Why the obsession with cars?

[Riprorin]

I view a car as a hunk of metal and plastic that gets me from point A to Point B.

They are a terrible investment: they don't last very long, they depreciate quickly, and if you buy a new one, it will lose 20% of it's value when you drive it off the lot.

They get dinged, marred, scratched readily, and if you go for power, you can't use it because of the low speed limits.

So, what's he obsession?

 

[minendo]

Why the obsession with low carb diets? Why the obsession with dieting?

 

[MomAndSkoorbaby]

Gotta be obsessed with something in this world...

Cars are the biggest money pit EVAR!

 

[Riprorin]

Ah, the old answer a question with a question routine.

 

[Ameesh]

*looks around for Mill*

 

[minendo]

Originally posted by: Riprorin
Ah, the old answer a question with a question routine.

It proves my point. Not everyone has the same likes and dislikes as you. Accept it and don't question it.

 

[Ameesh]

Originally posted by: MrsSkoorb
Gotta be obsessed with something in this world...

Cars are the biggest money pit EVAR!

that title is reserved for girls, lol

 

[Riprorin]

Originally posted by: Ameesh
*looks around for Mill*

I'm sure his response will have something to do with Catholics.

 

[Viper GTS]

Different strokes, different folks.

I don't understand the obsession over Harleys. I can appreciate sport bikes, but the love of hogs is beyond me.

Viper GTS

 

[boyRacer]

There are worse obsessions out there if youre talking about money pits.

 

[dxkj]

Originally posted by: Riprorin
I view a car as a hunk of metal and plastic that gets me from point A to Point B.

They are a terrible investment: they don't last very long, they depreciate quickly, and if you buy a new one, it will lose 20% of it's value when you drive it off the lot.

They get dinged, marred, scratched readily, and if you go for power, you can't use it because of the low speed limits.

So, what's he obsession?

Actually if you negotiate the price down, the hit for driving it off the lot is much lower.

Example: 19k car * 20% = 3,800 depreciation = 15,200 value
If you buy it cheaper: 17k -15,200= $1800 depreciation (closer to 9%) The next few years it drops considerably less to 5-8% a year.


The reason to buy a new car is the warranty (if it breaks, you dont have to pay to fix it). Newer cars are also usually safer. Better gas mileage (for the most part), If they get dinged, marred, scratched that is why you pay comp, use it!



The reason we got a new car vs a 2-4yr old car is:
1) Warranty
2) Price (good deal on what we got, wouldnt save much getting a car with 20-40k miles on it)
3) Peace of mind (all of the above, plus safety)

The reason we didnt get a 5-10 yr old car is:
1) Repairs
2) Repairs
3) Repairs.

If you are tired of dealing with things constantly going wrong, and you having to pay for them, then a new car is a good option imo.

 

[Zenmervolt]

What do you mean they "don't last very long"? I have 3 cars and a motorcycle. The newest is 9 years old. Oldest is just over 28. Every last one of them is perfectly driveable and in good condition. The 28 year old marks its territory a little bit, but almost every VW flat 4 I've seen drips a bit of oil. If you're having trouble getting cars to last 10 or more years, you're abusing them. Period. Also, I've managed to keep all of mine scratch free.

As for power, the newest is a '95 Mark VIII, 290 hp and 285 ft-lbs of torque. It's not the high top speed that makes the power useful, it's the ability to go from 25 mph to 70 in only a couple seconds that's useful when merging onto a freeway. Pavoratti doesn't need to hit a high C every time he opens his mouth, but if he can sing an opera competantly, then he's going to be able to sing "I Got You Babe" in the shower with no effort at all. That's exactly what power is good for. The Mark simply is not working at all at highway speeds and it is the relaxed power delivery that is attractive. It's nice to have a car that's not making its engine spin frantically just to keep up with traffic flow.

ZV

 

[jmelnek]

What is the obsession with computers? Why do people ask stupid questions?


Answer... That is what makes humans unique.

 

[StageLeft]

I'm sure you have something you're interested in too, whether it be audio equipment, home furnishings, or other People just find something to plow interest into and they do it!

 

[Riprorin]

Originally posted by: Zenmervolt
What do you mean they "don't last very long"? I have 3 cars and a motorcycle. The newest is 9 years old. Oldest is just over 28. Every last one of them is perfectly driveable and in good condition. The 28 year old marks its territory a little bit, but almost every VW flat 4 I've seen drips a bit of oil. If you're having trouble getting cars to last 10 or more years, you're abusing them. Period. Also, I've managed to keep all of mine scratch free.

As for power, the newest is a '95 Mark VIII, 290 hp and 285 ft-lbs of torque. It's not the high top speed that makes the power useful, it's the ability to go from 25 mph to 70 in only a couple seconds that's useful when merging onto a freeway. Pavoratti doesn't need to hit a high C every time he opens his mouth, but if he can sing an opera competantly, then he's going to be able to sing "I Got You Babe" in the shower with no effort at all. That's exactly what power is good for. The Mark simply is not working at all at highway speeds and it is the relaxed power delivery that is attractive. It's nice to have a car that's not making its engine spin frantically just to keep up with traffic flow.

ZV

Live someplace where they use road salt and see how long the body lasts.

 

[geno]

because they're fun

 

[StageLeft]

Originally posted by: Riprorin

Originally posted by: Zenmervolt
What do you mean they "don't last very long"? I have 3 cars and a motorcycle. The newest is 9 years old. Oldest is just over 28. Every last one of them is perfectly driveable and in good condition. The 28 year old marks its territory a little bit, but almost every VW flat 4 I've seen drips a bit of oil. If you're having trouble getting cars to last 10 or more years, you're abusing them. Period. Also, I've managed to keep all of mine scratch free.

As for power, the newest is a '95 Mark VIII, 290 hp and 285 ft-lbs of torque. It's not the high top speed that makes the power useful, it's the ability to go from 25 mph to 70 in only a couple seconds that's useful when merging onto a freeway. Pavoratti doesn't need to hit a high C every time he opens his mouth, but if he can sing an opera competantly, then he's going to be able to sing "I Got You Babe" in the shower with no effort at all. That's exactly what power is good for. The Mark simply is not working at all at highway speeds and it is the relaxed power delivery that is attractive. It's nice to have a car that's not making its engine spin frantically just to keep up with traffic flow.

ZV

Live someplace where they use road salt and see how long the body lasts.

Yep, salt will destroy a car in a HURRY. Cars in the south effectively have no limit on their life if you want to just pay for repairs as they come along, but you can't easily exchange an entire chassis if your car is a salt bucket in the north.

 

[Viper GTS]

Originally posted by: Riprorin

Originally posted by: Zenmervolt
What do you mean they "don't last very long"? I have 3 cars and a motorcycle. The newest is 9 years old. Oldest is just over 28. Every last one of them is perfectly driveable and in good condition. The 28 year old marks its territory a little bit, but almost every VW flat 4 I've seen drips a bit of oil. If you're having trouble getting cars to last 10 or more years, you're abusing them. Period. Also, I've managed to keep all of mine scratch free.

As for power, the newest is a '95 Mark VIII, 290 hp and 285 ft-lbs of torque. It's not the high top speed that makes the power useful, it's the ability to go from 25 mph to 70 in only a couple seconds that's useful when merging onto a freeway. Pavoratti doesn't need to hit a high C every time he opens his mouth, but if he can sing an opera competantly, then he's going to be able to sing "I Got You Babe" in the shower with no effort at all. That's exactly what power is good for. The Mark simply is not working at all at highway speeds and it is the relaxed power delivery that is attractive. It's nice to have a car that's not making its engine spin frantically just to keep up with traffic flow.

ZV

Live someplace where they use road salt and see how long the body lasts.

Get them to change it then.

Viper GTS

 

[Riprorin]

Originally posted by: Skoorb
I'm sure you have something you're interested in too, whether it be audio equipment, home furnishings, or other People just find something to plow interest into and they do it!

If it's not cheap new or I can't get it cheap used, I'm not interested.

 

[notfred]

Originally posted by: Riprorin

Originally posted by: Zenmervolt
What do you mean they "don't last very long"? I have 3 cars and a motorcycle. The newest is 9 years old. Oldest is just over 28. Every last one of them is perfectly driveable and in good condition. The 28 year old marks its territory a little bit, but almost every VW flat 4 I've seen drips a bit of oil. If you're having trouble getting cars to last 10 or more years, you're abusing them. Period. Also, I've managed to keep all of mine scratch free.

As for power, the newest is a '95 Mark VIII, 290 hp and 285 ft-lbs of torque. It's not the high top speed that makes the power useful, it's the ability to go from 25 mph to 70 in only a couple seconds that's useful when merging onto a freeway. Pavoratti doesn't need to hit a high C every time he opens his mouth, but if he can sing an opera competantly, then he's going to be able to sing "I Got You Babe" in the shower with no effort at all. That's exactly what power is good for. The Mark simply is not working at all at highway speeds and it is the relaxed power delivery that is attractive. It's nice to have a car that's not making its engine spin frantically just to keep up with traffic flow.

ZV

Live someplace where they use road salt and see how long the body lasts.

Why would he want to do that?

"Hey, I like my cars, I keep old cars cause I think they're fun, maybe I'll move to Rhode Island so my cars rust away!"

Why do people post stupid ideas like that?

 

[pyonir]

Why the obsession with starting the same basic conversation for the third time?

Text
Text

 

[JDub02]

It's an appreciation of the merging of art and engineering.

Go for a ride in a 60's muscle car and you'll see what it's all about. I have a 70 Vette. It's loud, uncomfortable, and rides like a tank ... but it's a blast to drive.

 

[sillymofo]

What do you mean what's the obsession, allow me:

1. A car is more or less an extension of yourself
2. You're more intimate with your car than anything you'll ever own
3. You are more likely to die together with a car than anything you'll ever own
4. You can have a lot of fun with your car, or in your car
5. Your car, even though could be very high maintenance, but will sastify your demands for what it's set out to do, no questions ask, EVER
6. Your car will never care if you've test drove other cars
7. Your car will never talk back to you
8. Though it will age, your car does not gain weight (the beautiful thing about a car aging is, it might increase in value)
9. You can almost trace back any step of your life, and your car is more likely to be there for you, or with you
15. Other people might look at and admire your car, but your car will never look at other people
19. You gain money when your car leaves you
20. You can fix the leaks on your car.

Feel free to add more.

 

[Spamela]

successful brainwashing, i mean marketing.

 

[PingSpike]

Originally posted by: Riprorin
I view a car as a hunk of metal and plastic that gets me from point A to Point B.

They are a terrible investment: they don't last very long, they depreciate quickly, and if you buy a new one, it will lose 20% of it's value when you drive it off the lot.

They get dinged, marred, scratched readily, and if you go for power, you can't use it because of the low speed limits.

So, what's he obsession?

I pretty much agree with you. They are a waste...the only reason I own one is because I need it to get to work and stuff.