Parents - when did you decide it was ok to be selfish and buy a sports car?

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withsexyresults@reddit

this is why parents have sports sedans like m3 or hot hatches. you can drive the kids around and have fun at the same time

but yea, put that extra money into early retirement and up that 529

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braveheart18@reddit (OP)

Had a hot hatch once upon a time. Sold it to save up for a house, looking for a different experience this time around.

I don't care for how 4 seater convertibles look, personally.

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mr_j_12@reddit

Something like a an rs6? Gr yaris/corolla?

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withsexyresults@reddit

Slightly older m3s? Problem with 2 seaters is how much will you realistically drive them if you’re busy with kids. You might end up with a sports car that just sits in the garage

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FinancialEvidence@reddit

Don't you drive to work? Take it then.

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withsexyresults@reddit

if i need go to office, have to drop off kids at school first

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FinancialEvidence@reddit

Depends on your routine, maybe you walk them to school in your neighbourhood, or you swap cars after the short drive 1-2 days a week, etc. Just an example.

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withsexyresults@reddit

Iono sounds like a hassle especially if you have to do pick up duties too. Atleast with more practical fun cars you can do that same drop off and do trips, daily stuff etc

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Sure, but IMO they are just not the same, the practical cars are all built with some degree of concessions compared to a dedicated sports car like a Miata or S2000, even if performance isn't that different.

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withsexyresults@reddit

Yup I know, driven s2k boxsters etc but I’d much rather drive something less dedicated more vs more dedicated car less

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FinancialEvidence@reddit

I can see both sides for sure.

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max_power1000@reddit

That's what the yellow bus is for.

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braveheart18@reddit (OP)

Almost every day I have to drive 1 kid to school and pick both of them up

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FinancialEvidence@reddit

Is their school not close to home? You might be limited in time then.

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braveheart18@reddit (OP)

School is close-ish, but i have a long drive to work.

If I bought this car, I wouldn't daily it.

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FinancialEvidence@reddit

Don't have to take it every day, even once or twice a week keeps it fun.

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etingwall@reddit

Seconding this opinion. At this age, you want a fun car that you can enjoy with your kids.

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braveheart18@reddit (OP)

Id rather have a compromised but still fun driving experience vs absolute best driving experience but you never get to actually use it

I'll probably have to think about that more

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CallLivesMatter@reddit

Last year I bought my M5 to cover the whole “I want a car that I love” thing. A year later I still had the itch for that top-down, row-my-own-gears experience, which lead to me adding a third car to our life. In hindsight I could have done it much more efficiently and spent less money, but I’m happy all the same.

For reference my kid is a teenager, I’m 43, and all choices fit comfortably within the budget.

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hawkeyes007@reddit

I think the upping college funds instead is silly. You’re allowed to have fun in life too. $650K at 33 is way ahead of the average and you may be over allocating to your retirement accounts if you don’t have brokerage savings to bridge you over in an early retirement scenario

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braveheart18@reddit (OP)

About 100k of that is in a brokerage, planning for retirement around 62 assuming the world hasn't burned to the ground by then

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Furryyyy@reddit

My dad did the same and died at 50. You could never touch your retirement savings again for the next 30 years and you'll still have millions, even when adjusting for inflation. So long as you're able to make the contributions you've already been making, what's holding you back besides feelings?

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Yarrrrrrp@reddit

You could die tomorrow and never touch your retirement. Enjoy yourself while you can still get in and out of sports cars.

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hawkeyes007@reddit

Under any realistic scenario you’re basically already funded for an average retirement. I don’t foresee an issue with a splurge. You clearly already have the numbers in hand and know best though

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Nephroidofdoom@reddit

I had a Mazda Miata pre-kids.

Post kids had an M5 and then a 911.

Now that the kids are too big for car seats I’m back in a Boxster.

If I were in your situation I would seriously be looking at Golf GTI, BMW 3 series, etc.

I personally index towards convertibles and while you may not like the look, your kids will have a blast going for ice cream runs with the top down. Summer nights under the stars are quite special as well.

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boomerbill69@reddit

How about something like a E93 335?

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generalright@reddit

Now is a good time, you have a lot saved in retirement funds already. I would argue too much. Perhaps start allocating more to a brokerage. It’s a wild concept to think you’re saving too much for retirement, but at the levels youre at, you might end up with more than you could ever spend and robbing yourself of opportunities in your youth.

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Quick_Bet5660@reddit

This is why I'm holding on to my Golf R for dear life and sold my other cars. Even if I owned a sports car, I have no idea when I'd even be able to drive it. I'm waiting until my kid is past the toddler ages before I buy something.

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poo_poo_poo_poo_poo@reddit

Is this a circle jerk post? You have more money and savings than like 90% of the country at 33 and you’re asking if you can afford a sports car.

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Crocs_n_Glocks@reddit

Oh jeez guys I'm so rich and comfortable but I feel guilty having fun somebody help!

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withsexyresults@reddit

Hot hatch gang. always get a kick out of seeing other parents have fun cars during pick up

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max_power1000@reddit

it gets worse when they're older. I've been wanting a new sports car for years, but we're going to need 2 rows for a long time with 2 kids, and the ones I want are all 2-seaters. Those only make sense as a 3rd vehicle.

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braveheart18@reddit (OP)

I wanted to keep my focus st, but it wasn't practical at the time and just taking up space.

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CobraDoesCanada@reddit

I already had my modded FK8 before I met my girlfriend and then we had a kid. She hates the car for the kid because its on the stiff side and a bit noisy (but its not too loud). I'm looking forward to sharing the fun with him soon and I spent way too much modding this car to let it go for a loss.

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austic@reddit

Thats why i bought mine.

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BeigeChocobo@reddit

Same, I opted for a fun daily driver. I could afford another car but realistically I know it would take up space and barely ever get used, which bothers me more than the financial part.

One day, though...

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BlueFiSTr@reddit

This is exactly why I bought my elantra n

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MrNoodleIncident@reddit

Yup. I’m rocking the S4/Suburban combo. Not a full blown sports car, but plenty fun and four doors to drive around kids. M340, C43, caddy v, real M cars, etc all check the same box. Or plenty of good fast SUVs if that’s your flavor.

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sc0lm00@reddit

I've almost always had a "dumb" car. E.G. When my wife got pregnant I sold the MX5 I had and bought a GTO for the back seat. I too though am toying with the idea of another MX5 or small convertible. That would give us 4 cars though and my son started driving so insurance is already dumb and driveway parking a commodity.

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cretek3@reddit

650k @33 with two kids is really good, you're set to have millions in your 60's if you decide to work that long, but you could retire by 50 and probably be totally fine too. I would splurge now

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Flatexark@reddit

You definitely have the net worth. As long as you pay cash and it’s nothing crazy like 150k. Rip it. Enjoy it. I’ve had two different corvettes in my 30s. Love them but I don’t use them as much as I thought I would.

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Joggingmusic@reddit

I was 33 when I got my first project car, it was a 92 mercury capri. Paid 450 bucks for it. Wanted a Miata but couldn’t find one under 2k (the boss lady’s compromise) that wasn’t clapped.

I went on to get a second capri when I was 37, and just last summer a week after I turned 40 I bought an 86 foxbody.

Start small like I did…it’s nice to be able to spend time having the car up on jack stands and just hacking at it and making it something cool without the stress of it being needed for work the next day, or if you fuck up…it’s not a 30k car. It’s just a shitbox.

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firststate@reddit

X3M. Kids bikes wagons dog. When I move on from my x3m40i that’s what I’ll be getting into. With young kids the 3 car thing just never worked out for me. The toy never left the garage.

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mg2322@reddit

Bought a used 911 recently and have a 3 yr old. Was it a good financial decision? Hell no, but we’re well ahead on retirement and 529. I smile every time I drive it and he loves it.

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JF0909@reddit

That's my dream fun car. My goal is to have my house paid off within the next ten years and then I'll consider it

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knsaber@reddit

Get the car you want that fits your lifestyle or the lifestyle you want. Only regret you’ll have is when it’s too late and you never did it. The market will never get better or cheaper. Nothing like watching your 3-4yr old’s face light up when you floor the throttle. 911 is the ultimate dad sports car since it’s 2+2. I have a 2 seater roadster and perfect for taking my 4 yr old to car meets. I’m sure it’ll be more of a challenge when I have a second kid and have to decide who to take with me haha. I’ve had my roadster for 17 years and I don’t plan on giving it up anytime soon.

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WhatDoWeHave_Here@reddit

I had fun cars in my twenties. Now that I have young kids, I don't know when I'd find the time to actually enjoy a sports car. And if I do get some precious free time to myself where my wife is watching the kids, there're just other hobbies I'd rather be doing than driving a sports car around.

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Suspicious_Bread1913@reddit

My s2000 has done nothing but go up in value as I enjoy it. Great inflation hedge. Any golden era Honda gonna go up in value if clean

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rugbyfiend@reddit

My family go in either of our ‘sports cars’. There’s a reason they have back seats.

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Abyssgh0st@reddit

This was me, similar stats to you (but just one child). I went with a convertible BMW M240i. Just the right amount of fun, still practical, comfortable, and maintenance shouldn’t be too crazy engine/transmission wise. Bought the car with cash for $38k after all taxes and fees, a 2020 with 21k miles and a fully maxed out spec.

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wisowski@reddit

I hear ya.

I wasn’t in the place you were financially but received a killer bonus and had been looking for a while.

Picked up a used Miata for $5k.

While I had the guilt I also had the pleasure of sharing it with my kids when they were young.

Airbag could be shit off so the sat next to me jnstead of the back seat.

Lots of awesome memories. Turned out to be a better decision than I had imagined.

I say go for it!!

If you are wrong you can always sell it.

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No-Pipe4332@reddit

Damn your doing good at 33 if you have 2 kids and over $500k in liquidity assets

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Crocs_n_Glocks@reddit

Yeah but what's the point if you can't humblebrag about it?

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AmNoSuperSand52@reddit

I think im too poor to understand this.

Does that mean he has $500k in assets that he could have in hand whenever he wants? Like not including the house/car/etc?

Because if that’s the case, by comparison I’m 30 and I have $10k that I may be losing soon to replace a dying heat pump/AC in my house

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OO_Ben@reddit

You are correct. Liquid assets are going to be easily accessible ones. Think cash on hand basically. Even in a retirement account you could pull that out and have it cash in hand in a day basically.

Hard assets would be like the house, car, gold, stuff like that. Think of those as you'd have to sell them to pull the value out of them.

So that $650k wouldn't (or at least shouldn't) include the hard assets like the house. OP is doing extremely well for the average 33 year old! I'm 33 and I think I have like 40k total in retirement lol

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re4ctor@reddit

Liquid means it can be turned into cash quickly. So things like stock you can sell right now and have the cash in your account in a day or two. Things like retirement accounts and houses are not considered liquid since you can’t really get access to that “today”. Or if you can it comes with a penalty (pay tax on withdrawals from retirement, for example)

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braveheart18@reddit (OP)

Thank you. I'm not quite that liquid as a lot of that is pre-tax retirement accounts. Ive been contributing to a 401k consistently since age 22, and when we moved houses I had a little bit left over from a sale to boost my investments. Im also lucky to have a high earning wife and a boss that treats me well.

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deleted_by_reddit@reddit

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Exotic-Condition-193@reddit

My Dad always wanted to see Australia. When he was retired and had the time and money,”why don’t you take that trip to Australia?” Response, “ oh, it’s such a long flight and my back and knees hurt and yada,yada, yada.” He never went. We all need “hummers” in our lives. I think of it as rewards for being good,responsible people. Your family will be rewarded by the smile and spring in your step. PS: At forty My wife ,son and I packed up and you guessed it, went and lived in Australia for two years. This one is for you Dad.

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topekans@reddit

If you still call it selfish. You are not ready

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Grungedude42@reddit

Build one! I had a project car until I moved and just didn't have space for it any longer. It's a good way to spend time with the kids to, and you can pace the expenses and purchases so that it makes sense with your time and budget.

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zoo32@reddit

As someone who did it, be realistic about how much time you’ll have to drive it. That’s my biggest issue with being so busy

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braveheart18@reddit (OP)

Do you feel guilty if you only get to drive it once or twice a month?

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vcjr78@reddit

Yes, but I'm a little different since mines been paid off for a long, long time. I have a '79 Trans Am as my fun car. Expedition for daily commute and kid transport. If I tell you I've driven my T/A twice in one month, I'd be lying. It's an heirloom though, so it isn't going anywhere. It's absolutely filthy right now due to pollen and such, but I legitimately haven't had the time to spend the hour or two cleaning it up.

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corm40@reddit

Agree here. That’s the only problem with 2 seaters; def don’t get to drive them as much as you’d like.

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OHWHATDA@reddit

I have two young kids and I went with a Porsche Macan Electric 4S. Having a 911 would be glorious, but it’s so impractical I’d end up driving my wife’s Honda CRV all weekend when we drive the most. And I drop off my kids at school and my daughter was already complaining about not having leg room in my old Audi A4 because I’m tall and the seat needs to be pretty far back.

What good is a 911 in the garage? IMO buy the funnest car that practical enough to drive every single day. I’d rather drive a Macan 100% of time vs. driving a 911 10% of the time and a CRV the other 90%.

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a-jasem@reddit

What good is a 911 in the garage? IMO buy the funnest car that is practical enough to drive every single day.

Totally agree with this sentiment, and it’s also why I own a Macan as my fun+daily car. You can definitely have enough fun on a backroad in one, yet it’s very comfortable when just commuting around and it’s super practical if you need to run errands along the way. And not having to worry about imperfect roads is a plus as well. I thought about replacing the Macan with a newer 911 but I’m very happy with my car right now.

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enfuego138@reddit

This year. Not quite 50, my kids are in high school. At this point I’m still able to easily get in and out of it and I’m much more financially stable than I was in my 30s.

I suggest you wait a bit longer, and get a bit more savings into your accounts while you still get the maximum compound interest benefit.

The other option (my favorite) is to get a CHEAP fun car like a Miata or early BRZ. Not a burden financially, cheap to insure and fix so you can thrash it. Everybody wins.

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Sesspool@reddit

If you have 650k in retirement at 33 why are you even asking.

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Psyclist80@reddit

When I had the money free and clear of any obligations elsewhere. And was fully aware that I would only get to use it once in awhile. Then I made the purchase.

I could have waited for retirement, but I had made some smart financial choices and made sacrifices earlier. So was 40 and said YOLO (after a massive amount of contemplation and planning)

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Understanding-Fair@reddit

Do you have practical cars that are paid off already? If yes, get a Miata. If no, maybe find a car that is fun and practical enough. There's lots of good options right now.

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OtterCreek_Andrew@reddit

I have 2 kids and I’m 31

I waited until the house was paid off and had pretty good savings accounts for both kids.

But the kids love the cars. They argue over who gets to ride in “the race car” with dad because I can only fit one of them at a time lol

I don’t think you need to feel guilty about buying yourself nice things as long as your priorities are sorted and in order. You worked for it - enjoy it.

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braveheart18@reddit (OP)

Im a long way from having the house paid off...kicking myself for not getting 15 year mortgage when the rates were rock bottom. I can never leave my house lol

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Kilgore_Brown_Trout_@reddit

Who's dick did you suck to get 650k in retirement savings at 33?

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braveheart18@reddit (OP)

You get paid more for a ZJ

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Kilgore_Brown_Trout_@reddit

Shit, I dont even know what that is...

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braveheart18@reddit (OP)

If you have to ask

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rimasavas@reddit

Crazy how people overthink this much in life

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braveheart18@reddit (OP)

I also get to the end of video games with a bunch of items and potions I didn't use because I figured I'd need it later on

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CoffeeXKing@reddit

I got an Elantra N.

Very comfy inside, fun enough.

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re4ctor@reddit

Based on your contributions will you hit your retirement goals and kids fund goals if you do nothing except keep making those contributions? I.e. the car (including maintenance and insurance and whatnot) doesn’t materially affect your cash flow and impact your plans… then sure. Why not.

there’s always more you could save, invest etc. but if you have a plan and are on track, then anything extra is fun money

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bigred83@reddit

Get a Nissan murano cabriolet so that way you get the convertible and also a “suv for the kids”

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braveheart18@reddit (OP)

Can't stand the design of these things, but I appreciate the suggestion. I have a "family" car that is paid off and won't be going anywhere

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What_the_8@reddit

No sane person likes a Murano convertible, the ugliest car ever made.

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happy--muffin@reddit

TIL I’m insane. I like the Murano CrossCabriolet, it’s a lifted 350z roadster that can seat 4 comfortably. I can drive down PCH with the top down, and with the lifted seat height it’s practically a topless tour bus. Would love to drive my kids around in it and be a total tourist. Only caveat is the CVT transmission, I ain’t touching that

Is it ugly? Absolutely. But it’s also unique af and one of a kind. I’d rather be ugly than be aggressive in a Camry SE with nightshade wheels and black trim

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strongmanass@reddit

You have two options. Range Rover Evoque convertible. In person jt looks like a Barbie car come to life so you can decide whether you like the cutesy image.

If you want space for the kids and reliability, Toyota Solara convertible. One of the ugliest and strangest cars IMO. Convertibles are fun and care-free; the Camry is the opposite. But you'll be free to not care about expensive repairs.

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bigred83@reddit

I’ve never seen someone drive one without a smile on their face. It’s probably because they’re laughing at the car, I know mine was when I drove one but still. I’m sure the kids will love it! Also I was being sarcastic, but in this one circumstance the car makes sense, it just was executed very poorly 🤣 a jeep is probably your best bet. Decent sized back seat, take the top off. All the ducks you can handle

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apaloosafire@reddit

https://youtu.be/V6vprgDHFw0?si=YFI2IA7WBrKNdv2b

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RAMBIGHORNY@reddit

Wrangler 392 Moab isn’t too spendy these days. No doors builds character for kids

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Sublime_82@reddit

Whoosh

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boredtotears56@reddit

Or maybe a jeep or bronco or any other option? Or even a sports wagon or something? I don’t think people use a convertible as much as they expect to.

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LockNLoad518@reddit

Nissan Murano Cabrio is just like Buzz’s Girlfriend. Woof.

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ColonClenseByFire@reddit

Had one before he was born. Had a Camaro and the car seat was a pain so got a 4 door CTSV. He's a few years older now and debating if I should swap it for a Corvette.

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diy_a09@reddit

OP: your post struck a chord with me as I am going through the midlife crisis myself. I share my situation and answer your question:

I am 47yo with a 9yo and 12yo. Wife and I are mid/late career; 23+ years in with our employers. Wife has a niche accounting job and does well at her employer. I am toward the end of my engineering career: as my office is closes and relocated at the end of 2026, I will take the company's buyout and pivot to working part-time for two years. At age 50, I will begin 'full' retirement.

Our only debt is our mortgage, which will be paid off by the time my 12yo finishes high school in 2031. My only financial regret was taking nine years to payoff my student loans (I should have prioritized paying these off within 3-5 years of graduating). Our household has two cars: a 2016 Honda CR-V that was paid off within six months of purchase, and a 2021 Sienna which was paid off within four years. As the Sienna was paid off, I continued to set aside that monthly payment amount into a Fidelity brokerage account that served as the 'fun car fund'.

As for your quagmire: absorb as much as possible from r/FIRE, r/Bogleheads, and watch Humphrey Yang CFP on Youtube. The brass tacks is that you will be ready to buy your fun car when you have stabilized your annual spending and the dividends/gains on your investments exceeds your annual contributions by a significant margin.

All of the above is the basis for my own midlife crisis acquisition. Two years ago, my fiduciary told my wife and I "start thinking of ways to spend", and that set my planning into motion. I determined that I will buy a fun car only if 1) my wife comes around and accepts the idea, 2) I can buy the car outright, and 3) the acquisition is no more than 5% of my total net worth (house excluded).

With all three conditions met within the past seven months, I started my pursuit of a Toyota GR Corolla Premium Plus 6MT. In mid-March I started contacting dealers. Four days ago I left a deposit with a dealer five hours away from me as they met my price discount on an upcoming allocation that matches my exact specifications. I expect to take delivery in 1-2 months.

TL;DR: 1) Know your "FI" number and get there, 2) convince the wife that you are great father and husband; all time and effort has been on things other than yourself, and it is time do something for yourself, 3) buy your midlife crisis acquisition when you can pay for it outright and the amount spent is not life changing (for me that 'life changing' threshold was 5% of total net worth).

Good Luck OP!

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carsnbikesnstuff@reddit

I’ve had two cars (daily plus fun car) since before I even had a wife. It’s not selfish it’s living your life - as long as the car doesn’t lead to neglect of other duties and responsibilities.

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fastLT1@reddit

ND Miata AND a Jeep Wrangler? Miata when you're by yourself and you still have the convertible jeep.

I got the Camaro after my first son and although his car seat fit, I also had a 4 door Tacoma for longer trips.

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OllieFromCairo@reddit

I got mine at 47.

Sort of. It’s a WRX, so it’s not even a sports car.

But the point is it’s fun as shit.

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vcjr78@reddit

Heck yeah it is. I miss my 05 STi a lot, but had to trade it in for an SUV. I have three kids.

Looking forward to them driving themselves so I can get my blackwing or M5.

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Dpizzle22@reddit

Black Wing can fit 3 in the back, no?

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vcjr78@reddit

Haven't tried it, because I'd be too tempted, then my kids would REALLY hate me! ;)

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pyro99998@reddit

That's why I'm in a qx50 lol, my truck didn't have enough of a back seat so I was looking for something like a wrx, but they were a bit small so I was looking at something like an escape add well so the wife found a qx50 awd for cheap, it's almost as big inside as an escape and is a tad faster then a wrx. But since getting it we've had another kid it's starting to get small again now that they're all getting older so now I'm looking at something line an explorer st, I would love an xm, but hey I'm working my way there lol.

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Suck_dick_for_karma@reddit

I bought my Civic Si at 36. Also not a sports car and slower than the WRX wagon I used to own before I had kids, but it’s really fun and practical and I don’t feel guilty about splurging on something I don’t need.

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EpicHuggles@reddit

With the current state of the world I'll never understand anyone that sacrifices living now in order to potentially retire a year or 2 sooner.

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Rich-Juice2517@reddit

Does it have to be a car? Could get an older truck with a bench seat, slap in a V8 and pipes that burble then you and the kids could have great memories cruising and doing burnouts on the weekends

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zansox@reddit

34 with a 5 year old. I sold my x5 and got an RS E-tron GT this year because there was a lease on a demo that was $800 a month with 0 down.

Has been fun.

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Pdxlater@reddit

Not all sports cars are the same in both practicality and price.

I bought a E93 M3 manual and the kids were 8/10. It had back seats they could fit in. It was a hard top folding convertible. It had a great sounding V8 which was magnified by the drop top. I bought it for $25k, drove it for four years and sold it for $26k.

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jamanon99@reddit

After I sold my first child

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OO_Ben@reddit

$650k at 33 is fantastic, and I'm assuming that net savings is after retirement contributions? That's gonna grow massively by retirement age. As long as your emergency funds are fully filled out I say pull the trigger dude.

Shit you're probably in a spot where even Dave Ramsay would say go for it as long as you can pay cash for the car.

Caleb Hammer would say go for it as long as you can get a good rate and arbitrage the market, which even frees you up a bit more, albeit that might be hard right now.

Either way you're in a good spot.

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Significant-Pen-6049@reddit

lol just do it

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jrbrownie00@reddit

Miata is always the answer

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DissimulatedDoge@reddit

A few weeks ago, right before I had my 5th child! I wanted to be able to share my passion with my sons and take them for weekend cruises.

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AmNoSuperSand52@reddit

Bros reproducing like it’s 1835

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Attainted@reddit

Whatever the cost is of what you're looking at, double it so you have enough for long-term repairs. If you have that much, just go for it worry-free.

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POSVETT@reddit

IMO, with such guilt, you're not cut out to add such a car.

I'm a parent with one son who's about to finish college. I'm also beyond an average car enthusiast. My life, after my family, revolves around cars and it's the case since I was a toddler. I don't have any other hobby. Every penny I can spare (after savings, investment, family expenses, etc.) goes into my cars. I devise plans and manipulate ways to add certain cars into my stable. I never stop looking for cars. Some cars are on a hunt that's been going on for decades.

More than half of the cars in my stable are 2-seaters. None of these 2-seaters are practical as they're meant for the pleasure of driving, not as a transportation device. A couple of them are highly modified to the point that very little is left of their original forms. One of the vehicles is not even in the same continent where I live; literally, it's halfway around the world (time difference is 12 hours).

Hope that much information is enough to help you decide.

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TiagoASGoncalves@reddit

Unless your household has a well above average income, you better accept and quit. Sorry 😞

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diyandmc240@reddit

I don’t know if a convertible is what you need, there are a lot of complex variables there. Probably the most important being whether you can manage it as an additional car(it’s inconvenient as a main car with kids, you need to make sure you have convenient parking spot for it)

What I do see is you effectively asking if it is ok to enjoy yourself. I’ll answer you this with yes. You seem to be thinking of generational wealth, that means you have your kids as top priority(it’s not all about money, but it’s a good place to start to establish your kids, especially in the US). But one of the best things you can do for your kids is show them as a role model what it means to be happy. No amount of money can buy them back those experiences as a kid. Seeing you with a smile on your face as a result of your earned happiness will teach them the path towards happiness in their own life.

I hope this helps. Also look into a 986 or 987 boxster if you want a fun convertible. I just bought a manual 2001 Porsche boxster S. They can be a pain to maintain(no rhyme intended), but an extremely performant and fun car that checked all my boxes. I don’t have kids, if I did I would have looked into a 996 or 997 targa with a panoramic sunroof and rear seats.

Best of luck in your future endeavors 🙂

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braveheart18@reddit (OP)

Thank you for the input. Porsches are on my list just not at the top, but thank you for the reassurance.

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diyandmc240@reddit

Don’t blow your budget. There’s nothing worse than driving a car that you know is a financial suck and more than you wanted to spend(ask me how I know…it’s not the boxster which I got stellar deal on)

Especially for someone like you who is financially minded. Set a budget, and look for things 10-30% under that so you have room for maintenance events etc.

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Boostergold319@reddit

Get the car if it isn’t a financial issue. If you have kids, especially boys, they will remember a cool car their entire lives and the memories associated with the car

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Multifaceted-Simp@reddit

As a kid I always wanted to be picked up by a sports car from school

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Boostergold319@reddit

Hell ya! I always wanted to get picked up by whoever had the cool car in the family.

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Compy222@reddit

when i scraped together my first 3700 dollars and bought a crappy 99 Miata. top 10 decisions of my life honestly.

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TweeksTurbos@reddit

A 91 saab900 convertible seats 5 has great trunk space and wont cost too much to purchase

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sfd_delu@reddit

To put it bluntly, this isn't a midlife crisis for you; it's just that you're starting to realize you should live a little more for yourself. You've always been quite stable and not a spendthrift, but you've been thinking too rigidly that "taking care of your family" equals "not being able to spend money on yourself."

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cheetah611@reddit

Enjoy yourself, you’re ahead of the game so don’t feel bad. Real question becomes what and how much. I’d imagine options are:

Keep your current car and get a weekend fun car. This can be as impractical as you want, but you likely won’t be able to drive it as much as you’d want with two young kids.
Sell your current daily, and get a “compromise” sports sedan or wagon. Older M3, AMG, Audi, etc etc. You’ll be able to enjoy it every single day, though running costs may be higher than option 1 with the increased miles.
Go for a 4 seat convertible and decide if you want to keep your current or sell it. More sporty than option 2, you get your convertible, but likely not the car you want as you mentioned not caring for the looks of 4 seat cabs.

I think I’m of the opinion that you’re doing well for yourself and your kids already, it’s ok to be a bit selfish.

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Dannyz@reddit

What about a 350z? Won’t break the bank, is fun, is impractical, can wrench on it with the kids

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Whiskers1996@reddit

Why are ppl here treating this shit like its an investment sub 💀.

Its a sports car. Unless you are INVESTING in a rare car, its burning cash.. Its for hobby/fun... Do people not do shit for enjoyment here?

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Good_Air_7192@reddit

I bought a 911 when the kids were young because they're obviously not going to fit in the back seats when they're older, so I had to buy it right then. At least that's what I told myself.

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CaptainKirkDouglas@reddit

Bro has 650k in retirement at 33, that’s pretty damn impressive in this economy. Nice work man.

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braveheart18@reddit (OP)

Thanks. I owe it to my family and my wife more than anything. My parents paid for my college and I get occasional gifts from my grandparents which primarily funds the kids accounts. Wife has also been putting away money since 22 and doesn't spend much.

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SunnySTX@reddit

I saved for 6 years. Bought a brand new 2003 BMW M3 and it was the greatest decision ever. A super fun car to drive for 6 years...bought it for 57k, sold it for 27k in 2009. Real M cars or Porsche GT cars or a Blackwing will hold value if you brake care of them.

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SockeyeSTI@reddit

“A convertible“ doesn’t really narrow it down

We talking a Miata or Porsche?

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braveheart18@reddit (OP)

Probably somewhere in the middle lol. This isn't really a "how much should I spend" thread, as much as it is how do I justify this purchase when theres more "important" things to buy.

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SockeyeSTI@reddit

If you aren’t drawn to something exact then I’d avoid the extra financial liability entirely. I’d generally only take on that responsibility if I was dead set on getting a dream car.

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The_Ashamed_Boys@reddit

I got a BMW 840i convertible. 4 seats so everyone gets to go.

As far as money goes. Retirement is well funded and on track to retire early if I want. 500/mo into each kid's 529. Figured the car wasn't going to break things. Selling when extended protection plan will be 1.5 years from ending and planning on getting classic 4 seat sports car.

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wood4536@reddit

Convertibles are trash

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Wonderful_Setting_29@reddit

Why not have a second car? You can have a fun car for weekends as well as your practical car. Youre 33 with 650k in retirement, treat yo self. Another option is the fun car that you can carry your kids in. Get an rs3 or rs5, get an atsv or ct4v blackwing. Then again Im your age with no kids and 4 cars. Lol. So maybe dont listen to me.

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SardonicCatatonic@reddit

I got an i4 and it’s great. Feels like a sports car and also can take the wife and kids when needed.

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raginghavoc89@reddit

My current toy has four doors and 20lbs of boost. Now is the time.

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Emyxn@reddit

I just bought motorbikes and ride to work in the name of fuel economy.

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max_power1000@reddit

Kids getting to driving age. I’m planning to hang on to my current car for them and buying someone fun for me when my oldest is 15ish.

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JiffyParker@reddit

You have $30k saved up and are considering using that to buy a convertible you don't need? Do you have an emergency fund or do you only have $30k liquid to use if needed? Do whatever you want but I would bet you will regret it later when the novelty wears off and realize that $$ could have been invested and your convertible is worth 25% of what it was. Just save up more if you truly only have $30k liquid and you won't be worried having that cushion.

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vanilla2gorilla@reddit

They have 650k to take from if needed. Buying used they would have minimal loss on the car. Only they can decide if it's worth it or not.

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JiffyParker@reddit

$650k is retirement. Would seem silly to take from that and pay penalties versus just get a loan.

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AmNoSuperSand52@reddit

If he’s got $650k in retirement at 33 then he could basically just divert all of his discretionary money from this day on towards a fun car

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aprtur@reddit

Some 401K plans allow you to take a loan against yourself penalty-free if you pay it back it a certain amount of time. OP would basically be self-financing it.

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braveheart18@reddit (OP)

I have more liquidity if I needed to access it

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Atrampoline@reddit

I recently got a new C8. I've got less than you saved in retirement, but the wife and I have a healthy net worth across a number of investments. I figured I could wait, or enjoy my 8 year old being able to ride around in an awesome car. My wife also loves riding in it.

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pablocerakote@reddit

I’m 41 with two kids. Happily married. Got promoted and my wife told me I’m not getting any younger. So now I’m daily driving my dream car and the only problem is my daughter telling me to go faster.

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froyo0102@reddit

I was 39 when I got my Cadillac CT4V Blackwing. Youngest kid barely fits back there. I have been a mom for almost 20 years now and the first time I really put my self interest first. Both kids love the car and never complain about the tight fit.

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lord-master-wiener@reddit

Not a parent but I'm offspring of a parent who bought the selfish sports car. My dad went through a handful of different cars when I was a kid, but the one that I remember was his BMW Z3. I remember the smell its red leather seats gave off in the sun and the rush of riding copilot while he worked the manual gearbox. To me, that car's annual appearance in the driveway was indicative of summer.

Every other car he had was a truck or SUV or economy car. He drove a 4Runner then a Land Cruiser for a long time - both cool SUVs in their own right. They don't stand out in memory, though, the same way as the Z3 does. I can't speak for all kids, but I know that stubby Z3 had a positive impact on childhood and my later taste in cars.

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Leadman19@reddit

I’m 55 my 3 kids are adults now. We put everything we had ( time and money ) into the kids - now they’re all smart, functioning, productive members of society and we’re starting to enjoy ourselves.

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germz1986@reddit

Likely a good spot to do it. Go for it and buy something fun.

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surgeon_michael@reddit

I have a 911 and a e46 m3. When I buy a sports car it seats 4 and wife can drive the pdk 911. Honestly 30/10/5 isn’t quite there unless you’re a high earner and catching up.

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losteye_enthusiast@reddit

Once we hit a certain point budget and planning wise, where a fun car was just a % of our “fun budget”. It had to be bought outright and the budget for maintenance needed to be sensible.

It didn’t affect anything we were doing with our 3 kids that year and I’d never let it determine a vacation or camp not happening, just so I can rev an engine.

As I feel you’re getting at - There’s definitely a balance you need to find. I’d realistically daily a Ferrari at my income level if I didn’t have kids. Instead we have a 911, a cayenne and a bmw x5 as our dailies.

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Thenadamgoes@reddit

I don’t even have kids and I have a hard time buying a new car cause whatever investment I take the money out of will always be worth more than the car will be.

It’s a real mental block.

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axalitlaxolotl@reddit

About 5 years before I had kids…

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BrunoEye@reddit

I bought one as my first car because I knew that's when I'd have the fewest responsibilities so it's the best time for an irresponsible car.

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StokeJar@reddit

Yeah - got to find that sweet spot where you’re making decent money but don’t yet have any real obligations.

I recognizing that doesn’t happen for many people.

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Brewhammer@reddit

Yup, I knew we were having kids in 2-3 years and Covid had just begun so I bought a Corvette. Niw that daycare is 1/2 mile down the road I drop the oldest with the truck then come home and switch cars for the commute.

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Magnus_The_Totem_Cat@reddit

Yeah. I bought my first sports car 23 years before my son was born.

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ShadowGLI@reddit

I got one last year. $8k for a 2012 BMW 128i from a BMW dealer, clean 2 owner car

It’s preppy enough, sporty enough, luxurious enough and can actually seat 4 reasonably (3 Series is even more practical) and I know I’ll sell it for damn near what I paid.

I wouldn’t go dropping $80k on some new mess, but a $20k to my is completely acceptable since it appears you have your other finances in order.

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CTMechE@reddit

The short answer is when your spouse agrees to it.

But I took the advice of a co worker that's 15 years older than me, and bought it after I got married, before kids, and hung into it tightly.

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Trollygag@reddit

When I almost died on the cheap option, a motorcycle.

I was in the same situation as you 5 years ago, but had a sport bike for a decade at that point. One jumpy deer and it changed the equation really quickly.

My wife and I use convertible sports cars as stress relief. She has one that seats 4, I have one that seats 2, and between the two of us, we can carry ourselves and our 3 kids.

She can take them all on her own, but it is nice splitting them up.

We also have a minivan and another car, but that is the price to pay.

You don't know whether your kids will go to college, whether college will be worth it, whether your money will be worth it, or whether you will live long enough to see any of it pay off.

You can hope and plan, but you only get to experience the now. There is some "do it while you can" that you need to accept and live by along with the responsibility.

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0k-Connection@reddit

Ummm 2024

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ixamnis@reddit

I waited until my kids were out of college before buying a true sports car.

Put the $1000 a month away. And keep putting it away. You’ll know when the time is right.

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Cyberguypr@reddit

Very personal decision, but life is short and cars are my passion. All my friends have died before 50, some as early as 28. I promised i wouldnt be that guy the saved it all and never enjoyed life. I have very decent retirement funds, very decent college fund that my daughter is enjoying. I bought the convertible, then 2 other cars, and built a dedicated 6 car garage. All because life is short and other things are fully covered.

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wrxnut25@reddit

Get a Jeep

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HauntingObligation@reddit

Honestly mate, life is short, buy the car.

I would never recommend such a frivolous purchase to normal people, but us car enthusiasts are built different. You seem significantly more financially sound than almost all of us too, which really dampens my ability to curb your enthusiasm.

I can say as someone with significantly less purchasing power and overall stability that buying "that" car was the best thing I've done in my whole damn life haha. Your mileage may vary, of course, but I think you'll get more joy out of the driving than you will pain from the costs or impracticalities.

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vineethrpatil@reddit

I had the exact same question in mind, and got a pretty good outcome given where I started -

Here’s what I did - I bought a used C43 sedan first. It turned out to be a great sedan for weekend family getaways with 2 young kids in the backseat. Kids loved the exhaust note, the pops and bangs. Convinced my wife and got a used GL63 7-seater (it is a beast performance SUV with 550hp 568 lb-ft of torque and a 5.5L BiTurbo V8) for long family journeys.

This combo gives me more flexibility with a family and still scratch my itch. Eventually when the kids grow up I’ll get a 2-seater sports car for my wife and I to cruise around.

Hope this helps.

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Potential-Ant-6320@reddit

have a miata. it's the least expensive manual car you can buy and it's the least excpensive convertable you can buy. it's also maybe the best sports car you can buy. They depreciate slow. my ND miata has depreciated 10k in 8 years. that's less than a corolla. because the car is light weight the tires aren't expensive. I get great gas mileage even when I drive fun and the brakes aren't that bad either but I have the brembo package and the pads cost a little more. it's really not that expensive cost of ownership especially if you actually commute in it. I commute in mine and it costs me less per mile than my audi A4 so I actually use it for errands around town. it's fun when the fun car costs less than the comfortable car. you never feel any guilt about driving it to keep it nice.

These cars are more or less a japanese sub compact version of an english roadster. it's as relaible and affordable as a station car.

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BadResults@reddit

I bought a new BRZ last year with a then-5-year old. I put a car seat in the back and drive her to school in it every day. She loves it, I love it.

A two seater would be a different story, because I wouldn’t be able to use it as a daily driver and it would be purely for fun. I could afford a reasonable daily plus a fun car, but it would be a pure “fun money” expense and it would be hard to justify to myself. Not even for not saving that money or somehow using it for my kid, but for tying up that cash when I could just get a fun daily and use the dedicated sports car money for literally anything else.

But it depends on how much fun a two seater convertible would be for you versus a 2+2 coupe, or a sport sedan or hot hatch. I enjoy my BRZ as much as I’ve enjoyed driving my friends’ Miatas, so there’s really no compromise on driving enjoyment for me.

Also, we’re already a two car household and our other car is much bigger and is able to handle road trips, big shopping trips, etc., so the BRZ isn’t a sacrifice for practicality either.

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AmNoSuperSand52@reddit

My dad put off getting a sports car for my entire life because he always felt that he could be doing something for us with the money

Now he’s old and he can’t shift a manual or even get in and out of a fun car. In retrospect I wish he could have gotten what he wanted

Realistically if your kid is happy and healthy who can legitimately judge you for getting something that makes you happy. What’s the point of kids if you’re not even enjoying it, right?

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AgonizingGasPains@reddit

I was married at 25 and first kid at 29. My wife had a long commute so drove a VW Jetta TDI. I had a Jeep Wrangler, as my work demanded I arrive in any weather, and I also inherited a standard cab 4x4 pickup truck. Once the VW and Jeep were paid off, we didn't sell anything, as each had their particular uses, and as I was an aircraft mechanic, did all my own repairs. We added a CPO 2002 BMW Z3 to the fleet for whenever the sun was out and we didn't need to transport two kids (which was more often than you may think), or one of us needed to travel for work. It did become my wife's primary vehicle after we moved several houses down from my parent's and had free childcare, but that wasn't motivation when we bought it. I currently have two old British sports cars, bought non-running and fully restored in my garage.

I'll point out something that is a bit dark, but happens. I had a friend who was a "super-saver" and his wife complained all the time that he was 'cheap'. Camping instead of hotels on vacations. Cooked meals instead of dining, too. Always "we can't afford that and save for retirement". He didn't make it. Died at 37 of an anurism. I'm not saying spend the kid's college money on a Ferrari, but you need to have some fun (and make memories for you and your kids) along the way.

My son died at 25 in an accident, and some of my best memories are driving with the kids with the top down (in the Jeep, the BMW, and later the MGs). Him helping me rebuild the engine. Just washing and waxing it on a warm summer evening while he told me about his latest funny high-school event, or the (current) girl he had a crush on. Those are memories of fun times I would not have if instead I had socked that $2500 (what I bought one of the cars for) into the S&P500.

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Grand_Recognition_72@reddit

I bought a 2+2 sports car a few years ago partly because I wanted my kids to get to ride in it while they were young. They love the 944 Turbo and we have had a ton of fun going all the way around the round abouts.

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tnolan182@reddit

Why are you holding so little cash?

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LazyLancer@reddit

Bought my first sports car at about 33 when i already had a toddler.

Wish i did that even sooner without being "reasonable" in my vehicle choices when i was younger.

At some point, you will grow old and will not enjoy the stuff you were geniunely enjoying when you were young. Do enjoyable stuff when you are still young. There is no "doing that later once you've figured life out". It's a lie.

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DrZedex@reddit

I drove a shitbox for 7 years until I could afford to buy it essentially in cash. No debt other than our home. 401ks and IRAs maxed out.

And even I bought a practical hot hatch (grc) not a true sports car that would be useless for daily life. Toy cars are only fun when you don't feel guilty about them. They kinda shit until then. I know, I tried it once years ago and barely drove it.

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acaii@reddit

When I was in your shoes/age/net$, I bought a 997 turbo ($75-80k). Unsure what your cash flow looks like though.

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braveheart18@reddit (OP)

If I wasn't paying for preschool I could have two porsches...but alas.

I don't think I would want something so expensive that I would always be worried about the kids scratching it while getting their bikes out of the garage and what not.

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thundertwonk50@reddit

Not a parent but there's a chance the sports car you like might be too harsh or "uncomfortable " the older you get. I don't see why you shouldn't get it.

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CreaminFreeman@reddit

Can’t wait forever to enjoy the money you earn.

Fuck me, so true. My dad retired a year and a half earlier than he had planned to because of dementia. He’s not able to properly enjoy his retirement and that sucks to see.

Enjoy life while you can!

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ckthorp@reddit

I got mine in my early 40’s because I saw my dad using his sports car infrequently because it was hard to get in/out of in his 60’s and later. They can be very low and with some knee or hip problems, it can be too impractical for a quick fun blast to the grocery store.

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kaos1961@reddit

I kept mine from before. Then named him after the car so I got to keep it.

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sssozi@reddit

You named your son Aztek?

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vcjr78@reddit

Aston's a great name!

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Mother____Clucker@reddit

In my opinion, it depends on the car. I bought a Miata about 10 years ago. It was higher mileage (about 150k miles) and was 15 years old, but it was in great shape. It cost me about $4,000, so it wasn't a devastating amount of money for my family.

If you can manage to do something like that, it's a guilt free purchase given the rest of your situation.

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omgaporksword@reddit

As an only child of the 80's, Mum and Dad always had a sports coupe as our family car. I was driven home in an Alfa Sud (that Mum had a specialist workshop race-tune).

There were some boring company cars for a few years, then they bought a Renault Fuego. After that was a Saab 900 EMS (my favourite car of all time). The same week that Dad bought Mum the Saab, he bought a VW Kombi, with zero shits given...he'd always wanted one and just did it.

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Goku_LOL@reddit

You're doing great financially. If you're gonna feel guilty about the purchase could pick up a cheap used or new Miata of any gen and have a great time.

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PSPistolero@reddit

It sounds like a used Corvette is calling to you. Plentiful, cheap, easy to work on, fun to drive.

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SapphireSire@reddit

When the kids can get around by themselves it's time to get a rwd coupe with pop out rear windows and a big engine.

Doesn't have to be the fastest but it does have to make me look back after parking it.

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SapphireSire@reddit

When the kids can get around by themselves it's time to get a rwd coupe with pop out rear windows and a big engine.

Doesn't have to be the fastest but it does have to make me look back after parking it.

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BeanerCounter@reddit

I’ll just say this, my friend’s dad just bought an Audi R8 convertible a couple of years ago because he was getting to retirement age. Hasn’t driven it since because he had to have hip replacement surgery on both sides. He’s selling it soon. I personally wouldn’t wait to reap the benefits of hard work. I would be practical and get a lower cost convertible option like a Miata over something like a Porsche boxter or whatever they call it now.

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rks1743@reddit

Never reached the track-use weekend only sports car level. Always bought MANUAL sedans that were sporty enough:

Maxima SE

G37 S

Blackwing

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BeepBangBraaap@reddit

Live your life.
Not everything is about the kids or the future.
It's ok to buy things just for yourself if your family is well cared for.
Be responsible but don't forget to actually live your life

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lexxlr8@reddit

My dad never had a sports car. He did get a manual old ford escort which was the “fun car” imo and in his eyes was the beater.

Otherwise he always has had a superbike…. LAWL

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mike_dmt@reddit

Compromise and get 4 seater that you can daily and still drive the kids around.

And I get the aesthetic of a two seat convertible, but if you only drive it once or twice a month it could become a hassle to get out of the garage because stuff and bikes get stacked around it, the battery could be dead when you want to use it, could have a low tire... etc. Your fun car just became a chore to use.

Don't sweat the money, you're set.

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Stuckinwell@reddit

Cars are always an emotional choice. In the same way that saving is also an emotional choice for you. It provides strong feelings about safety, bounty, and personal responsibility. You are absolutely allowed to make the "selfish" choice, especially when you start incurring costs (anxiety or depression) that can be mitigated by a hobby or object of pride. I say this as someone in a similar situation who totally empathizes.

That said, be careful to also look at insurance and interest rates. Make sure that the emotional choice doesn't override good sense. And enjoy your new car :)

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phootosell@reddit

Bought it at 43. Regretted it.

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braveheart18@reddit (OP)

Why?

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phootosell@reddit

Creature comfort! I have gotten older and crave a soft cushy ride for longer rides. Wish I had gone with a SUV/truck.

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BustedCondoms@reddit

YOLO

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ProfessorApex@reddit

Get an MGB or Alfa Spider or something that is a) cheap - $10K? - up front and b) pretty liquid on the market so you can pass it along if your conscience doesn't leave you alone and/or when it's time to shift the cash back to other uses.

But once you have it, get the kids involved with it! Go for country rides together! Have them help in the garage! Make it more of a family presence than your own individual indulgence.

It'll be something for them to remember fondly alongside the usual family hauler.

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HonkyMOFO@reddit

Do you want it for the open air?- Jeep or New Bronco

For speeding around mostly 2 seaters except for BMW

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maxlax02@reddit

$6000 motorcycle is cheaper and more fun than any sports car.

Put the rest into savings.

Ya, ya, I know the responses: “motorcycles will 100% kill you and leave your kids orphaned”.

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Throttle_Out_@reddit

You could swap your daily driver and pick up a nice sports sedan like CTS5 Blackwing, M3, or RS6 wagon and find the best of both worlds.

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MessyMcMessMaker@reddit

This is what I did. I wasn't too far off OP's financial situation 10 years ago when I was in my early 30s with young kids. Over the past decade I drove an Audi S4, Chevy SS sedan and currently a Cadillac CT5V. All 4 doors with decent sized back seats and all a lot of fun to drive when it's just me in the car.

I would love an RS6 Avant, and while I can technically afford it, I won't spend that much on any car until my retirement and my kids college funds are fully funded.

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VintagePointEU@reddit

Define sports car. Also you can get a sporty car for 20k maybe and not lose too much money if you resell it later. You absolutely don't need or afford a Porsche 911. Maybe just rent one from time to time. You scratch your itch without too much hassle.

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oran12390@reddit

I struggle with this as well, with cars an other large purchases like home gym equipment. The practicality is a real thing worth considering. I wouldn’t get a small car that compromises safety. Financially I think you have to find a middle ground. You’re doing great. It’s ok to help your kids with college but maybe you don’t pay for 100% tuition at a private school. I’m aiming for 100% at a state school. Anything above that is discretionary spending for me.

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CaptainQuasi@reddit

47, ended up getting an 2015 R8 Spyder, immaculate. Was originally looking for a late model NSX Type S but prices ballooned so settled for the R8, very happy with it.

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Nobilisme@reddit

When I was 34 I put aside 10k and bought manual G35 coupe. I wanted 350z/370z so bad, but even if I had money I would still need to haul my wife and 6 yo daughter. During the warm part of the year this car becomes our errands car. I don’t daily it though. At this period of life it seems like a perfect solution, a fun 4 seater which can go to Costco and to a track.

When my daughter hits teenage and will probably be uninterested in hanging out with us that much I will get a more sporty 2 seater.

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Mypeepeeteeny@reddit

Live your life brother, it sounds like you making wise choices and your only 32. Tomorrow isn't promised so live today

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Nefilim314@reddit

I bought my Taycan to fit my boys in the back just before they were born and I’ve hardly used it for that purpose. I use my minivan most of the time for transporting them because it’s pointless to have a sporty car when carrying kids around constantly dropping their juice cups and toys that you have to pull over and fish out for them.

In retrospect, just get a Miata until they are old enough to enjoy the ride, then get another hot hatch. It’s not like the sports car experience is all that different when driving to and from grandmas house.

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Perilous_Giant@reddit

You only live once. Seems like you have your life in order more than most. Get something fun, you owe yourself a victory lap.

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killshelter@reddit

I’m 35 and don’t have kids so not sure how much value I can provide to the conversation, but when I finally bought a fun vehicle everything changed.

Not many people want to be passengers in a vehicle that can be driven with spirit. I find it’s mostly just fun for the driver.

If you’re buying something that won’t replace a daily, do it.

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Double_Cleff@reddit

Imagine making this post without ever owning a 1993 Saturn SC2

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Melodic-Temporary113@reddit

Just buy a nice used Miata for weekends. An NC2 PRHT is a perfect example. Probably can find a great lowish miles example for $15-20k? And if you get bored of it, you can probably sell it at any time for about the same as you paid for it. Pretty safe decision.

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NxtGenSoldier_@reddit

I bought my miata at 21. You do things because you want too!

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reverse_cowperson@reddit

You're way oversaved (or possibly underhoused). Time to start living. It doesn't take that long to own a nice car outright. In 7 or 8 years you'll start seeing friends and colleagues your age dying from cancer—ask me how I know.

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hateuscusanus@reddit

Bought my miata a few months before my wife and I found out we were pregnant. We tried for years and nothing. Perfect timing though or else I would have bought a Toyota sienna and never got to own a sports car. Lol. Gonna get the Sienna next year though. As long as my subaru keeps running

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Multifaceted-Simp@reddit

Buy something really special that you will pass onto your kids, share the hobby with your kids, your kids will have such a blast riding in a convertible.

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truwrxtacy@reddit

Seems like you're well ahead in retirement, I would buy it now. Tomorrow isn't promised and your children growing ups experience also counts to their happiness. Just buy a sports sedan like everyone said, anything from a fl5 type r to a m3 or ct5 black wing if that's your thing.

I don't believe in college funds for the kids in this day in age as many people come out of college can't get a job. Might be better off with trade school or being an entrepreneur and doing their own thing. Also a expensive school doesn't mean a better education , my oldest went to community college for his associates then transferred to a university to finish his degree. Leaving college with 0 debt as he's working at the same time. If I ever save money for my children for anything it would be a down payment for a house, not for education.

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TerribleNameAmirite@reddit

Buy used, beat it up, sell it once you’re done

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TotallyNotJoking101@reddit

Clean juke nismo, get it mapped and some various plug and play stuff and that thing is a family vehicle and a road weapon

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Dan_E26@reddit

I'm not quite in your position yet, but I WAS on the other end where my father was in the position of wanting a car but feeling guilty for similar reasons. Despite me pleading with him to just go ahead and live his life, it took him a full year AFTER I moved out for him to finally cave and get the C7 he wanted.

You're 33, in (hopefully) good physical condition, and making what seems like great money. You're, like, the prime candidate to have a sports car. Plus, when your kids are old enough to ride along and appreciate it, you'll be able to share a passion and memories with it.

The alternative is you wait until they're moved out and you have no other obligations, but you may be too old to sit in the damn thing anymore. IMO, if you're meeting you and your family's needs first and you're not blowing every penny to your name on the car, it's just money. You can't take it with you when you die.

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kyonkun_denwa@reddit

This was my dad as well. He wanted to get a two-door convertible for so long, but always felt guilty for wanting a "useless third car" despite having plenty of money. It was only when he turned 65 that he finally pulled the trigger on a Z4 M40i. I'm glad he finally got the sports car he wanted, but man, he could have had another 10-15 years of driving experiences with a younger body and faster reflexes.

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detdox@reddit

Consider a used Mustang GT. The back seat is surprisingly comfortable and the trunk is reasonable too, it's really a perfect summer road trip car and can be really fun by yourself. You have to upgrade the tires though or it doesn't grip.

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Bohemiantron@reddit

43m with 2 young boys here (10yr and 6yr) for context. I’ve been into cars all my life since I was little and want to pass that down to my kids as well.

I’ve had countless Miata’s, SW20 MR2 Turbos and a few WRX’s as well and my previous car was a Lexus IS-F that made me fall in love V8 sounds and power while also having plenty of room for the kiddos in the back. However I always wanted Mk4 Supra growing up so I kinda always wanted a coupe with a decent backseat. So long story short, I ended up with a 2019 Lexus RC-F 10th anniversary edition. Super fun to drive, has a sexy coupe shape, is nice enough to pickup my mother from the airport and functions as an actual car if needed with a decent backseat and trunk. About my only complaint is it’s not a manual but honestly as I get older and drive in DFW traffic I care about rowing my own gears less and less.

At the end of the day a 718 Cayman, C8 Corvette or a manual mk5 Supra were probably the cars I’d consider the most if I didn’t have my kids, but I know they’ll always want to run errands with me and go to car shows so I know id be kicking myself if I got a 2-seater right now and had to say “no” to one of my boys in favor of the other. Now in the future when they’re teenagers and don’t want to have anything to do with me I may reassess the whole situation and get a 2-seater for just the wife and I lol

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jerkyquirky@reddit

If you can meet all your other goals and still get the car, do it.

If not, you have to decide which goal is more important.

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jrileyy229@reddit

Don't look at it as a "spend". If you buy a c6 Corvette vert for say 30k... You didn't just flush 30k down the drain... It's not like when you go on vacation, you know that vacation money is never coming back.

Look at it as an investment. You can drive that c6 for a year or two and probably only lose a few grand. They've flattened out in depreciation. And as everything else gets more expensive, that flat depreciation curve will be propped up.

So you lost say 5% interest each year on that 30k because it was in a car and not a fund.. So 3k loss in opportunity cost... And maybe you eat 5k loss on the car. Cost you 8 grand to have a Corvette convertible for two years. Comes out to like $11 a day.

Then there's lost opportunity for that 8 grand to not be working for you for the next 30 years, and then you're deep into personal finance talk... But fuck a duck, you also have to enjoy life.

You're miles ahead of where most 33 year olds are... Buy the damn car.

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fastbeemer@reddit

That's why I found a 2003 Lexus SC430 that was clean with low miles. Paid $6500 for it and I just ordered a bunch of parts to fix/upgrade some things. My 7 year-old fits in the back seat and loves running in it with me.

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throw_this_away1238@reddit

I bought a new 911 and chose the GTS so I could spec rear seats. Both my kids fit as well as a stroller up front. Family car and I use it for drop off at daycare and such too

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fastlax16@reddit

I drive Golf Rs and have no guilt.

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ozpinoy@reddit

For me, it's simply. When you have allocated the "wants" money in it. I use percentage based. It's a guilt free money. As long as within that. We are good. But I never had a sports car. I can't afford it that guilt free money isn't enough. So I gave up on it.

Instead, I do aesthetic stuff on my current car.

I also have budget for family and kids - separate from "my wants".

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WillBunker4Food@reddit

Hi, are you me? Very similar situation all around.

I am currently looking at sports sedans. Depending on what you are used to, BMW M440i or Audi S5 might scratch your itch. Quick, fun to drive, the hatch can fit more kid crap.

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Automatic_Zebra_1099@reddit

We have two SUVs, both paid for and mechanically sound and so I’ve been looking for a few months at a CT4 Blackwing as my summer car. Ran it by the wife and she was fine with it as it’s my turn to get a car and we’ll back backups if the kids don’t like it or want to ride it in from time to time.

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ThePurpleBall@reddit

Depends what you call a sports car, the cheat code is a sport sedan. It’s a lot less selfish when you can still do 90% of the stuff a regular sedan or SUV can

It does everything you need sans large hauls.. but that’s why your significant other gets the SUV they probably want Anyways.

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Dogsbottombottom@reddit

I'm hoping to have a kid towards the end of the year. If that pans out I'll need to replace my 2-door GTI, because getting a kid in and out of that thing would suck.

So I've been looking into "fun but practical" cars. So far I've thought about a BMW M340i or an X5. The Audi RS 6 Avant 4.0T quattro AWD looks cool as hell, but is way out of my price range.

Also considered just getting a 4-door GTI R.

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crazyindian@reddit

This is not a moral problem. It's a psychological barrier that you have. Your family is obviously not going to starve if you buy this. There are plenty of guys ferrying their kids around in sportscars. Kids generally love them and it's an experience for them as well.

Guys think they need to 'become responsible' and lose their sports cars when the kids arrive (I did this). You aren't with your kids all the time - not all your cars HAVE to have the ability to have a car seat/baby seat or carry around your nursery. Everyone suddenly forgets how they actually use their cars when giving advice on this topic as though they are using maximum space all the time and practicality is super important. Sample of 1: Practical vs. Sportscar has been about 60/40 for me usage wise over the last 10 years.

When they are older you will also find there are many opportunities to be in the car with just +1 (being a child or the wife.) That time comes more quickly than you think. Kids are a 25-to-life sentence. You have to also accept that if you wait for the perfect time with zero responsibilities towards them it will never happen.

Also reading some of your other comments, I don't understand how an M4 is not in your budget. You sound like you're literally the person the M4 is targeted at. When I was around your age, I'd just about bought my first M5 already (to be responsible for the kids) and then still added things afterwards (and always regretted selling my S2000 too since, in hindsight, I really didn't have to)

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reward72@reddit

As a couple always have two cars, a practical one and a fun one. If you can afford so you can have your cake and eat it too. Also a 4-seater coupe, even a convertible one, is fine with two kids most of them time. You can always rent a pick up truck the few times a year you need to haul big things. Or just get big things delivered- it is cheaper than paying a premium for a large vehicle.

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SwissMargiela@reddit

Honestly the way life has gone for the world, I’m not really hopeful in a bright future. I use this to justify buying things now, because they most likely won’t exist in the future or will be complete inaccessible due to wealth divide.

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Unlucky_Situation@reddit

I bought my mustang GT when my son was less than 1 year old.

Found a rotating car seat so he could easily be out into the car and rotate his seat backwards.

Now he is in a chicko 5 point harness booster which is still a breeze for him to get in and out of as a 3.5 year old.

What really makes it work is that both myself and my wife work remote year round. So we have our primary family car and fun other time car.

Rarely do all 3 of us go in the mustang as the front passenger seat has to be fairly far forward.... Also having active exhaust is very important to tone down the exhaust when my son is in the car.

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YouHeatedBro@reddit

Dude just grow up and buy the car. You can always sell it in a year with minimal losses.

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2Drogdar2Furious@reddit

Your kids have more money than I do and I'm 3 years older than you. I bought a 1990 miata for $1500 precovid.

Drop $5k-$8k on a NB (second gen). They are super fun, dead reliable, and easy to work on... could even turn into a project to bond over.

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SyndicateSixteen@reddit

Easy. Just buy another car.

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Competitive-Reach287@reddit

My father got his 280Z when he was 44- I then got it a rusty ten years later when he could no longer get in or out of it easily. I got my own midlife (motorcycle) at age 47. My youngest kid was 15.

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SubRedTed@reddit

Just buy it. The kids will likely enjoy it just as much as you do. But it’s very different buying a $15,000 old Porsche vs a $75,000 corvette.

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DoGooderMcDoogles@reddit

Yesterday. Bought a convertible. Life’s too short.

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tacoinmybelly@reddit

Nah homie, I want my last check to bounce.

I'm 41, I'm doing okay financially, and I have one kid. I went ahead and bought a ND2 Miata this year. It's my daily driver. No regrets.

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IBelieveInSymmetry11@reddit

First, it's all about balance. You don't need to feel guilty about doing something for yourself. One day you'll wake up and be 60 and realize you never did. Or worse, you don't make it that far. As long as you're investing for retirement, putting something substantial away for your kids and paying your bills, you can afford to do this.

Second, I would wait a bit longer in your situation until I had cash savings of around $75k and that number steadily growing. $30k just isn't much. But when you get there, go for it. Lots of cool cars can be had for under $15k.

Good luck!

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boomerbill69@reddit

Well, I already had the sports car before the kids, so I still have it. You could certainly afford one of said sports cars as well without in impacting savings, but I assume you're aiming bigger than a NB Miata.

As far as #1 goes though - it's a real problem. If you're like me, you're probably driving most places with family in tow. The sports car likely won't get much use. I wouldn't have bought this in my current situation if I didn't already own it. As the other poster said, having a sports sedan or something that can provide most of the fun but on a daily basis is the move.

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braveheart18@reddit (OP)

but I assume you're aiming bigger than a NB Miata

Honestly, Im eyeing S2000s right now. Or a mid 2010's corvette.

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tessalation56@reddit

Drop top vettes are insanely fun with an exhaust.

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FartZuggerberg@reddit

Just get the s200

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boomerbill69@reddit

Well, if the financial aspect is a concern, the S2K is probably the better choice there as it's unlikely to depreciate/might even see appreciation. If you find that you aren't getting use out of it, you can sell it without a hit.

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FinancialEvidence@reddit

Send it. Cheaper than a divorce or being unhappy with your life.

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yooey@reddit

I’m not a parent. But I’m also 33 and bought the car.

Look, tomorrow’s not guaranteed and there’s not a high chance your health will even be there to enjoy a car as you reach empty nester age. I also think it seems you’ve been prudent with your finances, so it’s not entirely a fair assessment to say you wouldn’t be putting your kids first if you do this. It’s not an all-or-nothing thing.

Sometimes you need to pour into yourself in some way to stay fully committed to a long journey like being a good parent to your kids. This can be that if you’re thoughtful and moderate in how you handle it.

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aroundincircles@reddit

Not a sports car, but motorcycle: when I could pay cash and not be a financial burden on the rest of the budget.

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braveheart18@reddit (OP)

Im not much of a motorcycle guy, and it would be a hard no from the wife anyways.

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aroundincircles@reddit

I didn’t say you should get a motorcycle, I’m not a sports car guy, but if I was, it would be the same philosophy. Pay cash without it being a burden to the family

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mr_lab_rat@reddit

I waited until kids were 8 years old and could use just a simple booster seat.

Still went with a pretty practical car - M2 - but that wasn’t a sacrifice for me, it was what I wanted.

Justifying money wasn’t a problem, it was time for a new car anyway so spending a bit more was not a big deal.

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ChefButcherMan@reddit

My parents both had cool summer cars when I was growing up and they shared that passion with me and my sister. We loved it and now we are both into cars and racing them, me drag racing and my sister circuit racing.

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Celsius1234@reddit

Bought a hot hatch at 40. At 44 bought a really soft cabrio. Already owned a Classic car and a family one. Really happy with my stable. With so much money saved i would have bought a fun car a long time ago probably.

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TheBeerHandle@reddit

How young are your kids?

If your young kids are anything like mine, they keep you very very busy. The amount of time you would have to drive your fun car would probably be pretty minimal, and it’d just end up sitting in the garage like so many sports cars do.

For me, buying a dedicated fun car requires not only money, but time. If you just end up staring at it, rather than driving it, it’s probably going to make you feel worse, not better.

As an aside, your savings are kind of out of whack. I’d be funnelling more into your kids 529 plans, and less into your retirement.

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jedigreg1984@reddit

I would wait until the kids are old enough to appreciate a cool car, and then it can be a family thing for everyone to enjoy

But don't listen to me i have project cars and a 7mo old and am able to build a life around automotive restoration/repair

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pokerawz@reddit

I’m considering getting a Golf R or Audi RS3 when we have kids.

We’ll do Sienna, 4Runner, Golf/RS3.

If I could afford a M3 or RS6 I definitely would.

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No-Stick8191@reddit

Right after I made the last college tuition payment.

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HamsterCapable4118@reddit

I would base it more on you current and projected income, and how stable it is.

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Cali_Hapa_Dude@reddit

I've seen a 911 cabrio with 2 car seats in the back. My S2000 was owned by a mom who put a forward facing seat in the passenger side for her kid.

You got options, have fun shopping...and driving!

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Too_Chains@reddit

Buy a civic type r, m2, m3, cayman, c7, c8, Taycan, e Tron gt, or mach e gt. Don't sleep on the EVs. You'll have fun daily with them. Id prefer to maximize 3 a car housold in a position like you. I'd go- pickup on the side, sports car, fun ev. The wife has to be comfortable driving 2/3 daily.

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GaRGa77@reddit

Buy a cheap convertible

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ChrisF12000@reddit

Do it. The kids will enjoy riding in it once they're old enough.

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Adorable_Dust3799@reddit

This is dated, cuz i married in the early 80s, but hubby always drove a V8 camaro. In his 40s he got a 300M, and it handled like a much quicker more nimble car. I always had the mom car, and that was fine by me. He deserved some fun. I did love my MGB back in the day, i had my fun too.

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MVolkJ1975@reddit

I've never personally owned anything bigger than a two-door coupe. Until now, they had backseats for the kids, and it wasn't always the most fun on longer trips, but we made it work. This was made easier by the fact that my wife has a larger car to do more dedicated family-hauler tasks, however. If it were our only car I'd have had to deal with a bigger car.

I bought the two-seater once my kids had their learner's permits.

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i_ShotFirst@reddit

I bought my GT350 when my kids were about 1 and 2 years old. I was in a comfortable situation but chose to sell some collectibles to cover the cost of the car. We also had put down a large amount of money on our new home, and were aggressively saving money otherwise.

My 1yo at the time blew chunks in the back seat about a month into owning it lol

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Monster_Dumps_2026@reddit

Treat it like a toy. Can you afford it outright? If you have to go in debt for it then theres no excuse to do that when you have 2 kids.

If you can buy it outright. Then have at it.

I have a 1978 Triumph spitfire and a 2023 Kawasaki Ninja 636. These are toys. Dont go in debt for toys when you have people who depend on you

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-Racer-X@reddit

why not buy a cheap miata and beat on it

it wont depreciate and you wont have to compromise daily life

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rosen380@reddit

The tricky part with a two-seater (I have a C4 Corvette) is that if you need two daily drivers that can accomodate more than one passenger, then you end up with three cars.

And that's cool, except a lot of people don't have room for three cars without it being a hassle. And a third car ramps up the insurance costs a bit.

What has worked out well is that my daughter likes riding in it and my wife doesn't care for it, so two seats has been OK :)

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shugo7@reddit

Is it selfish if you have everything paid for and you have extra?

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TheDirtDude117@reddit

When my kid was otw my wife said I needed a more responsible vehicle so I got the RX8 and did the swap in the shop over a year.

So I still get to keep my Corvette and S2000 but the kid goes in the truck or the RX8

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TrueSwagformyBois@reddit

Idk what all counts for you, but what about like an A5 cabrio? It’s not super sporty but top down is always a good time, comfortable, plenty of room for car seat. Large trunk.

Or like a 4 series Cabrio?

Not super sure what sports car means to you and you mention convertibles. There are 4-seat convertibles.

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One_Swan2723@reddit

Looking to have kids within the next 5 years. I just traded in my daily driver challenger for a 4Runner to have more utility. I am likely going to buy another Challenger as a second car before my first child is born. Especially if the prices keep dropping, I want to have a special car for myself and for my kids to enjoy.

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phast_man@reddit

This is why I had a Golf R when the kids were little: practical but also sporty. I could have car seats/groceries in there but also take it to the track. It was a minor inconvenience to fold down front seats but worth it to have an enthusiast car.

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THALANDMAN@reddit

Get a hot hatch/sedan. You’re gonna have a hard time justifying a true impractical sports car, but a hot hatch/sedan scratches the itch and can still provide a lot of utility without being a frivolous purchase.

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