Pure Torture!!! (And an '89 Roadster possibly For Sale...)

[sleepyhead]

Okay, I'm in a horribly tough situation. I've always wanted to own a '96 Collector's Edition Coupe - it's been a dream of mine for a while. As it turns out, I was finally able to purchase my '89 roadster a couple years back and only owe about $6k more on it.

Anyways, I was sorting through the local vette classifieds today (as I often do just for the hell of it) and I came across a 1996 CE Coupe with only * 77 * miles on her!!! I called on it to find out the price (expecting it to be $33-35k and definately out of my price range) and found that it's up for $32k. So, as you can imagine (and probably relate to) I started to do the math. LOTS of evil, evil math...

To make a long story short, I'm in the process of saving for a November wedding and our first house (zero down, unfortunately)...so money is tight. I figured it out and if I was able to sell my roadster for a fair to better-than-fair price before this CE Coupe sells, I'd have a shot at buying it. The only thing is, is that when all is said and done (wedding savings, car payment, food/gas/misc. expenses, etc.) I'd only have about $170 extra a month for a bank account (although I will have a bit more than that to put away after the wedding).

So, I don't know why I'm writing this (mostly just to vent, I suppose) but I'll be happy to read any advice and opinions y'all have to offer.

Oh, and if you know anyone interested in buying a 1989 roadster (triple black/automatic/35,400 miles/custom exhaust/only approximately 1,500 miles on new Goodyear ZR rated tires) just let me know. Maybe I'll consider selling her!!!

Thanks for listening!

-J.

 

[Ken]

Questions you must ask yourself...

Hmmm....new wife?, new car?, new house? :L

Ken

 

[Rob]

I definitely don't envy being in your position, however, here's my outlook on it....

Many moons ago, when I got out of college, I decided I wanted something sporty to drive....something to reward myself with for the last 4 years of hard work....I looked at various sports cars, but to make a very long story short, decided that a Corvette was exactly what I wanted.

I was in a similar dilemma.....buy the car and live at home for a few more years, or don't buy the car, move out and tinkle away money into the toilet for rent.

I decided to go for the car. Here's why.....at the time, I was working in Boston and would take the commuter rail back up to NH at the end of the day. Each afternoon, I had some kind of automotive magazine or book in my hand.....something Corvette related....I was constantly reading up on Corvettes and trying to decide which model year would be best for me. This guy that used to work on the rails saw what I was reading and started talking to me. He explained how he back in 1957, he saw this beautiful 1957 Fuelie Corvette in the showroom and the salesman was willing to give him an excellent deal on it, but after much consideration, he decided to pass it up.

You see, he too, was in the process of getting married soon....buying a house and settling down. Well....he did just that....he settled down...started a family, kids came along, college came along....years later, he is still kicking himself in the rear for not buying that '57 fuelie off the showroom floor.

Coincidentally, I met many other middle-aged men like him along the way and they all shared a similar story. I decided, I was going to do it differently. The marriage (if there was going to be one....), the house purchase, the family, etc., was going to have to wait. I opted to buy the Vette. My thinking was, buy the car now, bust my butt to pay it off, and then, I'd have it to take with me and enjoy along the journy of life.

Do I have any regrets now? Nope. Not a single one.

My own personal suggestion: if you can financially swing it....go for it. Buckle down, watch your finances carefully, pickup a second part-time job after the honeymoon....whatever it takes, but don't find yourself kicking yourself in the butt like so many other, for so many years.

Look at it this way....if you buy the car now, you'll have a spectacular '96 Collector's Edition for you and your new wife to drive away in on your wedding day and that Corvette will remain very special to both you and her as being a part of that special day.

Just make sure you don't let anyone paint "JUST MARRIED" on the windows and tape toilet paper and beer cans all over it.

This is just my opinion. Good luck.

 

[Yoda]

How do I follow advice like that... WoW

-J
Do the two of you enjoy your present Corvette?

It takes a special person to share their attention and affection with a Car. If you both share the Corvette Experience and Enjoy Corvetting, the People and Endless Corvette Summer Lifestyle, your decision maybe a little easier.

No offense but Detroit can be a Corvette Waste Land during the WINTER, and who would want to drive their dream car in 6" of snow, ice or slush?

Best of Luck on the 96CE and to your up coming wedding and life together. If it is meant to be, then everything will come together for you two

BudD

 

[ccflorida]

Sleepy,
Is that a 96 a stick??? If it is and you pass on it let me know as I know someone looking for that car.

 

[JT ZR-Won]

I hate math......

Sleepy, the good news is at least you have a Vette. I am in the same position as Rob was on this one.......I'm buying my car now instead of later because there might not ever be a later. But I'm also going to make sure I don't kill my wallet trying to get it.....Also, have you ever thought about a cheaper CE Coupe? A good friend of mine is selling his right now.....it's a heck of a car & you can get it for about $21,900 good luck!

Jay

 

[sleepyhead]

Well, had decided that I was actually going to do it but I didn't find a buyer for my roadster in time. So the dream of owning a virtually brand new '96 has faltered for the time being. (It was probably for the best, though - lot's of changes coming up and it may have been bad to put so many things on my plate at once.)



p.s. To Rob and Bud: Thanks for the advice. (And Bud, you're 100% correct regarding the winters here. That's why my car only sees maybe 3,000 miles a year!)