Wife....car....wife....car.....wife...car....help!

[timbn2]

okay, hitting a road block! The Misses ain't to keen on the whole "spending money" idea regarding the Healey. I say, "20k (more or less)to restore a car to make it worth 40k or more is a good investment". she says "if you're not ever going to sell it, whats does it matter what the worth is"?

My better half isn't pro "spending money" for anything that she doesn't understand or share an interest in; car or otherwise! So how can i get her to accept/get comfortable with this healey endevor?

I had a guy with 20 plus years of LBC restorations say it'll take about 30K to get a concourse quality resto out of my rusty hunk-u-pooh! (thats with him doing all the work)Im okay with that, i doubt it'll decrease in value as the years go by, but you should have seen the look on my wifes face when she heard that number... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cryin.gif

so, i need good info/advice/suggestions from those who have been there!

Thanks
Tim

 

[shorn]

You will end up spending more restoring an LBC than you will be able to sell it for when you are done. You are better off, financially, buying one already restored or at least one that is already a good driver. However, there is a lot of fun and good times involved in the restoration process and a great feeling of accomplishment. I am not sure if the fun, good times and feeling of accomplishment are the same if you have someone else do the restoration. It sort of just comes down to how and if you (AND YOUR WIFE) want to spend the money.

 

[zblu]

you could do a spreadsheet on yearly income spent on him/her!, then use the results to justify the sums spent! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif
pamper the femme ego does work tho! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[ronzet]

After 35 years married to the same woman.... a few observations...
1) She will spend $100 on a tube of some foo-foo eye makeup and will complain loudly if you spend $20 on a wrench...
2) She will constantly refer to your car as a piece of junk
3) Monies that you have allocated in your budget for the car will be targeted for a new 'frige, lamp, couch, or vacation...
4) She will worry that the money spent on the car should go to the emergency fund.
5) She will complain that you are spending too much TIME on the car and ignoring her.
And finally...
6) When (and IF) you finish the car, you will NOT be the one driving it... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

Oh, and one other thing... Logic does not work, She won't let the facts get in the way of how she feels... flattery and flowers last only a moment...

Good luck.. I don't have an answer.... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cheers.gif

Other than that, you don't have a problem....

 

[michalotti_tr]

Re: Wife....car....wife....car.....wife...car....h

What you should tell your wife is that every guy needs a hobby to unwind with and you could either spend time and money in the garage working on the car, or you could spend the time and money down at the local strip club /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/jester.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/devilgrin.gif

The funny (but true) story behind that is that's the explaination my wife gave her mother when her mother griped about my working on old cars!

Seriously, I wish you luck if your wife is that opposed to your hobby - most men I know eventually give up because they can't win that battle - which is exactly why I consider myself blessed to have a wife that will get out in the garage and HELP me when I work on the cars!

 

[Keoke]

[ QUOTE ]









Oh, and one other thing... Logic does not work, She won't
let the facts get in the way of how she feels... flattery and flowers last only a moment...



[/ QUOTE ]

Well Ronzet, I have it on good authority from my friend in CA who was beset with this same problem. The solution was copious amounts of expensive red wine for the wife and a drop dead gorgeous female banker willing to loan him boot loads of money the following day.----Worked! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/yesnod.gif-Keoke- /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

 

[ronzet]

Keoke,

[ QUOTE ]
and a drop dead gorgeous female banker willing to loan him boot loads of money

[/ QUOTE ]

Isn't that an urban legend that we all fantasize about?!?! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

 

[Randy Harris]

Re: Wife....car....wife....car.....wife...car....h

Here's what worked for me:

Me: "Honey, what will it take to let me park both classic cars in the garage and complete this Jag restoration?"

She: "I want to be able to visit the kids (all out of town) whenever I want without you ever complaining about the cost of airfare or hotel".

Me: "ok, done!"

She: "And, I want a piece of jewelry or a new outfit for every grand you spend."

Me: "Gulp. ok, done!"

I have two lovely cars. My wife has a wardrobe and jewelry box to die for. And, I'm broke.
Fair trade I'd say...

Randy '66 BJ8, '68 E-type

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/yesnod.gif

 

[michalotti_tr]

Re: Wife....car....wife....car.....wife...car....h

That reminds me of the other part of our deal - to get my TR4A, I had to buy her a Stag! Sounded like a win/win situation to me! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/jester.gif

 

[Dave Richards]

Re: Wife....car....wife....car.....wife...car....h

My wife's "down payment" was a new Jeep Wrangler, lifted and with 34" tires, oh and it had to be yellow! That greased the skids; I now have to match dollar for dollar on something for her or the jeep. Most everyone has a price, maybe for you wife, it's investments, or vacations, etc...

Take a loan; match the payment amount with funds to her. A 30K loan is about $600/mounth for 5 years, if you match that to whatever she wants, how can she complain.

Oh yeah and even if flowers, etc, die in a week or two, they always remember, especially what the card said, always send a card. You chased her down and convinced her to marry you, now convince her how important this is to you.

One more thing, develop a wounded look /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif when she rolls her eyes at you. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif

 

[BobSands]

I always try something SOOO objectionable, that she has to "talk me down" to what I wanted in the first place. For instance, I started bringing home motorcycle propaganda, and Harley booklets.
She was so horrified about what was going to happen to me on a bike, a TR was an easy compromise, after all, it had 4 wheels and I couldn't fall off.
Take care Bob

 

[healeyneil]

I think it was on this forum that I read that
"If its got t*ts or wheels it means trouble" !

 

[Frank C.]

Re: Wife....car....wife....car.....wife...car....h

Ok, My story ... I must be very lucky because my wife loves the car as much as I do. I too used the reasoning of this being my hobby (although I didn't use the stip club analogy - mine was golf). She looks at it as something we do together (riding that is ... I do the work).

As far as how much to spend, our group (all dirvers) uses the motto that you'll never get all the money out of the car that you put in but you should always be able to sell it for more than you paid for it. The rest is the price of fun!

 

[nevets]

Re: Wife....car....wife....car.....wife...car....h

just do it...it's always easier to ask for forgiveness than permission.

 

[AndrewMawson]

Re: Wife....car....wife....car.....wife...car....h

No it's dead simple. The conversation goes along the lines of ' at my age men either take a mistress or enter second childhood reliving their dreams, I'm so fond of you that the mistress is out, so that leaves the car dreams'

AWEM

 

[Patton]

Re: Wife....car....wife....car.....wife...car....h

I pointed out my father in law's golf habit, which my wife fully endorses. A couple hundred a month in green fees and ~ $1000 a year in clubs, balls, gizmos, side bets and the like adds up quickly. I broke the cost of the Healey down to cover a few years and it was sold.

 

[Ginger]

Re: Wife....car....wife....car.....wife...car....h

Sorry to see you fellas having this delimma. Lucky for me, I have never had that problem, but I've seen it lots. The buy-off is popular: Friends on the Jag list had to remodel the kitchen, the bath, bought a car, a baby grand, jewelry, etc.... Yep, I think everyone has their price. If the actual cost is just too much for your budget and she knows it, she may be harder to bargain with because a gift would just mean spending *more* $$.

It's hard to end up in the black when restoring. Tell her it's something you've just got to do to be happy....how much you would really enjoy working on it/staying home, and how proud you'd be to drive it. Maybe get her involved in car events that are actually fun.

I don't know if pointing out that it's better than hunting, golf, fishing, strip clubs (?), gambling, or being otherwise selfish and undesirable is a good approach.

And you'd better not be unattentive no matter what you do. ;-)

 

[Michael Oritt]

Re: Wife....car....wife....car.....wife...car....h

[ QUOTE ]
Sorry to see you fellas having this delimma. Lucky for me, I have never had that problem, but I've seen it lots. The buy-off is popular: Friends on the Jag list had to remodel the kitchen, the bath, bought a car, a baby grand, jewelry, etc....

[/ QUOTE ]

I took a different--probably less expensive and definitely more enjoyable--approach and got Mary her own Healey. See attached.

 

[Ginger]

Re: Wife....car....wife....car.....wife...car....h

Better take care of that honey.... and your wife, too!
>;-)

 

[JamesWilson]

Re: Wife....car....wife....car.....wife...car....h

[ QUOTE ]
just do it...it's always easier to ask for forgiveness than permission.

[/ QUOTE ]

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/iagree.gif

And even if you're unforgivien, you'll usually be tolerated... as much as necessary. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/jester.gif