Quote:
Originally Posted by ParrotHeadNation
well gto, i feel the same way, im in the same boat as you, waiting on the sky until january.. are you waiting for winter to pass? thats my reason... although i have been waiting for two years, so I think 6 months will FLY by
|
No - not waiting for winter to pass - in fact around here (Northeast Ohio) winters lately have started in December and run through March.
My main reasons for waiting (despite having wanted one since I first saw the final shipping version) are primarily financial. I have been working diligently to pay off massive credit card debt over the past few years and leased two new vehicles late in 2006. I am currently expecting to have zero credit card debt by late in December 08 or early in January 09. My wife will likely still have some that I will need to take care of in early 2009. So in addition to having $0 credit card balance myself when I place an order - I expect to have most or maybe all of my wife's paid off before I take delivery - which I am expecting to be sometime in March 09 (11 March 2009 is my 40th birthday). I don't know that it will take 2 months for delivery or if there will happen to be exactly what I want on the lot already waiting - but figured that planning for a couple months delivery on a custom order is a good idea.
One of the two other cards I leased in 2006 doesn't end until 2011 - but the buyout on that lease is only about $3000. THe other of the two leased vehicles ends in November of 2009 - which I figure gives me about 6 months to decide whether I need two cars or not. I work at home and my parents live down the street and also work at home - so I am thinking that if the Sky was my only car and I had a need to go somewhere and the weather was bad I might be able to use the wife's car or borrow a car for a day from my parents. I *might* be able to buy the Sky in March and save up enough $ to buy out the Accord in November - not exactly sure how that will go. My goal is to avoid having 3 car payments - and, after the credit cards are paid off, to avoid paying interest on anything except the house and the cars.
And I have accounted for additional insurance and operating expenses - not just the monthly loan amount (although 0% interest or at least very low interest can't hurt).
Then again - if interest rates are very low - financing the buyout on the Accord may not be a bad idea - yes it means paying some interest for 2 or 3 years - but means more $ in my pocket each month to pay for other stuff. On the flip side - if I buyout the Accord in november and then in 2010 or so if I decide I don't really need to keep it - I could sell it much more easily if I own it free and clear.
I will know much better how I am doing towards some of those goals in the next couple months - variables such as whether I get any raise and or bonus between now and then remain - and I am not 100% sure exactly what the Accord buyout will be - I am figuring somewhere around $14,000 for a 2007 LX 4 cyl manual (I do know the milage will likely be around 20,000 - making it tough to give up - I would rather keep the Accord and sell the wife's Lancer).
Then spend a few years paying down the mortgage and doing some improvements around the house so we can make a profit when we move.
And sometime around 2012 - start a frame off restoration of my 1964 GTO Tri-Power, which I bought when I was 16 and is my first car (thus my member name on this forum - which I may change when I get the Sky).
I am on the fence regarding the restoration - while I would like to do most of it myself - at a guess of about $10,000 - it might take many years to complete - versus finding someone else with a lot more experience in such things to pay to have it done - which I would guess could easily increase the price to $20,000 - but would almost certainly mean that it would be done in less than a year. I know there are folks out there who have spent $100,000 doing a full restoration of a 1964 GTO - I spoke to one such person - but in that case the restoration was 100% perfect and original factory correct. In my case my goal would be to make it safe and look good without spending $100,000 even if that means for example some parts which are not historically accurate for the 1964. I probably could start working on a more accurate estimate since I know that items such as all the wiring and all the weather stripping and pretty much the whole interior have to be replaced. The body is good shape and I think the frame is okay - the tranny was rebuilt a number of years ago - the carbs were rebuilt but could use some work - the engine could use a rebuild - some of the chrome is missing and aside from the bumper most of the chrome has seen better days. but maybe I do not want to know what the true cost will be until I am closer to making that happen.
anyway - need to stop rambling on for now.