2018 Autobahn paid off

[anotero]

That's part of what held me off. I was going to pay off the car, wait a couple years and then look into getting an MK8 R once they were released.
Well, we all know what happened there. Hard to find, and marked up wayyyyy too much. Used car market at the time was also nuts. So I just decided to wait.
While I was waiting, the wife picked up a Bronco. So I figured I'd wait a bit longer.
While waiting, we've decided to build a house lol. So I may just be driving the GTI till it dies at this point hah.

And when it dies, just get a new motor.

 

[Ezekiel81923]

I drive a car until it's 6ft under. Keeping a car 10 years can save you a lot of money. You don't need the newest toy every two years.

Also, I usually buy something fun that is 1/3 of the car that I can afford specifically so that I can modify the hell out of it over time. If you think about it, there is a savings in interest payments when financing a $20k GTI rather than financing a 70k car.

$1,056 in interest (2.9% 3 years ago) + the cost of mods or...

$9,430 in interest (5.9% today)

Buying the GTI meant the first $8k in mods were free! And let's be real, we'd still mod the more expensive car.

This is how I sleep at night.

 

[Nineeightyone]

I drive a car until it's 6ft under. Keeping a car 10 years can save you a lot of money. You don't need the newest toy every two years.

Also, I usually buy something fun that is 1/3 of the car that I can afford specifically so that I can modify the hell out of it over time. If you think about it, there is a savings in interest payments when financing a $20k GTI rather than financing a 70k car.

$1,056 in interest (2.9% 3 years ago) + the cost of mods or...

$9,430 in interest (5.9% today)

Buying the GTI meant the first $8k in mods were free! And let's be real, we'd still mod the more expensive car.

This is how I sleep at night.

I stretched to afford the GTI, though I was putting money aside that in a year or two I'd be able to buy one outright in cash. Instead, the right thing came up at the right time, and with what I had saved up I was able to put a down payment on it and keep my monthly reasonable. Now I'm ~2.5 years ahead of my loan and about to pay it off. I'm pretty sure I've modified every car I've ever owned, but I don't think I've ever explicitly planned for the cost of mods. I did plan to buy lighting upgrades for mine, just because the reflectors are awful.

I agree though, keeping cars long term saves a bunch of money, particularly if you DIY the maintenance. Even the smallest things like wipers, washing, and rotating your tires, is easy money.

 

[Ezekiel81923]

I stretched to afford the GTI, though I was putting money aside that in a year or two I'd be able to buy one outright in cash. Instead, the right thing came up at the right time, and with what I had saved up I was able to put a down payment on it and keep my monthly reasonable. Now I'm ~2.5 years ahead of my loan and about to pay it off. I'm pretty sure I've modified every car I've ever owned, but I don't think I've ever explicitly planned for the cost of mods. I did plan to buy lighting upgrades for mine, just because the reflectors are awful.

I agree though, keeping cars long term saves a bunch of money, particularly if you DIY the maintenance. Even the smallest things like wipers, washing, and rotating your tires, is easy money.

That's definitely the other big opportunity. I've taught so many people how to do oil changes, brakes, filters, wipers, spark plugs, etc because they wanted to save a few bucks here and there. Over the life of a car that alone will save you a ton of money. Throw in stuff like suspension components, O2 sensors, and whatever else you can handle and that's just more money in your pocket.

The car game isn't a cheap one, and I'm pretty frugal outside of car modding. It's the one vice I allow myself and I'm at a place in my life where I have the money and I don't have a wife or kids yet so just trying to make it count!

 

[Nineeightyone]

That's definitely the other big opportunity. I've taught so many people how to do oil changes, brakes, filters, wipers, spark plugs, etc because they wanted to save a few bucks here and there. Over the life of a car that alone will save you a ton of money. Throw in stuff like suspension components, O2 sensors, and whatever else you can handle and that's just more money in your pocket.

The car game isn't a cheap one, and I'm pretty frugal outside of car modding. It's the one vice I allow myself and I'm at a place in my life where I have the money and I don't have a wife or kids yet so just trying to make it count!

Hell, my wife is getting to be a pretty damn good mechanic, she just wrapped up new springs on her Koni Yellows with minimal help from me (I did the spring compressor work, because I don't want to see anyone else get hurt by them -- kinetic energy will try to fuck you up at every chance it gets). It's not for everyone, but a supportive partner is a must.

Honestly though, I think as long as you pitch it as an absolute, and that you're saving money by doing the work yourself, that's a big plus. It's not like you're just going to have a stock car , it's gonna get modified one way or another. Doing it yourself saves money to go out to eat, save for the future, make improvements to the home, etc. It all went sideways once my wife got into autocross though, now she wants a dedicated racecar added to the fleet and damn the expense.

 

[Strange Mud]

I'm in the GTI really doesn't need any mods camp. As a DD it's perfect. Lucky enough I have a truck for truck stuff and the Comet for keeping me busy when I want to play in the garage.

 

[vbrad26]

I'm in the GTI really doesn't need any mods camp. As a DD it's perfect. Lucky enough I have a truck for truck stuff and the Comet for keeping me busy when I want to play in the garage.

I'm in agreement 100% and this is probably the reason I have no real desire to get rid of it.
I have the Bronco for hauling and off-road fun. And the Type 3 as my project.
The GTI just fills the daily gap and does it quite well. Fun and practical.
Plus, now it is an 8 year old car that I'm not obsessing over. New rock chip? add it to the 100 others. My kid rams it with her bike? Oh well!

 

[Strange Mud]

I'll show you mine if you show me yours

Spoiler

 

[N2fastcars]

We bought a MK8 R last year so my wife and I can both go to HPDE events at VIR. It has been fun but expensive to keep up with consumables on two vehicles. The mod list is long for the old GTI but for now it’s still ahead of the R. I’m with a lot of you, I still love driving my GTI. With all of that being said, keep the GTI, it’s paid for. Just do the maintenance and enjoy it!

 

[vbrad26]

I'll show you mine if you show me yours

Spoiler

View attachment 276930

I was a little nervous to click but I'm glad I did...

 

[Diggs24]

badass

 

[Parabola]

My GTI is just about to turn 8yrs old, owned since new and it has been bullet proof so far. No serious mods (OEM short shifter bracket, clutch delay valve delete, MIB2 retrofit)... it is my daily driver and I will drive it until I pass it to my teenage son in a few yrs.

 

[swcrow]

your monthly car payment just became your monthly mod fund