maybe getting little things here and there, and saving up for the big stuff on the side. that's just me though.

good luck with whatever you decide to do man.

[lokuputha]

just replace stuff that brakes, anything that works fine, they work fine

[qbodsyt]

just replace stuff that brakes, anything that works fine, they work fine

lol, coming from you that's hilarious! you're always doing wicked awesome stuff to your car

I appreciate all your comments guys.....I honestly would rather spend 5k on my current ride than spend 8 or 9k on a newer but still used vehicle. All I'd do is buy a 7th gen accord anyways

But I do want to travel and I have a couple of other important priorities that currently require sacrificing time I could spend earning excess income and eventually might mean leaving the workforce entirely.

I have no debt right now, I owed $1500 to a relative for my wagon, but I paid that off in two months. I'm free and clear and not looking to be in the red again for at least the next while. I could just start putting money away, but then I wouldn't want to use it because I should be saving money anyways.

I will keep my priorities straight and take care of the car. There's no point in my buying a car in such good condition and then letting it go to waste. I still have my old beatup sedan I could halfass stuff on if I wanted, but I'll probably sell that one for suspension money.

I refuse to halfass things on my car. I want it to be perfect. I'm already annoyed by the slightest shake in my wheel or anything but the smoothest idle. I will finetune for the next couple of months, and then I will tint and alarm the car.

All in all, I'm not really a modder, I won't go into vast amounts of debt to build an insane project, because I'm not in my car enough to make it worthwhile. Most of my friends and family think I'm unbalanced about my car, but I always think I'm quite cautious and moderate compared to some of the enthusiasts I see on here. However, I do get envious when I see the beautiful things people do with their cars.

I guess I'm just indecisive.

[deevergote]

My cars ARE my goals. All of my life goals are set by what I can get, and what I can do with my cars. When I can have a garage with all the cars I want in it, I will have succeeded with my goals (as far as financial success, anyway...)

[qbodsyt]

My cars ARE my goals. All of my life goals are set by what I can get, and what I can do with my cars. When I can have a garage with all the cars I want in it, I will have succeeded with my goals (as far as financial success, anyway...)

lol, well I guess that simplifies things.........or makes them more complicated, depending on the cars you get

I love my car, I've owned three CBs in my relatively short driving career. I'm probably more dedicated to this particular vehicle platform than most of the other people on here.

But I love these cars even mostly stock. I found a really cheap CB for a younger friend of mine for $900, and today I took it out for a spin (it's like 97% stock) and even beat up and old, I love these cars.

I love travelling too, and I'd like to do some other things in my life.......I can keep the CB but not mod it too much, and do those other things.

I guess since I can partially have my cake and eat it too, I'm torn between spending money on a car I'll love anyways, or doing other stuff with my life while I'm single and free and have options.

[kc8enb07]

i think about this question alot lately and the cb7 is takin a backseat. try to start a lil business sellin aftermarket car parts, tryin to get back to school, and i have another car i need to get running. cb is just going to get light mods as i have spare cash not the 5lug conversion and Teins i wanted. drive it til the f22a gives up the ghost and then swap in an AUTO jdm h22a swap.
after all it ages just like us, only way faster. 5yrs down the road, after 5k in it moding like u say, will it be rusted out, having needing attention where it wasn't modded

[HondaFan81]

If you are questioning yourself, then do not do it. I can tell you from personal experience modifying two cars that it will not drive like stock. There will always be some quirks or conditions that just don't drive as smooth as stock. Simplicity is best and Honda did a good job with OEM parts.

To modify your car, you WILL spend extra money taking care of these "quirks" or others will arise because of your modifications. I say since you are happy with a stock well running CB, keep it that way and go on with your life. Get where you want to be and later when you have money growing in trees, you can pick a car project to do if you choose.

You are obviously having doubts, as you made this thread and you are happy with a stock CB, so keep it that way. You WILL spend money on ANY car even in stock form to keep it maintained, so if you modify, it will only be MORE money you spend on the car, that is a fact.

[Maple50175]

My priority's are NEVER straight I admit it. With all the money I spent on my car shit, I could a been boostd by now, but instead i buy little shit which is 100 or less and it all ads up, and i still owe 6000 on my car

fuck.

[deevergote]

I have 3 cars. Within a week, I will have 3 cars registered and insured.

All 3 have some modifications. The CB7, well... most of you probably have a rough idea of what I have done.

The CA5... needs an engine. Getting it VERY soon.

The GTP... my first mods were to correct the things that GM did that I didn't like... Headlights replaced with HIDs because the stock output blew goats. Brakes upgraded to 04 spec because the stock diameter was WAY too small for that massive car... upgraded the rotors while I was at it. Now I added an intake. More will follow...

[NAiL05]

I dont. If I need to sacrifice something to get something I want I will weigh both and whichever one is least important I will get rid of. Not a hard decision. A car is a car you can always buy another. To reach something you want and that will bring you happiness, you cant put a price on that. Its as easy as that.

[evil_demon_01]

I've considered selling my CB several times now, mostly due to me wanting to spend more money on it all the time
I looked at buying a new model Civic or Accord Euro but I figured that after I spend at least 25k for one of those, I could keep my car and do another $15k worth of work to it to break even (Not that I plan on putting 15k into the CB)
Plus my car won't devalue anywhere near as fast as a new car would.

The project held me back all of last year even on the small things - No going out in the weekends, no unnecessary expenses - basically no money for anything BUT the car.
Do I regret it? Yes (losing time with people I should have been associating with) and No (I remember that everytime I jump on the gas )

And It was ONLY 1 Year, so why not have some fun. People go and do OE's all the time, the way I see it, I did an OE on my car - I learnt a shitload of stuff, had fun doing it (most of the time lol) and I met new people by doing it.

All in all, It's up to you. I don't see it as a bad thing and I plan on keeping my car for a while yet, so why not enjoy the money you put into it