Hi folks Need a little advice. Just retired this year, and I feel the pull to buy a vette. Thinking about a C5, maybe a Z06. Owned a '65 way back in the early 70's. Wonderful car that was stolen and totalled. Never got it out of my system.
So perhaps it's time to try again.
But here is the thing... although we are well off, we aren't rich and $25K or more for a "dad's toy" is a tough sell to my lovely but tough-minded wife. I need some good reasons why this would be a good idea. I can't really use the "investment" argument. I just sold a Harley I owned for 7 years, and I used the "investment" angle with it. While the bike held its value pretty well, she knows these things are not really decent investments from a financial perspective. How about the "cheaper than a shrink or a girlfriend" approach? Anyone use that?
take your wife down to the dealer and have her drive a vette. as far as a Harley as an investment. I had a 1990 fxrs for three years, paid 10K, sold it for 9K, they sold it for 10K and they sold it for 12K. keep in mind that it was 15 years back. the resell is not quiet the same these days.
============= Well I retired in 1998....and the way I got my C5 was to take the wife on the 1999 National Corvette Caravan in my 72 ... BEAT THE LIVING HELL out of both of our "old" bodies... Wife gave me strict orders that UNLESS I purchased a newer Corvette she would NEVER do that kind of trip again... BTW it helped that I limited her to 2 pair of shoes for the trip (one pair on her feet and a second pair jamed in the car anyplace she could find BUT the top had to DOWN...
She also had a Hot Tub installed in the bacikyard within a week after we returned home since she discovered just how "healtfull" hot tubs are for relaxing a stiff and sore back after driving hunderends of miles in a old Corvette every day for a week... LOL
You can use the investment "angle" if you forgo a NEW Vette and buy another Midyear ... No you will not get a big ROI but if you can handle a 3-5 % return per year the midyear should give you that less insurance etc.. better then taking depreiation losses every year with a newer Corvette.
We (the wife and I") are not rich either but I never figured Social Security into our income when I did my retirement planning and calculations and now that she gets her check on the 2nd Wednesday of each month and I get mine on the 3rd Wednesday of the month LIFE IS GOOD.... She wants yet another sewing machine and I need (not want) a larger Telescope ...SS will fund both...LOL
You are NEVER too OLD to have a Happy Childhood... !!!!!!
I'm not retired and I drive my 93 all the time. As for the wife, I started out it would be a great date night car. We use it for a lot more now that the kids are all gone, but we still have date night and it gives us time to ourselves. With a Corvette, you can't take the kids or a group of others. It's the best investment in our marriage that we ever made. It used to be that every so often, I'd show up at the door with a rose and ring the bell like a real date. She always thought that was a romantic thing to do. I believe it kept our marriage young.
:>Hi folks :>Need a little advice. Just retired this year, and I feel the pull to buy a :>vette. Thinking about a C5, maybe a Z06. :>Owned a '65 way back in the early 70's. Wonderful car that was stolen and :>totalled. Never got it out of my system. :>
:>So perhaps it's time to try again. :>
:>But here is the thing... although we are well off, we aren't rich and $25K :>or more for a "dad's toy" is a tough sell to my lovely but tough-minded :>wife. :>I need some good reasons why this would be a good idea.
Why do you need any reasons? Tell your wife to look around and take stock of all you've done for her and the family. You worked hard to support the family, providing them with a good home, food to eat, and a place they could always feel safe. Along the way you made a lot of sacrifices for them. Now you'd like a " toy".
Not to sound critical but frankly I've never understood women like your wife. If the husband is a good provider, a good husband, and good father, not abusive, doesn't run around on you, etc.etc. LET THE GUY HAVE A DAMN CAR!! You spent your life trying to please her I'll bet, now it's her turn.
What a Vette cost you back in 65 is nowhere what it costs today in terms of constant $s. I paid right at $6,100 in 1971 for a 454 roadster 4 speed with ac etc. In terms of tdoay's dollars that is around $32k. I am glad I was able to have my fun when I was a good bit younger -- a single Captain in the USAF.
You got it. Windad, tell your wife that for your midlife crisis, your going to get a Vette instead of chasing younger women. Of course, then you'll have to pass on the younger women, but what the heck, you'll have a Vette. :-)
I've got a nice '93, but my wife keeps telling me that I should buy a new C6. She explained it that I've never had a brand new Vette, and I worked hard all those years before retiring, and now I deserve a new one. She's beautiful, and cooks well too. I'm a lucky man!
What's a mid-life crisis these older people are having? Is that like all of the young people using dope to be something they are not? May be to hide from the future or the today they can't face? You think you'll even make it to be that "older guy" some day or just stick with your magazines that you read allot???
As I watch your posts you make me wonder what car you might be driving or if you ever drive yet.
Since I'm older and drive one Corvette that is red am I in a mid-life crisis that started in the fall of 1956? What would that be called as I was fifty years younger then? I surely won't be considered a "mid-life crisis" person today as I doubt that I'll top 140 years of age.
I never got any static about buying my '93 either. I was going to spend a lot more on a restored '70 Chevelle SS 396 with the rockcrusher trans, but when it came down to it I didn't really want a car that big. The '93 has more amenities (wish it had a passenger airbag though), and it cost under
11K from the seller. Yes, I've put some $ into it and will continue to, but it's mine and will be for life. Will I buy another one? Maybe, just maybe... :o)
:>> :>Hi folks :>> :>Need a little advice. Just retired this year, and I feel the pull to :>> buy a :>> :>vette. Thinking about a C5, maybe a Z06. :>> :>Owned a '65 way back in the early 70's. Wonderful car that was stolen :>> and :>> :>totalled. Never got it out of my system. :>> :>
:>> :>So perhaps it's time to try again. :>> :>
:>> :>But here is the thing... although we are well off, we aren't rich and :>> $25K :>> :>or more for a "dad's toy" is a tough sell to my lovely but tough-minded :>> :>wife. :>> :>I need some good reasons why this would be a good idea. :>>
:>> Why do you need any reasons? Tell your wife to look around and take :>> stock of all you've done for her and the family. You worked hard to :>> support the family, providing them with a good home, food to eat, and :>> a place they could always feel safe. Along the way you made a lot of :>> sacrifices for them. Now you'd like a " toy". :>>
:>> Not to sound critical but frankly I've never understood women like :>> your wife. If the husband is a good provider, a good husband, and :>> good father, not abusive, doesn't run around on you, etc.etc. LET THE :>> GUY HAVE A DAMN CAR!! You spent your life trying to please her I'll :>> bet, now it's her turn. :>>
Welcome to the world of the senior's menu. Also dinner at the local "early-bird-special."
Hate to generalize about women but they frequently view an auto as something in which to be seen.
That dark sedan doesn't stand out in valet parking at 7 p.m. but a 'vette will show her off as a femme of fine taste (in both cars and men) at 5:30 in the afternoon. Promise her a regular ride to the early-birds. It's yours on weekend mornings.
Oh yeah, show an understanding for brand names like Bernina, Pfaff, Necchi and Elna. (and preferably before the dollar sinks any further against the Euro) No, you never heard of your mother's White or Singer!
Any new Corvette or Harley is not an investment. One a couple of years old can a be a fair hedge on inflation, or just a sound way to buy, as the selling price will be close to the buying price.
The investment comes with the older ones, and you need to know what you are doing, like everything else in life. If it was so easy anyone could do it, they would.
So if you want one, buy it. There isn't any justification other than you want it. Mileage is good, but they are not an economy car. The Z06 is worse than the regular Corvette. So if you try the gas mileage angle, most small cars will blow it away.
Buy it, have fun, include the wife, and it will go ok. You may have to forego the 6 speed if you want her to drive it, and you probably do if you want her to buy into the whole thing.
I'm a bit younger, 51, and won't be retiring any time soon but I just decided a couple years back that I was going to buy my Vette.
I had loved the cars since childhood when the single guy who lived across the street got his new one in '68. It was the first year of the new model and I just thought it was the greatest thing I had ever seen. Looking back now the maroon '66 C3 he traded in on it was the better car but at the time the new "Shark" body style just knocked me over.
I told myself then that someday I'd have a Vette... but I was married at 20 and didn't make any real money until several years later. By then between some health issues for my wife, a house, adoption costs and finally my daughter (all much more important than a car for sure) I kind of forgot about ever becoming a Vette owner. Then a couple of years ago, for whatever reason I realized I was in a position to finally go for it as long as I kept it within a very modest budget.
I didn't clear it with my wife, I just started looking. I watched the local classifieds, checked E-Bay for Vettes within 100 miles or so and stopped whenever I saw one for sale in someone's driveway. I don't think she really thought I was serious until I told her I found what I was looking for and was going to make an offer.
When I brought it home she had no real interest and wasn't particularly happy but she also wasn't upset. It's a red '85 with a ton of miles but runs great and with a little tlc now looks pretty good too. Funny but now when it's just the 2 of us going somewhere she asks if we'll be taking the Vette. She even likes to use it herself when she can.
My car will never win any awards at a show and it sure isn't the fastest around but I enjoy the hell out of it and so does she. It's the most fun either of us has had in a car since the back seat of my '68 Charger when we were teenagers! Anyway, my advice is let her know you would really like a Vette, start looking around for what you want, then just make the leap and take her for a ride. She'll warm up to the idea quickly.
I'm about your age and just got my first 'Vette a few months ago, always liked them but was into motorcycles since age 10 and airplanes since I was
After back surgery my bike track days are over and the Piper I owned for 20 years got to be too much effort and expense so I thought a car for track days would be a good substitute. Wanted a ZR-1 but settled on a LT-4 great motor I've kept up with 400hp Z06s on the track and almost as good handling and brakes as my old RX-7 but a lot more power. What surprised me was how well a street car it is -- great stereo, very comfortable (once you're in the seats, hard to get in and out of though) and good fuel mileage (lots better than my RX-7!). And I love the two tops (or none). It also has all the 'bells and whistles' of my Lexus. I'm very happy with my '96 Collector Edition and the best part -- found it on Ebay and was high bidder at 00! It's got about 150K miles now but it looks almost brand new (even the seats), needed new tires and some cleanup and all the fluids flushed (previous owner lived in the country over miles of dirt roads!) but had a new clutch and tranny when I bought it. I'm VERY happy with the car I've been offered K for it didn't take even a second to say NO! It doesn't always take a lot of money to get a 'Vette just some time finding the right one. And it helps if you can twist the wrenches yourself...
The corvette is totally impractical and there is no justification for it. You need to forget this insanity and ride the bus. Yes, the bus is the only justifiable and sensible thing to do. Ride the bus. Buy a monthly pass to get a discount. Life is not about passion and fun and excitement. It's about hauling your old ass from point A to point B in a safe, dull, and justifiable manner. Get on the bus, Gus. That's the plan, Stan.
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