Friday, December 27, 2024

 Year end wrap up 2024.

image source: Dreams time.com

I'm looking to go in a different direction for '25. (Haven't I heard this somewhere before?)

Primarily I plan to downsize my fleet. Besides the constant expense of insurance, registration, and routine maintenance, I just don't get to drive my current cars enough. A lot of the time, they just sit.

No, I'm serious this time!

As I get older I want to simplify my life a bit, and make better use of the time that I've got left. I also don't want to leave my Wife with a mess of stuff and old cars to deal with when it's time for me to cash in my chips. Whenever that might be. 

I would like things to be more manageable. Not just financially, but in the efforts required.

I just finished replacing the water pump on my Riviera, after changing the oxygen sensors on my '96 Mustang. Both jobs were more difficult than I had anticipated. I'll share the process of changing the water pump in future posts.

Truthfully after all was said and done, the work wasn't that bad. It was just tiring and frustrating, and I ended up with more aches and pains afterwards than I'd like. If either of these cars were my only hobby car, then it wouldn't be that bad, but with four cars, the likelihood that I'll be crawling around and under one of them is pretty inevitable. 

I also want to make things easier on my finances.

I really want to avoid being blindsided by the need to buy another new set of tires, a pretty big expense. 

I bought a set for my Riviera that set me back over 600 dollars.

Then I bought a set for my '06 Mustang which cost me over 800 dollars. 

When I have to buy a set for my Navigator, that will probably set me back over a grand. 

That's fine if you keep the car and amortize the cost over time, but if you suddenly sell it, you are out of luck. You won't get much of that money back.

Of course this is all easier said than done. Realistically I just have to accept that my cars aren't really valuable and not really worth that much. The asking prices will have to be low enough to catch an interested buyer, and the market will determine that. It doesn't matter what I think or feel about them.

I've been looking at a lot of later model used cars. By that I mean 10 to 15 year old cars. 

There are lots of upsides with this type of car. They are new enough to be relatively low mileage, and they can be found in like new condition. All I would have to do is keep them clean and maintained, and drive them. 

Sounds good to me! 

Still, there's that nagging thought about getting  a true vintage car. I've never had one, and its an experience that I feel would round out my narrative.

I don't think that I'd want to take on a real project. Make that, I know that I don't want another project! A running and driving car would be what I'd like to get. Something that has good parts availability. I think that I'd have to cut back on the number my newer hobby cars, and I'd like something that would fit in my garage.

Besides my cars, there is another aspect of my automotive enthusiasm, this blog.

Things seem to be going pretty well in that department. Readership has gone up a bit. Total page views have now exceeded 76,000. I find that pretty impressive, since this is a small, penny ante amateur operation with limited appeal. 

It seems that I've been fortunate and have been able to generate new content on a regular basis. I have been contributing to a larger automotive website in an attempt to get my writing in front of a bigger audience. It's been a fun experience, though that will be winding down. On my own blog I can write about anything that crosses my mind, but on the other site, I have to conform to their guidelines. Still, it has contributed to my growth as a "writer," at least as an amateur. I'm certainly not going to be the next Hemingway!

Or Peter Egan!

I've got a lot of things that are going on that will keep me quite busy next year. There's a lot of work that I've deferred on the house and yard. I'm still enjoying producing the blog and I think that I will continue to enjoy fussing with my cars, but maybe on a somewhat reduced level.

Like I do every year, I'd like to thank everyone that takes the time to read my blog, that makes it all worthwhile. I hope that you can continue to enjoy the voice and stories of the common man, told in a manner that is positive and entertaining. 

Best of luck in the New Year with your life and endeavors, automotive and otherwise. As we all know, there's more to life than cars!



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