$11,476

[NC_MP3]

That's how much I have spent on my car since I have had it. I have kept a list of what I have bought since day one, and figured I would total it up for the hell of it.

Makes me wonder if I should have spent the money some other way.

That figure is including the parts I have sitting in my house wating to be put on as well. I have not said anything on here about that cause I want to wait till they are installed.

Also doesn't include labor.

Will post the whole list sometime.

[spoolinmp3]

So what else do you have in your car that you dont want to tell us about?

[NC_MP3]

You may have a good idea bro :)

[MP3skaterNC]

SOMETHING THAT HE NEEDS TO SELL TO ME!!!!!!!!

oh wait i got new stuff coming too, no money for jim's stuff.

[MrMp3]

holy mods batman

[big_ben]

That was mostly money you spent on transmitions right. Wasn't it you that had all the tranny problems? That's a lot of money, I would have spent it some other way. I've spent less than that and I had turbo, the motor crapped out, and now the motor is being rebuilt. Still less than that, like half of that. No less than half of that. I know I've probably just made you cry, sorry about that.

[oliver2000]

A whole lotta money...that will never come back

[duMb KeoLa]

nc, how does your turbo sound? i got pretty much the same set up as you so i was just wondering how the greddy bov sounded, like a bus? hehehe, just wondering

[PA_MP3_Man]

IS that including how much of your car you've paid off? Or just how much money you've spent in new parts and mods?

[LeeH]

Let's see. $11,476 invested for 30 years at the stock market's historical 8.5% annual return would be $145,659.10. Yikes!

But... just for fun, let's add the cost of the car at $20,000. So if you had invested $31,475 for 30 years at 8.5%.... drum roll please:

$399,509.04

[Antoine]

And you will have your original investment back after all the F'in taxes...plus its not like 30 years is a major chunk of your life:rolleyes:

[unwrittenLaw]

And you will have your original investment back after all the F'in taxes...plus its not like 30 years is a major chunk of your life

good point...i think time is more important than money

[APEXistud]

Man you need to learn how to bargain shop. I think that if I was to buy everything I saw without looking for the best price, I would have spent $11k on my old Civic, but what's really sad is that when it all comes down to it....."It's just a fuggin Mazda Protege" Hell, I wouldn't even spend that kind of money on a Subaru. If your going to dump a serious chunk of change on anything, it should be for a down payment on a house first.....and then you can dump money on a car. Preferably a luxury sport car like Audi, BMW or any luxury sport vehicle that doesn't depreciate in value.

I mean if you think about it, buying a home will be the largest purchase a person will make and it will also appreciate in value. I know Big Ben agrees with me since he's usually the one who give us reality checks every now and then.

So, what I'm trying to say is to all of you guys who are planning on modding your Protege or P5, don't forget that it will always be a car and don't blow your money the wrong way. I look back my financial situation when I bought this MP3 and I really wish that I had kept my Civic. Hell my 97 Civic EX has better resale than my 2001 MP3. Now that's food for thought. Sorry for coming across preechy, but you all know that I'm speaking the truth. I'm not saying that people waste their money, but I'd hate to see someone destroy the credit and financial life all for a car.

[MP3skaterNC]

well you have to think that jim did alot of NA work at the begining of this site. so theres a lot of cash there, new rims, a big ass wing :rolleyes: now the boost. custom tranny since his crapped out twice. blah blah blah

[big_ben]

I know Big Ben agrees with me since he's usually the one who give us reality checks every now and then.

I appreciate you saying that. I'm glad someone realizes that I'm not always intentionally trying to be an asshole. I am just very blunt and I wont feed your ego with a bunch of bullshit. I agree about the luxury car though. They will depreciate, but not as much as an econobox. That's why I'm shopping right now for either an Audi TT Quattro, Honda S2000, BMW 330ci, Audi A4 or A6, or a BMW Z3. They are all in the $19,000 to $25,000 range if you get a 2000 or 2001 year model with 30,000 to 50,000 miles. That, in my opinion is a much better buy than an econobox that will depreciate by more than $5000 in the first year of ownership. But if I had $10,000 to blow, I'd blow it on a down payment on a house like you said.

[pingdum]

I say go for it. There'll be more money in your life. My guess is you're a young guy yet so I say have fun. When you want to buy a house I'm sure you'll find the cash. Just as you found the cash to mod your ride, which you probably spend half your life driving anyway. Life's too short to worry about 30 years down the road. Have fun now so 60 years down the road you've got the memories to keep you going when you're drooling all over yourself at the old-folks home.:p