A Dino (not the one everyone loves) is the one I'll likely aim for, the first "Ferrari" I've ever got a ride in and I still think about it to this day.
It's probably not the first old Ferrari most people think about, but the Mondial can still be had for prices that are within the range of mere mortals.
Keeping it running and rust free might be a different story, though.
I feel the same way. Adulting has made it not possible for me to get a cheap fun car for atleast another 8 to 10 years unless I hit the lotto. This is let alone a $100k+ dream car. I feel the same way as you. Back to teenage days fantasizing.
But one thing thats nice is that I dont care for lambos or hypercars like I did as a kid. I would take an R34 or MK4 Supra over those any days and theyre more "affordable".
But that being said if a 30k Model Y is your dream car and you feel this way you need to step it up. $30K is not an impossible sum to save up if you increase your income somehow by new career or part time work.
Is an R34 or mk4 Supra more affordable than a Gallardo? Its funny, I actually stopped lusting after normal cars due to the crazy increase in prices of NSX’s, GTR’s and the like.
A MK4 sure is. Dont forget although you can get a beat up Gallardo for the same price as a MK4 the maintenance costs are still $$$. A R34 base yes, GTR no, but even for current prices its still affordable for a "dream car".
Umm, have you gotten quotes from a 2JZ specialist in the past few years? I have one of the cheapest ones (and slowest) in my area and getting any work done always translated to mid 4 to low 5 figures…
It’s cheaper than a lambo/ferrari, but not substantially.
What kind of work? It's a Toyota. It just needs basic maintenence to get fron point A to point B. It costs mid 4 to low 5 figures for maintenence on European exotics let alone mods. If you're talking mods then I can agree there's a Supra Tax on mods.
Oh just everything seems to go wrong with my 2JZ-GTE even though it's a Toyota motor. My exhaust manifold became warped at some point, so now I need new one. Just getting anything done based on time is very expensive. I had oil leaks earlier this year, and it needed upper and lower oil pan gaskets. While there, the starter went out. On the way home, the alternator went out. Mine might be a cursed hodge podge, so not the best example. Definitely a supra tax on mods. But I've definitely spent more in my 1 year of ownership than I have owning Porsche's for 3 years and Ferrari's for 2.5 years combined. I am having the whole motor gone through now and just bting the bullet, buy once, cry once - because It's annoying as fuck when I have the car back and it breaks the next week and then I need to send it somewhere and wait months for them to fix it again.
I'm doing a new intercooler setup, new turbo housing, exhaust manifold, intake manifold, adding a bunch of sensors, new tune, new coils, new exhaust, and a bunch of other stuff, so basically changing everything engine related except the short block.
People our age are achieving these things. My dream car was a new ZL1 and I got it when I was 33 after dropping out of college three different times. It's a grind day to day make a plan to save the money to put it away keep your eye on what you're going after.
You will feel a lot better if you make small financial goals to achieve your dreams so you can see the step-by-step progress you are making. Start by saving x amount of money per week x amount of money per month x amount of money per paycheck and putting it in a different account that you don't touch. Figure out what you can do calculate it out so you no you will be able to achieve your goal after x amount of years. This will completely change your outlook.
You also need to remember where you are. Forums are some of the most negative places on earth filled with people who come here to talk about what they want to do because they are not achieving it in real life. Go join an auto club go to cars and coffee and talk to people figure out what they're doing, network. Build your dream if you can't buy it.
Forums are some of the most negative places on earth filled with people who come here to talk about what they want to do because they are not achieving it in real life
Hit the nail on the head. Don't base reality off of social media and especially not Reddit.
Everyone on Reddit dismisses advice like this as "pull yourself up by your bootstraps". The reality is it works and while people are coping by calling it that and falling into the bucket of crabs mentality, plenty of young people are figuring out ways to afford dream cars and houses.
Imo it’s opposite. House aren’t achievable but cars are. Cars cost about the same throughout the country but you get a much higher salary and ceiling at HCOL areas which opens up a much larger selection of cars you can buy
Found hitting FIRE is faster in HCOL. A lot of your comp comes from stocks that’s been skyrocketing. Know lot folks who hit their fire numbers early in their careers
Iono if you want that dream car, shoot your shot at that 10% job. If that doesn’t work out, can always fall back to a LCOL area but that shouldn’t be first choice
You wont see a lot of shitboxes in those HCOL office back lots because people have an image to project. Never assume that people are living the life of a king just because they are driving something snazzy. They could be under a mountain of debt just for that projection of success. That being said, they could all also be millionaires because their buddy told them to buy NVDA/TSLA/BTC when they were dirt cheap.
What image is there to project. You park in a massive lot and walk in. No one sees what you’re driving nor would they care. The flex is your strike price or house, cars are trivial in comparison
You wont see a lot of shitboxes in those HCOL office back lots
Sure you will, at least at tech companies. Plenty of engineers driving old shitboxes because they work so why upgrade. You'll see surprisingly high end and surprisingly low end both in a Microsoft parking lot.
Absolutely. Inevitably when people suggest a LCOL people invent a myriad of excuses why they can't do that and act like there's nothing to fix their situation. I can't tell you how many times I've seen someone see a cheap house, have their mind blown and ask how someone got it so cheap, and then when they realize it's in the Midwest they say there aren't any jobs/no good roads/nothing to do/etc.
Yes, and not everything scales in a line. Just becasue you move to a place where houses are 75% cheaper, dosent mean your job is going to pay you 75% less. You'll take a 10-20% haircut tops.
I think it is a mixture of both. You need a baseline level of money to survive and "budget better" can't fix that, nor do I think it's worth eating beans and rice every day to afford a used Model Y, but once you go beyond that, budgeting and saving is incredibly useful.
I say this as someone who's set up with a bunch of automatic and manual deductions so that they're saving a good 30% or more of income into a house, and also saved up enough for my second car. It's very doable on the average income in a first world country, but if you're not on that income or have to live in a high income environment, you're not gonna be able to no matter what.
In my experience the majority people do absolutely nothing to stand out and elevate themselves from the crowd. They wonder why they don't get paid more, or why they can't achieve what others have.
The average person also likes to get "comfortable" and they stagnate quickly. I often see people say, "I haven't gotten a raise in 3 years." I ask, "Why are you still there?" Apply for better jobs, take online courses, develop new skills, etc.
Sitting around and waiting doesn't work in 2025. It isn't 20 years ago where you could have half-a-brain and pulse and suceed.
Yeah but he's still going to srruggle with the cost of housing, in or out of the military, so that car is still going to be out of reach.
-Canadian. Our military has been making news about service members not being able ro afford to live in the places they get posted due to the housing situation.
I had a great career. But we had mass layoffs and it's been constant applying, interviews and no dice still two years in. Life can change very fast and that's where I find myself right now. Still looking for something that pays well, it's just hard to keep my spirits up is all.
if you were just in the round of BCE layoffs, please check out lawyers to make sure your severance is solid. Bell may be doin some shady stuff. there's been rumors of the selected people having been selected due to age too so if you are nearing retirement... please make sure to look for lawyers.
Thank you, but this was 2 years ago now. Regional tech company. Currently working a call center and fishing for IT/Analyst roles within a large union company, so hopefully I can prove myself and grab a technical position soon.
Looking at your post history, you're a fucking doctor of some description, no?
I went to school to be a teacher, and then watched that already pitifully-paying career get motherfucked by politics. I have a disability that makes even finding retail work nigh-impossible. I can't afford to go back to college, and I'm never gonna be able to pay off the debt from the first time 'round anyway.
Not really sure how I'm supposed to unfuck all that.
Anyway, yeah, I gave up on my dream car long ago. I'd settle for a reliable shitbox and then just spend a literal order of magnitude less on getting one of my dream motorcycles, anyway.
Could also be what it represents. THE electric vehicle. Build quality issues, sure. Problematic owner, yeah.
But i get where he is coming from. Literally the representation of the future 20 years ago if we ignore the flying cars we're supposed to have by now.
Is that supercar highly impractical, costs more than a house and is in the shop more then the owner gets to drive it? Absolutely. Doesn't change the fact thousands of kids had that poster on their wall dreaming of it, even if only a few hundred exist.
Personally i liked the cybertruck when it was still a concept. Even if I knew then I would never own one.
But yeah, some dream cars are unobtanium, and some people's dream cars are mundane vehicles.
I would love an electric vehicle, but the reality is the main advantage is moot until I own a home; and given local prices, that's never happenimg.
Though my other dream car is the maverick so make of that what you will.
It’s such a generic boring car hahaha. Teslas were cool and unique 6-7 years ago, now I legitimately just view them the same as any old used EV on the road.
totally, but dream cars aren't about preferences or goals. they're about dreams.
they're about what you would have if money was no issue, if practicality only matters in so far as that's what you dream of. it's what you would get if you had 2nd and 3rd and 4th cars to do the things you need a car to do, and are left with a car purely to do what you want. the model y fits more in the category of that 2nd/3rd/4th daily driver.
some people dream of sports cars, some people dream of "lifestyle" cars (jeep wrangler, f150 raptor, misc convertibles), some people dream of art or history (e.g. classic cars), or of nostalgia "dad had a ______"
but the model y is the toyota camry of electric vehicles. many people would absolutely love to have one, but it's hard to call it a dream car, rather than a suitably adequate car if your dreams aren't about cars at all.
I though this might happen, based upon what older generations saw happen with 70’s muscle cars, so I held onto the vast majority of $500-2k Craigslist Japanese sports cars I bought, and either sold them to buy dream cars or kept the ones that I loved.
It’ll happen again. Mark my words that if you buy one of the darlings of the stupid street takeover scene right now (Infinitis/Z/Charger/Challenger) and keep it safe and clean, you’ll profit in the future.
Yeah part of it is attrition - they were so cheap that they weren't valued or looked after at all.
In the early 00s I had a DA Integra (admittedly the uncool four door one but it did at least have a B16a and manual), my younger brother had an S14 Silvia and my now sister in law had a DC2-R. None of them were expensive cars at the time either.
Funnily enough my brother still has that S14 - it hasn't been on the road for a good 15 years and has some fairly extensive rust issues but even in that state it's still worth far more than it was when parked up.
I mean, they're well-built, good driving cars with serious potential that are easy to work on. Not easy to find these days. Hell, the S2000 comes with something not far off a race motor from the era.
The Model Y (pre facelift) is also the worst riding car I've ever been in. Blows my mind that Uber and Lyft have the audacity to classify them as Black cars.
I got heavily downvoted in the Model Y sub for sharing the mods I did to my wife’s MYP to make it ride better (19” wheels/Tein adjustable dampers). According to them there was no problem with the ride.
I spent a decent amount of time in both a 992 GT3 and a Model Y within a couple of hours of each other recently I felt the ride is honestly harsher in the Tesla.
i got into a prefacelift Model Y Uber in Denver. got in, slammed the door shut, and recoiled and physically cringed because i thought i broke the door of the car. it sounded like closing a broken microwave door
If I didn't already have it, I'd pay 10k for the car my parents had growing up, nostalgia is a hell of a drug. (It's not worth remotely close to that)
Won't be long until kids who grew up in an early Model 3 start wanting them, though they're so common that it'll take a while for them to increase in value
Of course they do. But unless OP is talking about only buying brand new, then $25k will get you a 3-ish year old Model Y with under 40k miles.
There's no problem with that being a dream car, but if OP is talking about it being out of reach then they are also out of reach for most cars of any type.
I didn't go into deep details, but the reason is that I got laid off about two years ago from a well paying IT role and it has been very difficult to find anything since. So I've fallen back on my university studies to pay bills and try to keep afloat with increased rent on top of everything else. I still haven't found anything that pays as well and am behind on a lot of bills as well. So yeah, there's a lot of mental pressure and the money I had been setting aside for the Y evaporated in paying bills, but I'm still in the hole and pay cheques instantly disappear. I apply for jobs every time something decent pops up, go to interviews but haven't been fortunate enough to land something good yet.
A model Y may seem "easily attainable" and it was for me too just two years ago, but life switched on a dime and things are very hard right now. I even had to sell off some stocks that I had to pay bills. So a lot of my dreams and things I was working towards are on ice now. 30K didn't seem like a lot before, now I'd be happy with even 5K liquid.
yeaaa i looked up prices and it seems you can get a 40k mileage Model Y for like 25 grand. Which is like buying a new Corolla. I don't see how that's not attainable.
Hey, u/techtimee, there are currently at least 130 Model Y's for sale under $20k. 20 of those have under 75k miles on them. I don't know if that would be enough to make them affordable for you, but it's a start.
In Canada? I'd be shocked. But thank you! The problem remains the same unfortunately, I'm not very liquid right now and am still looking for a decent job with stability.
To be generous, I think a Model Y could represent upward class mobility. Like you dream of having a reliable family car with modern amenities, something that symbolizes financial security and reliable income.
I feel like this was true from the 1960s through 90s but these days a car- especially an EV (in this market) I'd argue is not remotely a symbol of any financial security nor class ascension IMO.
The amount of new Model 3/Audi/Mercedes/BMWs I see in the bad/low income parts of my city, vs the amount of dented and dusty F150/Tundra/Japanese SUVs I see in the wealthy neighborhoods tells a story and it's not one of financial security among entry level luxury car buyers.
Yeah, this feels like a “never meet your heroes” type situation. And, I say this as someone who has owned two Model Y Performances. Early on, when they had just come out, I ended the lease early (and paid a penalty) on a nicely equipped BMW X5 to get into a Model Y. I very quickly wished I had held onto the X5.
I saw one for sale in the Window of a Specialty shop last year. Had to pull in and take a look. They offered it to me for $75k. I almost went ahead even though I knew I couldn’t afford it, nor do I have a garage to keep it in.
Honestly, I wish had just gone for it. I kept an eye on it. It sold for $150k a couple months ago. Missed out hard
Since they started to become legal in the US they've never been that low, so either that car had nightmare problems or something was wrong with the paperwork. You're better off passing.
My advice is buy a R32/R33. Having driven all gens, the experience is mostly the same across them all. Clearly the R34 has the looks, cool ass MFD, and the 6-speed but it's sort of not worth the extra $100k.
I’m going to Japan to rent one in a couple months. Renting is just so much easier, MKIV, R34, GT3/GT4 RS—cars absolutely out of my price range to own but you can still experience them
That's why I got a R33. Fundamentally, its very similar to the 34 (minus the transmission). But they can be had for 1/3 to 1/2 of the cost. The parts are still prohibitively expensive though, especially any discontinued OEM stuff.
I have not given up on my dream car. A 1966 Ford GT40. It is a roller with a built engine and tranny, shell, shifter, suspension, tires, all except wiring and glass. What I have given up on is gainful employment. I am a nerd/athletic hybrid through and through. It is not to many that is missing. It is the drive.
R/PersonalFinance has killed my dream of owning my dream car young. I can’t help but feel like an idiot even if I find a Skyline or MK4 Supra at a bargain lol
I feel in the same spot, before COVID hit my business was great, I purchased an Abarth (yeah used to be my dream car) 10,000 miles almost new, then pretty much ruined my financial life due to Stocks, had to move in with my parents at 39yo, and start from 0, slowly have been getting back in my feet, built a tiny home and started another business, purchased a van but seems like I’m late in life now to chase dream cars, maybe I just don’t have the time and resources left to go after what once I thought could be obtainable, specially now that seems like the world is crashing economics, between bills now seems harder every day
"Cheap" enough without throwing me into financial distress. I was looking at the BMW iX, but it was pushing 50-65K for used, and I just thought that money would be better spent investing or saving for a house. Now I'm on the backfoot financially anyway so it's kind of worked out anyway in having a modest dream vehicle wise.
Yeah I've let go of the idea of ever owning anything particularly nice. Used to want an older Porsche 911 but at this point I'm just trying to keep my current car running without major repairs.
The Model Y thing though, those are dropping in price pretty fast with all the used inventory flooding the market. 30K might actually happen sooner than you think, especially if you're okay with higher mileage.
I’d most likely never pull the trigger on an E92 M3 at this point, it was my dream car while I was a Uni student. Considering where I’m from, an older performance car like this wouldn’t make much sense, and finding a clean example is difficult.
This is me exactly. I sold my fun sports car to exclusively drive a cheap econobox because I would rather make myself more financially secure and be able to buy a forever dream car later than trying to get something close right now.
I get a ton of shit for my flair when I comment on sports cars here. The thing is that I make pretty decent money and could afford to buy a 50-60k sports car right now if I was willing to stretch for it. I don't want to do that though for a bunch of reasons. Mainly though I'm trying to throw a ton of money at my student debt so that it isn't hanging over my head anymore.
Once I get that paid off I'm going to be doing some serious shopping, but until then I'm happier driving a cheap ass car than I would be if I was stretching my budget every month.
The first time I saw the Cayman I said “I want that.” Maybe three years later I was able to afford it, but it would have been maybe borderline irresponsible. In September—15 years later—I have one in my driveway. The long game is worth it.
Yeah, it took me almost 20 years to get a 996 911. But I got one! Damn close to the spec I always wanted, too. (The '99 GT3 look was more important than the performance. A Carrera is plenty fast for me.)
Thanks! The 996 may be the most hated generation of 911, but I like it.
It's definitely no Cayman GTS 4.0, though! My dad and I went to the Porsche Experience Center in Los Angeles and he got to drive one of those. He loved it. Some local PCA members have them (or the Boxster version), too, and really like them.
However there is the feeling of FOMO that feels even worse nowadays with the death of so many ICE models. Like 15 years from now the Cayman as we know it will certainly not exist, unless you're buying a 15 year old Cayman. Although maybe whatever replaces it might be better, or worse, who knows
That’s certainly a new and unfortunate wrinkle to the equation. I try not to think about it too much, lest I get prematurely sad about what I can get my hands on in a decade.
Currently looking for a gt350 (may go elsewhere but that's most likely my top choice) test drove one and absolutely fell in love. I sold my 5.0 mustang to purchase the jetta since I bought a house far from work.
It's one of those things where sure I could make it happen right now, but if I clear my major debts first, then I can comfortably afford it guilt free and I would have no issues buying it. It wouldn't stress me or my family, which would almost eliminate half the fun of owning the car.
I get a ton of shit for my flair when I comment on sports cars here.
I know that feel, bro. More than once I've had people make a snide remark about having a Kia and a frumpy Volvo wagon.
But... it feels pretty damn good to save and invest 50% of your household income. The feeling of financial security is better than the feeling I'd get from owning pretty much any car. Also the E34 was my dream car and E34s are relatively cheap.
Rock that econobox and save your money until it's the right time for you to buy. It's nice to know I have a toy in my garage while still being financially stable and comfortable. I also love talking cars with people whenever I pull up in my Bolt daily driver or Sienna dog hauler, but never mention my z06 at home.
My jetta is a total dog ha. Super slow. It has decent torque but at freeway speeds it's got nothing left to give. It's a 6 speed though so it's at least entertaining to drive
I've still daily my first car and just bought my first house. Your accord 2.0t is plenty of fun for everyday. Especially the 6mt. Although you gotta replace the shifter bushings to make it stop feeling like a logitech.
These are my obtainable dream cars, along with a manual SS. My actual dream car, an ‘05 Ford GT, is so far beyond gone it doesn’t even hurt anymore lol
Oh for sure. There’s a couple around where I live and they look like they could’ve been released this year. Absolutely one of the prettiest cars ever made.
What’s crazy is manual SS’s with around 80k miles are going for more than new Mustang GTs, at least where I’m at.
Bought my dream car at 18 it was a 2004 911 Turbo S. I worked a lot of jobs as a high schooler. The jobs/investments were sewing, arborist, welder, mechanic, gambling, and investing in the stock market. I was the coolest kid in the parking lot. Now after I finish nursing grad school, my new dream car is a Lamborghini Diablo.
Dream was the og nsx but reality hits. Even tho can buy one, I don’t want to drive a really old car and deal with scarce replacement parts and spend time wrenching.
Same. The NSX was it for me for years. I was fairly close to having the money together when they were like $50k (where I live). I was early on in my career and thought to be financially responsible, work hard and then get one as a reward when I was a bit more financially stable.
Fast forward a couple of years and they're now $150k. I make more money, but across the board the buying power of our money has been eroded as well.
I still like to think "one day" but with an NSX being basically the same prices as a manual V10 R8, I don't know if I'd actually pull the trigger when I would have that type of money to spend.
I remember it being like mid 30s when I was in school thinking yea that’s not too bad. But at like 80k+ for an early high mileage one, there’s other more modern sports car I’d rather own. Think I’ll try to get it out of my system by renting one. Rented an r34 gtr before and have no desire to own one
Same. It's also that as I'm getting older, I'm increasingly thinking of getting a "dumb" car. I switched my motorcycle out for a supermoto for example and that was the best move I ever made.
I already have a decent and comfortable normal car and while I love the design and story of the NSX, an Elise or Exige might be a lot more fun.
I've always wanted a Caterham Super 7 since I was a kid in the 90s. I don't think I'll ever have a house big enough to have a 3 car garage, and now I'm kinda over internal combustion.
Always dreamed of mine being wrapped in the tan/white/red/black color scheme of the Jurassic Park Jeep Wranglers 😂
I'm sorry, but your dream car is a Tesla Model Y? That bloated-looking, silly thing that helps Elon Musk get ever richer? That's the best you can do? Many people dream of Ferraris or Porsches they'll never own. Fair enough. Then they go out and buy something cool and interesting like an old British car or an Alfa Romeo or an old Mustang or a great early BMW 3-series or even one of the cooler Honda Civics or whatever. But you dream of a large fat fish of a car. Okay, I guess. Maybe if you work real hard down at the insurance company and bring your lunch every day in a brown paper sack, and save your pennies, someday you can give your years if hard-earned money over to Elon and get a nice used one. And won't that be exciting?
No, but as others have said, my dream car keeps evolving. When I was in highschool it was the Lamborghini Gallardo, Ferrari F430, and Audi R8. A few years later it was the Koenigsegg Agera, McLaren P1, Porsche 918, Ferrari La Ferrari, Lamborghini Aventador, and Aston Martin Vanquish.
Then one day I realized it was more interesting to dream about cars I could theoretically afford someday. There was the Audi RS5, Audi S8 ('15-'18), Ford Focus RS, Acura TLX Type S, Volvo V60 T8 Polestar, and Tesla Model S P100D. On the slightly pricier side there was the Audi RS6 Wagon, and Acura NSX ('17-'22).
My current attainable dream car is a Porsche Taycan Cross Turismo GTS/Turbo/Turbo S. I've test driven the 4S version a few times, and I couldn't stop smiling the whole time. So giving it a few hundred more horsepower must be a good thing.
I doubt I'll ever get my dream car not for financial reasons, but admitting that having a car as impractical as that (Caterham Seven) just isn't in the cards. Nowhere to put it, driving it in my local area would be a death wish. It would sit for weeks at a time.
Seriously though, with kids and the house and everything, getting an actual dream car isn’t currently attainable. Dropping $5-6k on a car that is reliable and still a blast definitely helps scratch the itch.
I have owned or driven everything from vintage beetles to full on hypercars.
My favorite car and the only one I want back is my autocross prepped NB Miata. It does almost everything in a single package for a street driven car it is almost criminal.
Mine was fully prepped and loved that car. If I had to do it again I would just call flying Miata have them make me a set of ohlins coil overs for my driving style and strip it out like my last one. We had the weight down under 1800lbs at one point at Leguna seca and it was glorious.
Slow but you learn so much in a momentum car. I can cover up my corner entry issues with the other track cars. But you need every smidge of control to keep a Miata from losing speed.
I had one for 10 years, mostly delivering pizzas. I still turn my head when I see a clean NA in a parking lot.
As I got older I set my eyes on a Speed6. It is my attainable dream car. My knees are happier and I don't have to deal with leaks but I still miss the go-kart a little bit.
When you start shopping for one make sure you get an M-edition. The LSD is a must
Got one a couple years ago. It’s such a strange in-a-league-of-its-own car. Nothing is really this small, it’s infinitely customizable because of the vast aftermarket, and stupidly reliable. Looks like the Miata tax has cooled off in the past year or so ever so slightly but IMO they’re still worth it. I have 4 cars and (other than the brand new one) it’s been the most reliable… I’ve always been into NA V8s but you can’t shake weight like a Miata!
You joke, but after adjusting my “dream car” to an ND and actually getting one, my perspective changed completely. I used to dream about an expensive sports cars until I experienced how simple, fun, and cheap a Miata can be.
Sadly I have given up on my dream car mostly because the majority of 1972 Dodge Monaco coupes with 4 on the floor didn't make it past cash for clunkers. Fortunately was able to buy my dream bike (1987 Honda VF1000F) and unfortunately it wasn't as great as I hyped up in my head, eventually I want to get a VFR800 though that bike is awesome.
Also keep in mind that things have just gotten absurdly expensive in the US in the past 4 years. Everything has gone up. We can’t afford new cars. We can’t afford used cars. Salaries aren’t keeping pace with inflation. I didn’t feel like this before 2019.
Still though, I feel like it’s transitory. It will never kill my love for cars. I still have my sights on some dream cars. While they might be unattainable now, they absolutely will be attainable later.
Being realistic is important, but what a terrible thing to do yourself by giving up on your dream car!
Your graph shows a difference in rate of change (you've changed the Y axis).
But the rate of change post-2022 is still positive (increasing) so I'm not sure what your point is, other than wages continue to exceed inflation, albeit not as fast as they did in 2020-2021.
You've clearly misunderstood the chart. Cost of goods outpaced wage growth for several years at a rate which has not yet been caught up to by wage growth.
Stated another way to help clarify this for you: if annual cost of goods increases 3%, 3%, 0%, 1% (each data point representing the 1 year growth rate) and wages increase 0%, -2%, 1%, 1% across the same 4 year period, then even though real wage growth has been positive for the two most recent periods (in this hypothetical dataset for illustrative purposes) the 4-year CAGR of goods' cost still exceeds wages' CAGR.
The real issue is those who bought a house prior to 2020 and those who did not. If you bought prior to 2020 you can save/invest more, go on vacation more, have a higher car payment, etc… I don’t care if wage gains are keeping up with inflation. I don’t really care if milk triples. I do care if housing, cars, and insurance double.
Here’s a quick question for the posters that drop the wage vs inflation graph, are fluctuations in car prices only a function of inflation or deflation?
Last 4 years? More like the last 6 months. I was going to buy a second car in 2027, but the cars I'm interested in all had MSRP jumps between 15-25% since April.
Because they all want the new shiny huge top trim 80-100k+ SUV/Truck regardless of what they make. If you need a reliable beater that'll get you to work and back for cheap, there are options that would cost you less per month than a single night out partying would. But nooo because how am I gonna flex on my 237 followers and my neighbour?
Well, I always knew that my real dream cars were unattainable to begin with. You don't buy ferraris or lambos with lower middle class salaries. Heck, you don't buy even a new volvo with those.
But luckily the cheap car segment has improved a lot since I was a teenager, so even something modest like the vw t-cross is pretty cool and loaded with comforts and tech. So if anything, I dream about something like that. I love affordable cool every day things which you aren't afraid to actually use. Like, even if by some miracle I'd get a ferrari, I'd constantly be worried about it, but a vw? Whatever, it's meant to be used in the real world and I can afford to repair it if something happens.
40 years old now. "Dream" is a word that means something different to everyone. Plus you can dream at different levels. My high school dream car, I already bought it, had it 5 years, and sold it at a break even price. I slightly regret that, and am looking to buy another. I'll probably pay about 30K. I could pay that today if the right one popped up.
I always had a dream car and a realistic dream car in mind and over time they've changed around but they were always something like a $300k car and an $80k car, for example a 458 speciale and an m5. For starters I genuinely don't like this gen m5 but anyways, I had a c7 z51 and I loved it everything about it except the $650 payment I had. I downgraded to a gti on a $450 payment and was much happier with it overall. I just, can't justify a $2,000+ car payment, there are so many more important things to me than having a super nice car.
My wife and I make pretty good money now but I don't have a car payment. When this car craps out at 150k miles I'll probably look at used gtis again or maybe even just a basic CR-V. I'd rather have a cheaper car payment and then be able to afford a really nice tv, kick ass gaming computer with a really nice set of headphones and still throw an extra thousand into savings of some kind. I have thought about getting a c5 or something but that'll be a hassle to own and maintain. So yeah, I've kind of given up on the whole dream car thing, not because I don't want a nice car, but I just don't care enough to spend like that.
If Subaru would do another STI then it is not yet dead yet for me, but my next less affordable dream car is a Porsche 911 which is a little bit of a stretch at this time...
I’ve owned all 3 of them, still own 2. Didn’t like the gallardo honestly. Those are like my “obtainable/reasonable dream cars”. I’ve been very blessed and life has been cool.
Eh, kind of. Mine isn't very expensive...to buy...in RHD markets. It's a quite small, but fairly heavy and awkward truck, so it's expensive to ship, and I'd owe chicken tax because I live in the states. It seems like it might never happen, and I wonder how many will be left by the time I "make it" financially enough where it's not the dumbest possible decision to import one. Canters are just the default comoddity workhorse on 5 continents...I just live on the wrong one.
I always wanted a Lamborghini. Just love the shape and look of them. But my salary and lifestyle position would never allow me to buy one.
But I bought the closest thing to one which is a Hyundai Elantra N. Which is designed by one of the ex Lamborghini designers. So I have a poor man’s Lambo and I’m happy with that. 😊
Man, I’ve always had several dream cars. One has always been an AE86. But that’s not great for everyday livability, at least in my area. But then Toyota/Subaru gave us the FR-S/BRZ and I bought one. It’s the dream car I never knew I wanted until it came out. 12 years in, I still love it to death.
Next step up would be a 718 GTS 4.0 or Lotus Emira
Above that would be a Ferrari 458/488/F8
I know I’ll likely never get any of those, but am content with my FR-S!
Yep, I always wanted an C63S but not only are they getting old but because of the stupid decision by Merc to introduce a 4cyl, the older ones haven't dropped in prices here in AU.
plus with kids and mortgage, I think it'll remain a dream in the foreseeable future.
Mainly because life handed me 3lbs of semtex shaped like a suspiciously large lemon and said the electrical thing in it was an electrode because lemons can be batteries and I was like oh man that’s fuckin awesome a lemon battery and then I blew my life up because I trusted life to hand me lemons, not semtex.
I got it. S2000. Was my dream car growing up poor when it came out. Got it, have dumped a ton of money into it fixing all the shortcomings (manual steering on an AP1 steering rack and CR steering rack stiffeners, vented rear brakes, Spoon rigid collars and solid bushings, coilovers, the lightweight flywheel), and now I just want more S2000s. I want a convertible build for my wife because mine has a soft top delete and permanent hard top, I want a Baja build, I want a track full aero build… just so many S2000s. I love this car so fucking much. It’s perfect.
Do I want a super car? Fuck no. Maintain a car top to bottom and the cost alone will scare you away. I’m good.
No im not here to laugh or joke about the Model Y being your dream car... Im not sure where you are at in life, and if there is any more room to change but I think, and I really hope that you would make it to get your model Y.
When I was a teenager, my family can only afford a little motorcycle for me to commute to work/school... when I migrated, I dreamed of a Rav4 V6 2008-2010... I understand the fact that being young open up alot of opportunity, but there was one point in life, I grew up, had a family, still worked 2-3 jobs but managed to buy a "decent" car at that time(Qx60 -terrible I know but I was proud of it back then)
Sadly the car market is not it used to be anymore, but with abit more effort, I think you can do it. Cheer!
All my 'dream' cars are 'achievable' dream cars, and my feeling is that though I've now reached a relatively high level of income, I find myself feeling it would be irresponsible to pull the trigger, even though others earning similarly might not bat an eye at the cost of a gt350 or f80 m3. I just need to move up once or twice more in my career for it to make sense by my math -the dream is still alive.
I am holding onto hope. I am building my dream car. 10 plus years ago I started building a 1930 Ford coupe hot rod. And me being me, I makes things weird so I overcomplicated the build.
Like you a few years ago, my health went to shit, and now I basically just go through the motions trying to keep myself afloat. My hot rod, in the garage under layers apon layers of dirt.
I’ve given up on dreams, period. Can’t afford those in this economy.
I mostly want a bunch of cool older BMW’s like the E36 M3 in Dakar Yellow, Z3 M-Coupe in Imola Red, and E39 M5 in Imola Red. So it’s been really (not) fun watching their prices go through the roof, even as the cars themselves get older and more broken. In general, the classic BMW market has just turned into a game of investors and speculators and is just pricing out normal people, much like what happened with the Porsche market. Us poors aren’t allowed to have any fun at all, it seems.
Skyline GTR was the dream for many years before F+F came out. I’m now in a place where I could afford one but I refuse to pay what they’re going for because I can get much better value elsewhere
I daily a manual C7 Corvette. I have a 535d for long road trips, bad weather, and days when I know I’ll just be sitting in rush hour traffic. I have two unreliable project cars for fun: a built Mazdaspeed 6 that’s faster than the Corvette and a built Mazdaspeed 3 that needs a new clutch. I have four motorcycles ranging from a Lifan KP mini to a CBR1000RR
A single R34 GTR sells for more than ALL OF MY VEHICLES COMBINED are worth, and I think that’s insane
I have two dream cars, an unobtainable one that I assume I will never get my hands on, and an obtainable one, which I was actually able to buy earlier this year
As of right now now, I am not working. So that isn't happening lol.
When I am working, I make around $200K, wife makes another $100K. Just getting my finances more in check before making a purchase like that (Hoping I can find one for around $150K when it is time)
My dream cars seem to change. I dreamed of a C6 Z06 and a 996 GT3 then a C6 GS, then tried a C7 GS and Shelby GT350.
Went to a C5 Z06 and have been extremely content. I still yearn for a 996 GT3 or Turbo manual but realistically I need to have a 3 car garage to have 2 sports cars and a work space.
Nope I have not given up on my dream of a second gen Isuzu Impulse RS Turbo or a Geo Storm or a Mazda MX3 GS with the V6. Not much point in busting my ass if I can't make one of my dreams a reality.
I suppose even "dream" is a matter of perspective lol. I grew up poor and was just feeling like I'd escaped poverty when it all fell apart. So my dreams have always been for the most part, pretty grounded.
Yeah, that makes sense. Aiming for bigger and better things like the whole "aim for the moon, even if you miss you'll land amongst the stars" or whatever. I do have things like that rolling around in my mind, but I guess it's more just psychological due to life experiences. I'm rather risk averse unless I have everything planned out and fallbacks.
Unfortunately I'm in Canada and we don't even have them for rental, let alone purchase, at least where I live. But I'm after the new gen Y's anyway, not the previous ones unless I get a really good deal on a 2022+.
You can have a great time in the sub 5k shit bucket tier until the opportunity comes around to bump up to the next tier! So many cars out there to enjoy all over the spectrum.
"Dream shit bucket" lol. You guys have shit buckets? I use the bushes! Haha.
But yeah, as I said, I think myself blessed and fortunate at least that my car is at least modem enough, reliable and great on gas. It's only turning 11 years old this year, so at least I have reliable, safe and comfortable transportation that's also paid off.
Sort of? GM crushed my dream car dreams when they destroyed all the EV1s but I bought a Honda Insight a few years ago for C$1750 so I guess that’s the next best thing.
I used to dream of an m3 as a kid but the new ones just don’t do it for me. I definitely still have a Porsche or lotus in my sights eventually. I think it’s possible within the next 10 years when I’m 40. Maybe not though because everything just gets more expensive. I remember when an M3 lease was $500 a month I was like thats easy lol I can’t wait to grow up now it’s probably what $1500.
997 GT3 for me. I suppose I could afford one but seems completely financially irresponsible. Also currently have two kids attending private colleges. My gift to them is they get to graduate debt free.
Been wanting a 2nd gen Viper GTS since it came out when I was 5. Early 30s now and it's still a ways off but my wife is aware of my dream and she has okayed it once the kids are grown up. Another decade to go, but I know the day will arrive eventually an d I still keep an eye on them closely. I have a Hummer EV Pickup as a daily and I know realistically its faster and more comfortable than the Viper but the heart wants what the heart wants.
I’ve always had an unrealistic dream car and an attainable one. The unrealistic one is if I ever win the lottery, so unlikely but also not entirely impossible while the attainable one would be possible if I could ever get my career going.
I dream of a manual Aston Martin. Any Aston would do, as long as it’s a manual one. They are quite common as far as exotic sports cars go and they are always fairly cheap too. A manual V8 Vantage or DB9 is $50 000, a DBS is twice that while a DB7 would be half of that. I’m 31, so I’m fairly confident I’ll be able to get one at some point.
Never stop dreaming… set goals and smaller milestones along the way. You may not start with the ultimate dream car, but nothing stopping from smaller pleasures along the way! As long as it starts and doesn’t leave you stranded any car can be fun to drive around in!
No. Once you "give up" on your dreams or goals, you accept the fact that you will never achieve either.
Setting goals motivates me. Five years ago, I did low-paying contract work, had zero benefits, and drove a 10 year old economy car. I put 100% of my effort into improving my professional skills and resume. I then got a nicer used vehicle, which I paid off in less than a year. I moved into a great full-time position, traded for a fairly nice CPO BMW, which I have modified and made my own. For a while, I have wanted to get a M3 Comp and over the past 2 years, I have been working towards making that a reality. Currently, I have been having positive interviews with roles that will double my salary.
The point is if I "gave up" a few years ago, I would not been in the position that I currently am.
My 2015 WRX, I know its not unobtainable or anything but I lost it because it cost too much in gas for it to be my daily (commute 40 miles combined) and premium in NV is close to California prices so i got a Prius instead. My limiting factor wasn't the price of the car price exactly but lifestyle.
Dream car was an S2000 and I had an AP1 for 10 years, so I think I’m good. Might aim for an Elise, though, if I ever decide I really like repairing things in my spare time.
I wanted a 1965 Pontiac GTO when I was in high school and well…yeah I old yellered that pretty fast.
I moved onto a 1977-78 Lincoln Mark V. The price increase on those isn’t looking too good for me. (especially for anything with a 460 that isn’t in a “that’s what I call 1977” color)
Not quite, but the strategy is a lot different than the mid 00s when NSX prices were on the floor. If I get one, I'm going to have to settle for an automatic and put in the work to manual swap it myself if I want any hope of being able to afford one.
With Honda restarting parts production, apparently it's cheaper at the end of the day than finding an original non-accident manual example.
When I was a kid I saw a Porsche 911 and knew I wanted it. When I was a teenager I'd look at prices and felt with a decent job I could have it. When I was in university prices started creeping. A Turbo was out of reach. And you know, with time that never stopped.
I'm too old to drive a clapped out poverty spec 911 that 12 others got to before I did. That's not what I fell in love with.
yeah i don't have hundreds of thousands of dollars to blow on a 22b and with my chosen career path i highly doubt i ever will unless i win the lottery lol
My concept of a dream car has admittedly changed due to the ever looming issue of actual practicality and attainability. I think young me always knew I was never getting that Audi Sport Quattro that I had the poster of short of a lottery win.
It's funny because when I was younger I used to laugh at the concept of performance SUV/crossover style vehicles, yet realistically that's the form factor I'd need to look at in order to get something fun yet practical, given performance wagons like the RS6 are effectively unobtainium due to price alone.
Ultimately I could buy something nice right now. But could and should are two different things. The economy is a bit rough right now in Australia and companies are downsizing everywhere. The money I've been saving might need to be repurposed into just keeping the lights on.
I have an 8 year old Lexus that is rock solid, I would really like M340i, but I'd rather have investments and savings for worse times and a peace of mind.
I "invested" in simracing rig instead, wasn't cheap but gives me loads of fun as well.
I wouldn't say I've given up but it's a much lower priority simply because my dream car would be driven the same as my current car most of the time. If it isn't a daily, it's going to live parked most of the time and I'm paying a ton of money to drive it in nice weather a handful of times a year on weekends.
It's just not worth all that extra money spent that could be used for other things, at least to me.
Not a dream exactly but I have a S3 right now and would love to have the RS3 with the ridiculously cool turbo 5 cylinder. But is it worth tens of thousands of more dollars on top of more expensive insurance and consumables like brakes and tires when it would also spend most of its life in the same traffic, the same speed limits, with the same problems of laws, cops, and wildlife that limit what you can safely do with it outside of a track?
I just don't think it is. I had the same mental conversation thinking about a small outboard motor boat. I don't live on the water. Realistically, I'd have the time and motivation to deal with moving it on a trailer and putting it in, taking it out, drying it off and cleaning it at the end, etc maybe 2 or 3 times a month between like April and October when it's still warm enough here. That's a lot of money spent to do something like 15 to 20 times for a few hours.
Same here. I would love to have a muscle car or C7 corvette but they would just spend most of the time sitting because my area has shit weather for most of the year. And now I spend my extra money on traveling post covid.
Same. I used to dream of the Dodge Viper as a kid. How looking at the interior and mpg I’m like hit the brake yo. Then you factor in the cost!! Got to feed the dependents.
No. G80 M3 is still in the cards in 2-3 years unless life gets super rough. But I did get something practical with a B58 in the meantime, so the wait won't be painful.
More that my idea of a dream car has changed. When I was younger I thought I’d die for a Ferrari or a Porsche. For one after sitting in one I can’t even fit my big ass head in a Porsche but after owning a fast car (Model 3 Performance) maybe I’ve just scratched that itch. I’d rather have a slow or engaging car like (another) Miata or Mustang I could take to the mall on a good day, or a stick shift Wrangler for more fun. I love my comfy easy to use daily driver and wouldn’t replace it, but a fun to drive, low maintenance weekend car is my dream and not something I’d barely be able to use or even fit in.
My dream cars change too often lol. Had a dream car when I was a kid though- a Corvette. Ended up going through 2 of those. Can't exactly afford the CC850 which is my current dream.
Thinking of pulling a trigger on an AMG GT S this spring, which is a semi dream car/dream sporty grand tourer. That or the 2019+ V8 Vantage but they're a bit more expensive up front and maintenance wise, though that same amg v8 in both is quite sturdy. ZF in the Vantage is also more reliable than the dct in the Benz... Anyone with either wants to chime in?
depends , I don't think most can achieve that coz a dream car is simply that. a dream.
But I'm super happy with my cars coz I know they haven't put me into debt and I happily drive them coz they tick all the boxes of my needs and they look flashy.
I drive a 16' Hyundai i30 as my main car, use my '02 Crown Estate Athele V to carry kids and their sporting equipments, and when I want to have some fun, I drive my old '96 180SX Type X.
Am I going sell my house and be irresponsible that I need to be on welfare coz I can't pay for my children's school fee, education, put food on the table just so I can buy an exotic Lambo or something? no, I'm not a fool. I have my priorities and I'm an man. A man who is willing to make sacrifices in order to provide for his family.
For me, its a 1969 Camaro SS. Would settle for a '68 or even a convertible. Not looking for a museum piece - I want to actually drive it. In love with them since high school. But now owning one would be a blazing red flag for a mid-life crisis and I don't have a spare garage space to store one. Not to mention buying one is about as much a new car today. That might be tough to swing with kids in college.
Dream car is relative. I'm easy to please. I wanted a Tacoma and Lexus es. I've got one. Saving for the other. If you make a budget and a plan it's easy to reach realistic goals after a couple years.
No. I’ve driven my dream car and it’s just not worth owning. My lifestyle and my ideal don’t intersect. It’s not a money thing. It’s a question of practicality and idealizing something that was only relevant 20 years ago.
That being said. I can rent my dream car any time I want and I don’t have to own it to enjoy it.
I try to have reasonable dreams. 30K is still a lot of money for most earners in NA and I have always lived by the idea that rent/mortgage should be 1/3 of income in case of emergencies, and vehicle should be less than that. Well, it helped when I lost everything, because I have been able to keep my head barely above water; but I really hate this feeling of just surviving. So yeah, bowl of plain rice will do if it means I at least have some food lol. I like cars, but not that much that I'd pay over $500/month for one, even if I have stable and good income.
I understand but I think we have a different definitions of "dreams." I have a dream car as well, an Alfa Romeo Disco Volante. They're over a million dollars and only a handful were made. I'll never have or probably see one. That's why it's a dream. Model Ys can be had for the low $20Ks all day, less then half the price of the average new car in NA. Your dream is easily achievable. I had car roughly that expensive as a college kid working part time in 2010.
I still have cars like the Aston Martin DBS or 1st gen NSX as "maybe some day cars" on my dream list. For now, I have 3 fun cars in my fleet that I absolutely love to death and to even be able to own 3 cars debt free is a dream in itself.
Yes, but also no. I sold my Mustang earlier this year because I only drive 10 or so miles a day put like 1,200 miles on it each of the last two years. It just wasn’t being used much and I couldn’t justify the 15mpg my city commute was garnering.
I sold it, along with my daily driver, for the Fit. Much more practical to have the money spread elsewhere.
All that being said, would I get a Mustang again? For sure. Do I want that exact car back? Goddamn right. Life just needs to allow for the luxury of a second car again, as well as actually getting use out of it. Going back to a 20-30 mile commute would make it more worth the investment.
Sort of, but not entirely. Im not really in a position where it would be responsible to get either of my goal vehicles - a blobeye/hawkeye STi & 80 Series Landcruiser. However, I am fortunate to have "cope" versions of each, and have them both paid off, while I continue to save and maintain financial responsibility.
Only in the sense that once I bought it (Used but in fantastic condition) and drove it for a while I realized that I wasn’t as keen on a high horsepower muscle car as I thought I was. I now drive a late model Subaru Outback and it is far and away the best car I’ve ever owned in terms of overall utility.
I have owned a lot of my dream cars, none of them were EV's. I understand not everyone's dream cars are the same. Still have not owned all of them. Some are beyond my reach, others, I have no place to put them.
Close. Been wanting a Miata for years. I understand the spectacular lack of practicality and appropriateness for a married father of two, but my wife has said several times that it’s “my turn” for the next car and it hasn’t happened yet.
Well my childhood dream car was the Ferrari F40 and I’ll never be able to afford that unless I win the mega millions. Realistic dream car was an R35 GTR, and don’t see myself owning that anytime soon with two toddlers and my other hobbies.
At the moment is mostly just waiting on priorities, like waiting for the housing market to keep going down (or by some miracle crash) and then buy the dream car. But i still havent given up on my dream of getting a Nismo 350z.
I have a somewhat different perspective from a lot of the other commenters in this thread, in that I did achieve my car (manual MKV Supra, for those wondering), just in time for my first child to be born.
Now that I’m hip deep into parenting, I’m seriously considering moving on from it into something with a backseat. I worked my absolute ass off, made numerous sacrifices, and built a career around this goal which seemed unreachable at first, and now that I have it, I’m honestly not too heartbroken at the prospect of leaving it behind.
I think it’s good to have these goals, but in the grand scheme of things, family and friends genuinely matter more. Good luck
Now that I have the means, I absolutely am not going to drop 30-40k on a nice example on any of these.
This becomes the issue for me as well, and I assume others share that sentiment. Being able to afford the dream car and finding it reasonable to do so are different matters. The price is just no longer worth it in our eyes because either the value proposition isn't there or personal priorities outweigh the desire to stretch for the dream car.
Yup. R32 GT-Rs are still CAD$10-15k cars in my mind, even if rusty shitbox ones with past repair history go for CAD$40-50k now. I am not paying that for an ancient rusty 220whp Datsun that was unreliable 15 years ago, was never sold here, and has the interior from a 1989 taxi.
So then I was like “an A70 would be fine too” but of course immediately upon making that decision prices went from CAD$10k to CAD$40k lmao.
I was pretty close to getting an A70 in the summer of 2023, but that was when prices were skyrocketing and it felt like they just kept pushing out of my budget (despite having cash in hand) and people on marketplace wouldn't budge with their prices. Lost my job that September and that dream got postponed. Since then my wife and I have both been in and out of jobs while people swear up and down we're not in a recession lol.
Ended up getting a turbo Z31 that I traded for a goofy 87 Civic that I've since fallen in love with. I still want a Z (especially a Z32 or another Z31) or the A70, but it's just going to have to wait.
An A70 in the exact spec I wanted popped up on marketplace a couple of weeks ago for exactly my original budget from 2023 and I just sort of sighed and died a little inside.
There's some...seemingly...good conditioned A70s for ~15k(cad) but they are automatic. I'm trying with the idea of a manual swap but I wouldn't be doing the work and will need to research how much this would actually run me.
I actually would love just an na z31 almost to the point I'd call it a dream car.
I had an Infiniti m30 convertible for a couple years with that same v6 and I like the sound and feel of it even if it's not all that fast. I just could only enjoy the automatic transmission so much though
I still think about that car and think how cool it was and how a z31 with red leather interior and a t top would be an upgrade to that experience. I like the boxy style, digital dash, and how small they are
After selling it I got a 2001 BMW 330ci coupe with manual trans which is what I drive still but it's made me appreciate i6 engines so now I feel like I'd rather have a Datsun than a z31. But for the moment
All that being said, now you got me thinking about a70s which check all my boxes or even the previous gen of Celica supra that has the more boxy style like an ae86
Anyway, there's a lot of cool cars out there and I could fall in love with just about any of them and your civic wagon sounds fucking majestic. My other car is 2007 Yaris sedan with manual trans and I consider it to be an almost perfect vehicle
Give yourself a lifetime and it might happen. Forever is always an option for car lovers. My husband gave me my dream car on our 35th anniversary and it's sitting in my driveway right now. Needs work, but it's there!
In high school (around 2010) the 05-06 Ford GT was my favorite car. At the time, they were going for like 125k. I thought that one day that price would be attainable. And now today I still can’t afford a $125k car, let alone the $500k they’re going for….
I have dreamed of owning a 911/Boxster for many years (15+) but now that I'm semi-retired at age 49 and I have significant hearing loss the practicality of owning one doesn't seem worth it (too noisy). I mostly walk or take transit so the car would be driven 20-30 times a year (I also have a 6 year old so a SUV is the DD). I'd rather spend my money on nice vacations or building a deck for my house.
If anything a car like the Prelude is way more in my ballpark now (semi-serious). A sporty, comfortable all weather car that is easy-ish on the wallet (haha).
Considering my dream car is an E46 M3 GTR (thanks Most Wanted), I’ll be happy with my Z. Is it perfect? Hell no, but it’s what I wanted, so it basically is my dream car funny enough
Yeppers. At least I was able to own one of the transitory cars on my list (3S-GE Altezza). But pretty much no chance to attain any of my other dream cars, those being; one of the JZX100 triplets, Lan Evo, Silvia S15, E30/E36/E46 M3, or a Porsche 964 911.
At this point seems like the only thing truly attainable to me are my dream bikes. I'm casually on the lookout for a well maintained Streetfighter, Streetfighter S, Monster S4R or a 650GS Dakar/Sertao (or 650/700/800GS twin). That said I'm also happy enough with my 599 Hornet that I don't need a new to me bike but it would fulfill my childhood dream.
Yes and no. Some of my original dream cars, like a 997.2 Turbo and an NA1 NSX, are out of my reach for the foreseeable future. But newer dream cars of mine, like a Z4M and an MR2 Turbo, are still well within reach.
First gen Camaro with modern suspension. Yeah with the boomer tax it's next to impossible for me to get anything more than a trashed shell and I don't have enough space in my garage for that kind of work. I don't think I've completely given up, you never know what might pop up or what you find while toad tripping.
I do own one of my bucket list cars so it's not a total loss
As a divorced single father of 2 in this economy almost all the dreams I had are pretty gone. My dream car is a 66 gto and they are almost impossible to find at a decent price because they are either already done and people want $60,000 for them or they are bare shells with no drivetrain or interior and people want like $10,000.
As you well know, a lot can happen in 3 years. Give yourself time and patience. It's not a race.
Mine is an ND3 Mazda Miata. My $3500 128i is my holdover car until our kid is old enough for my liking to sit up front... so probably \~4-5 years from now.
Pffft.... My dream was literally any year Dodge Challenger r/T. Not the scat pack, not the 382, just the damn r/T with the 5.7L V8 Hemi... That dream is basically vaporware currently and literally every other car I ever wanted has been the same all my life... That'll go in the pile with the Ford Focus r/S, the Mitsubishi 3000GT VR-4, etc. etc... At this point unless you have 3 incomes, or are rich (or well off with no kids and single), then you might as well accept your fate as a $7k enconoshitbox owner that sips 35mpgs and does almost nothing when you hit the gas...
Yes when I was in HS an F40 was 1.8M or so, possibly attainable for someone who sells a business, but at $3M+ and no signs of slowing, I could not justify having 10%+ of my net worth in a vehicle
I got mine, for the most part. It’s nothing crazy, just a WRX so I can pretend I’m a rally racer on my daily stop and go commute.
You could say and number of early gen corvettes is also a dream car of mine, which is technically obtainable especially as a project car, but not feasible without more disposable income and the kids being able to ride in the front seat.
But I think a lot of cars lose their luster once you get a bit older and take a test drive.
No, but I "changed" my dream. Growing up, I realized owning a Lotus Esprit in a cold remote place in Canada would be serious trouble, especially if it have mechanical issues. I feel like it would make me more frustrated than happy lmao.
So I decided to buy an old American muscle car. Still a nice look, simple mechanic even a clown like me could "kinda" understand, fair price for parts at a local autoshop (or easy to find online). Plus, if it's something I don't know how to repair, any mechanic could help me, which wouldn't had been possible where I live with a classic european car.
Maybe if one day I go live to Europe i'll change but so far, i'm happy with what I have ^^
But at this point, the highway noise is just to me. I guess I'm just getting old but I will be getting something on the complete opposite end of the spectrum. Still glad I gave it a go.
Unless a clean MKIV Supra appears for $35k or less, that boat has sunk. I just can't bring myself to spend so much on a 30 year old car. Same for the NSX, Viper, Skyline, and RX-7.
There's also the LC500. I could grab a high mileage 2018-2020 but it's an expensive car to maintain. I'll get it eventually but the old cars I gave up on. I get tired of dealing with old cars sometimes.
The other main dream car can't be imported legally yet. Late 2000's-2010's Toyota Crown Athlete, black on black.
In terms of dream car that is more or less attainable for a lot of people (not counting bughattis, koenigseggs, etc...) I could afford it now if I made a few sacrifices, but not comfortably.
Dude, it’s a car… you live in LA or Boston and are in your car hrs a day, sure, but so much more to maybe push for. I am not kicking the idea, but a trip abroad or helping a friend or an animal would give you so much more than a car, and a Tesla is like buying a track home, no offense to track home people 😉
There were times I thought about giving up, but eventually just pulled the trigger. It wasn’t perfect financial timing but I had enough things in order for me to feel comfortable taking the risk. It did take about 20 years and some car side quests but finally got the one.
You'll get a Model Y someday! You kind of have to set goals along the way. If you think about it, you're just trading in and upgrading along the way. You could go used but even new is possible. Start with something that is doable for you. $15000 car maybe. Pay that off. It's now worth $8000, turn that into a $23000 car, pay that off, it's worth $15000. Trade that in and boom, half of your $30K Model Y!
I wanted a 992 GT3 touring… prices spiked got my dream 964 and going to turn it into a 9k red lien monster. Honestly even driving it stock I’m more happy with it.
I don't think in have given up on a dream car but my tastes changed over the years previously I might have told my dream car would be a Datsun 510 or Nissan Sunny with a rb26 or some other cool suped up engine. But now I just want a Telo MT1, I am becoming an old man and by no means an I old
I'm just glad that my dream cars are all obscure 20+ year old JDM vehicles. Much cheaper to buy and in some cases, not too expensive to repair and maintain! Finding one in good condition is another story..
Some yes(see R34 Skylines which have gone from £40,000 cars to £100,000+ cars) but some such as the Jaguar XK(I own one) and the Aston Martin DB9 are still plenty cheap and don’t have to much demand, autos are cheaper as well which is nice
Kinda just fell out of love with modified cars and racing as a hobby so yeah - dream car was an mr2 spider - which is still quite cheap but I'd have to have a daily driver - honestly my dream car at this point is a Cadillac Escalade.. room to haul my other hobbies around, move, and it's like taking a yacht when you road trip in it. I hate everyone that owns an SUV but I want one for myself lol.
I’ve wanted an M car for forever. Now I’m potentially a couple years away from getting one and all I can think of now is what a waste of money. Not sure what I want to do anymore.
I sold my dream car last year (2000 BMW E39 M5). It was the best 7 years of my life while I had her. All the canyons I carved, all the road trips I took - worth it! Even though I spent a ton maintaining her (almost $40k, but I replaced literally almost everything mechanically except the driveshaft and rod bearings), if I had the chance to do it again, I would without thinking.
I haven’t given up, but the cheapest 5th gen dodge viper I’ve been able to find in the past year was $96,000 with a rebuilt title. It only lasted about 1 month before someone bought it.. 🥲
I've had so many dream cars over the years that unless I had Jay Leno's garage I'd have had to give up on almost all of them. I have most of them as Hot Wheels so I can look at them every day even if I can't drive them.
My current car had never been on my radar. I knew of the brand Infiniti, but had somehow never paid any attention to the G35 and G37 and didn't know the Q50 even existed. I knew I wanted my 2014 Q50 AWD from the moment I saw it, and had to buy it once I drove it, but I still thought it wouldn't be my forever car.
Then I started to put it into perspective. Most of my dream cars are from the 90's and early 2000's so when compared with stuff like the 300ZX or 2004 Pontiac GTO it's at least as quick and has a far nicer interior and features. It's not as quick as other cars I thought I could get someday like a V8 Camaro or Cadillac CTS-V, but those cars are still selling for at least twice what I paid for my Q50. If I really wanted to I could use that money to buy a supercharger kit to make it as fast as those.
It's not my dream car because I never dreamed of having it, but now it has changed my other dream cars from deep longing to just wishful thinking. I would like to drive my other dream cars someday, but I feel like once I got out I'd be going back to my Q50 without regrets.
Now that I've owned it for a few months though I think I'll keep it stock. It still has way more than enough power to get me in trouble on the street and I have no intention of taking it on a track, so there isn't much point in making it more powerful.
I was disappointed in it for a while because I was using the throttle wrong. It doesn't like to downshift if I just floor it, but if I mash the throttle and let off it will drop to the lowest usable gear and just take off when I floor it.
My dream car was just that, a fantasy that was never going to happen. I wasn't born into the Sultan of Brunei's family so no I'm not going to get my CLK GTR.
Just postponed due to the shift to working from home. I only drive 200 or so miles a month now so 2k/month payments on an RS6 Avant plus 600 in insurance just seems overkill for how little I would actually be driving it.
Got my dream car. Now that I've got it, it sits in my garage with crap piled around it and being too lazy to shuffle cars from my driveway to get it out, I've barely driven it. I'm not sure if that's what you can consider "giving up".
I guess I belong in the ”lucky” part of the group here. Bought my dream car at 21, a LHD Euro spec purple Nissan S14 Kouki (factory SR20DET). Not really a rational purchase, I guess the only way to really justify it is that the childhood / teenage dream is worth it, not the car it self. It does make me giggle like a teenager again every time I see it or drive it though!
Yes. I drive long distances for work, a new car wouldn’t be financial responsible. I have college to pay for my oldest in a couple of years. Don’t see a way I can I next 10 years. Sad realization.
Yes. When I was younger I always thought I would own a Ferarri one day. As I've aged and made more money, I've gotten to the point I could buy one (used), but I dont want the ongoing costs and maintenance. It would also make me a bit car poor. Having driven several Ferarri's and other high end sports cars, I would now rather have a Cayman gt4, but again I'd rather be financially comfortable, than have a fancy car. I'm happy enough with my ND Miata plus a sim rig, and plan to focus excess funds on early retirement rather than extravigant stuff.
For decades I’ve wanted a sleeper car that is legit quick. Never had a car under 6 seconds 0-60.
Six months ago I picked up a used polestar 2. Friggin love it. 0-60 in 4.1. Has all kinds of safety and tech features. I would prefer buttons and knobs but it’s not bad saying “hey Google put the driver seat heater on 2”.
I’d say this is pretty much my dream car. I’m in my mid 50’s btw.
Aircooled prices continue to be stupid as shit. My dream was always modest too - a basic ass g-body, and prices when I was a teenager were completely realistic. Now they're out of control and seemingly not worth it. If I was a DINK, maybe I could justify buying one but I have pretty much given up on the dream at this point.
Yes, all of my 90's dream cars are too old and expensive to justify now. It's also disheartening that there really isn't anything newer that seems worth it to me either.
Not completely, used to really want a 992 Turbo S, but honestly would settle for a Turbo or GTS now.
But I recently had a lot of seat time behind the G87 M2 and man, for the price, I'm really questioning whether I need to even consider a 911 anymore. I really loved that car and it's very affordable compared.
No, but I had to realize even if I could technically afford it that money is better spent somewhere else. It'll be a present to myself when I have the funds set aside for it and everything else taken care of. I just got hit with a rough unexpected expense and it reminded me of the importance of an emergency fund, something that wouldn't be possible stretching myself for a dream car.
I dream of a Type R Honda. DC2, EK9, or DC5 Type R. They are attainable, somewhat. I mainly would like a LHD DC2 Integra Type R but they’re expensive and hard to come by. A K20 swapped one was just for sale for $20k and I really, really wanted it.
Only thing is I already have a supercharged RSX Type S. It’s 90% a DC5 Integra Type R. I have most of the Type R bits. The supercharged K20A2 is faster than a K20A and revs almost as much as one. I paid nothing for it in today’s money when I bought it almost 10 years ago ($6k). I just don’t think spending $25k+ on a RHD JDM DC2 or DC5 will give me more happiness than I have now.
So in short I haven’t given up, just don’t think I need to chase it anymore.
Due to some health issues, I've had to change criteria of what works for me. Probably no coupes, because I can't get down into one. Even a sedan might be trouble. I've got a punchy SUV and it's a brilliant daily, but it's hard to work out what else I could handle.
My heart has always wanted something lightweight, maybe even a bit of a momentum car. I might be looking at more like under 3500lbs for 'light' now, based on what I can get into.
I have a lot of dream cars and I know it was never going to be possible to own all of them. I’ve had a few, e46 M3, e39 M5, FR-S, S2000 to name a few and some other “fun attainables” like an 8tj gen Civic Si and a mk7.5 Golf R.
In that time I’ve learned about myself during ownership. In my mind I want a GT car but for what I actually like doing with the car I actually want a sports car. The e39 M5 was especially disappointing for me personally, not the car itself, just how it fit into my life and what I Iike to do.
Will I ever get my FD RX7 or NA1 NSX or any 911? At this point probably not, they’re just too expensive.
Am I happy with my S2000 enough to consider it my “forever car”? Considering how much I’ve gotten into autocross recently, probably, maybe…we’ll see.
Moral of the story, maybe your dream car isn’t actually your dream car and you might be happier with something cheaper and more attainable. Go buy something cheap like a Miata for $10k and see how many smiles per mile you’re getting. Maybe that’s all you really needed.
I love this list. So far I have a FRS and a 8th gen Si. Very awesome cars that everyone will be stroking off to with nostalgia pretty soon, driving prices up. They’ve already bottomed out as far as that goes tbh. Also one came out of the woodwork for me - GM’s Alpha platform in the form of Cadi’s ATS and the 6th gen Camaro, which can be had cheap.
I have my dream cars but a Lucid Gravity is my practical dad car but I also can’t feel but the same that it’s just a dream I don’t make enough to justify buying it
I had a '17 GTI SE 6MT prior to the Alltrack. For now the AT does everything I need, and I might add an IS20 turbo and DP in the future. Right now I'm just focused on becoming debt free (not too far off) and building a new garage. 2nd car isn't in the cards for a while, and I do need the extra space of the wagon vs the hatch.
My dream car that’s semi affordable is a 718 Cayman. A step down would be a Supra. A step below that would be a BRZ or Miata. I can afford the BRZ/miata now but I’d have to delay some house upgrades …. First world problems.
Dream car has a different meaning to me. The looks and performance of a car mean nothing to me if the car is easily stolen, highly desired, or unreliable. I can look at a picture of a pretty car without having a bill from the repair shop. Outside of Toyota/Lexus or Subaru, I'm unsure where to invest my money when it comes to transportation. Sadly, I recently found out Toyota/Lexus vehicle are quite vulnerable to theft.
Nope, my dream car is any old flat 4 boxster. Perfectly attainable but I don’t have the space for a third vehicle right now. An impractical one at that.
Ish? I chose the Cayman because naturally aspirated, 4 liters, mid engined. But I’ve always liked 911s and had a 997.2 prior. My “dream” was to spec out a GTS or GT3 touring, do PTS, the whole she bang. But, the increasing cost of 911s and dealer shenanigans has basically made that not viable and no longer worth the money. I wish I was able to customize my Cayman a bit more but I’m pretty damn happy with it.
But the older I get and the more money I have, the more I realize that my goals are shifting little by little.
Gave my dad a bit over 12k for a new Corolla hybrid 3 weeks ago. It's his first new car ever at almost 60 after driving old Soviet hand me downs and then most recently a Neon for 23 years.
It's not a fancy car by any stretch, but I can see it means a lot to him and that's what makes me happy.
i've gotten more burnt out on cars as i've gotten older. I did purchase my dream car after medical training with a nissan gtr. And then pushed past that with a ferrari and porsche gt3. They are cool, but at the end of the day a car is a car.... they all pretty much run the same way. disc brakes, tires, oil, burning fuel to make noise, etc. I'd be just as happy with a e92 m3 as a ferrari 458 tbh.
the main issue now is that about 10 years ago i really got into stocks and compounding interest. Capitalism is beating car enthusiasm in my brain. I put 20k miles a year on my cheap civic... and maybe 2k miles a year on my 911.
My dream car was loosely defined but was always "something Porsche". Last month I bought my "dream". A 2022 Porsche 718 Cayman GTS 4.0 with the 6 speed manual gearbox.
It's been a total blast. Unfortunately I'm in Ohio so today is probably the last day I'll get to drive it before the wintery weather comes in tomorrow. I'll be putting it in storage this afternoon until I can drive it again in March or April (and maybe even May).
I haven't given up on my dreams, my dreams have changed. I had a Mustang in my youth and for a while I wanted after a brand new Mustang. After getting married and having kids I've realized that while I would absolutely adore the car I could get far more joy by spending that money on other things. I've sacrificed having a dream car (or even a modern car at all) to allow my my children to experience dozens of countries and allowed them to play any sport they like.
I drive an older car now than I did before they were born but it still does the same job my old car did. I do still get some joy out of it... it's a 20 year old manual wagon that I itch to drive when I see snow is falling.
The phrase is more about having an optimistic attitude about outcomes while working towards the dream. Time is going to pass anyway. Things are going to happen. You can either believe you’ll achieve what you want or, yeah, give up. I’d rather not despair.
They're overpriced, very few innovations, something you have to maintain (which has become harder and less fun to do at home) and (at these prices and how bad drivers are anymore) huge liabilities.
For a while, I kept motorcycling as my main motor vehicle hobby, but even that became less exciting and fun for me. People have seemingly become even worse at driving (at least in my city) and the roads/infrastructure to ride are increasingly more hazardous and hostile to spirited riding every year.
Without sounding dramatic, it's like our roads are literally in shambles.
I've moved on—I still love older cars, car shows, car history, etc... I just have no willpower for new stuff or trying to get my dream car (first gen NSX).
My money goes towards traveling, and I can't recommend that enough.
Just got a GR Yaris, maybe a Lambo next year. Just gotta stay focused on your career and have a goal. Luck is also a factor, not gonna lie but try to get into something that interests you even just a little and try to figure out a way to make it profitable.
I’m really struggling with this right now. I’ve been working for a year and a few months, and am saving for my dream car. My dream car is quite expensive, but I could save up for it in another 4-5 years. That being said, it requires some financial sacrifices and if the car becomes more expensive I wouldn’t be able to buy it. Of course people say if you can’t buy it twice, don’t buy it and there is no way I could buy the car twice. I also have other life changes coming up in the next few years - will probably have kids in a few years and buy a house (I am saving for the house separately from the dream car and budget accordingly).
The hard thing is then I have a hard time finding something less expensive that I really want and I could call a “dream car”. I don’t want to open the garage door and see something where I settled and didn’t get my dream. I don’t want to spend half the money but get something that doesn’t invoke half the emotional response as my “dream” car.
I’m in a weird spot but recognize how fortunate I’ve been anyway. My dream cars are the E36 M3 coupe and the R33 GT-R. I’m at the point where I could easily afford both but have ended up with a different garage. Not exactly “my” dream cars but wonderful machines.
I've given up on some of my dream cars become of rising costs, I've given up on more because I've realized I don't want to own a less safe vehicle that requires a lot of upkeep.
I had a lot of things come together and bought an Elise years ago, so I won't complain too much. I've managed to hold on to it, but the likelihood of a newish fun car to DD and depreciate seems slim now. An only 80% practical car like a Miata or BRZ as primary car has just become too frivolous.
I have also made peace that I will likely never own a vintage homologation rally car like a Stratos or RS200, but that was probably never gonna happen if I'm honest
I'm trying not to. There's a lot of 1st gen 86/BRZs out there. I just got a car I don't want to replace and currently can't own another one until I move back out. I just don't know how long everything will take until conditions are just right to finally get one. I also regularly talk myself out of something good and more fuel efficient just for cost savings reasons like the Civic Si, Cooper/Clubman S, or GTI
When I was 19 I fell in love with the e36 coupe. Didn’t even need to be an M3. Just that shape with low hood and high trunk. And it had to be light blue. So sexy.
Then it was the widebody 993, or really any widebody 911 except 996.
But by then I was in my mid 20s and realized I would probably never owned that. It’s just too impractical and too expensive.
So I worked my way up towards that BMW dream. By then it was an used e46 and eventually two decades later new f87 M2.
My priorities in a car have changed. When I was a teenager I wanted an AMG, the E6e wagon was of course the dream, but even a C63 sedan seemed like a near perfect car. Then I started owning cars. I want a car that will start and run every time and not be an inconvenience. The closest MB dealer to me is 45 minutes away, the closest independent shop that I would trust with an AMG is 30 minutes. If someone handed me a million dollars and told me to fill a garage I would probably buy a 2nd Gen Tundra (ideally 2019-2021, the best looking of that gen imo), a new Miata RF, and either a GR Corolla, Civic Type R, or Integra Type S. 3 cars that would cover all of my needs, be fun to drive (2/3 anyway) and be as reliable and hassle free as possible.
I really do get it, there comes an age where you realize that your dream car is far beyond your reach. As a car enthusiast it's sad to live in the real world already. Add to it that time goes on we will be regulated to extinction.
My best advice is to enjoy what you have as much as you can. The everyday life you take for granted will one day crumble like the steering wheel on my beloved Chevy Spark. I wish I had never sold it, nothing will ever be as special.
It's grim, but the only thing you can do is Drive (2011).
I've never given up on my "dream cars" and I've owned most of them. Currently have 2 of my "grail" cars in the garage.
Everything in life is a compromise, though; nothing is perfect.
There have been cars I couldn't hold on to and cars I couldn't buy or didn't buy even though they were a great deal.
At the end of the day, cars are just machines that move us from point A to B. When you find success in your work and life then you can justify being more picky about what's in the driveway.
I think I'm closer to the opposite, I wasn't even into cars as a kid, the only car game I really played was GTA 5 and as a teenager, I never actually googled the cars or paid attention to them IRL, but I remember thinking that the Banshee and Infernus were insanely cool to me and if they were real cars, I'd want one in cyan blue. The fact that they were fake names I think actually helped me not get attached to them as dream cars because I didn't know they actually existed lol
I actually come from a tech background and when I was shopping for my first car after the pandemic ended, it kind of evoked the same feelings as I had when I was building my first PC as a kid, picking the perfect parts but not too optimized because I wanted to see what I needed first after getting some driving experience and along the way, realized I actually really liked driving and cars, and only just realized what my dream cars would be this year, which made me even more motivated in my career to work and advance to a point where I can afford them.
Not so much as given up, but priorities shifted and interest also changed.
As I’ve grown up and started DIYing everything since you can’t trust contractors, spilled over to cars. I have more lust over that 1500 dollar ticking time bomb on Facebook that the 80k Ferrari 360 ive always loved lol
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Skensis@reddit
Yes, I want a vintage Ferrari... So that dream has sailed.
JaggXj@reddit
so go aim for a Mondial. it looks like any other Ferrari of that era but has four seats.
Skensis@reddit
A Dino (not the one everyone loves) is the one I'll likely aim for, the first "Ferrari" I've ever got a ride in and I still think about it to this day.
AnonymousEngineer_@reddit
It's probably not the first old Ferrari most people think about, but the Mondial can still be had for prices that are within the range of mere mortals.
Keeping it running and rust free might be a different story, though.
ow_windowmaker@reddit
When I've seen the Swiss one I realized there's potential in them: https://i.pinimg.com/736x/98/d7/31/98d7315fa4c0e41022ad8a2cd09ecfe2.jpg
mxadema@reddit
My is just out of reach, 4.2 gen 2000+ ws6 trans am & seconds gen viper.
The trans am are just out of my price range and no longer going down, just for a "summer car" but not too hard to find.
The viper is at an all time high with no backing down. So I got the kids vertion, a nb miata instead.
abarthsimpson@reddit
Yeah I’ll probably never be able to afford a first gen nsx or fd.
JaggXj@reddit
you can find some mustier FDs on Facebook marketplace
Ccrawfisshh@reddit
I can relate, but being perfectly honest I think you deserve better than a model Y
JaggXj@reddit
Model S?
JaggXj@reddit
If miles arent a problem for you...
here.
milliondollarsunset@reddit
I feel the same way. Adulting has made it not possible for me to get a cheap fun car for atleast another 8 to 10 years unless I hit the lotto. This is let alone a $100k+ dream car. I feel the same way as you. Back to teenage days fantasizing.
But one thing thats nice is that I dont care for lambos or hypercars like I did as a kid. I would take an R34 or MK4 Supra over those any days and theyre more "affordable".
But that being said if a 30k Model Y is your dream car and you feel this way you need to step it up. $30K is not an impossible sum to save up if you increase your income somehow by new career or part time work.
falcon0159@reddit
Is an R34 or mk4 Supra more affordable than a Gallardo? Its funny, I actually stopped lusting after normal cars due to the crazy increase in prices of NSX’s, GTR’s and the like.
milliondollarsunset@reddit
A MK4 sure is. Dont forget although you can get a beat up Gallardo for the same price as a MK4 the maintenance costs are still $$$. A R34 base yes, GTR no, but even for current prices its still affordable for a "dream car".
falcon0159@reddit
Umm, have you gotten quotes from a 2JZ specialist in the past few years? I have one of the cheapest ones (and slowest) in my area and getting any work done always translated to mid 4 to low 5 figures…
It’s cheaper than a lambo/ferrari, but not substantially.
milliondollarsunset@reddit
What kind of work? It's a Toyota. It just needs basic maintenence to get fron point A to point B. It costs mid 4 to low 5 figures for maintenence on European exotics let alone mods. If you're talking mods then I can agree there's a Supra Tax on mods.
falcon0159@reddit
Oh just everything seems to go wrong with my 2JZ-GTE even though it's a Toyota motor. My exhaust manifold became warped at some point, so now I need new one. Just getting anything done based on time is very expensive. I had oil leaks earlier this year, and it needed upper and lower oil pan gaskets. While there, the starter went out. On the way home, the alternator went out. Mine might be a cursed hodge podge, so not the best example. Definitely a supra tax on mods. But I've definitely spent more in my 1 year of ownership than I have owning Porsche's for 3 years and Ferrari's for 2.5 years combined. I am having the whole motor gone through now and just bting the bullet, buy once, cry once - because It's annoying as fuck when I have the car back and it breaks the next week and then I need to send it somewhere and wait months for them to fix it again.
I'm doing a new intercooler setup, new turbo housing, exhaust manifold, intake manifold, adding a bunch of sensors, new tune, new coils, new exhaust, and a bunch of other stuff, so basically changing everything engine related except the short block.
Educational_Age_1333@reddit
People our age are achieving these things. My dream car was a new ZL1 and I got it when I was 33 after dropping out of college three different times. It's a grind day to day make a plan to save the money to put it away keep your eye on what you're going after.
You will feel a lot better if you make small financial goals to achieve your dreams so you can see the step-by-step progress you are making. Start by saving x amount of money per week x amount of money per month x amount of money per paycheck and putting it in a different account that you don't touch. Figure out what you can do calculate it out so you no you will be able to achieve your goal after x amount of years. This will completely change your outlook.
You also need to remember where you are. Forums are some of the most negative places on earth filled with people who come here to talk about what they want to do because they are not achieving it in real life. Go join an auto club go to cars and coffee and talk to people figure out what they're doing, network. Build your dream if you can't buy it.
WendysChiliAndPepsi@reddit
Hit the nail on the head. Don't base reality off of social media and especially not Reddit.
Everyone on Reddit dismisses advice like this as "pull yourself up by your bootstraps". The reality is it works and while people are coping by calling it that and falling into the bucket of crabs mentality, plenty of young people are figuring out ways to afford dream cars and houses.
StrangeSmellz@reddit
The trick is low COL area. You're not buying shit when a dumpster fire of a shack is 1m+
withsexyresults@reddit
At the same time HCOL can be the answer. Lots of nice rides at the back lot of many tech companies
PaulTheMerc@reddit
Op is canadian same as me. Houses cost more here than many parts of the states, and tech salaies are nowhere near our Amerixan counterparts.
StrangeSmellz@reddit
Yes, but that "Nice" car is a lot more achievable if you're not the top 10% of salaries. Everyone wants ot make $500k a year, but let's be real here.
withsexyresults@reddit
Imo it’s opposite. House aren’t achievable but cars are. Cars cost about the same throughout the country but you get a much higher salary and ceiling at HCOL areas which opens up a much larger selection of cars you can buy
StrangeSmellz@reddit
Yes you can afford a lot when you don’t care about retirement etc
withsexyresults@reddit
Found hitting FIRE is faster in HCOL. A lot of your comp comes from stocks that’s been skyrocketing. Know lot folks who hit their fire numbers early in their careers
StrangeSmellz@reddit
Yes… again if you make a lot of money you can afford more stuff. Most ppl don’t make top 10% income.
MissedTheApex212@reddit
Look at median salaries in LCOL salaries and tell me how it’s easier…
StrangeSmellz@reddit
Sure, look at the median salaries in Texas or Navada and housing costs compared to say WA.
Or do the same for Vancouver Bc vs Edmonton Alberta.
withsexyresults@reddit
Iono if you want that dream car, shoot your shot at that 10% job. If that doesn’t work out, can always fall back to a LCOL area but that shouldn’t be first choice
vaibhav_bu@reddit
You wont see a lot of shitboxes in those HCOL office back lots because people have an image to project. Never assume that people are living the life of a king just because they are driving something snazzy. They could be under a mountain of debt just for that projection of success. That being said, they could all also be millionaires because their buddy told them to buy NVDA/TSLA/BTC when they were dirt cheap.
by_a_pyre_light@reddit
Spoken as someone with no actual experience. Nicely done outing yourself.
vaibhav_bu@reddit
Sure thing bud.
withsexyresults@reddit
What image is there to project. You park in a massive lot and walk in. No one sees what you’re driving nor would they care. The flex is your strike price or house, cars are trivial in comparison
JALbert@reddit
Sure you will, at least at tech companies. Plenty of engineers driving old shitboxes because they work so why upgrade. You'll see surprisingly high end and surprisingly low end both in a Microsoft parking lot.
StrangeSmellz@reddit
Yes, but the same equation still applies. You can make $300k a year in sanfran or $200 in Texas.
MissedTheApex212@reddit
The trick is to make a lot of money… guess where there’s a higher opportunity to do that?
WendysChiliAndPepsi@reddit
Absolutely. Inevitably when people suggest a LCOL people invent a myriad of excuses why they can't do that and act like there's nothing to fix their situation. I can't tell you how many times I've seen someone see a cheap house, have their mind blown and ask how someone got it so cheap, and then when they realize it's in the Midwest they say there aren't any jobs/no good roads/nothing to do/etc.
StrangeSmellz@reddit
Yes, and not everything scales in a line. Just becasue you move to a place where houses are 75% cheaper, dosent mean your job is going to pay you 75% less. You'll take a 10-20% haircut tops.
Thomas_633_Mk2@reddit
I think it is a mixture of both. You need a baseline level of money to survive and "budget better" can't fix that, nor do I think it's worth eating beans and rice every day to afford a used Model Y, but once you go beyond that, budgeting and saving is incredibly useful.
I say this as someone who's set up with a bunch of automatic and manual deductions so that they're saving a good 30% or more of income into a house, and also saved up enough for my second car. It's very doable on the average income in a first world country, but if you're not on that income or have to live in a high income environment, you're not gonna be able to no matter what.
Zoso_65@reddit
In my experience the majority people do absolutely nothing to stand out and elevate themselves from the crowd. They wonder why they don't get paid more, or why they can't achieve what others have.
The average person also likes to get "comfortable" and they stagnate quickly. I often see people say, "I haven't gotten a raise in 3 years." I ask, "Why are you still there?" Apply for better jobs, take online courses, develop new skills, etc.
Sitting around and waiting doesn't work in 2025. It isn't 20 years ago where you could have half-a-brain and pulse and suceed.
Yotsubato@reddit
If you can’t save up for a 30k reliable commuter car. You gotta re evaluate your career and position in life.
This should be a wake up call.
In the worst case consider enlisting and getting your shit together.
munche@reddit
Won't have time to worry about your dream car when you die liberating an oil field in Venezuela
Yotsubato@reddit
Fewer than 15% of enlisted are in combat roles or see combat.
It’s a much better alternative than living in squalor in the US.
ReducedToMereFilth@reddit
OP is Canadian.
Yotsubato@reddit
Even less of a chance to see combat then.
It’s still a career that provides a solid living and stability
PaulTheMerc@reddit
Yeah but he's still going to srruggle with the cost of housing, in or out of the military, so that car is still going to be out of reach.
-Canadian. Our military has been making news about service members not being able ro afford to live in the places they get posted due to the housing situation.
kyonkun_denwa@reddit
Not if you guys have anything to do with it, apparently
techtimee@reddit (OP)
I had a great career. But we had mass layoffs and it's been constant applying, interviews and no dice still two years in. Life can change very fast and that's where I find myself right now. Still looking for something that pays well, it's just hard to keep my spirits up is all.
sdflius@reddit
if you were just in the round of BCE layoffs, please check out lawyers to make sure your severance is solid. Bell may be doin some shady stuff. there's been rumors of the selected people having been selected due to age too so if you are nearing retirement... please make sure to look for lawyers.
techtimee@reddit (OP)
Thank you, but this was 2 years ago now. Regional tech company. Currently working a call center and fishing for IT/Analyst roles within a large union company, so hopefully I can prove myself and grab a technical position soon.
Ball_Of_Meat@reddit
Unfortunately you’re so right.. Sad that a normal 40 hour job can’t cut it anymore for most people.
Iffy50@reddit
Lol, you won life, or so you've been told.
MadMike32@reddit
Looking at your post history, you're a fucking doctor of some description, no?
I went to school to be a teacher, and then watched that already pitifully-paying career get motherfucked by politics. I have a disability that makes even finding retail work nigh-impossible. I can't afford to go back to college, and I'm never gonna be able to pay off the debt from the first time 'round anyway.
Not really sure how I'm supposed to unfuck all that.
Anyway, yeah, I gave up on my dream car long ago. I'd settle for a reliable shitbox and then just spend a literal order of magnitude less on getting one of my dream motorcycles, anyway.
stupidber@reddit
He did say "tremendously"
invisibleboogerboy@reddit
A model Y is your dream? Jesus.
Few_Highlight1114@reddit
Lmao. This comment comes across a bit harsh but it was my exact reaction
Consistent-Throat130@reddit
There are so many possible dream cars that aren't a Tesla.
Like, beyond the basic nature of the Y, the choice of brand screams poor taste.
PaulTheMerc@reddit
Could also be what it represents. THE electric vehicle. Build quality issues, sure. Problematic owner, yeah.
But i get where he is coming from. Literally the representation of the future 20 years ago if we ignore the flying cars we're supposed to have by now.
Is that supercar highly impractical, costs more than a house and is in the shop more then the owner gets to drive it? Absolutely. Doesn't change the fact thousands of kids had that poster on their wall dreaming of it, even if only a few hundred exist.
Personally i liked the cybertruck when it was still a concept. Even if I knew then I would never own one.
But yeah, some dream cars are unobtanium, and some people's dream cars are mundane vehicles.
I would love an electric vehicle, but the reality is the main advantage is moot until I own a home; and given local prices, that's never happenimg.
Though my other dream car is the maverick so make of that what you will.
Ancient_Persimmon@reddit
Well it is the gold standard for daily driver/family car, it just isn't much of a dream car.
mikePTH@reddit
I thought that was a Toyota product these days?
Ancient_Persimmon@reddit
It easily could've been, but they chose otherwise.
Ball_Of_Meat@reddit
It’s such a generic boring car hahaha. Teslas were cool and unique 6-7 years ago, now I legitimately just view them the same as any old used EV on the road.
blame_lagg@reddit
No need to be rude - different people have different preferences and goals.
yll33@reddit
totally, but dream cars aren't about preferences or goals. they're about dreams.
they're about what you would have if money was no issue, if practicality only matters in so far as that's what you dream of. it's what you would get if you had 2nd and 3rd and 4th cars to do the things you need a car to do, and are left with a car purely to do what you want. the model y fits more in the category of that 2nd/3rd/4th daily driver.
some people dream of sports cars, some people dream of "lifestyle" cars (jeep wrangler, f150 raptor, misc convertibles), some people dream of art or history (e.g. classic cars), or of nostalgia "dad had a ______"
but the model y is the toyota camry of electric vehicles. many people would absolutely love to have one, but it's hard to call it a dream car, rather than a suitably adequate car if your dreams aren't about cars at all.
dissss0@reddit
Or increasingly as you get older 'I had a _____'
Which is why 90s Japanese performance cars are so overpriced at the moment.
Zappiticas@reddit
Which does really suck because I owned so many Japanese performance cars when they were cheap and now they are absolutely insanely expensive.
PlatinumElement@reddit
I though this might happen, based upon what older generations saw happen with 70’s muscle cars, so I held onto the vast majority of $500-2k Craigslist Japanese sports cars I bought, and either sold them to buy dream cars or kept the ones that I loved.
It’ll happen again. Mark my words that if you buy one of the darlings of the stupid street takeover scene right now (Infinitis/Z/Charger/Challenger) and keep it safe and clean, you’ll profit in the future.
dissss0@reddit
Yeah part of it is attrition - they were so cheap that they weren't valued or looked after at all.
In the early 00s I had a DA Integra (admittedly the uncool four door one but it did at least have a B16a and manual), my younger brother had an S14 Silvia and my now sister in law had a DC2-R. None of them were expensive cars at the time either.
Funnily enough my brother still has that S14 - it hasn't been on the road for a good 15 years and has some fairly extensive rust issues but even in that state it's still worth far more than it was when parked up.
mikePTH@reddit
I mean, they're well-built, good driving cars with serious potential that are easy to work on. Not easy to find these days. Hell, the S2000 comes with something not far off a race motor from the era.
Quizzie@reddit
The Model Y (pre facelift) is also the worst riding car I've ever been in. Blows my mind that Uber and Lyft have the audacity to classify them as Black cars.
PlatinumElement@reddit
I got heavily downvoted in the Model Y sub for sharing the mods I did to my wife’s MYP to make it ride better (19” wheels/Tein adjustable dampers). According to them there was no problem with the ride.
mikePTH@reddit
I spent a decent amount of time in both a 992 GT3 and a Model Y within a couple of hours of each other recently I felt the ride is honestly harsher in the Tesla.
KpopMarxist@reddit
I remember getting one as an Uber before I knew about cars thinking that it'd be super smooth and luxurious and being absolutely disappointed
sneakylumpia@reddit
i got into a prefacelift Model Y Uber in Denver. got in, slammed the door shut, and recoiled and physically cringed because i thought i broke the door of the car. it sounded like closing a broken microwave door
Thomas_633_Mk2@reddit
If I didn't already have it, I'd pay 10k for the car my parents had growing up, nostalgia is a hell of a drug. (It's not worth remotely close to that)
Won't be long until kids who grew up in an early Model 3 start wanting them, though they're so common that it'll take a while for them to increase in value
Nashvegas@reddit
Also this:
https://www.reddit.com/r/cars/comments/1p5mi8e/tesla_model_y_was_germanys_most_defective_vehicle/
blame_lagg@reddit
I'm not a Tesla fan but I'd say the Performance in particular is arguably the best vehicle in its class.
agray20938@reddit
Of course they do. But unless OP is talking about only buying brand new, then $25k will get you a 3-ish year old Model Y with under 40k miles.
There's no problem with that being a dream car, but if OP is talking about it being out of reach then they are also out of reach for most cars of any type.
blame_lagg@reddit
It seems OP does have a car and they're grateful for it.
A 25-30k Model Y is out if reach for them at the moment, and there's nothing wrong with it being their dream.
Beats walking or riding a bicycle through the rain!
mikePTH@reddit
Dream big, buy low. You can want a Mercedes 300SL or Ferrari F40 and buy a Jetta GLI on the very same day, my friend.
techtimee@reddit (OP)
Or here in Canada, the frigid cold and snow.
I didn't go into deep details, but the reason is that I got laid off about two years ago from a well paying IT role and it has been very difficult to find anything since. So I've fallen back on my university studies to pay bills and try to keep afloat with increased rent on top of everything else. I still haven't found anything that pays as well and am behind on a lot of bills as well. So yeah, there's a lot of mental pressure and the money I had been setting aside for the Y evaporated in paying bills, but I'm still in the hole and pay cheques instantly disappear. I apply for jobs every time something decent pops up, go to interviews but haven't been fortunate enough to land something good yet.
A model Y may seem "easily attainable" and it was for me too just two years ago, but life switched on a dime and things are very hard right now. I even had to sell off some stocks that I had to pay bills. So a lot of my dreams and things I was working towards are on ice now. 30K didn't seem like a lot before, now I'd be happy with even 5K liquid.
bad2behere@reddit
Yes and thank you for saying so. It's his dream and no one else should think it's okay to be nasty. blame_lag is the drag, not Model Ys.
bad2behere@reddit
Yes and thank you for saying so. It's his dream and no one else should think it's okay to be nasty. invisibleboogerboy is the drag, not Model Ys.
Heartier@reddit
yeaaa i looked up prices and it seems you can get a 40k mileage Model Y for like 25 grand. Which is like buying a new Corolla. I don't see how that's not attainable.
ChaosBerserker666@reddit
25k on a car while making minimum wage is not attainable. Some people have been laid off and can’t find a job in their field.
inaccurateTempedesc@reddit
Could be worse. My dream bike is a Ural Solo.
drfsrich@reddit
I almost want to do a Reddit Cares report for this. You poor soul.
inaccurateTempedesc@reddit
The more pathetic and tractoresque a vehicle is, the more I want it.
drfsrich@reddit
Perhaps one day you could upgrade to a Lada Niva.
Captain_Collin@reddit
Hey, u/techtimee, there are currently at least 130 Model Y's for sale under $20k. 20 of those have under 75k miles on them. I don't know if that would be enough to make them affordable for you, but it's a start.
techtimee@reddit (OP)
In Canada? I'd be shocked. But thank you! The problem remains the same unfortunately, I'm not very liquid right now and am still looking for a decent job with stability.
Captain_Collin@reddit
Ah, Canada, didn't see that. I hope you're able to find a job. If not, it might be time to consider switching careers.
chrispy_pv@reddit
Good thing is EVs fall and fall in value. OP will def be able to get one of those at a decent price
adamfps@reddit
Op in 9 months “I finally could afford my dream car”
EnglishJesus@reddit
In 10 years they’ll be so cheap they might aswell be disposable. Just grab one, drive where you need to go and then just leave it somewhere.
MyLifeIsAWasteland@reddit
You want me to drive a Tesla? No thanks, I'll walk.
stupidber@reddit
I mean, all cars fall in value eventually.
AnywhereInitial5108@reddit
If they live in the UK every EV has just taken a massive dive in value too (we're introducing a mileage tax on EVs).
gHHqdm5a4UySnUFM@reddit
To be generous, I think a Model Y could represent upward class mobility. Like you dream of having a reliable family car with modern amenities, something that symbolizes financial security and reliable income.
aak1992@reddit
I feel like this was true from the 1960s through 90s but these days a car- especially an EV (in this market) I'd argue is not remotely a symbol of any financial security nor class ascension IMO.
The amount of new Model 3/Audi/Mercedes/BMWs I see in the bad/low income parts of my city, vs the amount of dented and dusty F150/Tundra/Japanese SUVs I see in the wealthy neighborhoods tells a story and it's not one of financial security among entry level luxury car buyers.
StokeJar@reddit
Yeah, this feels like a “never meet your heroes” type situation. And, I say this as someone who has owned two Model Y Performances. Early on, when they had just come out, I ended the lease early (and paid a penalty) on a nicely equipped BMW X5 to get into a Model Y. I very quickly wished I had held onto the X5.
homiegeet@reddit
Im happy that this is the top reply
stupidber@reddit
Basically his dream is to own a car.
04limited@reddit
I question OP’s life & career choices if they can’t afford a common $30k car
rp_guy@reddit
I could maybe understand a model X because of the doors. But a typical electric SUV?
Raalf@reddit
Everyone has a dream shit box, relax.
BathingInSoup@reddit
“No man should asunder the joy that another man found.”
-Prince
StonerMetalhead710@reddit
Pretty much. Pre-Audi Diablo SV's are through the roof rn
TomcatZ06@reddit
*checks R34 GT-R values* Yeeeppppppp
BroccoliVendetta@reddit
I saw one for sale in the Window of a Specialty shop last year. Had to pull in and take a look. They offered it to me for $75k. I almost went ahead even though I knew I couldn’t afford it, nor do I have a garage to keep it in.
Honestly, I wish had just gone for it. I kept an eye on it. It sold for $150k a couple months ago. Missed out hard
vissor4@reddit
Is that shop in the US? If I found an R34 GTR in good condition in the US with that price, I'd buy it immediately.
deleted_by_reddit@reddit
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BroccoliVendetta@reddit
Same way 90% of the people in this sub pay for their cars. A loan.
The ability to be approved for a loan is not the same thing as actually being able to afford it.
Hence, I didn’t do it. Wish i had, cuz the loan would’ve paid for itself by the increase in value
The_Lazy_Bear_AK@reddit
How would you have gone for it if you couldn't afford it?
BroccoliVendetta@reddit
Same way 90% of the people in this sub pay for their cars. A loan.
The ability to be approved for a loan is not the same thing as actually being able to afford it.
HeavyHands@reddit
Since they started to become legal in the US they've never been that low, so either that car had nightmare problems or something was wrong with the paperwork. You're better off passing.
TheRealPizza@reddit
Yeah maybe it was a GTS or something else lol. An R34 GTR even for 150k is a bargain unfortunately
GeneralNonsence@reddit
I bet they’ll come down tbh, not to any reasonable degree but that market is cooling off
Tomcat115@reddit
Same here, but with the NSX.
Common-Substance-598@reddit
me when they announced the discontinuation of the r35 😔🙏
HeavyHands@reddit
My advice is buy a R32/R33. Having driven all gens, the experience is mostly the same across them all. Clearly the R34 has the looks, cool ass MFD, and the 6-speed but it's sort of not worth the extra $100k.
imasammich@reddit
R33 is super underrated. Esp with how hated it was when it came out.
moonRekt@reddit
I’m going to Japan to rent one in a couple months. Renting is just so much easier, MKIV, R34, GT3/GT4 RS—cars absolutely out of my price range to own but you can still experience them
HeavyHands@reddit
Fun2Drive or Omoren are both great experiences. Assuming you're talking about one of those.
DarkFire989@reddit
That's why I got a R33. Fundamentally, its very similar to the 34 (minus the transmission). But they can be had for 1/3 to 1/2 of the cost. The parts are still prohibitively expensive though, especially any discontinued OEM stuff.
The_Lazy_Bear_AK@reddit
Yup
Donald_Ashworth@reddit
I have not given up on my dream car. A 1966 Ford GT40. It is a roller with a built engine and tranny, shell, shifter, suspension, tires, all except wiring and glass. What I have given up on is gainful employment. I am a nerd/athletic hybrid through and through. It is not to many that is missing. It is the drive.
BoomerBillionaires@reddit
Nope. Never will. Not even in my death
techtimee@reddit (OP)
Damn. Very much a "a man's dream will never die" huh
BoomerBillionaires@reddit
Your imagination has a purpose. Don’t waste it. Dream it and imagine what it would feel like. I know it sounds corny, but idk what else to tell you
techtimee@reddit (OP)
Thank you.
BoomerBillionaires@reddit
Of course
gebruhh@reddit
R/PersonalFinance has killed my dream of owning my dream car young. I can’t help but feel like an idiot even if I find a Skyline or MK4 Supra at a bargain lol
FrequentLawyer5526@reddit
I feel in the same spot, before COVID hit my business was great, I purchased an Abarth (yeah used to be my dream car) 10,000 miles almost new, then pretty much ruined my financial life due to Stocks, had to move in with my parents at 39yo, and start from 0, slowly have been getting back in my feet, built a tiny home and started another business, purchased a van but seems like I’m late in life now to chase dream cars, maybe I just don’t have the time and resources left to go after what once I thought could be obtainable, specially now that seems like the world is crashing economics, between bills now seems harder every day
SuspicousBananas@reddit
Yes but why the fuck is your dream car a Model Y
techtimee@reddit (OP)
Because it's my dream dawg ;_;
Altruistic_Stuff_355@reddit
A model Y? why Y?
techtimee@reddit (OP)
"Cheap" enough without throwing me into financial distress. I was looking at the BMW iX, but it was pushing 50-65K for used, and I just thought that money would be better spent investing or saving for a house. Now I'm on the backfoot financially anyway so it's kind of worked out anyway in having a modest dream vehicle wise.
Ill-Steak-7250@reddit
Yeah I've let go of the idea of ever owning anything particularly nice. Used to want an older Porsche 911 but at this point I'm just trying to keep my current car running without major repairs.
The Model Y thing though, those are dropping in price pretty fast with all the used inventory flooding the market. 30K might actually happen sooner than you think, especially if you're okay with higher mileage.
EAlootbox@reddit
I’d most likely never pull the trigger on an E92 M3 at this point, it was my dream car while I was a Uni student. Considering where I’m from, an older performance car like this wouldn’t make much sense, and finding a clean example is difficult.
Pliskin_Hayter@reddit
Pretty much. Unless I win the lotto, Ill probably never get a Gen V Viper while Im still young enough to actually enjoy it.
ahorrribledrummer@reddit
Not me. I just took a while to get a solid financial plan in place and let my kids grow up a bit before I get the v8 sports car.
caterham09@reddit
This is me exactly. I sold my fun sports car to exclusively drive a cheap econobox because I would rather make myself more financially secure and be able to buy a forever dream car later than trying to get something close right now.
I get a ton of shit for my flair when I comment on sports cars here. The thing is that I make pretty decent money and could afford to buy a 50-60k sports car right now if I was willing to stretch for it. I don't want to do that though for a bunch of reasons. Mainly though I'm trying to throw a ton of money at my student debt so that it isn't hanging over my head anymore.
Once I get that paid off I'm going to be doing some serious shopping, but until then I'm happier driving a cheap ass car than I would be if I was stretching my budget every month.
CallLivesMatter@reddit
The first time I saw the Cayman I said “I want that.” Maybe three years later I was able to afford it, but it would have been maybe borderline irresponsible. In September—15 years later—I have one in my driveway. The long game is worth it.
ow_windowmaker@reddit
Yeah but 15 years of missed out memories, in the prime of your life and health and energy levels?
Yeah. No. I'm in your situation too, but it's just not the same as having one when it mattered.
CallLivesMatter@reddit
I cannot understand a scenario where I would define 10 years ago as the time that literally anything in my life mattered the most.
RobertM525@reddit
Yeah, it took me almost 20 years to get a 996 911. But I got one! Damn close to the spec I always wanted, too. (The '99 GT3 look was more important than the performance. A Carrera is plenty fast for me.)
CallLivesMatter@reddit
Sport Classic wheels look so good on the 996. And Guards Red, man, you can’t beat that.
RobertM525@reddit
Thanks! The 996 may be the most hated generation of 911, but I like it.
It's definitely no Cayman GTS 4.0, though! My dad and I went to the Porsche Experience Center in Los Angeles and he got to drive one of those. He loved it. Some local PCA members have them (or the Boxster version), too, and really like them.
ahorrribledrummer@reddit
Very very cool!
k1ee_dadada@reddit
However there is the feeling of FOMO that feels even worse nowadays with the death of so many ICE models. Like 15 years from now the Cayman as we know it will certainly not exist, unless you're buying a 15 year old Cayman. Although maybe whatever replaces it might be better, or worse, who knows
CallLivesMatter@reddit
That’s certainly a new and unfortunate wrinkle to the equation. I try not to think about it too much, lest I get prematurely sad about what I can get my hands on in a decade.
caterham09@reddit
Currently looking for a gt350 (may go elsewhere but that's most likely my top choice) test drove one and absolutely fell in love. I sold my 5.0 mustang to purchase the jetta since I bought a house far from work.
It's one of those things where sure I could make it happen right now, but if I clear my major debts first, then I can comfortably afford it guilt free and I would have no issues buying it. It wouldn't stress me or my family, which would almost eliminate half the fun of owning the car.
kyonkun_denwa@reddit
I know that feel, bro. More than once I've had people make a snide remark about having a Kia and a frumpy Volvo wagon.
But... it feels pretty damn good to save and invest 50% of your household income. The feeling of financial security is better than the feeling I'd get from owning pretty much any car. Also the E34 was my dream car and E34s are relatively cheap.
axc630@reddit
Rock that econobox and save your money until it's the right time for you to buy. It's nice to know I have a toy in my garage while still being financially stable and comfortable. I also love talking cars with people whenever I pull up in my Bolt daily driver or Sienna dog hauler, but never mention my z06 at home.
larphraulen@reddit
IMO, the most fun car is the car you worry least about.
Also, TDIs are beasts, and honestly decent to drive with all that torque. I think I had over 300k on my '03 before I messed it up.
caterham09@reddit
My jetta is a total dog ha. Super slow. It has decent torque but at freeway speeds it's got nothing left to give. It's a 6 speed though so it's at least entertaining to drive
News_without_Words@reddit
I've still daily my first car and just bought my first house. Your accord 2.0t is plenty of fun for everyday. Especially the 6mt. Although you gotta replace the shifter bushings to make it stop feeling like a logitech.
ahorrribledrummer@reddit
Mine is the 10AT. Had enough of manuals after my last few cars. :) the 10AT is pretty amazing.
jabroni4545@reddit
Which v8 sports car?
ahorrribledrummer@reddit
C7 Corvette is the goal but I'd be content with a 6G Camaro SS. Or S550 Mustang GT. I'm not that hard to please.
devildog25@reddit
These are my obtainable dream cars, along with a manual SS. My actual dream car, an ‘05 Ford GT, is so far beyond gone it doesn’t even hurt anymore lol
ahorrribledrummer@reddit
Youd probably have an easier time getting the newer GT even. Those 00s model GTs are super sought after now. What a car.
Manual SS is another good choice!
devildog25@reddit
Oh for sure. There’s a couple around where I live and they look like they could’ve been released this year. Absolutely one of the prettiest cars ever made.
What’s crazy is manual SS’s with around 80k miles are going for more than new Mustang GTs, at least where I’m at.
ahorrribledrummer@reddit
Yep same here in the Midwest. That is a really nice design though you're totally right.
Darkhuman015@reddit
I’m not responsible enough for that yet 😭
MagnumNitro@reddit
Bought my dream car at 18 it was a 2004 911 Turbo S. I worked a lot of jobs as a high schooler. The jobs/investments were sewing, arborist, welder, mechanic, gambling, and investing in the stock market. I was the coolest kid in the parking lot. Now after I finish nursing grad school, my new dream car is a Lamborghini Diablo.
withsexyresults@reddit
Dream was the og nsx but reality hits. Even tho can buy one, I don’t want to drive a really old car and deal with scarce replacement parts and spend time wrenching.
time_to_reset@reddit
Same. The NSX was it for me for years. I was fairly close to having the money together when they were like $50k (where I live). I was early on in my career and thought to be financially responsible, work hard and then get one as a reward when I was a bit more financially stable.
Fast forward a couple of years and they're now $150k. I make more money, but across the board the buying power of our money has been eroded as well.
I still like to think "one day" but with an NSX being basically the same prices as a manual V10 R8, I don't know if I'd actually pull the trigger when I would have that type of money to spend.
withsexyresults@reddit
I remember it being like mid 30s when I was in school thinking yea that’s not too bad. But at like 80k+ for an early high mileage one, there’s other more modern sports car I’d rather own. Think I’ll try to get it out of my system by renting one. Rented an r34 gtr before and have no desire to own one
time_to_reset@reddit
Same. It's also that as I'm getting older, I'm increasingly thinking of getting a "dumb" car. I switched my motorcycle out for a supermoto for example and that was the best move I ever made.
I already have a decent and comfortable normal car and while I love the design and story of the NSX, an Elise or Exige might be a lot more fun.
GarfieldBroken@reddit
Yah I’ve made a lot of compromises on the definition of dream car. Just gotta set different levels , tiers, mile stones.
Sexyturtletime@reddit
I consider those NSX’s very cool, but outclassed by the other options at the price point.
withsexyresults@reddit
Yup modern sports car going to be way faster but nothing beats the look of an nsx and it’s 8k vtec redline
hanbearpig@reddit
Yeah... Same thing for me with MKIV supra... Just doesn't make sense for me for the price right now.
SomestrangerinMiami@reddit
Don’t give up. You can do it
ClaudeVS@reddit
I got it! I did want a diesel engine, but mine is petrol. I still love it despite how slow it is.
captstinkybutt@reddit
Kinda.
I've always wanted a Caterham Super 7 since I was a kid in the 90s. I don't think I'll ever have a house big enough to have a 3 car garage, and now I'm kinda over internal combustion.
Always dreamed of mine being wrapped in the tan/white/red/black color scheme of the Jurassic Park Jeep Wranglers 😂
Then_Version9768@reddit
I'm sorry, but your dream car is a Tesla Model Y? That bloated-looking, silly thing that helps Elon Musk get ever richer? That's the best you can do? Many people dream of Ferraris or Porsches they'll never own. Fair enough. Then they go out and buy something cool and interesting like an old British car or an Alfa Romeo or an old Mustang or a great early BMW 3-series or even one of the cooler Honda Civics or whatever. But you dream of a large fat fish of a car. Okay, I guess. Maybe if you work real hard down at the insurance company and bring your lunch every day in a brown paper sack, and save your pennies, someday you can give your years if hard-earned money over to Elon and get a nice used one. And won't that be exciting?
gearabuser@reddit
mine is sitting in the garage. I don't drive it but I do go look at it sometimes haha
PossiblyAsian@reddit
it used to be a 240sx so yea. I got an FRS which comes pretty close until I yeeted it into the side of the mountain :(
Captain_Collin@reddit
No, but as others have said, my dream car keeps evolving. When I was in highschool it was the Lamborghini Gallardo, Ferrari F430, and Audi R8. A few years later it was the Koenigsegg Agera, McLaren P1, Porsche 918, Ferrari La Ferrari, Lamborghini Aventador, and Aston Martin Vanquish.
Then one day I realized it was more interesting to dream about cars I could theoretically afford someday. There was the Audi RS5, Audi S8 ('15-'18), Ford Focus RS, Acura TLX Type S, Volvo V60 T8 Polestar, and Tesla Model S P100D. On the slightly pricier side there was the Audi RS6 Wagon, and Acura NSX ('17-'22).
My current attainable dream car is a Porsche Taycan Cross Turismo GTS/Turbo/Turbo S. I've test driven the 4S version a few times, and I couldn't stop smiling the whole time. So giving it a few hundred more horsepower must be a good thing.
My current unattainable dream car is the Aston Martin Vanquish Zagato Shooting Brake. It's just dead sexy, and it's a wagon.
Sneakerhead110@reddit
No, I will still own a senna one day
Claff93@reddit
I doubt I'll ever get my dream car not for financial reasons, but admitting that having a car as impractical as that (Caterham Seven) just isn't in the cards. Nowhere to put it, driving it in my local area would be a death wish. It would sit for weeks at a time.
rfuree11@reddit
Miata Is Always The Answer
Seriously though, with kids and the house and everything, getting an actual dream car isn’t currently attainable. Dropping $5-6k on a car that is reliable and still a blast definitely helps scratch the itch.
fannypact@reddit
Jesus I can't believe I never realized until just now that the acronym from that expression spelled Miata.
Captain_Collin@reddit
Glad I could be here on this blessed day.
by_a_pyre_light@reddit
Fuck. Same.
wearymicrobe@reddit
I have owned or driven everything from vintage beetles to full on hypercars.
My favorite car and the only one I want back is my autocross prepped NB Miata. It does almost everything in a single package for a street driven car it is almost criminal.
rfuree11@reddit
Yup, I’ve had some fun cars in the past but this thing on upgraded shocks, springs, and tires is all I really need.
wearymicrobe@reddit
Mine was fully prepped and loved that car. If I had to do it again I would just call flying Miata have them make me a set of ohlins coil overs for my driving style and strip it out like my last one. We had the weight down under 1800lbs at one point at Leguna seca and it was glorious.
Slow but you learn so much in a momentum car. I can cover up my corner entry issues with the other track cars. But you need every smidge of control to keep a Miata from losing speed.
TheBald_Dude@reddit
Thankfully a Miata is my dream car. So I know I'll be able to eventually get mine once I have everything in place.
TheRussness@reddit
I had one for 10 years, mostly delivering pizzas. I still turn my head when I see a clean NA in a parking lot.
As I got older I set my eyes on a Speed6. It is my attainable dream car. My knees are happier and I don't have to deal with leaks but I still miss the go-kart a little bit.
When you start shopping for one make sure you get an M-edition. The LSD is a must
FMJoey325@reddit
Got one a couple years ago. It’s such a strange in-a-league-of-its-own car. Nothing is really this small, it’s infinitely customizable because of the vast aftermarket, and stupidly reliable. Looks like the Miata tax has cooled off in the past year or so ever so slightly but IMO they’re still worth it. I have 4 cars and (other than the brand new one) it’s been the most reliable… I’ve always been into NA V8s but you can’t shake weight like a Miata!
Leanador@reddit
You joke, but after adjusting my “dream car” to an ND and actually getting one, my perspective changed completely. I used to dream about an expensive sports cars until I experienced how simple, fun, and cheap a Miata can be.
carlcig6669420@reddit
Sadly I have given up on my dream car mostly because the majority of 1972 Dodge Monaco coupes with 4 on the floor didn't make it past cash for clunkers. Fortunately was able to buy my dream bike (1987 Honda VF1000F) and unfortunately it wasn't as great as I hyped up in my head, eventually I want to get a VFR800 though that bike is awesome.
2ingredientexplosion@reddit
Nope, my dream is currently affordable, I just don't have the money and it's slowly going up value as it hits classic car status. C4 ZR1!!!
Scarlet-Highlander-@reddit
Also keep in mind that things have just gotten absurdly expensive in the US in the past 4 years. Everything has gone up. We can’t afford new cars. We can’t afford used cars. Salaries aren’t keeping pace with inflation. I didn’t feel like this before 2019.
Still though, I feel like it’s transitory. It will never kill my love for cars. I still have my sights on some dream cars. While they might be unattainable now, they absolutely will be attainable later.
Being realistic is important, but what a terrible thing to do yourself by giving up on your dream car!
schmintendo@reddit
How is your G70 treating you? I've been waiting for the 2022/2023 models to drop but they're still in the upper 30s
SophistXIII@reddit
Wages have exceeded inflation
Inb4 the usual excuses.
CamelAdventure@reddit
I think it's the lack of recovery from 2021+22 negative values:
https://fred.stlouisfed.org/graph/fredgraph.png?g=1OddH&height=490
SophistXIII@reddit
And?
Your graph shows a difference in rate of change (you've changed the Y axis).
But the rate of change post-2022 is still positive (increasing) so I'm not sure what your point is, other than wages continue to exceed inflation, albeit not as fast as they did in 2020-2021.
CamelAdventure@reddit
You've clearly misunderstood the chart. Cost of goods outpaced wage growth for several years at a rate which has not yet been caught up to by wage growth.
Stated another way to help clarify this for you: if annual cost of goods increases 3%, 3%, 0%, 1% (each data point representing the 1 year growth rate) and wages increase 0%, -2%, 1%, 1% across the same 4 year period, then even though real wage growth has been positive for the two most recent periods (in this hypothetical dataset for illustrative purposes) the 4-year CAGR of goods' cost still exceeds wages' CAGR.
truckinkeepon@reddit
The real issue is those who bought a house prior to 2020 and those who did not. If you bought prior to 2020 you can save/invest more, go on vacation more, have a higher car payment, etc… I don’t care if wage gains are keeping up with inflation. I don’t really care if milk triples. I do care if housing, cars, and insurance double.
NateDiedAgain09@reddit
Here’s a quick question for the posters that drop the wage vs inflation graph, are fluctuations in car prices only a function of inflation or deflation?
Bigbadbrindledog@reddit
Staahhpp. I'm trying to blame the previous generation for my problems
jasonmoyer@reddit
Last 4 years? More like the last 6 months. I was going to buy a second car in 2027, but the cars I'm interested in all had MSRP jumps between 15-25% since April.
Bad_Karma21@reddit
Tariffs my dude
DodgerBlueRobert1@reddit
Oh, c'mon. It all depends on the price. Everyone can afford something.
Scarlet-Highlander-@reddit
You know what I mean.
woodsides@reddit
Because they all want the new shiny huge top trim 80-100k+ SUV/Truck regardless of what they make. If you need a reliable beater that'll get you to work and back for cheap, there are options that would cost you less per month than a single night out partying would. But nooo because how am I gonna flex on my 237 followers and my neighbour?
Jameson-Mc@reddit
Ducati Motorcycles are within reach - Ferrari sports cars are not - get an M endorsement
Iffy50@reddit
Don't let these toxic know-it-all a-holes get to you. If you met these clowns in real life you wouldn't care what these lemmings have to say.
tommyboy441@reddit
I find that heavily focusing on my dream car helps me work harder and make better financial decisions.
chameltoeaus@reddit
Model y as a dream car? You're not a car person, you're an accessory person. You likely have an iPhone and at least one designer accessory.
Averageinternetdoge@reddit
Well, I always knew that my real dream cars were unattainable to begin with. You don't buy ferraris or lambos with lower middle class salaries. Heck, you don't buy even a new volvo with those.
But luckily the cheap car segment has improved a lot since I was a teenager, so even something modest like the vw t-cross is pretty cool and loaded with comforts and tech. So if anything, I dream about something like that. I love affordable cool every day things which you aren't afraid to actually use. Like, even if by some miracle I'd get a ferrari, I'd constantly be worried about it, but a vw? Whatever, it's meant to be used in the real world and I can afford to repair it if something happens.
IDNMAN21@reddit
My dream car is the Mercedes SLR McLaren. I don't know the price. I just know it is a dream for a reason.
ayyitzTwocatZ@reddit
My dream car was simple. A Mustang GT. Ended up with a used 2019 Mustang GT Premium.
I gotta say I love the car more now that it’s mine vs just looking.
dearwildcat@reddit
Reddit will make you think everything is fucked simply because it’s full of pessimist. Don’t fall for it.
Zamop@reddit
Rolls Royce Phantom. Not given up yet, but the likelihood of my owning one shrinks every day 😅
somedude456@reddit
40 years old now. "Dream" is a word that means something different to everyone. Plus you can dream at different levels. My high school dream car, I already bought it, had it 5 years, and sold it at a break even price. I slightly regret that, and am looking to buy another. I'll probably pay about 30K. I could pay that today if the right one popped up.
crazykernman95@reddit
I always had a dream car and a realistic dream car in mind and over time they've changed around but they were always something like a $300k car and an $80k car, for example a 458 speciale and an m5. For starters I genuinely don't like this gen m5 but anyways, I had a c7 z51 and I loved it everything about it except the $650 payment I had. I downgraded to a gti on a $450 payment and was much happier with it overall. I just, can't justify a $2,000+ car payment, there are so many more important things to me than having a super nice car.
My wife and I make pretty good money now but I don't have a car payment. When this car craps out at 150k miles I'll probably look at used gtis again or maybe even just a basic CR-V. I'd rather have a cheaper car payment and then be able to afford a really nice tv, kick ass gaming computer with a really nice set of headphones and still throw an extra thousand into savings of some kind. I have thought about getting a c5 or something but that'll be a hassle to own and maintain. So yeah, I've kind of given up on the whole dream car thing, not because I don't want a nice car, but I just don't care enough to spend like that.
Trades46@reddit
If Subaru would do another STI then it is not yet dead yet for me, but my next less affordable dream car is a Porsche 911 which is a little bit of a stretch at this time...
OnionTaster@reddit
No, I can afford Chevy suburban, just not the European gas prices...
OtterCreek_Andrew@reddit
I have 3 dream cars (viper, GTR and LP gallardo)
I’ve owned all 3 of them, still own 2. Didn’t like the gallardo honestly. Those are like my “obtainable/reasonable dream cars”. I’ve been very blessed and life has been cool.
chronolf@reddit
My first car is my dream car.
suckerpunch085@reddit
I don't even think about dream cars anymore.
bzacon@reddit
Eh, kind of. Mine isn't very expensive...to buy...in RHD markets. It's a quite small, but fairly heavy and awkward truck, so it's expensive to ship, and I'd owe chicken tax because I live in the states. It seems like it might never happen, and I wonder how many will be left by the time I "make it" financially enough where it's not the dumbest possible decision to import one. Canters are just the default comoddity workhorse on 5 continents...I just live on the wrong one.
intherainyseason@reddit
I always wanted a Lamborghini. Just love the shape and look of them. But my salary and lifestyle position would never allow me to buy one.
But I bought the closest thing to one which is a Hyundai Elantra N. Which is designed by one of the ex Lamborghini designers. So I have a poor man’s Lambo and I’m happy with that. 😊
techtimee@reddit (OP)
Elantra N is a sweet ride.
PlayAccomplished3706@reddit
Front engine, rear drive, v12 with stick shift. Too bad Ferrari doesn't make them no more.
techtimee@reddit (OP)
Forgive me, but your profile picture with this comment is just too funny.
VanillaWinter@reddit
Im never going to own a home let alone an R8.
CivilC@reddit
Attainable dream car? I have it and saved up for a big down payment…it was doable
Actual dream car is an LFA…yeah not happening lol
Plastic_Evidence237@reddit
Man, I’ve always had several dream cars. One has always been an AE86. But that’s not great for everyday livability, at least in my area. But then Toyota/Subaru gave us the FR-S/BRZ and I bought one. It’s the dream car I never knew I wanted until it came out. 12 years in, I still love it to death.
Next step up would be a 718 GTS 4.0 or Lotus Emira
Above that would be a Ferrari 458/488/F8
I know I’ll likely never get any of those, but am content with my FR-S!
--ipseDixit--@reddit
Ferrari F40. Yup :(
carsatic@reddit
Yep, I always wanted an C63S but not only are they getting old but because of the stupid decision by Merc to introduce a 4cyl, the older ones haven't dropped in prices here in AU.
plus with kids and mortgage, I think it'll remain a dream in the foreseeable future.
Bonerchill@reddit
Yes, I gave up.
Mainly because life handed me 3lbs of semtex shaped like a suspiciously large lemon and said the electrical thing in it was an electrode because lemons can be batteries and I was like oh man that’s fuckin awesome a lemon battery and then I blew my life up because I trusted life to hand me lemons, not semtex.
stoned-autistic-dude@reddit
I got it. S2000. Was my dream car growing up poor when it came out. Got it, have dumped a ton of money into it fixing all the shortcomings (manual steering on an AP1 steering rack and CR steering rack stiffeners, vented rear brakes, Spoon rigid collars and solid bushings, coilovers, the lightweight flywheel), and now I just want more S2000s. I want a convertible build for my wife because mine has a soft top delete and permanent hard top, I want a Baja build, I want a track full aero build… just so many S2000s. I love this car so fucking much. It’s perfect.
Do I want a super car? Fuck no. Maintain a car top to bottom and the cost alone will scare you away. I’m good.
sbstndalton@reddit
Dream car is a miata. Pretty sure those will be in plentiful cheap supply for the foreseeable future. Just would push it back by a couple of years.
DuckDuckGoeth@reddit
I never had a 'dream car', fell into an AE86 coupe in 2004, drove it for a decade, and it's informed my car purchases ever since.
Is it light, cheap, rear wheel drive, and easy to work on? I'll probably fall in love with it.
DeLoreanAirlines@reddit
Topping out at 88mph never cost so much money.
JonFrost@reddit
You can have fun way before that in some cars 😎
jimmy-buffett@reddit
I was 49 years old when I bought my dream car. You've got time.
Efficient-Employee19@reddit
No im not here to laugh or joke about the Model Y being your dream car... Im not sure where you are at in life, and if there is any more room to change but I think, and I really hope that you would make it to get your model Y.
When I was a teenager, my family can only afford a little motorcycle for me to commute to work/school... when I migrated, I dreamed of a Rav4 V6 2008-2010... I understand the fact that being young open up alot of opportunity, but there was one point in life, I grew up, had a family, still worked 2-3 jobs but managed to buy a "decent" car at that time(Qx60 -terrible I know but I was proud of it back then)
Sadly the car market is not it used to be anymore, but with abit more effort, I think you can do it. Cheer!
xnerd1000@reddit
I'm 25 and drive a DC2 Integra. It's stupid fun, but it's rotted and I had to work my ass off for 4 years just to afford it.
Forget a dream car, I've given up on everything lol
techtimee@reddit (OP)
I know the feeling. Here's to things improving for you.
dyno_dyno@reddit
All my 'dream' cars are 'achievable' dream cars, and my feeling is that though I've now reached a relatively high level of income, I find myself feeling it would be irresponsible to pull the trigger, even though others earning similarly might not bat an eye at the cost of a gt350 or f80 m3. I just need to move up once or twice more in my career for it to make sense by my math -the dream is still alive.
HiddenEclipse121@reddit
I just got the cheaper version of it
Vegetable_Engine_463@reddit
When I was younger I was dreaming about supercars, but getting older I realized I love coupe SUVs such like X6 BMW, RSQ8, GLA.
xStaabOnMyKnobx@reddit
A Mercedes Benz SLR? Yeah thats almost certainly never going to happen. But its the biggest reach I think is possible for me.
A Nissan GTR? A little closer. Probably wont happen but it also may.
An E60 BMW M5? May happen in the next year or two. My most realistic dream car.
fcfromhell@reddit
I am holding onto hope. I am building my dream car. 10 plus years ago I started building a 1930 Ford coupe hot rod. And me being me, I makes things weird so I overcomplicated the build.
Like you a few years ago, my health went to shit, and now I basically just go through the motions trying to keep myself afloat. My hot rod, in the garage under layers apon layers of dirt.
techtimee@reddit (OP)
I wish you well in health and in getting that project completed.
fcfromhell@reddit
Appreciate it, I also hope you're able to one day get your model Y
phxbimmer@reddit
I’ve given up on dreams, period. Can’t afford those in this economy.
I mostly want a bunch of cool older BMW’s like the E36 M3 in Dakar Yellow, Z3 M-Coupe in Imola Red, and E39 M5 in Imola Red. So it’s been really (not) fun watching their prices go through the roof, even as the cars themselves get older and more broken. In general, the classic BMW market has just turned into a game of investors and speculators and is just pricing out normal people, much like what happened with the Porsche market. Us poors aren’t allowed to have any fun at all, it seems.
originalusername7904@reddit
On the original, yeah
Skyline GTR was the dream for many years before F+F came out. I’m now in a place where I could afford one but I refuse to pay what they’re going for because I can get much better value elsewhere
I daily a manual C7 Corvette. I have a 535d for long road trips, bad weather, and days when I know I’ll just be sitting in rush hour traffic. I have two unreliable project cars for fun: a built Mazdaspeed 6 that’s faster than the Corvette and a built Mazdaspeed 3 that needs a new clutch. I have four motorcycles ranging from a Lifan KP mini to a CBR1000RR
A single R34 GTR sells for more than ALL OF MY VEHICLES COMBINED are worth, and I think that’s insane
Pup111290@reddit
I have two dream cars, an unobtainable one that I assume I will never get my hands on, and an obtainable one, which I was actually able to buy earlier this year
azuki_84@reddit
I will get a m240i as my dream car once my i5 m60 lease ends. Dont need the extra space and EV are boring to drive
knwnasrob@reddit
No, but it is just on hold.
My dream car is a Huracan.
As of right now now, I am not working. So that isn't happening lol.
When I am working, I make around $200K, wife makes another $100K. Just getting my finances more in check before making a purchase like that (Hoping I can find one for around $150K when it is time)
Colorful_Monk_3467@reddit
Why did you pre-order an Emira if your employment is unstable?
knwnasrob@reddit
Oh that Emira pre-order was cancelled back in 2022 when they kept delaying it lol.
I work for biotech start ups. Money is good, stock options are better. Just have bouts of unemployment every now and then lol.
Colorful_Monk_3467@reddit
Haha fair enough. Just hope 1 of those companies goes public and then you'll thave the golden ticket.
Big-Energy-3363@reddit
Yup, always wanted an S63 like three years old. Had an S560 but could never justify the purchase price of the S63
TheDirtDude117@reddit
My dream cars seem to change. I dreamed of a C6 Z06 and a 996 GT3 then a C6 GS, then tried a C7 GS and Shelby GT350.
Went to a C5 Z06 and have been extremely content. I still yearn for a 996 GT3 or Turbo manual but realistically I need to have a 3 car garage to have 2 sports cars and a work space.
Enker-Draco@reddit
Nope I have not given up on my dream of a second gen Isuzu Impulse RS Turbo or a Geo Storm or a Mazda MX3 GS with the V6. Not much point in busting my ass if I can't make one of my dreams a reality.
angularjohn@reddit
i looked at mitsubishi evo of any variant and I felt darkness.
November87@reddit
No. But I've noticed a lot of basic cars being called dream cars. People need to dream bigger.
techtimee@reddit (OP)
I suppose even "dream" is a matter of perspective lol. I grew up poor and was just feeling like I'd escaped poverty when it all fell apart. So my dreams have always been for the most part, pretty grounded.
November87@reddit
Fair enough. My personal philosophy is that to achieve big you have to dream big, so I've always tried to think that way.
techtimee@reddit (OP)
Yeah, that makes sense. Aiming for bigger and better things like the whole "aim for the moon, even if you miss you'll land amongst the stars" or whatever. I do have things like that rolling around in my mind, but I guess it's more just psychological due to life experiences. I'm rather risk averse unless I have everything planned out and fallbacks.
olov244@reddit
Nah, it's priorities, if I really want one I can work overtime, cut back spending and get one
Right now my priority is the addition of my house and build a garage
PancakeMSTR@reddit
I will probably buy a C8 Stingray, a Mclaren MP412 C, or a Lotus Emira at some point.
But not right now.
AngryZai@reddit
Sorta...dream car is still GTR maybe I can get one used when I'm 80 years old and dying.
Attainable sports car BRZ was possible for me a few years ago but I decided against it because living with minimal debt is nice..
My end game car is now my Scion tC hope I can get it to last another 10 years.
Soloroadtrip@reddit
Certainly some of the Hertz model Ys are still flooding the market? But idk your finances nor do I need to.
I agree with the posters that urge you to have a more grand dream car though. Like a Porsche 911 turbo S.
A model Y is quite obtainable so I’d classify it as (if I was you) a car I will have one day. Not so much a dream as an obtainable goal.
techtimee@reddit (OP)
Unfortunately I'm in Canada and we don't even have them for rental, let alone purchase, at least where I live. But I'm after the new gen Y's anyway, not the previous ones unless I get a really good deal on a 2022+.
ViperThreat@reddit
Kind of?
My dream car isn't something that you can just... buy. Problem is that some parts are rare, only available overseas, and expensive.
Maybe it will happen one day, but i doubt it.
techtimee@reddit (OP)
I'm curious. What is it?
ViperThreat@reddit
Mk1 Focus RS, mid-engine, AWD.
PimpCheese@reddit
I feel like it’s all about having dream tiers.
Dream shit bucket
Dream obtainable car
Dream unobtainable car
You can have a great time in the sub 5k shit bucket tier until the opportunity comes around to bump up to the next tier! So many cars out there to enjoy all over the spectrum.
techtimee@reddit (OP)
"Dream shit bucket" lol. You guys have shit buckets? I use the bushes! Haha.
But yeah, as I said, I think myself blessed and fortunate at least that my car is at least modem enough, reliable and great on gas. It's only turning 11 years old this year, so at least I have reliable, safe and comfortable transportation that's also paid off.
McFlyJohn@reddit
Porsche Cayman. My wife decided she wanted kids
techtimee@reddit (OP)
Time to get the Porsche SUV
KACL780AM@reddit
Sort of? GM crushed my dream car dreams when they destroyed all the EV1s but I bought a Honda Insight a few years ago for C$1750 so I guess that’s the next best thing.
FrozenUruguayBallbac@reddit
I mean hellcats are getting fairly cheap right now so hopefully
soscbjoalmsdbdbq@reddit
I used to dream of an m3 as a kid but the new ones just don’t do it for me. I definitely still have a Porsche or lotus in my sights eventually. I think it’s possible within the next 10 years when I’m 40. Maybe not though because everything just gets more expensive. I remember when an M3 lease was $500 a month I was like thats easy lol I can’t wait to grow up now it’s probably what $1500.
Fantastic-Recipe8619@reddit
997 GT3 for me. I suppose I could afford one but seems completely financially irresponsible. Also currently have two kids attending private colleges. My gift to them is they get to graduate debt free.
ComradeFausto@reddit
Been wanting a 2nd gen Viper GTS since it came out when I was 5. Early 30s now and it's still a ways off but my wife is aware of my dream and she has okayed it once the kids are grown up. Another decade to go, but I know the day will arrive eventually an d I still keep an eye on them closely. I have a Hummer EV Pickup as a daily and I know realistically its faster and more comfortable than the Viper but the heart wants what the heart wants.
Iwantav@reddit
I’ve always had an unrealistic dream car and an attainable one. The unrealistic one is if I ever win the lottery, so unlikely but also not entirely impossible while the attainable one would be possible if I could ever get my career going.
I dream of a manual Aston Martin. Any Aston would do, as long as it’s a manual one. They are quite common as far as exotic sports cars go and they are always fairly cheap too. A manual V8 Vantage or DB9 is $50 000, a DBS is twice that while a DB7 would be half of that. I’m 31, so I’m fairly confident I’ll be able to get one at some point.
So no, I have not given up on it.
Insomniac427@reddit
Never stop dreaming… set goals and smaller milestones along the way. You may not start with the ultimate dream car, but nothing stopping from smaller pleasures along the way! As long as it starts and doesn’t leave you stranded any car can be fun to drive around in!
Zoso_65@reddit
No. Once you "give up" on your dreams or goals, you accept the fact that you will never achieve either.
Setting goals motivates me. Five years ago, I did low-paying contract work, had zero benefits, and drove a 10 year old economy car. I put 100% of my effort into improving my professional skills and resume. I then got a nicer used vehicle, which I paid off in less than a year. I moved into a great full-time position, traded for a fairly nice CPO BMW, which I have modified and made my own. For a while, I have wanted to get a M3 Comp and over the past 2 years, I have been working towards making that a reality. Currently, I have been having positive interviews with roles that will double my salary.
The point is if I "gave up" a few years ago, I would not been in the position that I currently am.
k20vtec@reddit
Long long long time ago. Performance car in general. Forget about dream
mikeycp253@reddit
Yeah I don’t think a McLaren F1 is realistic for me at this point in my life.
Lowfuji@reddit
Yes because they longer make the Honda Fit.
Weavilebasket@reddit
My 2015 WRX, I know its not unobtainable or anything but I lost it because it cost too much in gas for it to be my daily (commute 40 miles combined) and premium in NV is close to California prices so i got a Prius instead. My limiting factor wasn't the price of the car price exactly but lifestyle.
7eregrine@reddit
Looks in the driveway: nope.
scottwax@reddit
A 427 Cobra is out of my price range.
stupidber@reddit
Emphasis on "tremendously", goddamn. RIP
Users5252@reddit
No. My dream is building my own car and starting a coachbuilding companies that uses modern approaches to build traditional sports cars.
NuklearFerret@reddit
Dream car was an S2000 and I had an AP1 for 10 years, so I think I’m good. Might aim for an Elise, though, if I ever decide I really like repairing things in my spare time.
LuxuryCarConnoisseur@reddit
It’s getting harder.
I wanted a 1965 Pontiac GTO when I was in high school and well…yeah I old yellered that pretty fast.
I moved onto a 1977-78 Lincoln Mark V. The price increase on those isn’t looking too good for me. (especially for anything with a 460 that isn’t in a “that’s what I call 1977” color)
I’m still optimistic though.
NinjaFinch@reddit
Not quite, but the strategy is a lot different than the mid 00s when NSX prices were on the floor. If I get one, I'm going to have to settle for an automatic and put in the work to manual swap it myself if I want any hope of being able to afford one.
With Honda restarting parts production, apparently it's cheaper at the end of the day than finding an original non-accident manual example.
73629265@reddit
When I was a kid I saw a Porsche 911 and knew I wanted it. When I was a teenager I'd look at prices and felt with a decent job I could have it. When I was in university prices started creeping. A Turbo was out of reach. And you know, with time that never stopped.
I'm too old to drive a clapped out poverty spec 911 that 12 others got to before I did. That's not what I fell in love with.
RabidLizard@reddit
yeah i don't have hundreds of thousands of dollars to blow on a 22b and with my chosen career path i highly doubt i ever will unless i win the lottery lol
AnonymousEngineer_@reddit
My concept of a dream car has admittedly changed due to the ever looming issue of actual practicality and attainability. I think young me always knew I was never getting that Audi Sport Quattro that I had the poster of short of a lottery win.
It's funny because when I was younger I used to laugh at the concept of performance SUV/crossover style vehicles, yet realistically that's the form factor I'd need to look at in order to get something fun yet practical, given performance wagons like the RS6 are effectively unobtainium due to price alone.
Ultimately I could buy something nice right now. But could and should are two different things. The economy is a bit rough right now in Australia and companies are downsizing everywhere. The money I've been saving might need to be repurposed into just keeping the lights on.
shiftdown@reddit
I gave up on getting a Countach lp5000 once they started selling for over 250k. But might I one day get a 911 turbo for three same money? Possibly
bartosaq@reddit
I have an 8 year old Lexus that is rock solid, I would really like M340i, but I'd rather have investments and savings for worse times and a peace of mind.
I "invested" in simracing rig instead, wasn't cheap but gives me loads of fun as well.
Boris54@reddit
The M340i is my realistic dream car too but I also feel like I can’t justify it
Soloroadtrip@reddit
M240i is more fun than the 340.
FMJoey325@reddit
My sim rig has been a dust collector since I got my Miata lol
h_allover@reddit
1984 Porsche 930 Turbo?
Yep, dream is long dead.
8N-QTTRO@reddit
My dream car is just my current car with a big-ass turbo on it. So I'm doing fine.
xdr01@reddit
No, just more pragmatic as you get older.
Wanted a 22B but got a VA STI, close enough.
akaneel@reddit
No. I will always continue to move up in slow increments. My next car WILL be a 718 GT4.
OkDirection8015@reddit
Yes. Way too expensive and cars arent a big priority for me anymore.
10000Didgeridoos@reddit
I wouldn't say I've given up but it's a much lower priority simply because my dream car would be driven the same as my current car most of the time. If it isn't a daily, it's going to live parked most of the time and I'm paying a ton of money to drive it in nice weather a handful of times a year on weekends.
It's just not worth all that extra money spent that could be used for other things, at least to me.
Not a dream exactly but I have a S3 right now and would love to have the RS3 with the ridiculously cool turbo 5 cylinder. But is it worth tens of thousands of more dollars on top of more expensive insurance and consumables like brakes and tires when it would also spend most of its life in the same traffic, the same speed limits, with the same problems of laws, cops, and wildlife that limit what you can safely do with it outside of a track?
I just don't think it is. I had the same mental conversation thinking about a small outboard motor boat. I don't live on the water. Realistically, I'd have the time and motivation to deal with moving it on a trailer and putting it in, taking it out, drying it off and cleaning it at the end, etc maybe 2 or 3 times a month between like April and October when it's still warm enough here. That's a lot of money spent to do something like 15 to 20 times for a few hours.
OkDirection8015@reddit
Same here. I would love to have a muscle car or C7 corvette but they would just spend most of the time sitting because my area has shit weather for most of the year. And now I spend my extra money on traveling post covid.
dragoonkoon@reddit
Same. I used to dream of the Dodge Viper as a kid. How looking at the interior and mpg I’m like hit the brake yo. Then you factor in the cost!! Got to feed the dependents.
MechECSComeback@reddit
No. G80 M3 is still in the cards in 2-3 years unless life gets super rough. But I did get something practical with a B58 in the meantime, so the wait won't be painful.
CubanLinxRae@reddit
Never
DrSpaceman575@reddit
More that my idea of a dream car has changed. When I was younger I thought I’d die for a Ferrari or a Porsche. For one after sitting in one I can’t even fit my big ass head in a Porsche but after owning a fast car (Model 3 Performance) maybe I’ve just scratched that itch. I’d rather have a slow or engaging car like (another) Miata or Mustang I could take to the mall on a good day, or a stick shift Wrangler for more fun. I love my comfy easy to use daily driver and wouldn’t replace it, but a fun to drive, low maintenance weekend car is my dream and not something I’d barely be able to use or even fit in.
Dodoz44@reddit
My dream cars change too often lol. Had a dream car when I was a kid though- a Corvette. Ended up going through 2 of those. Can't exactly afford the CC850 which is my current dream.
Thinking of pulling a trigger on an AMG GT S this spring, which is a semi dream car/dream sporty grand tourer. That or the 2019+ V8 Vantage but they're a bit more expensive up front and maintenance wise, though that same amg v8 in both is quite sturdy. ZF in the Vantage is also more reliable than the dct in the Benz... Anyone with either wants to chime in?
Puzzled-Address-4818@reddit
depends , I don't think most can achieve that coz a dream car is simply that. a dream.
But I'm super happy with my cars coz I know they haven't put me into debt and I happily drive them coz they tick all the boxes of my needs and they look flashy.
I drive a 16' Hyundai i30 as my main car, use my '02 Crown Estate Athele V to carry kids and their sporting equipments, and when I want to have some fun, I drive my old '96 180SX Type X.
Am I going sell my house and be irresponsible that I need to be on welfare coz I can't pay for my children's school fee, education, put food on the table just so I can buy an exotic Lambo or something? no, I'm not a fool. I have my priorities and I'm an man. A man who is willing to make sacrifices in order to provide for his family.
jaaaaagggggg@reddit
Yes but only because it skyrocketed from $125k to $300k+ and I don’t ever see it coming down (05-06 ford gt)
KazarSoze@reddit
For me, its a 1969 Camaro SS. Would settle for a '68 or even a convertible. Not looking for a museum piece - I want to actually drive it. In love with them since high school. But now owning one would be a blazing red flag for a mid-life crisis and I don't have a spare garage space to store one. Not to mention buying one is about as much a new car today. That might be tough to swing with kids in college.
raga7@reddit
Dream car is relative. I'm easy to please. I wanted a Tacoma and Lexus es. I've got one. Saving for the other. If you make a budget and a plan it's easy to reach realistic goals after a couple years.
FR_Van_Guy@reddit
No. I’ve driven my dream car and it’s just not worth owning. My lifestyle and my ideal don’t intersect. It’s not a money thing. It’s a question of practicality and idealizing something that was only relevant 20 years ago.
That being said. I can rent my dream car any time I want and I don’t have to own it to enjoy it.
NWbySW@reddit
A Model Y is your dream car?
Would your last meal be a bowl of plain rice as well?
techtimee@reddit (OP)
I try to have reasonable dreams. 30K is still a lot of money for most earners in NA and I have always lived by the idea that rent/mortgage should be 1/3 of income in case of emergencies, and vehicle should be less than that. Well, it helped when I lost everything, because I have been able to keep my head barely above water; but I really hate this feeling of just surviving. So yeah, bowl of plain rice will do if it means I at least have some food lol. I like cars, but not that much that I'd pay over $500/month for one, even if I have stable and good income.
NWbySW@reddit
I understand but I think we have a different definitions of "dreams." I have a dream car as well, an Alfa Romeo Disco Volante. They're over a million dollars and only a handful were made. I'll never have or probably see one. That's why it's a dream. Model Ys can be had for the low $20Ks all day, less then half the price of the average new car in NA. Your dream is easily achievable. I had car roughly that expensive as a college kid working part time in 2010.
NorCalAthlete@reddit
Nope. Dream garage keeps me motivated.
Lamborghini Huracan / Aventador (weekend / fun)
Porsche 911 GTS (daily / weekend)
Porsche 718 GT4RS (track)
Ram 2500 diesel (toy hauler)
Tacoma TRD Pro / Trailhunter (snowboarding/bad weather)
‘67 Corvette (occasional cruising / weekend)
Future wife’s car
Future kid’s car
Future kid’s car
5-6 motorcycles…cruiser, supermoto, sport bike, track bike, couple dirt bikes.
techtimee@reddit (OP)
Haha, damn. Well I wish you success!
Killarogue@reddit
My dream car costs 20+ million, I've never given up on it because I've never expected to ever own one to begin with haha.
techtimee@reddit (OP)
20 million? The hell car is that? :O
Killarogue@reddit
McLaren F1
Successful_Ad_9707@reddit
I still have cars like the Aston Martin DBS or 1st gen NSX as "maybe some day cars" on my dream list. For now, I have 3 fun cars in my fleet that I absolutely love to death and to even be able to own 3 cars debt free is a dream in itself.
timberwolvesguy@reddit
Yes, but also no. I sold my Mustang earlier this year because I only drive 10 or so miles a day put like 1,200 miles on it each of the last two years. It just wasn’t being used much and I couldn’t justify the 15mpg my city commute was garnering.
I sold it, along with my daily driver, for the Fit. Much more practical to have the money spread elsewhere.
All that being said, would I get a Mustang again? For sure. Do I want that exact car back? Goddamn right. Life just needs to allow for the luxury of a second car again, as well as actually getting use out of it. Going back to a 20-30 mile commute would make it more worth the investment.
blawry@reddit
Sort of, but not entirely. Im not really in a position where it would be responsible to get either of my goal vehicles - a blobeye/hawkeye STi & 80 Series Landcruiser. However, I am fortunate to have "cope" versions of each, and have them both paid off, while I continue to save and maintain financial responsibility.
After-Wall-5020@reddit
Only in the sense that once I bought it (Used but in fantastic condition) and drove it for a while I realized that I wasn’t as keen on a high horsepower muscle car as I thought I was. I now drive a late model Subaru Outback and it is far and away the best car I’ve ever owned in terms of overall utility.
Naught2day@reddit
I have owned a lot of my dream cars, none of them were EV's. I understand not everyone's dream cars are the same. Still have not owned all of them. Some are beyond my reach, others, I have no place to put them.
TheWeinerThief@reddit
No, but picking between an 80's vantage, a Cutlass 442, or a lead sled will be difficult
shellexyz@reddit
Close. Been wanting a Miata for years. I understand the spectacular lack of practicality and appropriateness for a married father of two, but my wife has said several times that it’s “my turn” for the next car and it hasn’t happened yet.
GrimSlayer@reddit
Well my childhood dream car was the Ferrari F40 and I’ll never be able to afford that unless I win the mega millions. Realistic dream car was an R35 GTR, and don’t see myself owning that anytime soon with two toddlers and my other hobbies.
Actraiser87@reddit
Already did it, which is nice. I got that financial disaster out of my system. Now I can focus on what matters.
Ambitious-Yam1015@reddit
IMS issues put me off Porsche.
JesseWest@reddit
At the moment is mostly just waiting on priorities, like waiting for the housing market to keep going down (or by some miracle crash) and then buy the dream car. But i still havent given up on my dream of getting a Nismo 350z.
anjaroo96@reddit
I have a somewhat different perspective from a lot of the other commenters in this thread, in that I did achieve my car (manual MKV Supra, for those wondering), just in time for my first child to be born.
Now that I’m hip deep into parenting, I’m seriously considering moving on from it into something with a backseat. I worked my absolute ass off, made numerous sacrifices, and built a career around this goal which seemed unreachable at first, and now that I have it, I’m honestly not too heartbroken at the prospect of leaving it behind.
I think it’s good to have these goals, but in the grand scheme of things, family and friends genuinely matter more. Good luck
WATTHEBALL@reddit
Almost. I have a few 'attainable' dreamcars that are technically financially attainable but absolutely not smart to do so.
These were very attainable 15 years ago but unfortunately I was just starting out and didn't have the money for even a 10-15k nice example.
Now that I have the means, I absolutely am not going to drop 30-40k on a nice example on any of these. Whatever.
XCCO@reddit
This becomes the issue for me as well, and I assume others share that sentiment. Being able to afford the dream car and finding it reasonable to do so are different matters. The price is just no longer worth it in our eyes because either the value proposition isn't there or personal priorities outweigh the desire to stretch for the dream car.
Fit_Equivalent3610@reddit
Yup. R32 GT-Rs are still CAD$10-15k cars in my mind, even if rusty shitbox ones with past repair history go for CAD$40-50k now. I am not paying that for an ancient rusty 220whp Datsun that was unreliable 15 years ago, was never sold here, and has the interior from a 1989 taxi.
So then I was like “an A70 would be fine too” but of course immediately upon making that decision prices went from CAD$10k to CAD$40k lmao.
itsRickPierce@reddit
It's funny, we have the exact same list.
I was pretty close to getting an A70 in the summer of 2023, but that was when prices were skyrocketing and it felt like they just kept pushing out of my budget (despite having cash in hand) and people on marketplace wouldn't budge with their prices. Lost my job that September and that dream got postponed. Since then my wife and I have both been in and out of jobs while people swear up and down we're not in a recession lol.
Ended up getting a turbo Z31 that I traded for a goofy 87 Civic that I've since fallen in love with. I still want a Z (especially a Z32 or another Z31) or the A70, but it's just going to have to wait.
An A70 in the exact spec I wanted popped up on marketplace a couple of weeks ago for exactly my original budget from 2023 and I just sort of sighed and died a little inside.
WATTHEBALL@reddit
There's some...seemingly...good conditioned A70s for ~15k(cad) but they are automatic. I'm trying with the idea of a manual swap but I wouldn't be doing the work and will need to research how much this would actually run me.
Fit_Equivalent3610@reddit
FYI you can still get brand new R154s in A70 specification.
evilpinkfreud@reddit
It's gotta be more all together than the price of just getting a manual one. You know anyone that would even do the work yet?
WATTHEBALL@reddit
Absolutely not. There are manual good conditioned supras going for 30-40k cad.
I dont think a swap would add an additional 10k-15k ontop.
evilpinkfreud@reddit
I actually would love just an na z31 almost to the point I'd call it a dream car.
I had an Infiniti m30 convertible for a couple years with that same v6 and I like the sound and feel of it even if it's not all that fast. I just could only enjoy the automatic transmission so much though
I still think about that car and think how cool it was and how a z31 with red leather interior and a t top would be an upgrade to that experience. I like the boxy style, digital dash, and how small they are
After selling it I got a 2001 BMW 330ci coupe with manual trans which is what I drive still but it's made me appreciate i6 engines so now I feel like I'd rather have a Datsun than a z31. But for the moment
All that being said, now you got me thinking about a70s which check all my boxes or even the previous gen of Celica supra that has the more boxy style like an ae86
Anyway, there's a lot of cool cars out there and I could fall in love with just about any of them and your civic wagon sounds fucking majestic. My other car is 2007 Yaris sedan with manual trans and I consider it to be an almost perfect vehicle
SEND_ME_FAKE_NEWS@reddit
No, but I set attainable dreams?
My goal has always been an R8, which I can actually afford now, but I kinda don't really see it doing anything better than my TTRS.
Commuting in an R8 feels like a waste, and it's not faster or drive any better. Sure it sounds better, but the 5 banger is pretty great too.
Il-Rev@reddit
Been wanting a cayman for over a decade now but the dream is slowly fading away unfortunately.
Aleks_1995@reddit
Nope gonna have my m850 in 5 years time.
bad2behere@reddit
Give yourself a lifetime and it might happen. Forever is always an option for car lovers. My husband gave me my dream car on our 35th anniversary and it's sitting in my driveway right now. Needs work, but it's there!
NellyFly@reddit
In high school (around 2010) the 05-06 Ford GT was my favorite car. At the time, they were going for like 125k. I thought that one day that price would be attainable. And now today I still can’t afford a $125k car, let alone the $500k they’re going for….
Avenue_Barker@reddit
I have dreamed of owning a 911/Boxster for many years (15+) but now that I'm semi-retired at age 49 and I have significant hearing loss the practicality of owning one doesn't seem worth it (too noisy). I mostly walk or take transit so the car would be driven 20-30 times a year (I also have a 6 year old so a SUV is the DD). I'd rather spend my money on nice vacations or building a deck for my house.
If anything a car like the Prelude is way more in my ballpark now (semi-serious). A sporty, comfortable all weather car that is easy-ish on the wallet (haha).
manesag@reddit
Considering my dream car is an E46 M3 GTR (thanks Most Wanted), I’ll be happy with my Z. Is it perfect? Hell no, but it’s what I wanted, so it basically is my dream car funny enough
PFCanada_Throw@reddit
Yeppers. At least I was able to own one of the transitory cars on my list (3S-GE Altezza). But pretty much no chance to attain any of my other dream cars, those being; one of the JZX100 triplets, Lan Evo, Silvia S15, E30/E36/E46 M3, or a Porsche 964 911.
At this point seems like the only thing truly attainable to me are my dream bikes. I'm casually on the lookout for a well maintained Streetfighter, Streetfighter S, Monster S4R or a 650GS Dakar/Sertao (or 650/700/800GS twin). That said I'm also happy enough with my 599 Hornet that I don't need a new to me bike but it would fulfill my childhood dream.
nokarmalol@reddit
Yes and no. Some of my original dream cars, like a 997.2 Turbo and an NA1 NSX, are out of my reach for the foreseeable future. But newer dream cars of mine, like a Z4M and an MR2 Turbo, are still well within reach.
Minutes2Midnight@reddit
At this rate, Spyker C8s will be a million dollar car so it's not looking good.
GrammarLyfe@reddit
Nope, and I never will.
fiero-fire@reddit
First gen Camaro with modern suspension. Yeah with the boomer tax it's next to impossible for me to get anything more than a trashed shell and I don't have enough space in my garage for that kind of work. I don't think I've completely given up, you never know what might pop up or what you find while toad tripping.
I do own one of my bucket list cars so it's not a total loss
ktg3211@reddit
As a divorced single father of 2 in this economy almost all the dreams I had are pretty gone. My dream car is a 66 gto and they are almost impossible to find at a decent price because they are either already done and people want $60,000 for them or they are bare shells with no drivetrain or interior and people want like $10,000.
David_Summerset@reddit
I've given up on all of my dreams
deak_starrkiller@reddit
Miata Is Always The Answer
larphraulen@reddit
As you well know, a lot can happen in 3 years. Give yourself time and patience. It's not a race.
Mine is an ND3 Mazda Miata. My $3500 128i is my holdover car until our kid is old enough for my liking to sit up front... so probably \~4-5 years from now.
Hrmerder@reddit
Pffft.... My dream was literally any year Dodge Challenger r/T. Not the scat pack, not the 382, just the damn r/T with the 5.7L V8 Hemi... That dream is basically vaporware currently and literally every other car I ever wanted has been the same all my life... That'll go in the pile with the Ford Focus r/S, the Mitsubishi 3000GT VR-4, etc. etc... At this point unless you have 3 incomes, or are rich (or well off with no kids and single), then you might as well accept your fate as a $7k enconoshitbox owner that sips 35mpgs and does almost nothing when you hit the gas...
991guy@reddit
Yes when I was in HS an F40 was 1.8M or so, possibly attainable for someone who sells a business, but at $3M+ and no signs of slowing, I could not justify having 10%+ of my net worth in a vehicle
thetrappster@reddit
05-06 Ford GT - yes. Pre-covid I was hoping I'd be able to buy one around 2022...then covid came and the prices skyrocketed. Out of reach now.
ninjamike808@reddit
I got mine, for the most part. It’s nothing crazy, just a WRX so I can pretend I’m a rally racer on my daily stop and go commute.
You could say and number of early gen corvettes is also a dream car of mine, which is technically obtainable especially as a project car, but not feasible without more disposable income and the kids being able to ride in the front seat.
But I think a lot of cars lose their luster once you get a bit older and take a test drive.
MADDOGCA@reddit
My dream car is a paid off one. I’m living the dream.
Fracture5@reddit
No, but I "changed" my dream. Growing up, I realized owning a Lotus Esprit in a cold remote place in Canada would be serious trouble, especially if it have mechanical issues. I feel like it would make me more frustrated than happy lmao.
So I decided to buy an old American muscle car. Still a nice look, simple mechanic even a clown like me could "kinda" understand, fair price for parts at a local autoshop (or easy to find online). Plus, if it's something I don't know how to repair, any mechanic could help me, which wouldn't had been possible where I live with a classic european car.
Maybe if one day I go live to Europe i'll change but so far, i'm happy with what I have ^^
-5677-@reddit
Hell no, I'll be getting it in a few years if things work out.
TheOliveYeti@reddit
Yep
I have a Miata that I love, love, love to drive
But at this point, the highway noise is just to me. I guess I'm just getting old but I will be getting something on the complete opposite end of the spectrum. Still glad I gave it a go.
LexKing89@reddit
Unless a clean MKIV Supra appears for $35k or less, that boat has sunk. I just can't bring myself to spend so much on a 30 year old car. Same for the NSX, Viper, Skyline, and RX-7.
There's also the LC500. I could grab a high mileage 2018-2020 but it's an expensive car to maintain. I'll get it eventually but the old cars I gave up on. I get tired of dealing with old cars sometimes.
The other main dream car can't be imported legally yet. Late 2000's-2010's Toyota Crown Athlete, black on black.
turbo_ice_man_13@reddit
In terms of dream car that is more or less attainable for a lot of people (not counting bughattis, koenigseggs, etc...) I could afford it now if I made a few sacrifices, but not comfortably.
Deathlands1@reddit
Dude, it’s a car… you live in LA or Boston and are in your car hrs a day, sure, but so much more to maybe push for. I am not kicking the idea, but a trip abroad or helping a friend or an animal would give you so much more than a car, and a Tesla is like buying a track home, no offense to track home people 😉
moore_atx@reddit
There were times I thought about giving up, but eventually just pulled the trigger. It wasn’t perfect financial timing but I had enough things in order for me to feel comfortable taking the risk. It did take about 20 years and some car side quests but finally got the one.
RickWanders@reddit
You'll get a Model Y someday! You kind of have to set goals along the way. If you think about it, you're just trading in and upgrading along the way. You could go used but even new is possible. Start with something that is doable for you. $15000 car maybe. Pay that off. It's now worth $8000, turn that into a $23000 car, pay that off, it's worth $15000. Trade that in and boom, half of your $30K Model Y!
unicyclegamer@reddit
Absolutely not. My dream car as of now is an AWD Toyota Sienna Hybrid. I’ll get it once me and my gf’s cars bite the dust.
parker2020@reddit
I wanted a 992 GT3 touring… prices spiked got my dream 964 and going to turn it into a 9k red lien monster. Honestly even driving it stock I’m more happy with it.
slimdiggins@reddit
Nah I’ll get a Koenigsegg One:1 some day it’s just gonna take a while
solinesn3p@reddit
My dream was a '93 Skyline. Or a Lambo Diablo. Now its keeping my manual Mini alive on the road dodging hulking SUVs and Trucks...
Gizmuth@reddit
I don't think in have given up on a dream car but my tastes changed over the years previously I might have told my dream car would be a Datsun 510 or Nissan Sunny with a rb26 or some other cool suped up engine. But now I just want a Telo MT1, I am becoming an old man and by no means an I old
ToyotaPowah@reddit
I'm just glad that my dream cars are all obscure 20+ year old JDM vehicles. Much cheaper to buy and in some cases, not too expensive to repair and maintain! Finding one in good condition is another story..
Retrograde_Bolide@reddit
Yes. Everything is expensive and a car that is good enough its worth replacing
eight47pm@reddit
Some yes(see R34 Skylines which have gone from £40,000 cars to £100,000+ cars) but some such as the Jaguar XK(I own one) and the Aston Martin DB9 are still plenty cheap and don’t have to much demand, autos are cheaper as well which is nice
DudeWhereIsMyDuduk@reddit
While I could technically purchase an air-cooled Porsche, I'd rather put the money into the house.
MediocreDot3@reddit
Kinda just fell out of love with modified cars and racing as a hobby so yeah - dream car was an mr2 spider - which is still quite cheap but I'd have to have a daily driver - honestly my dream car at this point is a Cadillac Escalade.. room to haul my other hobbies around, move, and it's like taking a yacht when you road trip in it. I hate everyone that owns an SUV but I want one for myself lol.
zepher2828@reddit
Yes
Snakepli55ken@reddit
I’ve wanted an M car for forever. Now I’m potentially a couple years away from getting one and all I can think of now is what a waste of money. Not sure what I want to do anymore.
noSSD4me@reddit
I sold my dream car last year (2000 BMW E39 M5). It was the best 7 years of my life while I had her. All the canyons I carved, all the road trips I took - worth it! Even though I spent a ton maintaining her (almost $40k, but I replaced literally almost everything mechanically except the driveshaft and rod bearings), if I had the chance to do it again, I would without thinking.
ohnosevyn@reddit
LFA. Nah. Still no kids, no marriage, no divorce, no debt, and a solid career.
deleted_by_reddit@reddit
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Theo1352@reddit
I gave up on it the first time my all time favorite and dream car, the Ferrari 250 GT SWB Spider, crossed the $1,000,00 milestone at auction. 🤣
This year, one sold for over $25 Million at Monterey, as I recall.
Yep, at my age, I have given up on it.
However, a 1970 GTO Judge, my practical dream car, definitely on my shopping list now.
No-Pipe4332@reddit
I haven’t given up, but the cheapest 5th gen dodge viper I’ve been able to find in the past year was $96,000 with a rebuilt title. It only lasted about 1 month before someone bought it.. 🥲
Randy_Magnum29@reddit
Yes. 10-15 years ago, you could get a “reasonably” priced ($30,000 range) 996 Turbo. Now they’re twice that.
PharrowXL@reddit
Considering it’s a 2004 Toyota Celica GTS with some modernizing, naaaah.
I’ll be able to afford that way fucking before I can consider a house or whatever at any rate.
DerpHog@reddit
I've had so many dream cars over the years that unless I had Jay Leno's garage I'd have had to give up on almost all of them. I have most of them as Hot Wheels so I can look at them every day even if I can't drive them.
My current car had never been on my radar. I knew of the brand Infiniti, but had somehow never paid any attention to the G35 and G37 and didn't know the Q50 even existed. I knew I wanted my 2014 Q50 AWD from the moment I saw it, and had to buy it once I drove it, but I still thought it wouldn't be my forever car.
Then I started to put it into perspective. Most of my dream cars are from the 90's and early 2000's so when compared with stuff like the 300ZX or 2004 Pontiac GTO it's at least as quick and has a far nicer interior and features. It's not as quick as other cars I thought I could get someday like a V8 Camaro or Cadillac CTS-V, but those cars are still selling for at least twice what I paid for my Q50. If I really wanted to I could use that money to buy a supercharger kit to make it as fast as those.
It's not my dream car because I never dreamed of having it, but now it has changed my other dream cars from deep longing to just wishful thinking. I would like to drive my other dream cars someday, but I feel like once I got out I'd be going back to my Q50 without regrets.
Now that I've owned it for a few months though I think I'll keep it stock. It still has way more than enough power to get me in trouble on the street and I have no intention of taking it on a track, so there isn't much point in making it more powerful.
I was disappointed in it for a while because I was using the throttle wrong. It doesn't like to downshift if I just floor it, but if I mash the throttle and let off it will drop to the lowest usable gear and just take off when I floor it.
Ok-Business2680@reddit
Never will.
Dpizzle22@reddit
For 98 Supra money, I could get a 911... Which yes... I have definitely given up.
Guy4123123@reddit
My dream car was just that, a fantasy that was never going to happen. I wasn't born into the Sultan of Brunei's family so no I'm not going to get my CLK GTR.
nelisan@reddit
Just postponed due to the shift to working from home. I only drive 200 or so miles a month now so 2k/month payments on an RS6 Avant plus 600 in insurance just seems overkill for how little I would actually be driving it.
rdklz@reddit
Got my dream car. Now that I've got it, it sits in my garage with crap piled around it and being too lazy to shuffle cars from my driveway to get it out, I've barely driven it. I'm not sure if that's what you can consider "giving up".
Zombie256@reddit
Actual dream car, a 1934 Duesenburg Phaeton is pretty much unobtainium. The RX7 tho……
TheyCallMeCajun@reddit
Well mine is a Lamborghini Murcielago, so unless I strike it rich I likely will never own one :(
L1NK1N_P4RK@reddit
I guess I belong in the ”lucky” part of the group here. Bought my dream car at 21, a LHD Euro spec purple Nissan S14 Kouki (factory SR20DET). Not really a rational purchase, I guess the only way to really justify it is that the childhood / teenage dream is worth it, not the car it self. It does make me giggle like a teenager again every time I see it or drive it though!
Difficult-Tackle-985@reddit
Yes. I drive long distances for work, a new car wouldn’t be financial responsible. I have college to pay for my oldest in a couple of years. Don’t see a way I can I next 10 years. Sad realization.
gpshift@reddit
Yes. When I was younger I always thought I would own a Ferarri one day. As I've aged and made more money, I've gotten to the point I could buy one (used), but I dont want the ongoing costs and maintenance. It would also make me a bit car poor. Having driven several Ferarri's and other high end sports cars, I would now rather have a Cayman gt4, but again I'd rather be financially comfortable, than have a fancy car. I'm happy enough with my ND Miata plus a sim rig, and plan to focus excess funds on early retirement rather than extravigant stuff.
fredinNH@reddit
For decades I’ve wanted a sleeper car that is legit quick. Never had a car under 6 seconds 0-60.
Six months ago I picked up a used polestar 2. Friggin love it. 0-60 in 4.1. Has all kinds of safety and tech features. I would prefer buttons and knobs but it’s not bad saying “hey Google put the driver seat heater on 2”.
I’d say this is pretty much my dream car. I’m in my mid 50’s btw.
boomerbill69@reddit
Aircooled prices continue to be stupid as shit. My dream was always modest too - a basic ass g-body, and prices when I was a teenager were completely realistic. Now they're out of control and seemingly not worth it. If I was a DINK, maybe I could justify buying one but I have pretty much given up on the dream at this point.
Turbulent-Pattern653@reddit
I have mine
Mysterious_Mon@reddit
Yea. Toyota Corolla GT-S AE88/US or AE86 crazy expensive.
somebodydisapeed@reddit
Yes, all of my 90's dream cars are too old and expensive to justify now. It's also disheartening that there really isn't anything newer that seems worth it to me either.
Public_Fucking_Media@reddit
No, I drive it currently
AFB27@reddit
Not completely, used to really want a 992 Turbo S, but honestly would settle for a Turbo or GTS now.
But I recently had a lot of seat time behind the G87 M2 and man, for the price, I'm really questioning whether I need to even consider a 911 anymore. I really loved that car and it's very affordable compared.
mdp300@reddit
Yes, since I found out that DeLoreans are actually terrible and Grand Nationals keep going up in price.
aquariuminspace@reddit
No, but I had to realize even if I could technically afford it that money is better spent somewhere else. It'll be a present to myself when I have the funds set aside for it and everything else taken care of. I just got hit with a rough unexpected expense and it reminded me of the importance of an emergency fund, something that wouldn't be possible stretching myself for a dream car.
karawkow@reddit
Not really, my dream car has just changed to a sienna hybrid
Gorgenapper@reddit
Present me is investing, living far below my means so that future me can buy that dream car without fucking up my financial independence goal.
sprchrgddc5@reddit
I dream of a Type R Honda. DC2, EK9, or DC5 Type R. They are attainable, somewhat. I mainly would like a LHD DC2 Integra Type R but they’re expensive and hard to come by. A K20 swapped one was just for sale for $20k and I really, really wanted it.
Only thing is I already have a supercharged RSX Type S. It’s 90% a DC5 Integra Type R. I have most of the Type R bits. The supercharged K20A2 is faster than a K20A and revs almost as much as one. I paid nothing for it in today’s money when I bought it almost 10 years ago ($6k). I just don’t think spending $25k+ on a RHD JDM DC2 or DC5 will give me more happiness than I have now.
So in short I haven’t given up, just don’t think I need to chase it anymore.
Seeker80@reddit
Due to some health issues, I've had to change criteria of what works for me. Probably no coupes, because I can't get down into one. Even a sedan might be trouble. I've got a punchy SUV and it's a brilliant daily, but it's hard to work out what else I could handle.
My heart has always wanted something lightweight, maybe even a bit of a momentum car. I might be looking at more like under 3500lbs for 'light' now, based on what I can get into.
daver456@reddit
I have a lot of dream cars and I know it was never going to be possible to own all of them. I’ve had a few, e46 M3, e39 M5, FR-S, S2000 to name a few and some other “fun attainables” like an 8tj gen Civic Si and a mk7.5 Golf R.
In that time I’ve learned about myself during ownership. In my mind I want a GT car but for what I actually like doing with the car I actually want a sports car. The e39 M5 was especially disappointing for me personally, not the car itself, just how it fit into my life and what I Iike to do.
Will I ever get my FD RX7 or NA1 NSX or any 911? At this point probably not, they’re just too expensive.
Am I happy with my S2000 enough to consider it my “forever car”? Considering how much I’ve gotten into autocross recently, probably, maybe…we’ll see.
Moral of the story, maybe your dream car isn’t actually your dream car and you might be happier with something cheaper and more attainable. Go buy something cheap like a Miata for $10k and see how many smiles per mile you’re getting. Maybe that’s all you really needed.
PurpleSausage77@reddit
I love this list. So far I have a FRS and a 8th gen Si. Very awesome cars that everyone will be stroking off to with nostalgia pretty soon, driving prices up. They’ve already bottomed out as far as that goes tbh. Also one came out of the woodwork for me - GM’s Alpha platform in the form of Cadi’s ATS and the 6th gen Camaro, which can be had cheap.
topTopqualitea@reddit
Nah we just purchased dream house with garage though.
moonRekt@reddit
I have my dream cars but a Lucid Gravity is my practical dad car but I also can’t feel but the same that it’s just a dream I don’t make enough to justify buying it
bikedork5000@reddit
Nope. My dream car was a Mk3 GTI VR6. It's not my dream car anymore, but what I like in general hasn't changed much.
anonymous6366@reddit
Do it, the R is fantastic
bikedork5000@reddit
I had a '17 GTI SE 6MT prior to the Alltrack. For now the AT does everything I need, and I might add an IS20 turbo and DP in the future. Right now I'm just focused on becoming debt free (not too far off) and building a new garage. 2nd car isn't in the cards for a while, and I do need the extra space of the wagon vs the hatch.
JohnDoee94@reddit
My dream car that’s semi affordable is a 718 Cayman. A step down would be a Supra. A step below that would be a BRZ or Miata. I can afford the BRZ/miata now but I’d have to delay some house upgrades …. First world problems.
pixel_loupe@reddit
No i gave up on owning a house instead
SMW22792@reddit
Dream car has a different meaning to me. The looks and performance of a car mean nothing to me if the car is easily stolen, highly desired, or unreliable. I can look at a picture of a pretty car without having a bill from the repair shop. Outside of Toyota/Lexus or Subaru, I'm unsure where to invest my money when it comes to transportation. Sadly, I recently found out Toyota/Lexus vehicle are quite vulnerable to theft.
wardellwayneraymone@reddit
Nope, my dream car is any old flat 4 boxster. Perfectly attainable but I don’t have the space for a third vehicle right now. An impractical one at that.
ScipioAfricanvs@reddit
Ish? I chose the Cayman because naturally aspirated, 4 liters, mid engined. But I’ve always liked 911s and had a 997.2 prior. My “dream” was to spec out a GTS or GT3 touring, do PTS, the whole she bang. But, the increasing cost of 911s and dealer shenanigans has basically made that not viable and no longer worth the money. I wish I was able to customize my Cayman a bit more but I’m pretty damn happy with it.
GtrplayerII@reddit
I've had two dream cars...MK1 Rabbit GTI and Porsche 911...I have the GTI. I'm working on the 911, however I would compromise for a Cayman or Boxster.
NomadFromBlackoak@reddit
Yes, not just for financial reasons. At 41, I don't think I have a path to F1 and owning an F1 car for s&g's isn't appealing to me.
Shmokesshweed@reddit
Never had one.
But the older I get and the more money I have, the more I realize that my goals are shifting little by little.
Gave my dad a bit over 12k for a new Corolla hybrid 3 weeks ago. It's his first new car ever at almost 60 after driving old Soviet hand me downs and then most recently a Neon for 23 years.
It's not a fancy car by any stretch, but I can see it means a lot to him and that's what makes me happy.
humdizzle@reddit
i've gotten more burnt out on cars as i've gotten older. I did purchase my dream car after medical training with a nissan gtr. And then pushed past that with a ferrari and porsche gt3. They are cool, but at the end of the day a car is a car.... they all pretty much run the same way. disc brakes, tires, oil, burning fuel to make noise, etc. I'd be just as happy with a e92 m3 as a ferrari 458 tbh.
the main issue now is that about 10 years ago i really got into stocks and compounding interest. Capitalism is beating car enthusiasm in my brain. I put 20k miles a year on my cheap civic... and maybe 2k miles a year on my 911.
whatdoido8383@reddit
Yes. Life is all round just too expensive to afford a second "fun" car.
thisismyusername144@reddit
My dream car was loosely defined but was always "something Porsche". Last month I bought my "dream". A 2022 Porsche 718 Cayman GTS 4.0 with the 6 speed manual gearbox.
It's been a total blast. Unfortunately I'm in Ohio so today is probably the last day I'll get to drive it before the wintery weather comes in tomorrow. I'll be putting it in storage this afternoon until I can drive it again in March or April (and maybe even May).
ban-please@reddit
I haven't given up on my dreams, my dreams have changed. I had a Mustang in my youth and for a while I wanted after a brand new Mustang. After getting married and having kids I've realized that while I would absolutely adore the car I could get far more joy by spending that money on other things. I've sacrificed having a dream car (or even a modern car at all) to allow my my children to experience dozens of countries and allowed them to play any sport they like.
I drive an older car now than I did before they were born but it still does the same job my old car did. I do still get some joy out of it... it's a 20 year old manual wagon that I itch to drive when I see snow is falling.
VeryHandy@reddit
Dreaming is always free
SithSidious@reddit
I agree, but the joy of dreaming is the potential that it could happen. Things that are too unrealistic are just disheartening.
VeryHandy@reddit
The phrase is more about having an optimistic attitude about outcomes while working towards the dream. Time is going to pass anyway. Things are going to happen. You can either believe you’ll achieve what you want or, yeah, give up. I’d rather not despair.
The_Crazy_Swede@reddit
Nope, I already own it,
Mekkakat@reddit
I gave up on cars a few years ago entirely.
They're overpriced, very few innovations, something you have to maintain (which has become harder and less fun to do at home) and (at these prices and how bad drivers are anymore) huge liabilities.
For a while, I kept motorcycling as my main motor vehicle hobby, but even that became less exciting and fun for me. People have seemingly become even worse at driving (at least in my city) and the roads/infrastructure to ride are increasingly more hazardous and hostile to spirited riding every year.
Without sounding dramatic, it's like our roads are literally in shambles.
I've moved on—I still love older cars, car shows, car history, etc... I just have no willpower for new stuff or trying to get my dream car (first gen NSX).
My money goes towards traveling, and I can't recommend that enough.
Go see the world. That's my dream.
costafilh0@reddit
No.
The older I get, the less crazy my dream cars become.
I used to dream of Bugattis, Koenigseggs, and Paganis.
Now I dream about many cars, though still very expensive, totally attainable, eventually, with enough time and effort.
Like sports cars from the 90s, 2000s and 2010s. There are maaany AMAZING options in the $100K to $500K range.
Da_Funk@reddit
I'd like a ND2/3 Miata but I need a two car garage.
Can't bear to have my Charger sit in out in the elements to get all dirty and stolen. And a cloth top roadster needs to be kept indoors.
Tiny-Art7074@reddit
Just got a GR Yaris, maybe a Lambo next year. Just gotta stay focused on your career and have a goal. Luck is also a factor, not gonna lie but try to get into something that interests you even just a little and try to figure out a way to make it profitable.
MandrewF@reddit
I don't think a Carrera GT is in the cards for me lol
DeuceMacaw@reddit
Yes...LFA is not gonna happen, but did manage to pick up a used v8 lc500 a couple of years ago and I absolutely love it.
SithSidious@reddit
I’m really struggling with this right now. I’ve been working for a year and a few months, and am saving for my dream car. My dream car is quite expensive, but I could save up for it in another 4-5 years. That being said, it requires some financial sacrifices and if the car becomes more expensive I wouldn’t be able to buy it. Of course people say if you can’t buy it twice, don’t buy it and there is no way I could buy the car twice. I also have other life changes coming up in the next few years - will probably have kids in a few years and buy a house (I am saving for the house separately from the dream car and budget accordingly).
The hard thing is then I have a hard time finding something less expensive that I really want and I could call a “dream car”. I don’t want to open the garage door and see something where I settled and didn’t get my dream. I don’t want to spend half the money but get something that doesn’t invoke half the emotional response as my “dream” car.
HardLithobrake@reddit
It'd have to exist first.
colin_staples@reddit
Well my dream car is a McLaren F1, so... yeah
Dopplegangr1@reddit
Unless I win the lottery or something I dont think I'm ever getting a Diablo.
RedWire75@reddit
Very much so. I’m not going to have 911 money ever. Even Mustang GT money at current prices.
morelsupporter@reddit
it's an F40, so yes
quiksi@reddit
I’m in a weird spot but recognize how fortunate I’ve been anyway. My dream cars are the E36 M3 coupe and the R33 GT-R. I’m at the point where I could easily afford both but have ended up with a different garage. Not exactly “my” dream cars but wonderful machines.
Bigbadbrindledog@reddit
I've given up on some of my dream cars become of rising costs, I've given up on more because I've realized I don't want to own a less safe vehicle that requires a lot of upkeep.
GrindhouseWhiskey@reddit
I had a lot of things come together and bought an Elise years ago, so I won't complain too much. I've managed to hold on to it, but the likelihood of a newish fun car to DD and depreciate seems slim now. An only 80% practical car like a Miata or BRZ as primary car has just become too frivolous.
I have also made peace that I will likely never own a vintage homologation rally car like a Stratos or RS200, but that was probably never gonna happen if I'm honest
FontainePark@reddit
I'm trying not to. There's a lot of 1st gen 86/BRZs out there. I just got a car I don't want to replace and currently can't own another one until I move back out. I just don't know how long everything will take until conditions are just right to finally get one. I also regularly talk myself out of something good and more fuel efficient just for cost savings reasons like the Civic Si, Cooper/Clubman S, or GTI
mr_lab_rat@reddit
No but my dream car has evolved.
When I was 19 I fell in love with the e36 coupe. Didn’t even need to be an M3. Just that shape with low hood and high trunk. And it had to be light blue. So sexy.
Then it was the widebody 993, or really any widebody 911 except 996.
But by then I was in my mid 20s and realized I would probably never owned that. It’s just too impractical and too expensive.
So I worked my way up towards that BMW dream. By then it was an used e46 and eventually two decades later new f87 M2.
So it took 20 years but I have my dream car.
coltar3000@reddit
Considering that my dream car is a slammed ford ranger, I think I have time. Is still camp and get outdoors too much to justify the purchase though.
bigcee42@reddit
Never give up.
blame_lagg@reddit
I don't care as much anymore about having a sports car, they just seem impractical for my day to day life.
armchairracer@reddit
My priorities in a car have changed. When I was a teenager I wanted an AMG, the E6e wagon was of course the dream, but even a C63 sedan seemed like a near perfect car. Then I started owning cars. I want a car that will start and run every time and not be an inconvenience. The closest MB dealer to me is 45 minutes away, the closest independent shop that I would trust with an AMG is 30 minutes. If someone handed me a million dollars and told me to fill a garage I would probably buy a 2nd Gen Tundra (ideally 2019-2021, the best looking of that gen imo), a new Miata RF, and either a GR Corolla, Civic Type R, or Integra Type S. 3 cars that would cover all of my needs, be fun to drive (2/3 anyway) and be as reliable and hassle free as possible.
orangutanDOTorg@reddit
Naw, I just need to do an oil change and put new tires on it. Been lazy but not given up.
TheWolfofBinance@reddit
Yes ive given up on the McLaren F1
SpacemanTomX@reddit
I really do get it, there comes an age where you realize that your dream car is far beyond your reach. As a car enthusiast it's sad to live in the real world already. Add to it that time goes on we will be regulated to extinction.
My best advice is to enjoy what you have as much as you can. The everyday life you take for granted will one day crumble like the steering wheel on my beloved Chevy Spark. I wish I had never sold it, nothing will ever be as special.
It's grim, but the only thing you can do is Drive (2011).
IGotSomeBigQuestions@reddit
Porsche 911 993 GT2 - I’ll never stop dreaming but seems highly unlikely this box is gonna get checked in my lifetime lol.
BeepBangBraaap@reddit
I've never given up on my "dream cars" and I've owned most of them. Currently have 2 of my "grail" cars in the garage.
Everything in life is a compromise, though; nothing is perfect.
There have been cars I couldn't hold on to and cars I couldn't buy or didn't buy even though they were a great deal.
At the end of the day, cars are just machines that move us from point A to B. When you find success in your work and life then you can justify being more picky about what's in the driveway.
Don't ever give up, though.
DjImagin@reddit
Pretty much. By the time I can afford one I won’t have enough left to actually work on it like it would need.
r00000000@reddit
I think I'm closer to the opposite, I wasn't even into cars as a kid, the only car game I really played was GTA 5 and as a teenager, I never actually googled the cars or paid attention to them IRL, but I remember thinking that the Banshee and Infernus were insanely cool to me and if they were real cars, I'd want one in cyan blue. The fact that they were fake names I think actually helped me not get attached to them as dream cars because I didn't know they actually existed lol
I actually come from a tech background and when I was shopping for my first car after the pandemic ended, it kind of evoked the same feelings as I had when I was building my first PC as a kid, picking the perfect parts but not too optimized because I wanted to see what I needed first after getting some driving experience and along the way, realized I actually really liked driving and cars, and only just realized what my dream cars would be this year, which made me even more motivated in my career to work and advance to a point where I can afford them.
ThePurpleBall@reddit
Not so much as given up, but priorities shifted and interest also changed.
As I’ve grown up and started DIYing everything since you can’t trust contractors, spilled over to cars. I have more lust over that 1500 dollar ticking time bomb on Facebook that the 80k Ferrari 360 ive always loved lol
Dangit_Bud@reddit
25 years ago when I was a teenage boy, I had a long list of (attainable) dream cars that were then somewhere between 20 years old and new.
Now those cars are between 25 and 45 years old, not many are left and those that are still around go for crazy money thanks to things like BaT.
So in a nutshell, same as you … back to just looking at listings with mind boggling prices and finding enjoyment in the couple of beaters I do own.
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