Advice on VW matters

Somebody already posted something similar, but for different reasosn I think.

I am at a cross roards where I feel the Notch has to go because of:
- Lack of space to maintain/work/restore (no garage/carport/etc)
- time: 9 month old baby who just started crawling 🙂 and who demands a lot of my time in addition to a full time job and a part time job. I also have a wife (enuf said)
- funds: paying mortgage; paying lease of a reliable car; food, etc getting more expensive.

I know that ultimately the decision is up to me since I suffer whatever consequence and benefits from my decision, however, it would be interesting to hear about people's past experiences in this matter, what did you eventually do and how it turned out, how did you reconciliate keeping your hobby but having little of the requirements for it (time, money, space).

Any stories appreciated. 🙂

EDIT: Spellos/Typos

[Edited on 18-5-2005 by Octa]

The only reason (well the main one) I justify the commitment to my restoration is the fact that the beetle was dads, I wrecked it, twice. So I am committed to doing it up keeping it in the family.

The wife and I were at a funtion on Monday night (her work function) and was speaking with a retired retailer from Canberra. We were talking about all the highway traffic and he mentioned he had a '73 kombi (even it can keep up with the semi trailers @ 100km/h). The Mrs just started to smile and roll her eyes. When I said I had a '56 beetle he convinced the Mrs that it was all worth it, stating that it was a beautiful car etc etc.

Having the wife hear stories like that always help take the pressure off.

Thanks for your story Astro. My wife is actually understanding in terms of keeping it, she actually likes it but doesn't want to drive it because it's lowered 😉 I mentioned the wife because I like to spend time doing things with her, going away on weekends, etc, that means time away from my notch. 🙁

....I almost sold Bel a few years back when I thought I could do what needed to be done....I put her on here for sale....got some response and realised I could do it.....just go with what is feeling more right for you....

My husband sold his beautiful old Benz ages ago...he'd always wanted one and bought it before we got together...it was so sweet....Well we were planning our wedding (my dad paid n it was small) and our honeymoon to Qld with my 3 kids (lol) and he went a sold the Benz so we could do it...I didn't ask him to...We'd made a totally new start together... starting from scratch...no house, no furniture etc etc ...love hey

After what I went through deciding about Bel's fate I realised what a huge sacrifice he made for me :kiss

Congratulations, it sounds you found a good partner to marry. Thanks for your story. Funny, I also feel that I am sacraficing a few things here and there. My thinking of letting the Notch go makes me sad, but not because of the notch, but rather because I am letting go of a hobby that is mine and for me, noone else. sigh!

I sold my KG years ago to buy my first house, and regret it everytime a post pops up about past cars.

Bring your family into your hobby - go for some cruises and bring bub along. That will help you all enjoy, plus you still get to spend time with them.

The financial decision is yours, but I'd keep onto your notch for as long as you can. Because as soon as you sell it, you'll start looking in the papers the next weekend.

....know how you feel...I think about that sometimes...if I let my rides go then no reason to be in the club and go to events...it would leave a huge hole in my life

...yep he was definitely a good partner....we bought Bel together and he was as keen as I was to fix her up....hence my emotional state when I thought my best answer was to sell....Jon had recently died...I was given a big bad quote on some work and I didn't think I could cope looking after an old car....lot's of sweet dubbers from here came to my rescue...I've restored Bel since....and dubbing is my life...it's all history

I do know that one day I may move on...we never know what's around the corner and what decisions we might make

Jenz, sorry about the news, since I am quie new I didn't know. thansk again for sharing.

Squizy, thanks for sharing as well. And youa re right, if I do decide to sell I will be looking all oveer the net for another one. In fact, I have not even made a decision and I am already looking.... sigh! what sickness has befallen me...

.......Octa it was 3 years ago and I'm fine now...lots of sweet memories but life has to move on.... loosing the love of your life like that really makes you look at things in a different way

I suppose look at how much you would get for the notch....then think about what you might do with that money.......does it compare....will the money go on everyday things that when you look back were trivial and unimportant or will it be spent on something that would be of long term benefit

Do you have a weekly budget worked out....put money aside each week for the months average bills etc...in a seperate account....what's left is yours to spend...

I know it's a struggle when you have a young family and morgage...been there done that...argh...so glad it's not me this time...it's nice that you're talking about it and not blaming the wife for this situation...it can be so easy to say she wants me to do it....and you enjoy doing things with her....so sweet....good luck

Well, I am going to give another perspective.

I too have a nine month old. I have changed jobs (internal move) back to full time from 0.8 (8 day fortnight) but regular hours; as you know routine is everything!

I have 4 bicycles, a motorcycle and we have a car each. I sold my beloved kombi because:
I couldnt put a capsule in it, 4 rego's was out, I had (have) very minimal me time. I have lots of parenting responsibility that I wont sherk and toss to my wife

Even though I love mechanics, doing the whole car thing, I love doing anything with my son more.

I can do the ca thing with him when he is older and able to help. Right now he needs the time from me. Playing in the park, cuddles, walking the dog, rolling in the grass, usual care stuff etc.

I need that, and he needs that more than I needed to keep the bus. I would have stored it but with all the afore mentioned vehicles we have no room.

I know I will be able to get another one. It was not a family heirloom or anything.

So mate, get it on its way, earn all of the browny points and sell it on the proviso that you ARE going to get another once kiddies big enough to go for cruises. (our plan) I am lucky I do have a happy tolerant wife who accepts my vices
:sandrine

luck dude

kkk

thanks Jenz. Budget, what's that 🙂 My budget goes like this. Earn Money, spend money, anything left doesn't get touched because it will inevatiable be used the next week , 2 weeks later earn money, spend money, etc... Maybe I should start an Excel spradsheet and see where the money goes to, etc.

If I sell my notch, the money will go to pay the overdraft of the mortgage and we'll still owe money. But then, we would find it difficult to do day-to-day without 2 cars, well, I will find it difficult 'cause my wife will use the car to get around.

:cussing I think I am in a bad way today 'cause the child kept waking up last night.

Thanks kkk, sounds like you deviced a good plan and you are lucky cause you have 2 cars. My notch is my daily transport, well, I do have a mountain bike, so I can use that to commute to work, it will do me good. Public transport is s#$t though, so in the rainy days I would hate to see someone in a sweet notch with a ibg smile in their face while I sit in the bus...

I agree with Kool!

Mate - any money you can pur towards a Mortgage overdraft is money well spent - that added interest and stress is just prolonging the agony, and isnt healthy for your 'unit'! 2 cars is a luxury that is costing you $ and peace - get rid of it! and make do!

You probably wouldnt have asked the question if you didnt already realise it !!

cheers :beer

[Edited on 18-5-2005 by VWENVY]

...it is had if don't both have a car these days...especially if public transport is shit...

Excel spreadsheet might help.....at least you can see where it all goes

...remember to always keep a bit aside to enjoy....we need a reward for working so hard and to remember that life is also meant to be enjoyed ..we can be so hard on ourselves at these times

VWENVY wrote:You probably wouldnt have asked the question if you didnt already realise it !!

cheers :beer

[Edited on 18-5-2005 by VWENVY]

Yes

squizy wrote:I sold my KG years ago to buy my first house, and regret it everytime a post pops up about past cars.

Bring your family into your hobby - go for some cruises and bring bub along. That will help you all enjoy, plus you still get to spend time with them.

The financial decision is yours, but I'd keep onto your notch for as long as you can. Because as soon as you sell it, you'll start looking in the papers the next weekend.

I think this hits 'the nail on the head'

I am sure most of you have seen at least in part the extent of my restoration in the members ride section. It has been a two year love/hate relationship with the resto - fortunately love more than hate.

I am fortunate I have been with my wife for more than 10 years (only married last year though) and from the start I was always working on vws so it has been an accepted part of our relationship. Due to the extent of work required on the current resto there have been times where I must admit I should be spending more time with my wife, and have made every attempt to balance time committments as fairly as possible.

Luckily we were able to enjoy my old beetle for a few years post resto before I sold it so she knows the feeling of satisfaction when enjoying the fruits of my labour (the vw that is) - so it was easier to justify the time spent on the resto. It would be harder if she hadn't had the chance to enjoy an already restored dub before.

The money....well that's always difficult. Mortgage is highest priority as its one of the few investments you pay interest on that actually appreciates in value.....so we borrowed more to renovate the house, and I siphoned off some of those funds for the beetle (no I didn't keep it a secret). That way the immmediate outlay for the resto didn't hurt so much - it'll just hurt over the next 30 years as we pay off the house! 😉

Pretty pointless story really, but it just goes to show life is full of compromises - you have to keep the special people in your life happy, whilst remaining happy yourself - challenging at times but with open communication you should be right. :kiss

Your story wasn't pointless. Actually, one thing that jumped out at me is to have patience. If I am to keep the car and restore, then I need to accept that it could take me years and not months. I had no idea that you have been working on it for 2 years. I keep hearing of people doing a resto in record time and it sends me dreaming to do mine quickly. At the moment though, it is not restoration that worries me, rather the immediate maintaining and rust fix that I need to do.

Guys/girls, thanks for all your input, this is actually helping me a lot in terms of deciding what to do. 🙂

Here's my little bit :

My partner and I have been together since we were 15 years old, and now we are 31. We had our first child at 20 and our second at 23. We bought our first home at 21 - the reason for all this background is to let you know that we have had a tough start - no money, one income, (apprentice wages at that) two kids.

However once the kids were a little older, and I was back at work, Kris decided he wanted his first obsession, a Mini Moke. So we bought a shell of a Moke with no engine, no seats, bald tyres etc, it was pretty rough. It cost us $600 at the time.

Over the course of the next 2 years, Kris did what he could himself, hired people to do the things he couldn't, and spent about $9000 on a car that would never be worth anywhere near that to anyone else, except us. The money came from little amounts we had saved, bit by bit, and he spent it as we could afford it.

Well that was about 6 years ago, we still have the Moke, Kris doesn't drive it anymore because he has the Kombi now, but we can't bring ourselves to sell it. We put so much time into that car, that only we'd know about. We've decided to keep it for another 6 years, when our oldest daughter gets her L's it becomes hers. And she's rapt about that, it's got a history with us that she's aware of, and she'll have a unique car when she's old enough to drive it.

During the time that Kris worked on it, we had very little money to do anything else, and it was a good thing for him to be able to hide in the garage and play without always costing us money. Now, it's not costing us a great deal and we couldn't part with it.

Great story. It shows that if you really want to, you can make it work somehow. I also dram that one day my son will drive my notch... but only when I am not using it :P