STYLETHREAD -- LET'S TALK SHOP!

BargainQueen · Marc Jacobs

Does your hubby/SO have a *project* car?

Elle · Hermes

IMO it's okay for him to have such a hobby - but only if you can truly afford it. And by 'afford it', I mean all your bills are paid on time, you have no serious credit card debt, and you are putting adequate amounts into your savings/retirement/college fund and still have enough leftover for him to tinker with his car. Also, IMO the amount you get to spend on your hobbies (shopping, decorating maybe?) should be fairly equal to what he gets to spend on his car every month. I know you're quite the bargain shopper which is totally cool, but I don't think the amount he spends on his car should eat up so much of your 'fun money' than you are basically forced to be a bargain shopper by default.

And frankly, unless he is routinely driving it or taking it to shows, what's the point in having it really? If he can't come up with any other reason besides "He wants to keep it" to keep it, then I think some serious re-evaluations of what you as a family are giving up/gaining from him keeping the car versus what you as a family are giving up/gaining by him getting rid of the car are in order.

If this has been a hot-button issue for you guys in the past, maybe you could also research just how much money has gone/goes to the car every month, so he can see just how much money could be going toward other things that can be enjoyed by everyone.

-- Edited by LMonet at 13:02, 2005-12-01

FashionPrincess · Hermes

BargainQueen wrote:

Should I just drop it and let him be, til he decides on his own to let go?

Yup. That's the best course of action.

tara t · Marc Jacobs

let him do his thing. i can see where it frustrates you; but maybe he thinks that when you buy shoes or clothes it's the same. ( but shoes and clothes are v. important )

i kind of enjoy when butthead does butthead things, because then i have time to do tara things.

Metric · Gucci

no but he really really wants one. So far I have managed to convince him we don't have any room for another car. I may have to think of a new excuse soon.

The best you can do is gently suggest getting rid of it and then let him figure it out on his own. Don't put yourself in a postion for him to "blame" you because his baby is gone.

halleybird · Hermes

mine wants one, too -- he's great with cars, and I think he'd do a lot with it, but I said he could only have it if we had a 3-car garage (so it was concealed). We don't, so he doesn't.

ETA: sorry, hit "submit" too fast. Since your husband already has one, I think you're stuck until he notices the problem.

PS Tara - LOL @ "butthead things."

-- Edited by halleybird at 18:11, 2005-12-01

laken1 · Hermes

Mine has a "project" motorcycle - does that count? I know just how you feel....

rosie_the_riveter · Gucci

I'll be the voice of your husband.....if I had a house and knew a lot more about cars I would totally have a project car (but I'm somewhat of a tomboy like that). I say that as long as the bills are paid and other responsibities are being met then if this is what makes him happy I'm all for it. I figure it would be better for him to be working on this car than going out to bars and getting drunk or other nasty habits.

I guess that's not what you would want to hear though. Ok, I was of no help

BargainQueen · Marc Jacobs

Ugh the truth hurts. I am grateful he's in the garage working on Ms. Honda instead of hitting the bar or staying out late, and he does pay the rent every month, and he doesn't complain too much about my shpping . . . so I'll let it go, the truth is, I was kind of mad at Ms. Honda taking my spot in the garage last night & I had park my beauty on the street.

Deuce · Dooney & Bourke

As long as he has the car you can shop.

I feel like their cars are like out shopping. I am all for the project car. I realize that it can be a $ pit but they need it.

shopgirl82 · Chanel

Deuce wrote:

As long as he has the car you can shop. I feel like their cars are like out shopping. I am all for the project car. I realize that it can be a $ pit but they need it.

deuce, i agree with you completely when you put it that way. it's funny because i was going to post no immediately because i always said there are three things that would frustrate me if my bf did...smoke, play video games (a lot...but mine doesn't at all), and tinker with cars....BUT i realize that it's just like my habits (hair, shopping, traveling), so i'll change the tinkering with cars to gambling now.

.

TheLovelyLady71 · Hermes

WOW BQ - your husband sounds JUST LIKE JOE, b/c he also has TWO 'project' cars, a 63 VW Beetle, and a 70 VW Baja Bug, and has put A LOT of money into both of them. The 70 just went down the other day, engine problems, but he'll drive the 63 to work every now and again, it's a good lil' car, to be 42 yrs. old. LOL And like the others have said, he could be out w/the fellas, drinking, smoking, so I let Joe have his project cars, but like you said, I get HOT when one of them is taking up MY parking space at home! LOL

hello kittie · BCBG

yes, i do know what ya mean my hubby has a 1951 truck. he is almost finished with. This is his thing and i have my things as well but if he sells it with in time he most likely will start all over again on another one if he can aford it. I will try to send a pitcure of it if i can figure out how. Haveing a place to do the work and room for the parts or another thing. I wish my hubby had a bigger and better place to do this because he loves it. and i would never take this from him as long as he lets me do as i wont, and he does.

-- Edited by hello kittie at 12:37, 2005-12-10

-- Edited by hello kittie at 15:55, 2005-12-10

hello kittie · BCBG

yes i do agree with you. you do say this very well:biggrin

hello kittie · BCBG

yes yes this is true

Sandy · Kate Spade

My boyfriend has a project car, although I guess it's not truely a proect car, because he does drive it... sometimes. He keeps it insured and registered, but he's only driven it maybe 5 times this year. He's put SO MUCH money into it, I've lost track. Every time I ask him what he wants for a special occassion, it's parts for his mustang. Last Christmas, a tachometer. Last burthday, and exhaust thingy. Last anniversary, Lord knows what... something about his engine and cooling to get more horsepower. His birthday is in January, and what does he want? A welder, of course, so he can fix all the rust and whatnot. He's talking about selling it right now, but I know that he doesn't want to. I loathe that car, but I know he loves it. I try to be supportive and let him have his thing. He'll let it go when he's ready. I agree with the others-- I compare it to shopping. It works out well, too, because when he get on my case by saying "do you really need another pair of shoes?" I can jump back and say "I don't know; do you really need [insert something having to do with cars. I've used all the lingo I know]?"

Just for kicks, here's a picture of the love of his life. It's a '91 Mustang LX. Beautiful, isn't she ?