Life Choices Rambling and What Cars Questions

This might get a bit wordy and I apologize ahead of time.

I have a lot of things going on in my life right now, but they are good and I am extremely grateful for what I have and where I am going. I realize this is 1st world problem stuff.

So my VW is a great car, but accumulating mileage much, much faster than I expected. 30k miles since when I bought it in May. Didn't help that the GF lives 90 miles from me (60 miles from work). It is starting to show VW issues (I should have listened to the little guy on my shoulder), biggest one right now is the heater issue. Every now and then there is a weird light bulb issue. It is coming up on needing the timing belt done and it needs struts and shocks. I have budgeted for all the maintenance, so that isn't too bad. Just the fact that I need to get time to do it, and it is scaring me for potential future issues.

I am also beginning to hunt for a new job, hopefully closer to the GF. The current situation, as good as the company is to me, is too toxic and a dead end situation for me to stay much longer. The other side to that is I am working towards my own business an hope to have that going in the next year or two. I don't want to jump ship to a new job, just to jump ship again. It is a golden handcuffs job where I am paid well for what I do, but the rest of the industry has now caught up, so I wouldn't get much of a change in salary or benefits. I'd have to work harder, but I sort of need/want that anyway. And I am just sick of where I'm at. I am past the point of caring. As in Office Space, "I do just enough not to get fired".

I also am planning on moving out of my house this year, somewhere closer to a social life and work. I plan on buying, and it seems like my GF will be joining me. I don't have enough for 20% down, but haven't talked financials with her yet. She seems to be in decent shape there though.

Now, the what cars part. I need a commuter car AND a track car. I currently have the RX-8 for track/nice day duties. But it sits half the year and I am making payments on it. I have about 2.5 years left, and can get some cash back (~$4k). The VW is a 60 month loan and has just over 4 years left. I can probably break even on it. I also have some cash saved up for future vehicle modifications and new car savings. What could I get that would be a very nice, but FUN, comfortable commuter with manual transmission that gets good mileage? No more than $32k, the newer the better, and a warranty? Should I go new or certified used with the amount of driving I do? I'd prefer RWD/AWD, but for a commuter, the FWD VW is working fine I suppose.

Finally, what cheaper track car that has power, is fun to drive, and has a passenger seat for instructing? I need a separate track car because of Michigan winters (I'm not driving a car on track that deals with the salt and these roads, BTDT), and the fact that any car that will be satisfying for me to drive on track will be modified to be too punishing on the street for DD use. Both happened with my last Miata. I've raced SpecMiata, SpecNeon, Skip Barber MX-5 and tracked a Miata, RX-8, Porsches, a Ferrari, and a Lamborghini (last 3 not mine) to give you an idea of what I've done. I am ready for more horsepower. Figure $5-8k for a track ready car, must be manual, RWD.

Part of me is saying hold off and keep the vehicles status quo until things settle down elsewhere, and just get the VW completely sorted and keep the RX-8 (I do really love that car aside from fuel mileage and maintenance costs). Other parts of me say do it now while I can.

Thanks for listening!

TL/DR
1. Happy for what I have, these are 1st world problems.
2. Potential new job.
3. Potentially self employed in a year or two.
4. Moving to new house, potentially with GF.
5. Would like to re-arrange vehicle fleet.
a. Would like nicer, efficient, fun commuter car with warranty, manual, prefer RWD or AWD, <$32k. New or Certified used?
b. Need cheaper "street legal" track car with some horsepower, manual, RWD, <$8K.
c. Sell RX-8 and get cheaper track car noted above.
d. Keep current fleet until 2-4 settle down.
6. ???
7. Profit
8. Thank you GRM hive for being awesome and THE BEST place on the internet!

Potentially self employed? Dump debt. Lose the car payments.

Do NOT buy a home with someone you aren't married to. Smart business people will tell you never to go into a partnership with someone. Purchasing a home should be looked at as a business transaction, and the same rule applies. You're setting yourself up for some real heartache.

I would never have a track car that I'm making payments on. Track cars are toys; if you can't pay cash for it you shouldn't own it. You're pissing a lot of money away on car payments (and you could probably afford a house by yourself if you weren't paying on two vehicles).

I have more fun with my 167hp BMW E30 on the track than I would with your RX-8. It's paid for, tires and parts are cheap, it sticks like glue and it makes me look like a driving genius. Want something faster? It's always cheaper to buy a faster car than build one. You can buy a C4 or C5 Corvette pretty cheap these days...all the power you'd want, instant friends and a huge aftermarket await.

I need an everyday car to be dead nuts reliable, suitable for as many tasks as possible and just enough fun to not be boring. Yeah, sometimes I wish my DD was as much fun as the car I only use on a dozen weekends a year but you can't have everything (especially when you live in a place with crappy weather for several months). My DD is a Focus with a Zetec and a 5 speed. On ramps are still fun, it gets phenomenal mileage and I let some other idiot eat the depreciation. If someone dings it or hits it I don't care; it's just an appliance...but not one I dislike. The thing is still fun to drive.

I also wouldn't buy the house until the "potentially self-employed" part settles out. And I will echo above - don't buy a house with someone you're not already married to, and if you're going to be self-employed dump debt. I think if it were me, I would dump both cars and get something like a Mazda3 hatch or Focus ST sedan for cheap, and re-assess all of this after the self-employed vs not self-employed thing shakes itself out.

Thanks for the feedback so far. I was on cold meds last night and that was an unintentionally big brain dump. Probably way too much info. It is good to hear other perspectives though.

I have to 3rd the do not buy a house together if you are not married part. Total recipe for disaster. Now if you want to buy the house and have her move in and make half the payment then that is a different story.

For the car, You can get a nice commuter car for 15-17K range. There are plenty of options in that range in the 2010-2011 under 40K miles range. For your track car, I'm assuming you just don't like the rx8? Otherwise just pay it off and go from there.

Since you've been through the whole Miata cycle, what about the other end of the spectrum- a Vette? Lots and lots of realistic racing history, always space for a second driver, generally a lot of space on the inside.

As much as we see the Miata as the answer, the Vette is rarely brought up. I know I'd never get one, but that's no reason not to suggest one. Plus, there are a LOT of good Vette drivers/cars around here.

I'd look at a Vette or Mustang for a track car. Both have power, both have huge potential for messing about, and both are available for no payment money.
With the kind of miles you put on, you should be thinking of disposable cars. Ideally something someone else has disposed of like a five year old hatch, but if the reliability of something new appeals to you, then something in the base Fiesta range.
The big thing is the house and the girl. If you don't have 20% down, or a very clear path to get there then you're not ready to buy a house. Buying a house together sounds like you're at least contemplating marriage, which is awesome, but all off a sudden these decisions are team decisions. There isn't really an 'our house' but 'my car'. Once you get married all of that should be factored into a larger plan of home/family/retirement/cars.

So $5-8k, manual, RWD, medium power, cheaper to run than a rotary...that's not gonna be easy. I think the closest is a foxbody Mustang.

Meh, I bought a house with my now wife.

We weren't married when we purchased it, then again, the initial loan was in my name only. Now that we are married we refinanced to a shorter note and put both names on the mortgage.

I say cut your budget for the DD, raise your budget for the track car, and buy two of the same thing. Two Miatas, or 2 e46s, or 2 Mustangs, etc... That way all your spares interchange, and you get very used to the platform- better pick something you like though!

This http://detroit.craigslist.org/okl/cto/4891433481.html

plus this

http://detroit.craigslist.org/wyn/cto/4834820169.html

= really nice car for cheap.

I'm sure both can be talked down.

DD E46 ZHP, bank the savings; or CTS-V wagon...

Track; E36 M3 (not the filter)

z31maniac wrote: Meh, I bought a house with my now wife. We weren't married when we purchased it, then again, the initial loan was in my name only. Now that we are married we refinanced to a shorter note and put both names on the mortgage.

You did it right, just as my friend did.......he bought a new house just before getting married, but in his name only. That saved his bacon later on when she left 10 months later, tried to file for divorce to get the house, spousal support, etc. Its a CYA moment.

If you are going to be self employed, remove all debt. Do not buy a house. Live as cheaply as possible.

Fueled by Caffeine wrote: If you are going to be self employed, remove all debt. Do not buy a house. Live as cheaply as possible.

On the flip side, in Canada at least, it is VERY difficult to be self-employed and get a mortgage unless you are rollin in dem billz. If OP's self-employment is more for betterment of his life/self versus absolute six figures bank, getting a mortgage on an inexpensive place MAY be ideal while he still has a well paying, stable/secure job. Then move onto the self-employment once you have built up a bit of a war chest.

But, I would dump all other debt as some have said. At the end of the day, he has to have a roof over his head, might as well pay "himself" versus somebody rent. My 2 cents.