Owning more than two cars...

[talon2swords]

This is a non-important topic, but I'm having guilt issues right now and I need some feedback.

I'm trying to get some responses from some of you that own more than two vehicles for yourself. In other words, you are the only person that mostly drives them in your household. I'm mostly hoping for responses from folks that own cheap used cars that are paid for and maybe carry minimal insurance costs.

Why do you have more than two cars?

Does it make economic sense for you to own more than two?

Have you considered giving up one of them? If so, why?

Is it just plain stupid to own more than two cars? Should a person feel guilty for owning more than two cars (paying xtra insurance, etc.)?

[pocket-rocket]

If you own them, and no one in your house is starving, why feel guilty? If you have a significant other and they have a means of reliable transportation and don't care about your vehicle situation, then I wouldn't worry about it. I have 3 vehicles. My truck and my two cars. I keep my truck because the 92 came from Texas/Florida and has no rust on it and I won't even think of moving it out of the drive once the weather gets nasty. The 91 on the other hand is on the list of things to do as a part out. My wifes car and my truck carry state minimum, and I don't insure the 92 when it is not being driven since we have a hard enough of a time keeping up on bills, ect. Hope this helps.

[robertisaar]

95 MC and 90 GP for wife and i.... only the GP is insured though, so thats the only one that gets driven...

[SofaKingWeToddDid]

ive owned 3 cars before. it was a whole fleet of buicks, from the century, to the regal and even a lesabre!! lol for me, owning more than one type of the same car is pointless (the century or the lesabre) one two door, one four. and a truck... lol

mmmmmmm dodge diesel.

[jmgtp]

Why do you have more than two cars?

3... cause I'm an idiot and can't let go.

Does it make economic sense for you to own more than two?

Absolutely not.

Have you considered giving up one of them? If so, why?

Briefly because 3 is too many for 1 person.
The Mazda6 is the winter DD - never breaks and has heated seats so I can't get rid of it. The GP is the summer DD/former toy and currently being transformed into a more dependable DD. Vette... current toy.

Is it just plain stupid to own more than two cars? Should a person feel guilty for owning more than two cars (paying xtra insurance, etc.)?

Hard to say. If you can afford it then I say it isnt stupid, enjoy it. If you can't afford it then yup its prolly stupid. I'm kinda in the middle. If you're asking these kind of questions it probably isn't too practical for you. I didn't think much about my other obligations/priorities before buying the Vette. I bought it on an impulse more than anything else. I can afford it but at the same time that money is more wisely saved since I want to buy a house. I do pay a heck of a lot in insurance premium. At least I own all 3 outright and I'm not making payments on them.

[onefastV6]

Between my wife and I we have 3 vehicles (00 Grand Am GT, 01 Grand Am GT and a 06 Vibe) They are all paid for, but it has come up being recently married "Do you really need both Grand Am's". I was shocked at first that she was asking if I really needed both cars, but when I explained my reasoning she understood my thinking.

I do 99% of the work on my cars, and to me it is an enjoyable hobby. The money I save by doing my own work as opposed to taking my cars to a shop more than covers the additional insurance, plates. If I only had one vehicle, I would be more likely to rent a vehicle if I had a problem that needed repaired immediately when it was at the shop... not to mention paying the mark up on parts and $55 + in labor for something I could do my self in my spare time. My other thing was that all the vehicles are paid for. If there was a car payment on a spare car I would think twice, but why worry if you can afford a spare car and you able to pay all your bills.

Everyone needs a hobby, but you need to be able to afford your hobby.... maxing out credit cards and taking out loans to modify a car is retarded. (I am sure we all know someone who has done this). I say if you can afford it go for it.

[Superdave]

My wife and I have 2 daily drivers, neither are paid for (06 trailblazer and a 08 G6).. both are extremely reliable which becomes more important the older you get. I got tired of having to worry about crap all the time, both cars still have plenty of warranty left

my '91 Z24 was paid off in 2002, insurance is a measly $23 a month and it sits in the garage most of the time. It's fun to drive but pretty useless.. lol

[robertisaar]

measly $23 a month

...............................i hate being young.

[ForcedFirebird]

I have 4 kids, 4 cars and zero payments since, dunno, we sold the Navigator 3yrs ago maybe?

[Cidacious]

I have four cars just myself, two of which are faded and don't look the greatest. Since my wife and I have five cars for two people my neighboors always make comments about them and how we have so many cars. Of course when they need to borrow one of them because theirs is out of commission/re-posessed, they don't complain anymore, but as soon as their car is back, it starts again! Anyways, I always tell them I have one spot available in my drive for another reliable 500 dollar car!

[SofaKingWeToddDid]

i take it you lend out the SE out of those it seems like the easiest one to part with (I could be wrong)

[Cidacious]

lol, good guess sofaking

[SofaKingWeToddDid]

i wouldnt lend out a 3.4, a manual, or a turbo fiero, so what else is there? if the 3.1 is in good shape i dont know if i would lend it out either!

[geldartb]

ive got 2 cars by myself. both of which are paid for so that costs me nothing there and if i cut it down to 1 car on the insurance i would only save a few hundred dollars, so in that aspect id be paying more just to have one car.

one is a daily driver and the other spends most its life parked in a garage.

[Canyonero]

Old thread, but I just found it searching for something entirely different.

I have two real cars, two parts cars. I guess they're both daily drivers, some times I flip a coin for which one I take. The BMW is just my driver, not a project. Seemed I way always buying another cheap car when I had my Trooper taken apart (usually another Trooper). Then I would end up fixing the cheap car, because I needed it to drive, and that would of course take me away from the actual project...

So I got my BMW. Gets good gas mileage, it's RWD, moderately fast, four door, five speed, and it doesn't distract me from fiddling on the Trooper.

Just picked up an LX9 to stuff in the Trooper. Should be interesting.