No Mr moderator please read the thread before you delete this... It's not X rated or anything - honest! Ok, so I run an r&d department. In the last 12 months I've probably spent $$$$$. I have numerous intelligent and strong willed reports (PhDs and the like) and have no trouble (generally) keeping on top of things but I've seen a car I really like, have the cash in the bank, but am being forced to wait for just the right moment (which seems to be non-existent at the moment) before I 'Man Up' to the Mrs and tell her I want to spend the cash. I know timing is critical... That got me to wondering what you do when you tell you other half that you want to spend lots of $$$ on something that is really important to you - like the new shiny engine part, that 'will never be seen because its inside the engine' you know the stuff I mean, you just have to mention it and they roll their eyes or fall asleep. Oh and in the wifes defense I do already own three cars so even though there's space on the drive, I know I'm out on a limb on this one - hence the important timing!
this is the advice I got a long time ago from a member on here... simply tell her "at least its not crack"
I generally find something that I can sacrifice for this new item... I wanted a new laptop so I showed her I can sell the old one for a newer, faster, quieter, and energy efficent one. Can you sacrifice one of the cars for this new one? Or change/do something else you know she wants? I try to avoid buying her something in exchange for my thing as this is just more $$$ spent.
Yes!! I completely understand what your saying. My wife loves the scoob but she sure hates its when I buy parts for it. When I bought springs and sway bars she just rolled her eyes and asked me why I needed it. I only had the reason that I love to auto-x and I just wanted them She should be happy that I didnt go out and buy coilovers, or that I have all the tools to do it myself and not pay some mechanic to do something simple. I like the idea of a seperate bank account, but for me thats not an option
I have a couple of scoobies and a kit car. The kit hasn't been touched since my 1 yr old could walk. One of the scoobs is going to be a sacrifice for the replacement car but I can only begin to imagine the grief I'm going to get until I sell it. That said it's my 95L with a JDM STi swap that she hates driving or even being in and still needs some time playing with it to make it 100% wife friendly... A friend hides the shiny bits in his garage and claims to have always have had it. Another has a monthly toy and car allowance agreement with his wife. He drives around in a wreck and has been restoring a muscle car for 6yrs that I know of, while his wife wafts around in sweet lease cars. I like the idea of telling her at least it's not crack or a hooker Then again, who ever heard of a crack addict saying they had too much crack - like I'm sure without the wife'ometer I would never have said I have too many cars. I think this one is so tough as I know she's right... That doesn't stop me from wanting though!
Since she's your wife, she likely knows how crazy you are about cars. Given the above advice, she'll probably be excited you found something that really brings you happiness and as long as you sacrifice a little, she may support your dream. [hopefully] When I found my baby in TX it was just a pipe dream. After weeks of ogling, my wife was the one who actually encouraged me to e-mail the guy and make a crazy offer. Guess I found a rare breed in the lady department. I think it helps that she got to replace her DD with a benz too. . .
48 Hour Rule: This rule was established on March 5, 2002 and is as follows: As a reward for a fellow sneaking new and (relatively) inexpensive cylinders into the Crisis Center (aka: garage) and also escaping any female wrath that might accrue from said purchase, the fellow may make up any story he wishes after 48 hours regarding the acquisition. In other words, she gets 48 hours to notice the purchase and complain. If she misses her window, you are home free. "This old thing," you might say, when, after a week, she finally does notice, "that thing has been here since July."
I've definitely used that one before... along with "oh that's the old motor, I just cleaned it up a bit." As well as "oh yeah, I traded so and so for that. Can't you see the parts pile got smaller?" Sounds familiar! Minus the MB. Although I think I broke her down a bit by mentioning it daily for 2-3 months lol
My wife and I have separate bank accounts, but it doesn't help because we buy stuff jointly for the family, house, etc... So in the end it's still money you could have spent elsewhere. Plus she owns a forester XT so putting parts on my sti and not getting one for her is frowned upon.
Gotta love Joe Soucheray and garage logic!!! Just gotta make sure the CP and "She who strikes worse terror" don't turn your Mens Crisis Center into a flower shop this winter! But yet again a very applicable rule in this situation!
In my case, a salesman called the wife's phone (looked it up in the system) instead of mine (which I gave him directly) and told her I was looking at a car... Not exactly good timing.
If you are buying a 3rd Subaru, then if I was your wife, I'd claw your eyes and nuts out of their respective locations.
I bought my STI without my wifes 100% approval, and I get reminded of it every chance she gets. I don't know if it has anything to do with the fact that I bought the car on her birthday, but I'm thinking that it didn't help matters.
Damn! Well played! And here I was feeling bad about buying the RS winter beater over Valentine's Day weekend. Anyhow, thanks for another excuse I can use... "Well at least I'm not buying an STi on your birthday like so and so!" :laugh:
Three Prices You Pay (GL) 1 - The price you paid for the item. 2 - The price you tell her you paid for the item. 3 - The price you pay when she finds out the price you paid.
Probably a rare breed in these parts but I guess there are a few of us. I'm even wearing a GL shirt today(gonna go dig out the twins gear in a minute) I find that after telling my wife over and over and over that wanna buy something, it just kinda becomes sorta a fact that I'm buying it. I've never "told" her I was buying another car though.(but I did upgrade my bike and get a boat this year )
I usually fall victim to the 50:50:90 rule. If the husband has a 50-50 chance of being right, there's a 90 percent chance he'll be wrong. and FFLF (female fun limiting factor) - when she asks "Do you really think you should be doing that?"
Ask if you can buy the car. When she says no, buy it anyway. That's what I do, and it's slightly better than not asking at all.
**edited* I tried to word this like 100 times, I give up. I say do what you want, tell her you want the car, and get the car. if you can afford it, why the tension?
Ha ha ha! Thanks guys, it's good to know I'm not the only one who suffers with this stuff. Even if she says no at least I got a laugh out of it I think part of the problem is knowing if she says know she's sort of right... Don't tell her that. I think asking her, her saying no and doing it anyway could land me in HUGE sleeping in the car type trouble. Will let you know how this plays out (I think you deserve it after all the adivce) but keep any more suggestions coming
Well this is my update as promised (sort of) For new toys (apparently) old toys have to go to make space and cash. Owning four cars plus the wifes isn't allowed so one had to go for a new one to arrive. Soooo long story short, I told a friend I was selling my JDM STi swapped GC and he nearly bit my hand off (when it had finished shaking after the test drive OMG OMG OMG OMG) which left me with space on the drive (it will when he picks it up next week) Sooo that left a space for what was to be a drift cars but ended up quite by chance being Kellys swapped GC. Wow that guy is nice! Don't know if you ever met him but he is such a nice guy! Anyways, with sale of my car impending I told the wife... I think I've sold my black car - big grin from wife ... As I've found another one to replace it - grin fades ... But it's okay as the new one has a working heater - strained look ... But something died in there so it's a bit smelly when you turn it on - eyes roll, tuts and walks away. Every ones a winner How did you guys (and girls) do? Did I mention this was conversation happened as we were about to sign up for a new washer drier that the wife wanted...
You sold a swapped GC for another swapped GC? All that freaking grief and "manning up" nonsense, and you just traded for another freaking used Subaru? The SAME freaking Subaru? Really? HURR
Yeah but I wanted to keep both. Just knew it would never happen. One was quite a bit more than the other too... I think she would have noticed going from my sleeper... To this... :laugh::laugh::laugh::laugh::laugh:
Is that the O'Reilly off Rockford and Vinewood in Plymouth? I live on Vinewood/Xenium how ironic. Nice ride btw.
