OUCH! - $25,500 spent so far in mods, maintenance, repairs and upgrades...
07-06-2003, 07:56 PM
#1
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OUCH! - $25,500 spent so far in mods, maintenance, repairs and upgrades...
...to that tally, you can also add other operational costs like gasoline (~$5,000), insurance (~$5,000), interest (~$7,000), taxes, cleaning supplies, track events, tools, and Audi paraphernalia which I have paid for over the last 58k miles/45 months. After doing that, the MSRP I paid for my 2000 S4 has been exceeded. I feel like it's been such a money pit. And I was good about what I spent on mods -- buying only what I thought was a good value and provided real benefit, often buying things used and selling some things I didn't need anymore, but still, I am not even finished, although at least I am getting close -- all that is really left is finishing my Stage III upgrade with fuel system enhancements, upgraded intercoolers, and upgraded rear brakes (such as Stasis' affordable 298mm kit). Plus I bet AoA has paid a solid $15k+ in warranty repairs on account of my S4. Add together everything I've mentioned in this post, and it's close to $100,000, for just a plain ole' lightly modified S4 with 58k miles.
07-06-2003, 08:05 PM
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Assuming a 12% rate of return for 30 years, I just cost myself $750,000 at age 60...
...from driving a car from Point A to Point B (after all, that's really all it does) where I spent $25,000 more than I needed to. Basically, it's that owning a (1) modified (2) European (3) turbocharged (4) performance car is a financial PITA that I will likely regret in years to come when I'm still working instead of being retired.
07-06-2003, 08:08 PM
#6
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Plus better resale. Oh if only I'd seen the light back in 1999...
...sure I'd still be dropping dough on tires just as fast as I do on the S4, but otherwise I could have spent at least $60k on a Porsche back then and be in the same position I am now.
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07-06-2003, 08:12 PM
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(light bulb)
I'm driving one of these next weekend in a NASA event to see how it is but for $40k, you'd have a car that would absolutely DESTROY any S4 on the track and fits neatly in a corner of the garage and would be legal for SCCA racing.<ul><li><a href="http://www.uscaterham.com/home.html">http://www.uscaterham.com/home.html</a</li></ul>
07-06-2003, 08:19 PM
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(note) Financial planners now recommend covering your expenses until you are NINETY
due to the predicted mortality for this generation.
Sorry Lance...sounds like you are having modders remorse. Mind you...there DOES have to be a balance between now and (hopefully) later. It's not so much the $$$ but was that the most automotive fun you could have had for that $$$ and do you have something to show for it that offsets the expense?
It's why I'm on all the time about track cars...they're easy and inexpensive to make much faster than street cars (just remove weight) and the financial hit isn't as severe. Hell, we actually sold our Civic for damn near what it cost to build so we only spent the consumables and entry fees!
Sorry Lance...sounds like you are having modders remorse. Mind you...there DOES have to be a balance between now and (hopefully) later. It's not so much the $$$ but was that the most automotive fun you could have had for that $$$ and do you have something to show for it that offsets the expense?
It's why I'm on all the time about track cars...they're easy and inexpensive to make much faster than street cars (just remove weight) and the financial hit isn't as severe. Hell, we actually sold our Civic for damn near what it cost to build so we only spent the consumables and entry fees!