How does your significant other feel about it?

Hmm.... My wife has always been about conditions. I have always been about trying to find loopholes in those conditions.

Had my '05 Malibu and she had a hand me down '94 Chrysler LHS. I told her I'd give her the Malibu and take the LHS as a winter beater if she let me get a S2000. She said I could but only for a couple years, we were thinking of selling the townhouse and getting something bigger. We both loved the '02 S2000 and I was able to keep it even longer then expected but then the LHS died and I wasn't going to use the S2000 in the winter so a few months later it had to go.

Picked up an '08 Cobalt XFE and turned it into a hypermiler car. I've averaged 44 mpg over 95k miles in it. She has no problems with the car itself but doesn't drive it much cause she doesn't want to ruin my mpg, she also doesn't like to drive stick, knows how, just doesn't like to (hill starts). She doesn't like riding with me cause I drive it like a granny.

Moved into a house in NC with an oversized 2 car garage. Previous owner was building a 2 seater airplane in there. '05 Malibu hit 140k miles and the wife doesn't think it reliable enough to drive back and forth from NC to MD every 3 - 5 weeks. I get her a Nissan Rogue SUV. She loves it, I hate it, mostly due to the cvt. I turn the Malibu into a take the boat to the lake and run around VIR a couple times a year car. She would rather get a couple grand for it and still wants me to get rid of it.

Debates ensue and I get to keep it following 3 conditions. 1. The Malibu doesn't become a money pit. 2. She always gets a space in the garage. 3. We have no more then one car outside at any given time. (she is concerned about how our house looks to others)

Get into HPDE days a bit more and about a year later come across a great deal on a track preped Miata and I give her a call and tell her the her hustband is an idiot. Knowing that I look at cars online frequently she immediately guessed correctly that I found a track toy that I want. I forwarded her the info and she said it looks like a frigging great deal and to go for it. She loves the Miata though she will never ride in it due to it's tiny seats.

She did use this as a way to try to get rid of the Malibu but I cleaned out the garage and played Tetris and can fit the Miata, Malibu, Rogue, my 11ft boat on trailer and my riding mower in the garage with enough room to open all the doors. So, still only one car outside.

She does have a car list of her own and if I discover a money tree on my property and can build another garage she would like a Vtech Classic mini (D series) and a '67 Nova small block, both automatic. I can deal with that so long as I can drive them from time to time.

I'm pretty lucky, she not only learned to drive stick over the course of us dating, she also RallyXes and stage rallies with me. (I recognized this and got married about a month ago.)

Golf IV (my DD) - she likes it as long as it hasn't been sitting out in the sun and gotten a "hot plastic smell"

Honda CR-Z stick - her current car, she bought, she loves it. She picked over a MINI after a spirited mountain road test drive.

GC Impreza rally car - never drives it when not racing, but neither do I unless my Golf is down. She likes it a lot and has asked on several occasions what it would take to put in a bigger engine.

GC Impreza automatic - her former car that we sold when we bought the CR-Z. She started out lukewarm on what was a necessarily ugly cheap car to get her from point A to B, but by the time we sold it 5 years later she had become quite attached to it.

NA Miata - liked it a lot (seems to be a trend) doesn't wish we hadn't sold it like I do though.

Pretty much the only cars she objects to when I day dream about what to buy are angular 80s cars like the Delorean or Countach etc. not that even a Delorean is a realistic purchase anytime soon.

As long as the bills are paid and I'm not totally stressed out over or entirely consumed by the hobby, she doesn't care. She goes to events and club meetings and parking lots with me but is indifferent to it. She keeps me in line when it comes to too many projects and I honestly need it, I get project ADD bad. If I talk about parting/selling off the van she won't let me. After the latest round of stalled projects, (3 non running cars) I got it through my head that I need to buy running projects in the future.

Long ago, came to the agreement that I'd have as many cars as I wanted and just one woman-works for me.

The wife doesn't care much one way or another what I spend my money on. Cars come and go so quickly that she can't keep track(always about 15-20 on hand). She doesn't care for or "get" the musclecars, tolerates the Corvettes and really likes the exotics. Rides in all of them. Owns two Porsches and an Astra.

wife hated my mid 70's ford 4x4 van, she hated my mid 70's ford ltd station wagon, hated my 89 suburban 4x4, hated my 79 ford pickup truck, she hates our current ford explorer sport trac that she drives....she seems to tolerate my turbo brick wagon.

She confessed to me when she got home from work that "she's really glad I depowered her steering, it's so much easier to drive at limit". She is however, pissed at me that I have not replaced her recently sold honda motorcycle with the ducati that I promised her. She's unbelievably cool, that's why I married her.

She moved out after I told her I couldn't go to a wedding of her friend because I had a race that night.

She loves my Z but can't wait till it's drivable and on the road. She was actually more sad than I was when I sold my last Z. She is very firm though about only having 2 cars-one family one and one toy/DD for me. She is more frugal than me and thinks it's a waste to have more than 2 cars and pay insurance and registration on them. We have agreed though that once we have a house and a garage I can get another car for a DD and have the Z for the project.

Honestly I'm single and couldn't imaging being bossed about by SWMBO. You guys gotta start listening to Tom Leykis on blowmeuptom.com. If you want to be dominated by a female that is your deal, if you want to be a man listen to Tom. Tom is all about male empowerment.

I don't understand how couples try to control each other or manage to hate what the other does for hobbies.

I have stuff with engines, my wife has horses.

Her hobbies make her happy and that makes me happy.

My hobbies make me happy and that make her happy.

We have separate bank accounts and one account for house stuff. We each contribute to the house stuff and as long as the bills are paid, there's food in the fridge and the lights are on, who cares what the other spends their fun money on.

People who have partners that hate or don't understand their hobby are in for trouble down the road.

It's really, really sad when your partner can't simply be happy that you have something that makes you happy.

Hell, the most expensive hobby is still cheaper than marriage counselling.

Trans_Maro wrote: Mrs. 'Maro has no issues with my toys. I would never marry an idiot.

This

She says she doesn't tell me what to drive, I don't tell her what to drive. She can't stand the 944, but she's happy it makes me happy. Of course it cuts both ways - which explains why there's a 4WD Suburban sitting in my driveway that I can't stand.

Streetwiseguy wrote: She moved out after I told her I couldn't go to a wedding of her friend because I had a race that night.

did she ever come back ?

She does horses, I do cars. $$$ wise, mine is the low cost activity so that is a nonissue. I enjoy caring for and being around the 4 legged beasts but have no interest in riding them. Similarly, for at least 5 years she has said that she'll try driving the Cobra but has yet to do so however she does enjoy going for dinner or ice cream in it on nice evenings and has occupied the passenger seat on auto-x runs. Often we'll be talking cars &/or racing with someone and she'll surprise me with the knowledge she has absorbed

Jeff

DrBoost wrote: Reading Jav’s thread about selling the Jav got me thinking. How does your wife feel about your car(s)? Not the hobby/lifestyle/addiction/affliction in general, but about your car? For the most part, a few of my cars stand out as my wife having a very definitive opinion of it. GLH – she was terrified of it. Could have been the wrist-snapping torque steer? Didn't want to ride in it but would, never drove it, wouldn't. CJ7 (the last one I had) – she loved the looks of it, loved how it’d go anywhere, hated the spine-compressing ride. Miata – loved it. Loved every minute of it. Mini – loved it, loved the RHD, color, everything. Current project (LS1 944) – the jury is out. Depends if it ends up with a full interior or a cage. How about you folks?

My wife tolerates it. She does like a few cars, SL MB, MGs, Fiats Spiders Alfa Romeos, but for the most of whats on here she thinks is stupid, ugly and a waste of money.

But it is my hobby, so she supports me.

Trans_Maro wrote: I don't understand how couples try to control each other or manage to hate what the other does for hobbies. I have stuff with engines, my wife has horses. Her hobbies make her happy and that makes me happy. My hobbies make me happy and that make her happy. We have separate bank accounts and one account for house stuff. We each contribute to the house stuff and as long as the bills are paid, there's food in the fridge and the lights are on, who cares what the other spends their fun money on. People who have partners that hate or don't understand their hobby are in for trouble down the road. It's really, really sad when your partner can't simply be happy that you have something that makes you happy. Hell, the most expensive hobby is still cheaper than marriage counselling.

This needs to be repeated.

My wife wouldn't even consider trying to tell me what I could or couldn't buy as far as hobby stuff. Just like I wouldn't even consider telling her she couldn't go to the spa or a con. The E24 I just got, she didn't even know about until I drove it home. It wouldn't even cross my mind to ask permission. My cars, my decision. For that fact, her car, my decision. She gets veto rights on her DD, but I pick the car. The only time she says anything is when the car insurance has too many cars on it and is pinching the house budget. Anything that affects the house budget is discussed in detail. Anything that doesn't, may or may not be.

As far as participation in the hobby, she is the SCR-SCCA regional executive. She is always harassing me to go to autocrosses and events. I've gotten to the point that I'm kind of indifferent about them.

My wife's list of cars over our 30 years.... I'm pretty sure of the order as well.

1970 Duster 3 on the tree 225 - 1971 Nova 3 on the tree 250 - 1966 Volvo 122S auto - 1967 Volvo 122s 4 speed - 1970 Volvo 142 auto - 1982 Supra stick - 1988 Corolla All-Trac wgn stick - 1994 Altima stick - 2005 Accord coupe auto - 2002 IS300 Sport Cross auto - 1986 Corolla GT-S stick

Her favorite of the lot would be the 82 Supra.

Now as far as her acceptance of my addiction... she has encouraged me every step of the way as I've spent just about $20,000 on a 1983 Corolla

wbjones wrote:

Streetwiseguy wrote: She moved out after I told her I couldn't go to a wedding of her friend because I had a race that night.

did she ever come back ?

Nope. Changed the locks.

My ex told me she could not live with someone who owned three cars. Shortly after that, I started on the chassis for the datsun replica.

[I sometimes miss her]

Girlfriend? wife? Bueller? Bueller?

My mom thinks all the cars I own are utter piles of dump, questions why I'm always 'fixing' stuff that's already been 'fixed', and says my 'tires look low' every time I go over there. I'm pretty much a clone of my father with E36 M3ty cars, brown skin, and way less money. She should get this by now.

Ex-gf in Colorado LOVED my Grand Cherokee. HATED when I'd spend a single dime on it. Didn't understand basic maintenance nor what a 'dern fangled cur warch' was.

Current contender looks at me with the most puzzled looks anytime I bring anything up about cars. She teaches special ed K-5th. I think she understands.

Wife: Do you really need another project? Why do you always buy pieces of junk like that? I hate your car, you should sell it and buy a nicer one, like a PT Cruiser!

Husband: You know, you sound like my ex wife!

Wife: I didn't know you had an ex wife!

Husband: Not yet!

My wife doesn't care what I do as long as the bills are paid. That fact, and my being fortunate enough to own a large shop, makes me hate myself for being such a berkeleying lazy squander-er of blessings.

My wife doesn't really understand them, just tolerates them. To her a car is an appliance to get somewhere. She has never even sat in any of my cars, let alone ride in them. Since my daughter gave me back the Miata, she's been after me to get rid of the 63 MG Midget project. She used to complain about them more than she does now but I explained to her that I need the mechanical outlet. Don't bend wrenches on helicopters anymore, sit in a cube shuffling parts around the world and helping design new equipment. After all I could be out drinking beer and chasing women, instead I'm home working on a car so she tolerates them. She does think I have too many though. My biggest issue is not enough time, space or $$$.

Once I figured out that Women, as a species, consider all male activities except food and shelter procurement for the family unit to be "Silly distractions" life became easier. So, regardless of the details of how your spouse seems to deal with your hobby, up to and including participating herself, when push comes to shove, its expendable.

Wife understands my car hobby to an extent. She likes that I can fix her car and has learned to do a lot of repairs herself. She loves one of my cars (the one we were engaged in on track at CMP), is apathetic to the others, but wishes I had less junk in the yard. She also covets the second space in the garage presently occupied by my 67 bug. We are actively involved in the car hobby though NASA. We work events together managing Grid and she likes a lot of the cars but if not really interested in going to car shows or watching the races. In all I am very lucky and thankful for that.