Time or Money

Between this site and craigslist, I see an awful lot of good deals out there. Lots of times I find myself looking at my bank account and wondering if I should pull the trigger. Then I think about it, and realize I don't have to the time to deal with it(though I'd enjoy it).

Just wondering how much time each of you spend on your motorsports projects....and with that info share whether you are married(in a relationship or whatever), single, or have kids. Probably be helpful to know if you own your own home or not too....mostly because renters don't typically have to deal with day to day property maint.

Married, one kid(15 months), house. I feel lucky if I get more than one evening a week (2-3 hours max). Usually doesn't quite feel enough for basic maintanance items on the daily drivers. Still need to change over to the summer tires on one car(to be fair we had snow last weekend).

vehicles: 95 dodge ram plow truck/tow beater/trash hauler 02 wrx wagon daily driver 00 Subaru 2.5rs daily driver 99 Subaru 2.5rs race car(street legal) 61 Morris mini(shell and parts).

Just wondering how some of you find the time.

I live with my girlfriend and her son in the house that she owns. We are lucky enough to have a large enough driveway for her 2006 Toyota Highlander, 1988 Honda CRX Si, and 1986 Suzuki Savage (which has been in pieces in a friend's garage for a year and a half), plus my 1991 Miata, 1991 Sentra SE-R, and 1982 Suzuki GS1100L. We also have a 2 car garage but have waaaaaay to much stuff and can't fit a car in there right now.

How do we find the time? Typically, by choosing motorsport projects that are at least 90% done already, and are reliable and don't break a lot. We've learned the hard way from the Savage, which needed an engine rebuild, and her CRX, which had gotten a lot of work and still needs a bit more. The Miata, we just threw some Azenis on and went (after getting only Storyland weekend out of some used R-compounds). It was good enoguh for me to win ES locally last year, and this past Sunday showed that I can be competitive in our new general street tire class as well (I placed 2nd of 10 and lost to a very well driven WRX).

How do we find the money? See above. We don't have a lot to spend on motorsports, despite our wide variety of vehicles. We tend to stick to events closer to home, despite the numerous clubs in New England that hold excellent events. That's the main reason we didn't make Storyland this year. We buy a season pass (or, last year, two) to save on entry fees. The Miata is pretty much plug 'n' play. It's needed fresh shocks since we got it (as do most Miatas), but it isn't bad as-is and nothing's leaking, so we've put it off.

Another factor, I think, is that we're not out to win - we're just in it for the fun. Yes, winning is also fun. Being able to win while placing the emphasis on having fun is the best possible outcome. But if your primary goal is to win, it can take a lot of time and money to ensure that car and driver are in a position to do so. If you spend all that and end up not winning, it can leave you rather disappointed. If you set out to have fun, you don't have to worry about prepping to class limits, and you can have a very enjoyable battle for 6th against a similarly skilled competitor - or just have fun going out there and driving like a nut regardless of the results. Personally, I find that when I don't let myself get competitive or push myself to drop that second from my next run and just relax and not worry about it, that's when I actually DO drop that second from my next run!

Married longer than I was ever single, one kid on his own. I have Dolly Domestic obligations but can spend quite a bit of time in the garage, sometimes it not real productive time though.

Financing? Buy and sell junk to finance my cheapie projects. I once had a part time job to finance it, but $50/day wasn't worth giving up a Saturday. I still get the NAPA employee discount though.

Sometimes I bite off more than I can chew but no matter how it comes out it's fun.

My wife met my friend's wife at an Auto Museum Show and the girl couldn't believe I was even married, "he's got all those vehicles I assumed he was single".

nice.

Living with girlfriend in a house we bought together 4 years ago. 2 car garage (her Grand Prix, our Miata, and my go-kart and her scooter live in it), side-lawn storage area (my Hornet) with shed (parts) behind the fence allows me to strip/restore cars without bothering the neighbors. Big driveway and a gravel sidelot allow me to park my P71 in the gravel and have a "clean" driveway with 4 cars on the property.

Single, no kids.

I work on cars when I'm not reading, drinking, playing video games, shooting, or half a dozen other hobbies I dabble in. Oh and I go to work sometimes too.

Yes, I know it won't last, but for now...

Married, no kids.

Tuesday nights are my official night to be at the skatepark--that has been on the schedule for the past 4.5 years.

I can usually squeeze something in on a Saturday morning mid-day of my spousal duties have otherwise been met--or if she's out w/ co-workers in a Friday night.

I am attached at the hip to my girlfriend of 7 years. We rent a place for now.

My projects are at my folks house, and they have been very gracious in allowing me to hold them there.

I go down to my parents house at least one day every weekend to work on the car.

I fund it by keeping the projects cheap. I have less than 1000 into my Supra at the moment. The Mustang has been slightly more expensive, but it is currently on the back burner.

Married, no kids. Homeowners with a one-car garage, longish driveway and room to grow in the yard. Usually one Miata (my '99) is in the garage with three more either in the driveway or in the grass adjacent; Mazda3 and Santa Fe parked along the road on our little dead-end street.

She has a great job, I have an adequate one. I work nights so I can get a lot done during the day. I split that between car stuff and lawn/house stuff, mostly weather-dependent.

The cars are running great (knock on wood) so motorsports-related stuff (we both autocross) mainly involves swapping tires around and basic maintenance. I know what I'm capable of so I don't bite off a bigger project than I can chew and wind up with something half-done taking up space and testing her patience.

I try to limit spending on cars but the wife is a great enabler. I can just mention something as an aside and the next thing you know she's asking "when are you going to order it?" If I try to go cheap she strongly recommends getting the better version. It's kinda cool.

Single with no kids. Currently living in a 3-bedroom mobile home, because it was cheaper on a monthly basis to buy this place and pay it off early, than it would have been to rent an apartment in my town.

The lack of a garage sucks, but I have a buddy with a 6000 square foot shop where I can go to play with my cars.

Fortunately, we're cranking max-overtime at work right now, so the financial side of my car hobby was sitting pretty good for the summer.

Unfortunately, we're cranking max-overtime at work right now, so I have ZERO time to do anything automotive-related except for my job.

I currently own 3 cars --- A 2000 Dodge Stratus, '92 Miata, and a '94 turbo Miata. The Stratus is immobile because, well, it's a Stratus. The clutch is gone in the '92 Miata, and the '94 at a local shop for overheating issues which I don't have time to chase.

Right now, my motorsports budget is devoted to a rental-car company and my local technician. My time is committed to building Wranglers for soccer-moms.

By the time I get the vehicle situation stabilized and get some free time, I'll probably spend my spare time shovelling snow!!!

Married, kids... I travel a lot for work, kids have sports, etc... wife works - I work long hours. So, projects will sit around untouched for weeks/months and then I get a lull and go ballistic for weeks at a time - working from when the kids go to bed until 3AM or so. I spend a lot of time in the garage or at the track in spurts. I wish it could be a little more balanced but nothing around here ever has balance.

Whatever I'm doing, its 100 mph all in... usually in the wrong direction.

I'm single and work nights so I have all day in the daylight to tinker.

I tend to do as much as possible myself to keep costs down but I farm out important jobs that I don't trust myself with. Project next weekend is rebuilding the head on my 91 CRX Si. I can devote just about as much time as I want. I have an apartment so no chores that come with a yard and a nice big parking lot to work in. I spent 16 hours over the course of three days paint the CRX. I imagine with a significant other that wouldn't have gone over so well.

I maintain my RSX as a daily driver now, and it has been faultless, which enables me to spend money on the toy car.

You going to Ascutney Dave?

Married almost 20 years, 2 kids age 18 and 14, both wife and I work full time. Still live in the first house we bought 17 years ago.

Thanks to duties/desires that typically go with above commitments, I don't have a huge time or money budget for motorsports, but that's OK. We haven't made any big purchases in a while and this year we're spending a bundle on a major house overhaul, which is fun.

I try to hit 4-5 autocrosses a season in my DD stock E46 on summer street tires, and I'm getting #1 Daughter involved in her '02 Impreza wagon. Most of my available car time is spent on routine fleet maintenance: my 325i, wife's TSX, general purpose 2000 Grand Caravan, and #1's Subie. I also have a '67 LeMans which needs some TLC but just hasn't been getting any for the last couple years. It and the Caravan generally live in the 2-car garage full time, and the driveway is too sloped for much maintenance, so any work requires shuffling cars.

I really should fund a dedicated track/autox car by selling or trading the Pontiac, since it's really been sitting for a few years.

Mine is probably a very unique situation. Married for 42 years, no kids, live in the 1 car garage house we bought in 1976. We are both retired with good incomes( State of Md and SS for me, federal govt for her).

Yard work and house stuff usually takes me about 2 days a week to keep up with so I have plenty of time for other things. I don't compete any more my self but go to the track or auto-X's with friends usually 3 weekends out of the month.

When we had been married 20 years we decided to try to live on one income and put the other in savings. And we have been doing that ever since. Since we have retired that means we have a lot of "project money" to play with. So far this year she has gotten a new custom built kitchen and I got a new Ford Transit Connect to play with.

She said I should not modify the TC like I did my Focus( supercharger, etc.) but then turned around and suggested getting some panels to finish off the rear of the TC and a couple of other things. I'm going to wait a couple months before I suggest that it needs some fancier wheels and tires.

sachilles wrote: You going to Ascutney Dave?

Unsure. Still need to wire my kill switch, order my gloves and rebuild my head. Then I need to get the car corner balanced. I might get the car tech'd to see if I need to change anything.

If nothing else I'll be there with the camera enjoying the speedy scenery.

Divorced, one child (19yo. daughter). No monthly child support anymore, but coughing up for college (community college at the moment, so not too bad).

Living with younger woman, who has a 5yr. old. She's in community college as well, but her child's father married her and later abandoned her, so she's eligible for a bunch of "abandoned mom" money from the local/state/fed'l governments. She manages to put herself through school on that.

I have the one car I use to autocross, and another two that are just cool street cars. I did buy a lonely Alfa GTV-6 last summer to restore, but I find myself getting a little tired of working on it after working on all our street cars all the time (hers is a 93 Olds Bravada, and is less reliable than my pre-93 VWs). I seem to have the money to do the Alfa (that is, to buy the parts, but not pay somebody else to install them), but with all these aches & pains (I just turned 48, and had a very mis-spent youth), I'm discovering that working on cars I don't need to drive to work just isn't the thrill that it used to be for me. I'm really going to try to get the Alfa running & driving again, but that will probably be my last "resurrection" project, ever.

I seriously hate to admit that...it seems like I'm "giving up" in some way. It's not like I'm going to quit working on our cars completely, since we still need our street cars to get us around...but it's just that after spending so much time on them, I don't have much energy left to do the work on the other one as a recreation.

There was a time when I thought time was free, and that I could and would do all kinds of things. Even did manage to do some of them.

Today, I've finally admitted most of it just isn't going to happen. I actually need sleep at night. And, I've got a lot of life things on my plate already. A wife, a kid, a house, etc. Soccer games, school events, house repairs, spousal things, etc.

This is why I bought a Miata that runs and has the features I wanted, not a project Miata. Why I now have a new lawnmower that starts when I pull the string. Etc. I'm even hiring a guy to install windows in the house, instead of pretending that I'm going to do it myself. I've even almost become willing to let someone else change my oil, especially when I see those $19 coupons.

It's darn hard to pare things down, when I want to do it all. But, I'd really rather do a few of them, than spin around in circles and manage to do none of them.

Time is a rare commodity. 924gal and I have lived together for going on 4 years now, no kids, lots of animals. I own, or least i pay mortgage instead of rent, a small house with a big garage. Since the nearest decent salaried jobs are a 50 mile commute each way, both of us spend an hour each way, minimum five days a week commuting. And since we work vastly different schedules, we can only rarely car pool together.

I try and schedule at least one day a week to spend with the lady, and since i rarely have full weekends off, the second day (when i can actually take it off) is usually mid week and that's when i work on the house, cars, projects etc. I run out of steam usually after 4 or five hours, and dont push it , ive learned my lessons there already. On rare occasions ill just veg out and try and recharge. If i had a light week, i work on the harder projects, hard week, the easier stuff. A little at a time and after awhile , progress is made.

It's all about setting goals. If your goal is to finish a project car, then it'd be best that you focus on finishing that car. If your goal is to find a cheap project to work on, then you should do that. But it keep in mind that everything comes at an opportunity cost. I'm single, but I'm in business school and I've got a house to take care of, so time is at a premium, which means my goal is a single reliable daily driver toy to play with.

I also try to simplify my life as much as possible, which I understand is easy for me to do since I'm single. I don't own much furniture, don't buy video games, and don't watch TV. Unless I'm with friends, I don't go out to eat or go to bars. I stick to fresh foods instead of stocking up on snack foods and soft drinks. If something I have doesn't serve a purpose or further a goal, it gets sold or thrown out. I also look for cheap ways to pass the time; I like dancing, and cookouts are a good, cheaper alternative to eating out with friends with the added benefit of better food than some restaurants!

I also watch every dollar I spend. I've got accounting software on my computer, and to date, only $4 of my spending this year has gone unaccounted for. It helps to see where I'm spending money and makes it easier to know when to stop throwing money at a problem or shift money to a more interesting goal or project.

The upside of all this was, during my undergrad engineering school years, I could afford a NA Miata, shocks, a roll bar, five sets of wheels and tires, a tire trailer, over two dozen autocross events and TSD rallies, and two track events, one of which required 16 hours of driving both ways and pricey hotel accommodations.

Where there is a will, there is a way...

Married, 2nd time, daughter from first marriage who visits once a month.

Normally I can find a balance, wife has her hobbies so it used to be one or 2 weekends a month we'd declare hobby day and do our own stuff.

She likes to watch TV in the evenings, I realized my time could be better spent in the garage, now she doesnt have to argue over what show to watch.

This latest project has been an exception. To finish on time I've had to be on it every weekend (except when my daughter visits) and every night. Im putting in 30+ hours a week to get it done. My wife understands this is an exception and has given me space to work. She even hired a kid to mow the lawn so I didnt have to find time in my schedule for that right now.

Money, learned from the first marrage to keep finances separate so I put aside what I can and I dont have to answer to anyone about it. I buy, fix and sell alot of cars as a hobby so I generally let cars pay for cars plus a small allowance I've set aside from my paychecks every month.

JThw8 wrote: She likes to watch TV in the evenings, I realized my time could be better spent in the garage, now she doesnt have to argue over what show to watch.

That might actually be a solution for me! I work 2nd shift, but the garage is unlighted/unpowered. If I could scrounge up enough to get some power out there, I could work in the evenings while she's catching up on Facebook or watching anime or whatever.

Married for 29 years to number 2, the 1st lasted only about 3 years. Kids grown, 1 still maintains a room at the house and costs me college tuition. The one from the first marriage just made me a grandpa 3 weeks ago. Own my home w/1.2 acres and an oversize 2-car garage, still need more room though. Wife tolerates my hobby but doesn't like it. That limits how much I can spend on it. But I travel quite a bit for work which sometimes interferes with the hobby does provide some $$ because I never spend what they pay me so I get some "mad money" to spend on my cars. Just recently got a big pay raise at work and after the accountant pays down expenses (kids college) I should get a raise for my toys. And maybe a real vacation. Wifey has a 2010 Hyundai Sonata Limited V6 and I have a 95 F150 XLT extended cab (w202,000 miles), a 99 Miata (dd & autocross toy), a 70 Opel GT (just restored) and a project 63 MG Midget w/72 parts car. I do my yard work after work during the week so I can play with my toys on the weekend. If I'm not autocrossing or at a show I'm usually in the garage tinkering with something.

Separated, one daughter soon to be 13. (JThw8, that bit about keeping finances separate is so true! We never ran joint accounts while married and that's about the only thing that has gone right in the last 7 months.) The soon to be ex started out congratulating me for building the Garage Majal, then two years later she started cussing at me continuously for spending time on my hobby. The fleet: 1997 Isuzu Trooper DD, 1974 Jensen Healy (restored) 1974 Jensen Healey (rotary powered AX/hillclimb car), 1980 Yamaha XS650 (street tracker project bike).

I do daddy stuff (dinner, homework) usually till around 8 PM then the kiddo does her anime thing and then I either fiddle on the computer or go beat on something in the Garage Majal. Weekends I do yard and house work (along with the kid, gotta teach her to take care of herself for the day she moves out), then she hangs out with her friend down the street and I flog on the Jensenator, street tracker, LeMons car etc. She also spends time with her mom on the weekends which frees up car time. We have the obligatory grandma visits etc as well.

Money is pretty tight right now; as fallout from the problems which led to my separation I lost my job at the Jeep place. I'm reemployed but at much reduced pay. I have to get the kid to school each AM (no bus service or carpool in the 'hood), that screws up any chance I have of getting to a job early so I'm sorta stuck right now, can't really go hunting a better job. That will probably change with the next school year.

As luck would have it, the big $ stuff on my projects is paid for so most of what I do is tidying up wiring, alignment, setting up the Jensenator, stuff like that. I spent about two hours the other night marking the front pulley on the 13B in 5 degree increments so I can see the max advance rather than relying on the stock marks which set the timing for emissions. I also 'de bracketed' the Yamaha's frame a couple of weeks back. So I have stuff to keep me occupied.

So right now I have more time than $. I am an executor for my dad's estate, right now things are in limbo as we wait the 1 year period for all creditors to come forward and make claims. Then my brother and I will have to start dealing with all of that and that will probably mean some travel time which will cut into both my daddy and race car time. Then I won't have money or time. Oh, well.

This is a timely topic - I've been ruminating on how the project volume has been feeling like work lately...

My specifics: Married to an awesome woman I've known since the early 80's and have been with since the mid 90's. No kids, one very good cat. We bought a major fixer-upper house in a great neighborhood in MD near NW Washington DC in 2000 (for cheap) and were married 12 days after 9/1. At present after years and years of DIY renovation my 11 x 22' garage is well set up if small - TIG/MIG gas welding, press, bead blast cab, parts washer, loads of tools, bench space. I walled the formerly open basement (gutted, stripped, painted, tiled, new staircase built in 2001) and have 1/2 as a machine/fab hobby shop. The driveway and garage slab were redone a few years ago and there's room to park:

• 98 M3 track rat
• 90 Miata (apart for suspension etc)
• 01 Tacoma DD-rowing shell and RC plane hauler
• 00 Audi A4 2.8 Wife's DD

The garage contains, in addition to the aforementioned toolage:

• 62 Austin Healey Sprite (nearly back together post paint reseal and tidy up)
• 06 KTM 950 Supermoto
• 08 KTM 690 Supermoto
• 02 Yamaha Zuma painted like Valentino Rossi's 05 Laguna Seca bike
• 21' Maas Aero rowing shell+oars

Plus:

• 79 Yamaha RD400F Daytona Special in the basement shop mostly back together from total restoration.

We both have "real jobs" now, but fortunately neither of us have the hellish DC area commutes that are the norm. If I had a 3 car garage so each project could have a shelf for it's parts and paperwork and I could project surf without moving a ton of stuff I'd be so much more productive.

This weekend I've had to move 2 stacks of wheels, a mountain of boxes of Miata suspension both old and new, 3 motorcycles and sundry other stuff in and out 3 times and spent hours sorting bins and boxes of Sprite parts. I NEED the Sprite to be on it's wheels so I can get to the press behind it to do the bazillion press operations to put urethane everywhere in the Miata. Once I pick up the case covers at the powder coater I can install the engine back in the RD400, and once I modify the blast cabinet with an extension I can blast and paint the expansion chambers.

The undertray ripped off the bottom of the M3 at Shenandoah a few weeks ago and there's an aftermarket one on the way, and I need to have the glass guy replace the windshield on a sunny day I can take off from work a few hours.

I've got straight F+R bumpers on the way for the Tacoma which has been crunched on both ends recently, and the KTM 950 needs the carbs gone through....Whew.

Once all that's done the A4 needs timing belts, cam seals and 4 struts.

Today I went for a 32 mile bicycle ride and afterward on a nice picnic w/ the wife (and wished either the Sprite or Miata were operational) When I got home I machined a lower steering column clamp block (original gone missing) for the Sprite and soldered the fan shroud back onto it's radiator which I then blasted and painted.

So some days you forge ahead, some days you catch your breath. And always be grateful you've got stuff to play with and the ability and inclination to do so.