Automotive Impulses

Imagine this: You are a car guy - Yes, hard I know. You have driven and owned many interesting cars in your lifetime. In other words, you know what you like and what you don't (I think this applies to all of us to one extent or another, no?). But then one day you see a picture, or an image on TV, or whatever, of a car, and from that moment on (or until the lust wears off) you feel like you must have one. Now, I'm pretty sure many of us have done this, but lately I've had a run on it. A few weeks ago I happened to see an episode of That 70's Show where they showed the one kid's Vista Cruiser. I've always had a thing for the roofs on these, but this time I found myself searching for one. My thinking was to buy a solid one and put an LS engine in it. Wouldn't that beat any SUV made now? Then this morning I'm surfing the Classic Motorsports forum and the featured reader's ride was a '72 Datsun 510. I thought "How cool!", and immediately started searching for one. Of course, when I searched "Datsun" on Ebay I also saw a lot of Z cars and Datsun pickups, and then I wanted one of each of those. When I regained my sense, I went back to the forum and read another post where David Wallens bought what looks to me to be a late 70's or early 80's 911 SC. Suddenly I had to have one (again, as this is a recurring illness). All this while in reality I'm currently trying to sell some of my cars, not buy more! I often see cars I like or would like to have, but with these I was actually pushed into action trying to find one to buy. Is this affliction just unique to me? Please tell me it's not! You know the worst part? I keep changing my mind about what I want, to the extent that I never end up with anything really nice. I think I like pretty much all cars and trucks, so I can't ever settle on just one or two. Sometimes I wish I was an irrational fan of just one make or model, because life would be much easier.

I've been like that. I don't know why, but ever since I got my P71 that kinda stopped.

Yeah, my automotive proclivities tend to shoot me off on a new tangent every few minutes. My main love in Jeeps but I'm able to branch out and try a little bit of everything. In fact I sold my miata last week, and quickly realized I can't live without a miata. So yesterday the search for another miata began, or a wrangler, or another wagoneer, or a nice scout or 1st gen bronco, maybe a 2nd gen mr2 or a bmw 3 series or maybe even an rx7, I wonder how cheap I could get a new mini for or maybe a caprice wagon to drop an ls in, or then there's the corrado or svx or spirit R/T. I think another cj7 or scrambler would be sweeeeet...... See, we share the same disease and it's a fun one.

(off to eBay to look as scramblers....)

The worst case I think I had of this was with a 65 Riviera. I saw it in a junkyard out in the country and couldn't get it out of my head. It got so bad I went back to the yard with my running and driving 87 Toyota MR2 and traded straight up for it! Granted the MR2 was rusty, had almost 300k miles, and 4th gear was out, but still... As you can imagine the yard owner did not try and haggle any. I came back with my truck and trailer and he loaded the Riviera with some huge forklift after I failed miserably trying to winch it up with my old cheapo electric winch. I still have the Riviera in my barn and go out and look at it sometimes. I miss the MR2, but for have never regretted the trade.

Its' got a name, it's called AADD, Automotive Attention Deficit Disorder.

Yeah....it varies on what forum I visit, or what I am watching at the time:

Ohhh.....another early Bronco half cab.....hmmm...Starlet in Orlando with a 12A and panasport replicas for 2500....two turbo bricks waiting for a 302....RX7 project cars in NY....510 project for 1250 in Maryland....Thunderbird 312 local that would be good for that Model A rat rod I saw this past weekend...ooof...clean YJ Sahara......FX16 in Atlanta....GTX in Albany....Swift GT in TN.....

II have reliable family cruisers....I need something cool.

I feel this way all the damn time.

It's how I ended up with my 96, 95, MR2, Legacy, etc...

It's also why I constantly find myself looking at late 80s-early 90s Cadillac Broughams, 911s, '49-'50 Fords, etc frequently. All it takes is a little reminder of why I lust for one and I go back to the never-ending search for a deal on them.

This disease is why I've owned over 100 cars already...

wherethefmi wrote: Its' got a name, it's called AADD, Automotive Attention Deficit Disorder.

Oh, yeah, I got that. It's a disease that can't be cured, only managed to try and mitigate the financial damage it can cause. It helps if you like older cars and/or have some mechanical ability. That way you don't lose money, in fact you can make it sometimes. I used to play this game with new cars. That's a good way to get poor in a hurry.

But yeah, no matter how great my current car is, I'm always looking down the road for the next one. I used to fight it, now I embrace it.

Hi everyone, my name is Steve and I am an addict.........

AADD and I'm looking for a small truck/suv for now

yea, try having it when your in school and all you drive is a stock cavalier (albeit a good condition, reliable one) and you can't do anything to it or get anything else because of lack of money. I tried buying cars for a few hundred bucks but the lack of a garage made the last one a nightmare. I can't wait to be done school!!!

Lately I've been trying to decide between a 540i, 4 door integra, saabaru, 318ti, c4 vette, suzuki grand vitara, mazdaspeed protege, antother miata, p71, e30 or a 510, mkII mr2 or 70's celica. I'm sure that's a common comparison that many face.

Usually I'm good for 3 months from the time I buy something until I'm looking for something new.

Someone on here told me about Jaxed.com Wow. that makes my AADD worse. It's like Crazedlist, but auto oriented.

I, too, am a car addict. While I havent had 100 cars, I am constantly looking for something cool, fun and/or unique. I am currently looking to get rid of my bahn burner for something little and fun that gets good gas mileage. Know any cars? I did sit in a neighbors buddy's NA miata last week and the top of the windshield was in my eyeline. Damn, I'm only 6'-1"

Wow, some of your responses sound freakishly like me. I haven't owned 100 cars, but I have owned over 80. Since puberty I've lusted after a Jeep CJ My buddy had a '65 Riv in high school and I had an Electra in college. I still lust after one of those or some big boat of a car. Bronco - Same as the Jeep. I've also been searching for years for that elusive, cheap dune buggy.

Here's the one thing. When I was young, single, and a mechanic (yeah, that's what they used to call "technicians"), I always seemed to make good automotive decisions. I think this was both because as a mechanic and came across a lot more cars, and that I didn't have a lot of money, so I needed to be more careful. Nowadays, I'm still not rich, but I tend to be a little more careless or impulsive with my automotive purachases, and sometimes this gets me into trouble! Add that I'm married, and I get in even more trouble. I really haven't made a good automotive buy decision since I bought my Ford tractor almost 10 years ago. I seem to buy wrong and sell wrong, even though I know better. What's up with that! I now find myself in the market for a pickup truck (because I need one, not want one), and while I'm trying to be careful, I'm also scared of making another mistake. Thing is, I know enough about cars to NOT make these mistakes, but I do anyway. Are the cars clouding my judgement? Sometimes I feel like selling everything and starting over - Except that might be a mistake....

Some people say you need to sleep on something for a night before you make a decisions but i find when that car lust sets it, it consumes all of your thoughts. It's best to try and wait a week, possibly look at other cars or just completely avoid looking for anything for a week, then come back to it and ask yourself, is this really a good idea. It's easy to be blinded by something and negate the faults. Pros and cons list work, but only if your honest with what you will and won't accept.

I have this problem, and I have it bad. I am constantly lusting after one thing or another and they often aren't anything remotely similar. In one week I'll go through Jaguar XJR, C3 Corvette, MGB-GT, Porsche 944, Triumph TR8, E36 M3, AMG Mercedes, C4 Corvette, Ford Bronco, Porsche 911, Jeep CJ-5 (as a few recent examples) in my mind and look at ads... and now I'm thinking about TVR (again). I wonder why...

WilD wrote: I have this problem, ...I'm thinking about TVR (again)...

And I have your fix.

I've never had this problem.

Craigslist has forced me to buy the X1/9, XR4ti, and possibly now a Milano. All when I was not actually looking to make a purchase.

P71 wrote: This disease is why I've owned over 100 cars already...

Ditto.

Whew! I thought I was alone on this.

Umm... Yeah...

m4ff3w wrote: I've never had this problem. Craigslist has forced me to buy the X1/9, XR4ti, and possibly now a Milano. All when I was not actually looking to make a purchase.

The first step is admitting you have the problem.

My latest kick has been a Ford Ranchero...

all of my time and money is being taken up by a mustang autocross car though...