Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums General General Thinking of selling for personal reasons, need opinions

Well like alot of others on this forum I am a little inexperienced in these problems. But can kind of see where they are coming from and how they can get out of hand. The only thing I can suggest is to keep the car but like others have said keep the fixing and modding to a minimum. For me family would always come first no matter what but for people like all of us, CEG has become like a part of our lives. It is something we love (our cars) and many other people with the same interests, which makes it that more addicting. But like they say material things (cars) can be replaced but every single person is different in their own special way and that you can not replace especially if its someone you dearly and truly love....
Good Luck-CEG is behind you no matter what your decision,best wishes, and god bless...

Hehe, I don't think my WIFE would be too understanding if I try to throw a girlfriend in the mix too

Just trying to add a little humor to an otherwise hard situation for me. I don't think I'll be giving the car or anything else up, but I sure will be finding my bearings about it and giving her the proper attention and time.

I'm hoping for your case too that spending more time with her means spending more time doing the things you both like doing and not spending more time with her only to do "her" type stuff, especially if you're not that interested in such activities but will do it out of love and respect for her.
I don't want to pass assumptions, but if that's the case, perhaps you should insist that as a compromise she should also share with you some of your favorite activities by perhaps hanging out with you in the garage, and really getting a better understanding of your love for the 'tour, and perhaps even developing her own love and interest in the 'tour. (uh oh, did that sound too far fetched? heh)

Dear Down in Des Moines (jk)-

First let me say that I am not married, never been engaged, and it has been a while since I have fully commited to even a girlfriend, so I am not going to be the best source of advice, but here is a different perspective...

Rick, as you know, I had one of the more modified (www.mysvt.com) N/A SVT's in the area (second to yours and others of course) and of course I miss it when I go on dates, go to a car meet, or drive by car tuning folks or whatever.

Now I drive a mtx 95 GL (zetec, of course), which has proven to be fun, somewhat upgradeable (you know this:) and most of all, it's paid for. I don't nearly spend as much time OR MONEY on my car as I did before, because the nature of the car doesn't warrant or demand it, but that's ok.

The bottom line for me is this, I DO miss the car, of course, but I do not miss the car payments, high insurance or often costly repairs.

I don't remember if your red SVT is paid for or not, so just consider your financial situation is all I am saying.

And one more thing, I was told when I decided to part with the SVT:

"you will regret it",
"you have tuning in your blood",
"you are just going to get the same thing in 6 months so just keep it",
etc, etc...

The point is this, I broke all of these mantras by buying a car that I could modify, enjoy, beat on and PAY FOR IN CASH, for 1/10th of the price I OWED on the SVT...

My situation was more of a financial bind than yours, but DO NOT LISTEN to anyone who tells you you will do something that you don't feel is really how you will react.

In other words, nobody knows yourself better that you, you know the limits (if ther are any ) of your enjoyment with cars, your family, your finacial situation, etc, and ONLY you can decide. Don't do anything too quickly or without deep thought.

FOLLOW YOUR INSTINCT. It worked for me and will for you. God speed, call if you need to chat.

Hi Rick, I just saw this thread for the first time today, and I must admit, this is very familiar territory for me as well.

My car got in the way of one of my previous relationships, and my g/f at the time gave me an ultimatum. Her or the car. I'm still driving my Mystique...

I've had a few episodes as well with my current g/f, and we've gotten through them. I will go with the flow on this one, and say keep the car.
Try to moderate your time spent on the car, and with your wife.

All my best goes out to you and your better half, and I am sure with a little co-operation and understanding on both your parts, you can resolve this amicably, without resorting to any extremes.

Also, Rick, you know where to reach me if you feel the need to get a load off your chest. I think you will find no shortage of friends here willing to listen and be there for you.

I've read the whole board and really have to say what a badass community this is. I've had a small obsesion with the ranger forums on rangerpowersports.com, but they are nothing like this. You guys are great. I don't know if I can add anything to what's already been said, but I have a situation sort of like this. There was a point in time where I lived for the ceg and my contour. Absolutly consumed every thought in my head. Now that I'm married I had a "moment of clarity" when I realized that a car is just a car. Yes you put your heart into it and all that stuff, and yes its a hobby you love. But a car is just a car. My wife and I have only about 3 hours together each day except on the weekends. I have learned to keep our time together OURS and not about anything else unless it is really important. You bet your @ss I'm out under the hood or on here when we aren't together, but a car is not worth financial strain, or relationship strain. Keep the car, but make sure it isn't your first priority. Maybe when you're single, but not after you dedicate the rest of your life to someone.

Same goes here too, but if you need someone to listen or just need to BS to get your mind off of things for a few, you've got my #, don't hesitate to call me.

Moderation, if it's straining your relationship with you wife that much I would say put off the project for a while, and if it should come that you can't just put it off sell it, Its like a car crash a human life or in this case is more important then a car.

This is obviously a topic of extreme relevance for a lot of people, Rick. I'm glad you brought it up.

In fact, I saw a similar discussion on the SCCA boards a few weeks ago. One guy almost had me in tears. I mean it. Long story about a guy who involved his wife in his racing, bit by bit, but was never sure if she liked it, and even one episode where she was a passenger during a club race and got scared out of her wits by a near miss. This guy always felt guilty about that episode, and they never really talked about it. (Here's the tear-jerker). After she died of cancer, he was reading her diary. In it, near the end, she had written an account of that racing episode. For her, it had been a highlight of her relationship with her husband, and of her life.

The jist of all that was to a) try to get your wife involved a little. It's tough, I know, if they don't seem interested, but if they understand some of the stuff you're doing, they might be more interested. b) Have and show true interest in what they love to do. Do it with them, and without grumbling or whining. See it through their eyes. And give them the benefit of the doubt in helping them see through yours.

Bleed your brakes often, and whatever you do, don't buy speed bleeders.

Can't you just watch a Lifetime marathon and call it even?? (jk)

I don't envy you. I started catching grief when I started taking up autocrossing with the SVT. (Un)Fortunately a weak spider gear and an expensive repair bill saw a quick end to that diversion, otherwise who knows how the situation would stand with the gf.

Good luck...