Marine Blue

Carl don't worry, it gets better. It takes a few years to get used to having a kid and figuring out the finances to make it all work so you can keep the S4 and buy a GTS! Keep at it.

AO

+1

Yep... Carl you're closing in on the apex of having kids. Life-Brakes are on full hard right now and it feels like you're losing everything: time, toys, etc., But you're not. You're just setting things up to have a great relationship with your daughter.

My kids are now 11 and 9 and life is great. My son shows no interest in working on the car, but my daughter is too happy to spend daddy time by finding the right wrench or socket and handing it to me.

I'd say you've got a couple more years and she can be your little helper.

Amy knew you were a car-guy before you got hitched, so it's not like this is a surprise. It's hard to bring in new toys, so keep the ones you have and explain it to here that this is your therapy. Some guys go to bars, some go to strip clubs, some get hookers, you work on the 928.

The $$ thing is usually one thing that breaks up couples and is the source of arguments. The way I resolved this was to establish "allowance accounts." She has hers, I have mine. Each pay period I get a few bucks put into my account and she gets some into hers (although for the last 2 years, I haven't made any contributions... but that all changes after the 1st of the year with my new job!)

The rule is, she cannot complain what I spend my money on, and I can't complain about her purchases. The joint account pays for everything else.

This has been the single best decision I ever made in our marriage. No more arguments about money - which means no more arguments about putting the dish washing sponge away. - or some other arbitrary argument that is really deep rooted in financial matters.

So hang in there my friend. The biggest adjustment with kids is the lack of free-time, but you will be rewarded, really.

Jadz928

Well said AO!
My kid is a couple years older than Carl's and I've been trying to explain things will change soon as Isabella get more mobile and communicative.

I'm with you on the finance thing too - My wife and I do a similar "yours, mine, ours".
My wife makes alot more money than I do, but I don't care, just as long as she doesn't give me **** about how I spend mine.
She recently came back from Chicago with a ton of clothes from the Miracle Mile, and I kept my mouth shut.
I recently bought another 928, and she kept her mouth shut. Works well!

wds928

Carl, ditto what Andrew and Jim said. Keep the 928 and drive the BMW until the wheels fall off. Jill's kids are all grown, the youngest finishing undergrad, the oldest in grad school and the middle one in the Navy. The two oldest would love to have the 928 when the time comes (or Jill's Boxster for that matter). Having these cars helps them understand that hard work and patience pay off. When they come home for Christmas though, both P-cars will be in the heated garage under car covers while we drive the winter daily drivers!!

BRB-83-911SC

I think many of us struggle with the time/money balance between our hobbies and family/work responsibilities. Our girls are 3.5 and 5.5, and I picked up my old 911SC the week before our first was born. My plans to use the car extensively, participate in local activities, autocross, etc. were quickly dashed as reality set in. But it was OK. My wife and I knew that if I hadn't pulled the trigger when I did, it probably would have been years before I would have had the chance to address my hobby needs. My wife understands the need for a diversion from family/work responsibilities, and she has her hobbies. We end up making time for eachother to enjoy our hobbies - but with young kids, the time available is limited.

The upgrade to the 928 was a no-brainer as I was able to sell the SC for more than I paid for the 928. I must say that now that the kids are a bit older, I have found more time for my hobby, as I have been able to attend more "928 events" in the past year than I ever did for the SC during the 4.5 years I had it (the local 928 community has much to do with that too...).

Time will always be the challenge, but I figure that the 928 will be there waiting - the kids will grow up fast. The win/win for me will be getting the appropriate car seats/3pt rear belts so we can start enjoying the 928 as a family.

It seems that a few of us in the Boston area share the common thread of having a 928 and young kids. Any interest/ideas for a local GTG for next summer where we can get the cars and families together?

JPTL

Well put. I couldn't agree more. My guess is that there was no doubt in Amy's mind when you guys met that you had a passion for motorcycles. That's usually a deal-breaker with many women with designs of family-building, but it's their loss. Amy's apparently accepted your passion for bikes, or else there wouldn't be anything with two wheels in your garage. Think of all those guys you know who are barflys, bet on sports, can't stay away from Vegas or tittie bars or who prefer to work late hours over going home to their family. If your only indulgence is a couple of bikes and a 928, you're a good husband and a good dad.
Sounds like you guys are the healthy exception to that rule.
Now that you have a family, and you are clearly sacrificing some of your indulgences for the good of your family, you should get credit. You're entitled to some leeway. These machines can be very therapeutic at times, but you'll see that they slowly lose their importance as your family blossoms and your priorities change. Not that you shouldn't try to keep your toys around....
Looks like you both have struck a healthy balance: compromise.

Cosmo Kramer

Interesting turn to this thread, I must say I am in a similar predicament. I have a three year old boy and a wife about to give birth at the end of January with our second one. I was a hard core sportbike rider when my wife and I got together (like the stand-up freeway wheelies, track days etc. etc.). Once she was pregnant with our first I went to track days only and then I sold that bike and got out of it altogether. I then needed something to keep my hobby interest going and ended up with a 928. The big criteria for me was having a back seat so we could take our little guy with us for a drive. My wife loves going for drives in the 928 and even drives it herself S/C and all!

She does sometimes resent some of the time and $$ I spend on it and that it takes up one side of the garage, especially in the winter. I just try to budget the time and $$ accordingly and make sure family comes first. She works midnights so most of my wrenching time is after my little guy has gone to bed, so I only do a little at a time. I still get everything done, just takes me longer!

Glad to hear that you decided to keep it, after all the work you did it is like giving it away at that price. Unless you want a new project, some find that once their cars have everything possible done they want to move on and start a new journey.

Jadz928

Ha! I remember doing that. My first TB/WP job on the '84 Euro took me 9 months. Quinn was around 14 months old when I got started.

EMan 928

+928! My wife and I do the same hers/mine/joint account and it's worked great for the last 15 years.

Congrats on the new job, AO! I'm hoping it's the local one you were talking about.

Hilton

I've had a 928 for only a few months more than kids.. now got 4yo and 2yo daughters.

The scratchy wife thing wears off once kids start sleeping better.. just work a bit at demonstrating kid-friendliness of the 928 with a booster seat, and teach your 2yo to say "daddy's por-shuh".

Steve Martin

congats Andrew, on the new career. working suck's, but you get paid.......EH!

Congrats Carl, on your decision to keep you car. Please search this thread in a couple of years an post an update about how your decision.

Ispeed

I was contacted by Derek last week and we talked 928s. He is buying my car and it will be shipped out to CA soon.

I love 928s. I love my 928 friends, who are too many to list and pretty much all of my friends own 928s. I have loved owning the road I have enjoyed the last 7 years of being back into 928s, and thanks to the internet the information and camaraderie is unbelievable. My first 928 was in 1992 and was a different experience. With no information, no help, and not a lot of money I was doomed and it only lasted 1.5 years. With Rennlist, the 928 OC and all the local 928ers you will meet it is a great experience and you are not in it alone.

I have enjoyed SITM so much I really can't describe it, but I'll try:
My first time down in '04, I had only just gotten my '89 a/t to pass emissions and run right 2 weeks prior. The car ran like a swiss watch, hauled *** and sounded like "Bullett" with the RMB on there. I came down Skyline Drive late thursday night and absolutely couldn't believe the never ending corners, perfect pavement and scenery that stretched on forever to get to the hotel in Waynesboro. The next morning at mile marker 1 of the BRP who was there but Kempf and Doc Mohr. I proceeded to question them on their too low ride height before we headed off in the damp conditions. They floored it and disappeared of course...
I became the troop leader of the "BRP Tour" each year after that, trying to spread the good time to as many other 928ers as I could. What a great time we've had over the years, with our 2 way radios set to channel 9.28 and a midday stop for lunch at one of the only restaurants on the BRP. And the rest of SITM never disappoints either. Dave and Jeannie are 2 great people and friends.

Anyway, I do believe that my 928 would be better enjoyed by someone else at this point. I will miss it dearly but it is the right thing to do. I tried to fully bring it back to 100% and then fine tune it with a few changes to suspension, wheels, etc and I feel that it became what I envisioned: a sports car that can cruise all day or take any twisty roads you can throw at it; feeling tight and looking like a new car. "She" gets a lot of compliments, and enjoys getting them.

My life is swamped with family stuff and work, and the 928 doesn't fit in too well. I don't have the energy or ambition to try to make it work right now either with the right child seat and taking the family in it.

What is my future with 928s? I don't know, maybe I will sneak back in with a 16v and still have one. I don't think I will pursue perfection with the next one, I would just enjoy it and let it be on the "back burner" and not the same level of obsession that the "Stig" had become. The next one would get the baby seat and I wouldn't worry about it as much.

928s are really special cars, and I see everything else out there as less special and full of design/production compromises that the 928 never had. It really is the perfect GT car, with perfect ergonomics and design. I think with the PK tensioner and Ed's new water pump, the weak links are gone in these cars.

Come the first week of June I'm sure I will be horrified at what I've done... I have had my fun though.

Carl

Jadz928

You better be riding jump-seat with Rick!

You get down to BRP MM1 and I'll ride jump as you lead the team down to SITM in Perl.

Congrats Derek!

M. Requin

Your account of ownership above is a classic, thanks for posting it. Congrats to you both, and Carl, hope to see you in Waynesboro and at MM! again in the future!

JPTL

Carl, if you're in the DC area in the future & need a 'shark fix', shoot me a PM. A spin behind the wheel of the GT might bring back some fond memories.

Big congrats, & Merry Christmas, Derek. What a score.