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  • njansenv

    Dec. 2, 2010 12:40 p.m. njansenv HalfDork

    I have an M5 I bought a few months back, and an E30 that's been untouched for almost a year while I kept our DD's up to snuff and had a fling with a C4 Corvette. Other than clean the M5 (which was THE most disgusting car I've had the displeasure of cleaning: 2 Dysons FUL of dog hair) I hadn't touched or looked at it until 2 weeks ago. It was a simple, 1hr job of changing steering wheels and fixing the gauge cluster. Suddenly, I WANT to work on it again. I think the key is: don't let the project go cold AND don't bite off more than you can chew. If your heart isn't in it, pick something simple to gain momentum. The other side is: do it because you want to. We do this for fun, remember?

    Finally: In May I bought a TDI golf appliance, and it was probably one of my best automotive decisions. It's cheap to run, hasn't needed ANYTHING, and I'm not inclined to touch it as long as I stay away from TDIforums. Then, when I work on a car, it's much less likely to be at midnight because I need to use it to get to work the next day...

  • Drewsifer

    Dec. 3, 2010 12:26 a.m. Drewsifer HalfDork

    I regret selling my TDI so much. Great car. Comfy, reliable and frugal. If only my wife would drive a manual! Sadly we couldn't justify having 3 cars. Maybe when we move to a house with a garage I can stop DDing the Miata.

  • motomoron

    Dec. 3, 2010 12:18 p.m. motomoron HalfDork

    If you pursue anything long enough your interest will vary. This in part is probably why my friends refer to me as "A professional hobbyist". I do a bunch of stuff, just not all at the same time. Last car season, starting in January I picked some objectives, made a schedule, calendar and (!) budget and tried to stick to it.

    • Research, procure and install full safety gear in the '98 M3. This included a roll bar, fixed back seats, 6 point harnesses, a HANS device and driver suit.
    • Research bigger, stickier tires and more aggressive brake pads.
    • Become an instructor with the local SCCA region PDX program
    • Start doing time trials
    • Go to Summit Point main circuit 2x
    • Go to Summit Point Shenandoah 2x
    • Go to VIR 2x
    • Learn a new track

    At seasons end I'd done everything but the VIR part - the M3 spat its oil pump sprocket nut off the first Saturday session at the July VIR and the ensuing 5 weeks was shot between work and having the front suspension and pan off the M3 to do rod bearings (and motor mounts, and subframe braces, and a valve cover gasket, and a M50 manifold swap)...

    Also, early in the season I bought an NA Miata on which I immediately did an extensive suspension and drivetrain rebuild. I was so buried under discretionary car and motorcycle work I took a few days off to supersize a long weekend out to 5 days and called it 'garage-a-thon 2010"

    As of now - the Miata and M3 are in great shape and need nothing but fluids before next year. The Sprite is done but for minor wiring and interior re-installation. The RD400 needs wiring, carbs and brake bleeding. Of course it's all being moved into a huge house renovation project, but the upside is a garage big enough to work in....

    And someone gave me a gently crashed Lotus 7 clone chassis...

    So it comes and goes. While you're "off" go ride your bicycle, build a model airplane, take pictures, lay on the sofa watching Jersey Shore while eating ice cream out of the carton with your fingers - something to keep yourself happy....

  • RealMiniDriver

    Dec. 3, 2010 4:32 p.m. RealMiniDriver Dork

    AngryCorvair wrote:

    i thought you meant get revenge on spark, like spark had played a mean joke on you. my first suggestion would've been to slap a "Ground Me" note on it's back.

    Since this was in the Off-Topic section, I thought he was talking about getting laid.

  • Teqnyck

    Dec. 3, 2010 10:53 p.m. Teqnyck Reader

    In my opinion spark often comes with money to burn. I've had an "off" time for a year and a half about. Then a little business venture of mine paid off, now I have a fair sum of cash and, well, if you look at the last update in my garage you can see that I'm spending it liberally on a car that is not worth it. Money makes my car world go round, and I have the spark when I can work on my car without the worry of bills.

  • Sonic

    Dec. 3, 2010 11:08 p.m. Sonic Dork

    When I get burned out on a project or task, I just switch to another one for a while. If I make the most of my motivation, and get something done, no matter what it is, then I feel good about myself, and that gets me motivated for the next project, then ride the wave. A lot of it is about taking the motivation where you can ge tit and making the most of it, then riding the hi of the completed project into the next project that you are motivated to do.

  • Slyp_Dawg

    April 29, 2011 12:26 a.m. Slyp_Dawg HalfDork

    electric canoes?

  • April 29, 2011 1:06 a.m. Joshua Reader

    Per Schroeder wrote:

    Possibly dressing up as farm animals?

    Haha I didn't think that response would come from an administrator!

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