I wanted an S2000 since I was a senior in high school and first saw one. I graduated high school in 2001, went to a couple semesters in college and dropped out to work at Home Depot. Making that money I couldn't afford a place to live in my area (which is notoriously high cost of living) and buy a newer car than my '97 civic. In 2008 I decided to go back to college, got an associate's degree in a year and a half, and then transferred into a 4 year college. Within a year of graduating I bought a house, bought my S, have a beautiful wife, and have plenty of $$$ to spend on other hobbies and experiences.

My advice is to discover what you want to do first (even if it takes you 10 years) and then focus on less important things like cars.

I agree with what Ski said: life is a marathon. You'll get there!

 

So true... particularly if you have been labeled by someone else as crazy, like this guy.

All joking aside... Choose what you want carefully in life. Cars will come and go. There are very few truly MUST HAVE cars. And even those aren't really must haves. They are just ones you want really really badly. If you want an S2000, then make it your goal to get one. There is nothing wrong with that being a goal. Just realize that life can send you curveballs which necessitate changing your goals from time to time.

That stated, keep a sense of priority. Always pay your debts first and on time. That doesn't mean you can't have a car loan. It just means you have to make sure you have a means to PAY that car loan on time every month without fail... even if you lose your job/income. Actually, at a young age, it's important to establish good credit. (an aside here: The easiest way to do that is get a credit card with a very low limit. Use it a little and always pay it every month in full.) This will establish a credit history for you and will help you in so many ways in your future that I can't even begin to list them all. Believe it or not, a good credit history can actually help you get a better job!

Anyway, just keep your eye on the bigger picture... school is important and you should finish it, quality of life is important and you should savor it when you can, be prepared for when things don't go completely as planned. Make sure you are always working on having a slush fund set aside for when you need tires, regular maintenance, or even totally unexpected major failures. If having a car you love is important to you, then there is nothing wrong with putting that top of your list. Just don't do it with blinders on to everything else in life either.

A few years back I was apartment hunting on the west side of Los Angeles. I wanted a safe place, in a reasonable neighborhood with enclosed, covered parking for my S2000 and, at very least, street parking for my daily driver. But I had a tight budget. Everyone told me to sell the S2000 and just live life with my daily driver. I was assured I could get another one later (just not the one I had bought brand new off the showroom floor in 2007). And technically, it was good advice. But the S2000 was a critical part of my life and I would not part with it. The car didn't define me, but it was one very critically important thing which made me quite happy every time I even looked at it. I eventually found a very nice place that met all of my criteria and I am still living in the same building (but I did upgrade to a nicer apartment when one came available).

The moral to this little story is to be true to who you are and what pleases you, define a realistic budget and stick to it, never lose sight of where you want to go *overall* in life, and always make your bed. Okay, that last bit... maybe a little bit of a joke, but if you live at home with your parents, trust me when I tell you that your mom (and your dad too!) will appreciate that you make your bed. The rest of the room can be a mess, but if your bed is made, the room still looks neat.

 

Hey guys. Thank you so much for all your replies! From your responses I will save my money and focus on school. Gotpepsi, thank you for your sharing your experiences, you really helped me out and helped me make my decision a lot easier. All of you have helped me and I'm very thankful for that. I forgot to add that I just turned 30, live in GA, work as a security guard, and have a year till I receive my degree in Psychology. As for the girlfriend thing, I live in a small area in GA and I don't earn enough money to spend on her if I did have one. I've asked a lot of girls out but they have boyfriend's. I meet people at the gym, but that's about it. I work alone on the weekends. I work 36 hours in three days (Friday night through Monday morning). I also think that if I did start talking to a girl she wouldn't like the fact that I'm 30 and still live at home. I used to be in the Marine Corps as a military police officer, but have no desire to be a police officer again. Also, I don't pay rent.

 

Marine corps... well, then, it's safe to say you know how to make your bed then. Disregard my advice (even if if was meant as a joke) about the making the bed bit, then.

 

I was really laughing about the making the bed thing. It was funny! Thank you RMurphy for your advice as well. I actually don't owe a payment on my Acura till 12/2015.

 

Insurance was paid in full from my savings, car payments were under 300$, apartment bill was 425$ a month, utilities were another 80. A couple of years is 22,000 dollars. I don't exceed much a year on living expenses. A lot can happen in a "couple" of years. That's a long time! Plus my parents are on the other side of town. That means I could just swing by and eat some dinner.

 

Good thread. IMO Knock out the rest of your education and put your heart in it. You'll make new contacts on both personal and professional levels.

S2000's aren't going anywhere. If you land a good position with a stable organization, in a few years you'll have your choice of any S2000 you want.

 

It seems to me like you already have a pretty good plan for yourself. 1 year left in school, and a full time job. You're fit and a Marine. You might have a shitty paying job now, but, it wont be like that forever.

I used to have a nicer career going for me, i fell into it out of highschool, and when it started picking up i chose to go with it instead of going to college. 5 years later i was working 80+ hours 6 days a week making great money, but i had a girlfriend that stayed at home and spent it. Quit the job to focus on my home life, but that meant the money went away, which in turn made the shallow girlfriend go away too. i spent 2 years making next to nothing, and losing everything, my apartment, my savings, my cars, my self worth. I ended up working in a bar kitchen for 90 hours a week, living at my friends parents house. I got pretty low. One day i got a lucky break and a guy i worked with at the bar said his day job might have a position and i applied, and spent my entire savings on a suit for the interview. I ended up landing the job, and it changed my life, i'm back on top, feeling good about myself, and, i was able to buy my dream car, my S!

There are a couple things that i keep in mind. One, non of my current success in life would have been possible if i didnt first hit my lowest point. The people I met and the things i learned wouldnt have been a part of my life if i hadnt lost everything first. Second, while i could have made better choices in the past, the only thing i can do now is make the ones that are best for me now.

 

Aside from what has already been mentioned, it sounds like you need some advice in making decisions. There are two courses that I took during university that helped me: decision making under uncertainty and critical thinking. If your school doesn't offer these course, PM me and I can find the text book names.

I learned how to make decisions in a very objective manner.


Wish you all the best.

 

Richard, I think you received good advice from everyone made the right decision. Hey, it took me 12 years to finally own one. The fact that you already had a black 2004, you beat me already. Just keep reaching for your goal and stay focused on the priorities of your life and your S will be there man. My dad always told me "Let things follow you, don't be dragged."