Sunny and 50 this w/e...what's JST gonna test drive?

[clyde]

Weather in DC is supposed to be nice this weekend in/around DC. Anyone want to take bets on what JST is going to test drive? Bets on how many cars he'll test drive?

[zach]

Are there cars he hasn't driven yet?

[clyde]

I don't believe that JST is a "drive it once and be done with it" kind of guy. If he was, he probably wouldn't have been driving an E46 M3 for the past (nearly) two years.

[FC]

I need to drive a bunch of used wagons with the wife this weekend. Just so we know what the hell we're talking about when thinking of potential cars.

-An E39 wagon
-A W124 E320 wagon
-A W210 E320 wagon
-A Saab 9-5 wagon
-A previous gen Outback

[JST]

I don't believe that JST is a "drive it once and be done with it" kind of guy. If he was, he probably wouldn't have been driving an E46 M3 for the past (nearly) two years.

JST is someone who is easily obsessed and just as easily bored.

It keeps life interesting.

I do have a tentative schedule for Saturday; I need to drive something, given that I was roundly denied last weekend. :evil:

[clyde]

Have you searched for inventory at any dealers further outside of the metro area...somewhere with some semi rural roads you might be able to drive?

[jpgurl]

JST is someone who is easily obsessed and just as easily bored.


I have that same problem. Last weekend I felt compelled to drive a TT 'vert. and it was 40 degrees outside. :?

[JST]

JST is someone who is easily obsessed and just as easily bored.


I have that same problem. Last weekend I felt compelled to drive a TT 'vert. and it was 40 degrees outside. :?

It is a recipe for disappointment; there are many days that I wish I could go through my obsession/boredom cycle with something cheaper, like coffee mugs.

[clyde]

There are always hallucinogenics.

[BahnBaum]

The members of this board seem to do a whole lotta lookin' and a whole little buyin'.

:smile:

Alex

[JST]

The members of this board seem to do a whole lotta lookin' and a whole little buyin'.

:smile:

Alex

Since 2000, I've had 7 different cars. That's 1.4 new cars every year, which isn't too bad.

I just like to talk about it A LOT.

EDIT:

In the 16 years I've been driving, I've had 16 cars, which is one every year. If I could figure out some way to buy more cars more often, I fear that I would do so.

[FC]

Since 2000, I've had 7 different cars. That's 1.4 new cars every year, which isn't too bad.

I just like to talk about it A LOT.

:shock: (I've bought two and sold none. :paranoid: )

[Plaz]

:shock: (I've bought two and sold none. :paranoid: )

[wdc330i]

I need to drive a bunch of used wagons with the wife this weekend. Just so we know what the hell we're talking about when thinking of potential cars.

-An E39 wagon
-A W124 E320 wagon
-A W210 E320 wagon
-A Saab 9-5 wagon
-A previous gen Outback

MBR,

I did a search for a 540 wagon in the DC area (maybe a 250 mile radius from 2005) on cars.com. Came up with a '99 wagon with about 40,000 miles, selling for $27,000. F your I.

[clyde]

In the 16 years I've been driving, I've had 16 cars, which is one every year.

In the 18 years that I've been driving, I've owned 16 cars (not to mention parents' cars that I "appropriated" for extended periods). Average length of ownership = 2.4375 years.

Between my wife and I, we have bought three cars and sold one since 2000 (well, technically late December 1999)

[Plaz]

F your I.

:scratch: :lol:

[wdc330i]

F your I.

:scratch: :lol:

Sounds harsher than it is, eh?

Hey, MBR,

I have another wagon for you. A 330iTa. Yes, you read it right:

http://www.roadfly.org/bmw/classifieds/cars/detview.php?view=29721

BTW, my partner and I have had six cars in five years....But that's slowing down. I've now had my 330i for 3 years! An old timer.

[clyde]

I have another wagon for you. A 330iTa. Yes, you read it right:

:(

[wdc330i]

I have another wagon for you. A 330iTa. Yes, you read it right:

:(

I know. :cry:

[lip277]

The members of this board seem to do a whole lotta lookin' and a whole little buyin'.

:smile:

Alex

I already have 5 cars. Should I get another one?

:lol:

[wdc330i]

I have another wagon for you. A 330iTa. Yes, you read it right:

:(

I know. :cry:

[Roadstergal]

I have that same problem. Last weekend I felt compelled to drive a TT 'vert. and it was 40 degrees outside. :?

If you're careful dropping the top, you can drive a 'vert when it's much colder. :smile:


In the 16 years I've been driving, I've had 16 cars, which is one every year. If I could figure out some way to buy more cars more often, I fear that I would do so.

I started driving in January 2002. Since then, I've had
-Miata #1
-E30
-Miata #2
-F650 Classic
-GS500E
-Suzuki Savage
-SV650S
-F650GS

I can claim uninformed buy on the Classic, too-good-of-a-deal-to-pass-up on the Miata trade, and totallage on the Savage...

[Roadstergal]

Oh, and JST should test-drive a Kia. Just to put things in perspective.

[TD]

He can take out the Focus rental I have right now.

[FC]

F your I.

:scratch: :lol:

Sounds harsher than it is, eh?

Hey, MBR,

I have another wagon for you. A 330iTa. Yes, you read it right:

http://www.roadfly.org/bmw/classifieds/cars/detview.php?view=29721

BTW, my partner and I have had six cars in five years....But that's slowing down. I've now had my 330i for 3 years! An old timer.

Wow. That sounds awesome. Sadly right now we're broke. Or should I say, we're acting like we're broke so that we get out of debt quicker.

I'm selling my 190E and driving only my 330i probably until the fall of this year. Hopefully then we'll find a good deal in on of the above wagons.

[JST]

I started driving in January 2002.

:shock:

[Rob]

Since 2000, four cars. Plus one for the wife. I am glad to see my almost 1 car a year habbit isn't the worst in sight. I mean, I kept the 330 for 2.5 years! That has to be worth something.

[zach]

:shock: (I've bought two and sold none. :paranoid: )

I've bought one and sold none. All of my previous vehicles were borrowed from my parents. During the 1999 dot-com boom, I did give my parents one of my mutual funds as payment for a Taurus I used in college. I returned that car to them when I bought the M3 in 2003 and they returned the recession-ravaged mutual fund.

[blee]

Man, I thought I was bad. In 11 years of driving I've only gone through 6 cars. I suppose, if you count the wife, it would be 8.

As for test drives...my Focus currently has a grey "snow mustache" on its front bumper from our lovely surprise snowstorm. I imagine that the inevitable melt will make driving on Saturday a dirty experience.

[Roadstergal]

I started driving in January 2002.

:shock:

I'm a late bloomer.

According to the NIH study, my brain wasn't mature until then, anyway. Whether it's mature now is up for debate.

[JST]

Whether it's mature now is up for debate.

It is?

[Roadstergal]

<img src=http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/images/smilies/neener.gif> :luftballon:

[lemming]

given that the next car purchase for JeSTer is supposed to be stopgap, what is the longer term car?

just curious.

let's be honest, a mustang GT won't stay long. even an SVT cobra may induce boredom within 2 years.

what's the keeper?

[FC]

given that the next car purchase for JST is supposed to be stopgap, what is the longer term car?

just curious.

let's be honest, a mustang GT won't stay long. even an SVT cobra may induce boredom within 2 years.

what's the keeper?

JST + keeper car = oxymoron

[blee]

To a serial car owner, keeper cars are not something that one thinks about. As a serial car guy myself, however...I would've kept that E30 M3.

[Rob]

But you didn't. :dunno:

[blee]

But you didn't. :dunno:

I didn't because I couldn't.

[clyde]

But you didn't. :dunno:

I didn't because I couldn't.

You didn't because you wouldn't. :mad:

[blee]

But you didn't. :dunno:

I didn't because I couldn't.

You didn't because you wouldn't. :mad:

I wouldn't because I couldn't. samurai:

[lemming]

But you didn't. :dunno:

I didn't because I couldn't.

You didn't because you wouldn't. :mad:

I wouldn't because I couldn't. samurai:

i'm trying to understand your sentiment, but i really can't since i didn't put the labor into the car that you did --all i can say is that when you get that next right car, it will take most of the sting out of any regret you have by then.

great cars can do both make you pine but they can also make you forget.

:D

[JST]

But you didn't. :dunno:

I didn't because I couldn't.

You didn't because you wouldn't. :mad:

I wouldn't because I couldn't. samurai:

i'm trying to understand your sentiment, but i really can't since i didn't put the labor into the car that you did --all i can say is that when you get that next right car, it will take most of the sting out of any regret you have by then.

great cars can do both make you pine but they can also make you forget.

:D

It's really not that hard to understand--when you are going to school and don't have a ton of disposable income, having a 17 year old car as your primary mode of transit is not the best idea. If it breaks, it can be expensive. If it breaks, you can be SOL in terms of getting around. If you don't have a garage and it breaks, how are you going to fix it? If you are in school and don't have a lot of free time, when are you going to fix it?

Sure, blee could have kept the car and hoped it didn't break. But if it did, he's up the creek. And once it's broken, a car that is difficult to sell becomes impossible to sell for any reasonable money, and you are stuck with an albatross that you can't get rid of.

Cars like the E30 M3 are toys. They aren't, and can't be, primary transportation for people of limited means who rely on their cars to get them around.

If I were blee, I would have done exactly the same thing. There's plenty of time down the road for toys.

[blee]

Thanks, JST -- you beat me to the punch. That's pretty much what happened in my mind, although I fought myself (and initially my wife) for most of the way. Even after philosophically deciding to sell it, I dragged my feet for a couple of months. And while buying a new car wasn't necessarily the most frugal or prudent choice, I believe it's smarter than repeatedly breaking my heart with an '88 M3 parked in the snow, on the side of the road in front of school, getting door dings and bumper scrapes.

There will be time to have another. Heck, maybe a few of them. It'll just be a while.

[FC]

Drove a 525iT. 2002 with ~45K miles. Very solid car. Absolutely loaded (NAV, PP, SP, CWP, etc). Engine did seem weak and had lots of lag. But it had the sport package and handled surprisingly well. They wanted 35K but he was willing to give me "one heck of a deal on it." I asked about the 540iT they had for 33K and why it was so cheap. He said they had just reduced it from $40K.

I'm sure the 540iT would have been awesome, but frankly a V8 is overkill. The car has significantly less space than a 99-'02 E320W 4-matic. My wife also seems to like the Benz more, though we could not find a local one to drive this morning. We will soon.

[clyde]

And while buying a new car wasn't necessarily the most frugal or prudent choice,

I'm not comfortable talking about blee's motives actions and financial choices in a public forum in anything but the broadest possible terms, but since some of you are talking about some of it...

I do not believe at all that selling the M3 was something that blee had to do, but it certainly was something that he chose to do. And keeping it would not have had to have been such bleak sounding scenario that JST decribed.

[lemming]

And while buying a new car wasn't necessarily the most frugal or prudent choice,

I'm not comfortable talking about blee's motives actions and financial choices in a public forum in anything but the broadest possible terms, but since some of you are talking about some of it...

I do not believe at all that selling the M3 was something that blee had to do, but it certainly was something that he chose to do. And keeping it would not have had to have been such bleak sounding scenario that JST decribed.

i respect the decision and can empathize with the feeling of loss.

i was just trying to look at the bright side.

[Plaz]

It really is ridiculously nice out today.

[rumatt]

It really is ridiculously nice out today.

Yep. Time to go wash the car.

[blee]

I do not believe at all that selling the M3 was something that blee had to do, but it certainly was something that he chose to do. And keeping it would not have had to have been such bleak sounding scenario that JST decribed.

I could've lived with it as a daily driver, sure. But, to name just one thing, the new new owner of my car noticed a thumping sound under acceleration that turned out to be worn bushings in the rear. Car up on stands for a few days to replace all the rubber, some done in a shop.

Next: Recent snow + having no other car to drive = terrible idea. Could never have subjected my M3 to that kind of (ab)use. Not to mention that without snow tires, I'd be essentially stuck at home without subjecting myself to an extra hour of commute time.

Next: Parking around Georgetown involves parallel parking. My Focus already got a repaint on its rear bumper from a nice but poorly visioned Civic parked behind me one day. My M3's paint job was all original.

Next: Got rear ended in the Focus about a month after I got it. Didn't even get a shop to look at it, since the damage was all but invisible. Same impact on M3 = bumper hanging off of car (I've seen it before), requiring at least a repaint and most likely a new bumper + random underlying structures. What if that had been a rear quarter panel? Know where I can find a new rear quarter for an '88 M3? Given the choice between urban combat in a high-quality '88 M3 and doing same in a Focus, I'll take the Focus.

Again...if I hadn't voluntarily cut my salary to zero, I would not have given up the M3. I would drive it as often as possible and fix things as they break, because the joy of having a car comes from driving it. Without the money or time to do that, the joy turns to frustration and sadness. And I don't want to think of car ownership as a sad or frustrating thing.

[lemming]

I do not believe at all that selling the M3 was something that blee had to do, but it certainly was something that he chose to do. And keeping it would not have had to have been such bleak sounding scenario that JST decribed.

I could've lived with it as a daily driver, sure. But, to name just one thing, the new new owner of my car noticed a thumping sound under acceleration that turned out to be worn bushings in the rear. Car up on stands for a few days to replace all the rubber, some done in a shop.

Next: Recent snow + having no other car to drive = terrible idea. Could never have subjected my M3 to that kind of (ab)use. Not to mention that without snow tires, I'd be essentially stuck at home without subjecting myself to an extra hour of commute time.

Next: Parking around Georgetown involves parallel parking. My Focus already got a repaint on its rear bumper from a nice but poorly visioned Civic parked behind me one day. My M3's paint job was all original.

Next: Got rear ended in the Focus about a month after I got it. Didn't even get a shop to look at it, since the damage was all but invisible. Same impact on M3 = bumper hanging off of car (I've seen it before), requiring at least a repaint and most likely a new bumper + random underlying structures. What if that had been a rear quarter panel? Know where I can find a new rear quarter for an '88 M3? Given the choice between urban combat in a high-quality '88 M3 and doing same in a Focus, I'll take the Focus.

Again...if I hadn't voluntarily cut my salary to zero, I would not have given up the M3. I would drive it as often as possible and fix things as they break, because the joy of having a car comes from driving it. Without the money or time to do that, the joy turns to frustration and sadness. And I don't want to think of car ownership as a sad or frustrating thing.

well written, blee.

i agree completely. about 80% of what you wrote is why i gave up the 993.

[clyde]

And keeping it would not have had to have been such bleak sounding scenario that JST described.

I could've lived with it as a daily driver, sure.

Where did I say that keeping it would have meant it would have to be a daily driver? :dunno:

[rumatt]

Where did I say that keeping it would have meant it would have to be a daily driver? :dunno:

Come one dude. Having multiple cars is rough when you're on limited income.

I finally have a "real job" and still don't have the balls to buy an E30 toy car. I could buy it tomorrow, but I have too much guilt that I still didn't save up quite enough for our "emergency fund", or our retirement fund, or our "we need new a new kitchen" fund, or the "I'm going to have kids eventually and college will cost 400 bazillion dollars fund."

I can't imagine having two cars while in school and pretending that I was being even close to responsible.

[blee]

And keeping it would not have had to have been such bleak sounding scenario that JST described.

I could've lived with it as a daily driver, sure.

Where did I say that keeping it would have meant it would have to be a daily driver? :dunno:

So, I could keep the E30 M3 and use something else for daily travel like an old Civic or Jeep. Or, I could just get Kim to drop me off at the park &amp; ride in the mornings. Neither solution would have worked. The SO nixed the multiple car idea really, really quickly and really, really firmly. :lol: The drop-off idea was never even brought up, for fear of bodily harm. In our current position, it woud've been objectively stupid to own a car that was not really usable every day, or to make insurance payments on three cars, one of which was not used every day.

Trust me...I put far too much energy, time, and money into my M3 to give it up. But I did it.

[lemming]

And keeping it would not have had to have been such bleak sounding scenario that JST described.

I could've lived with it as a daily driver, sure.

Where did I say that keeping it would have meant it would have to be a daily driver? :dunno:

So, I could keep the E30 M3 and use something else for daily travel like an old Civic or Jeep. Or, I could just get Kim to drop me off at the park &amp; ride in the mornings. Neither solution would have worked. The SO nixed the multiple car idea really, really quickly and really, really firmly. :lol: The drop-off idea was never even brought up, for fear of bodily harm. In our current position, it woud've been objectively stupid to own a car that was not really usable every day, or to make insurance payments on three cars, one of which was not used every day.

Trust me...I put far too much energy, time, and money into my M3 to give it up. But I did it.

and you're a better asian brutha from 'nutha mutha for having done it.

:smile:

these other peeps, some of them........school and/or degree > cars (greater than).

[blee]

these other peeps, some of them........school and/or degree > cars (greater than).

:) There are days when that equation feels totally wrong. But then there are days when I can't understand how I lived with such hatred for organic chemistry, as I now find it breathtaking (sort of). In fact, lately my main concern for the future is that I'll forget all of the stuff I'm learning now, even as I learn other things more relevant for my field. Weird.

[clyde]

So, I could keep the E30 M3 and use something else for daily travel like an old Civic or Jeep.

Any beater. And by "beater" I mean a real beater...not the multithousand dollar car that most people (all but me and mbr? :speechle: )around here mean when they say "beater." Not something that you would be tempted to put any money into other than to keep it running. And if a repair/part costs more than a couple hundred, you toss the car and start over with another one.

You also could have sold your wife's Civic and replaced it with something cheaper.

The drop off thing was also an option which you say that you didn't explore.

You didn't have to buy another place that's further away from where you were about to start back at school. And you didn't need to buy a place without secured parking. In fact, you didn't need to buy a place at all when you were eliminating your income and taking on the expense of school. The proceeds from your last place should have covered you well while you were in school. You also didn't need to buy/lease a brand new car when embarking on this new endeavor.

Some of those possibilities may be better than others, some of them worse, but all just as doable and reasonable as selling the M3.

What I have been objecting to in this thread is the characterization that selling the M3 was something that had to be done. That keeping it was wholly untennable, would have been totally irresponisble and/or impossible in any rational scenario. That is was something that he didn't have a choice about.

He did have a choice and he chose to sell it. That's all.

[JST]

So, I could keep the E30 M3 and use something else for daily travel like an old Civic or Jeep.

Any beater. And by "beater" I mean a real beater...not the multithousand dollar car that most people (all but me and mbr? :speechle: )around here mean when they say "beater." Not something that you would be tempted to put any money into other than to keep it running. And if a repair/part costs more than a couple hundred, you toss the car and start over with another one.



That scenario doesn't really sound that great. So, you drive every day on the highway in a clapped out POS that likely provides no fahrvergnugen whatsoever, just so you can keep a toy under a cover to take out on the few weekends where you have time to do something other than study?

[lemming]

So, I could keep the E30 M3 and use something else for daily travel like an old Civic or Jeep.

Any beater. And by "beater" I mean a real beater...not the multithousand dollar car that most people (all but me and mbr? :speechle: )around here mean when they say "beater." Not something that you would be tempted to put any money into other than to keep it running. And if a repair/part costs more than a couple hundred, you toss the car and start over with another one.



That scenario doesn't really sound that great. So, you drive every day on the highway in a clapped out POS that likely provides no fahrvergnugen whatsoever, just so you can keep a toy under a cover to take out on the few weekends where you have time to do something other than study?

JeSTer: you gonna drive anything this weekend or what?

i drove the new Jeep Grand Cherokee yesterday (4.7 v8) and am driving two SRX's today. then i'm headed back out to drive an outback XT again.

i'd drive an x3 except it's a pointless and stupid vehicle that is neither fast nor all that useful (to me).

[JST]

So, I could keep the E30 M3 and use something else for daily travel like an old Civic or Jeep.

Any beater. And by "beater" I mean a real beater...not the multithousand dollar car that most people (all but me and mbr? :speechle: )around here mean when they say "beater." Not something that you would be tempted to put any money into other than to keep it running. And if a repair/part costs more than a couple hundred, you toss the car and start over with another one.



That scenario doesn't really sound that great. So, you drive every day on the highway in a clapped out POS that likely provides no fahrvergnugen whatsoever, just so you can keep a toy under a cover to take out on the few weekends where you have time to do something other than study?

JST: you gonna drive anything this weekend or what?

i drove the new Jeep Grand Cherokee yesterday (4.7 v8) and am driving two SRX's today. then i'm headed back out to drive an outback XT again.

i'd drive an x3 except it's a pointless and stupid vehicle that is neither fast nor all that useful (to me).

Tried again at an R32 yesterday, but they all seem to be gone, so that plan is off the table.

I think I have made a decision, but need to mull it over for a few days.

Mostly, this weekend I am a) looking at new counter tops and b) working.

[rumatt]

He did have a choice and he chose to sell it. That's all.

You are correct. Until the police are at your door reposessing the vehicle, you always have a choice not to sell it.

People use the expression "had to sell" to mean different things. Often, it means that keeping the car would have created a situation that they considered unacceptible.

[ff]

It really is ridiculously nice out today.

That's the only thing I miss about winters. The very small handful of days where temps rose above freezing. It's always a huge relief to throw a few of those in, amidst a 2-month stretch of nothing but sub-zero weather. It's like heaven.

[Plaz]

It really is ridiculously nice out today.

That's the only thing I miss about winters. The very small handful of days where temps rose above freezing. It's always a huge relief to throw a few of those in, amidst a 2-month stretch of nothing but sub-zero weather. It's like heaven.

:thumbup:

Another one today. :D

[blee]

Any beater. And by "beater" I mean a real beater...not the multithousand dollar car that most people (all but me and mbr? :speechle: )around here mean when they say "beater." Not something that you would be tempted to put any money into other than to keep it running. And if a repair/part costs more than a couple hundred, you toss the car and start over with another one.

You also could have sold your wife's Civic and replaced it with something cheaper.

The drop off thing was also an option which you say that you didn't explore.

You didn't have to buy another place that's further away from where you were about to start back at school. And you didn't need to buy a place without secured parking. In fact, you didn't need to buy a place at all when you were eliminating your income and taking on the expense of school. The proceeds from your last place should have covered you well while you were in school. You also didn't need to buy/lease a brand new car when embarking on this new endeavor.

Some of those possibilities may be better than others, some of them worse, but all just as doable and reasonable as selling the M3.

What I have been objecting to in this thread is the characterization that selling the M3 was something that had to be done. That keeping it was wholly untennable, would have been totally irresponisble and/or impossible in any rational scenario. That is was something that he didn't have a choice about.

He did have a choice and he chose to sell it. That's all.

LOL. None of these "options" comes close to being as reasonable as what I did. I had a choice in that this is a reasonably free country with a reasonable amount of personal liberty. Other than that, there was no choice.

On driving a beater: What would be the point? Yes, I would have cheap disposable transportation and an M3 in the parking lot. When was the last time in seven months that you have seen or heard of me doing something more than commute in my car? On selling the Civic in order to keep the M3: Dude, you're either smoking something or slipping it to your own wife on the sly. On getting dropped off, again in the name of keeping an M3: See above. On moving: We actually moved closer, and the wisdom of keeping a mortgage on an appreciating asset to prepare for the move to med school, as opposed to taking the cash and renting in order to keep the M3, seems like a no-brainer for me. On parking: Unsecured parking? For the sake of keeping an M3? See above.

So, yes. I could have chosen to keep my M3. I could have told myself that that was the right thing to do, told my wife that I was putting my foot down, told everyone I know that I'm going to keep the M3 no matter what. I don't think, however, that the cost of doing that would have justified the joy of ownership. For a guy who gave up a considerable amount and also asked his wife to sacrifice a number of things in order to go back to school, keeping a 17-year-old car strikes me as a particularly foolish and selfish idea. And despite what people may think, I'm not quite that selfish. Again...the whole new car purchase part may not have been the most brilliant financial move, but getting rid of the M3 was certainly correct.

Anyway, yes. The weather has been very nice this weekend. Yesterday was Kim's birthday, and I have two midterms 12 hours apart starting tomorrow evening, so I haven't had the time to go out and enjoy it. :( Even if I did, though, it seems that Mustang GTs are not in great supply around here. Seems like getting a test drive in one will not be easy until the lots start to fill up, so I guess I'll give it some more time, perhaps in two months' time. I must say that there aren't a whole lot of cars I want to check out right now that are below $30k.

[clyde]

LOL. None of these "options" comes close to being as reasonable as what I did. I had a choice in that this is a reasonably free country with a reasonable amount of personal liberty. Other than that, there was no choice.

I don't buy it.

It was a choice. What's so difficult about admiting that? :dunno:

[blee]

LOL. None of these "options" comes close to being as reasonable as what I did. I had a choice in that this is a reasonably free country with a reasonable amount of personal liberty. Other than that, there was no choice.

I don't buy it.

It was a choice. What's so difficult about admiting that? :dunno:

I've never denied that it was a choice. A bad choice with unreasonable consequences, but a choice. Either I'm not as car crazy as you are, or there's a serious disconnect here between our perceptions of rational action.

(Then again...the underlying decision that led to the aforementioned "choice" is also one that not all people would see as rational.)

[BahnBaum]

(Then again...the underlying decision that led to the aforementioned "choice" is also one that not all people would see as rational.)

I'm sure everyone here has their priorities straight, and has made sacrifices today for your family and career tomorrow.

In a case like yours, where your life suddenly makes a directional change, you've got to undo choices you previously made. It's really no different from my decision to drive boring family-mobiles for all the years my kids were growing up. They're all choices, and only you and your family can decide whether they're the best ones.

Alex

[clyde]

I won't argue it any further.

...until the next time the subject comes up. :D

[blee]

I won't argue it any further.

...until the next time the subject comes up. :D

To the extent that this has provided me some moments of distraction in this stressful day, I've actually enjoyed it. No harm, no foul.

...but let's give this horse a chance to breathe before we resume the beatings.