"Mid-life Crisis" - UPDATE

I am 38 years old.
I use to really be into cars in high school up to my twenties and somewhere along the line I fell out. The last car I had was a 2006 GT that I bought brand new and ended up in a 3 year lawsuit with Ford. I guess that really put me off.

Now I am on the verge of getting a GT350 and I have to wonder - is this a mid life crisis? Is this even a real thing? I guess as I have gotten older I have always heard negative things from women about guys and cars and how its a immature thing etc. Seems to be taboo if your an older guy and like fast cars or just cars in general. My girl is okay with it.

I miss it because I really enjoy maintaining the car, its almost like a meditation for me. Nothing makes me smile like starting up a beast and enjoying some cool air in the fall as I rip around town.

I guess I am seeking some kind of permission to drop this kind of money on a 2nd car and feel okay about it. Part of me is like "this is ridiculous" and another part of me is like "you deserve it".

Anyone else go through this? Am I crazy?
Thanks for listening.

Michael

Done - its on the way.

Had my first Mustang when I was 16. A '65, 289, 4 speed coupe in high school. Always been a car guy myself (or anything with a motor!) and do most of my own work - because I enjoy it. However, like a lot of people, I had a family and didn't have the ability to have anything more than a daily driver for a lot of years.

Fast forward 35 years later and I now own a 2015 PP and enjoying every minute of it! I still want to get a '65 and build it out the way I wanted to back then, but for now I am having fun modding my '15 while still having all of the creature comforts.

Yeah, some of the folks in the parking garage give me that "grow up" look as they drive off in their 4 door sedans, but at least I know I am having a lot more fun and being true to who I am. Let them think what they want, but I know some of them wish they had the guts to do the same.

If you have the ability to have a GT350 at any age, I would say go for it. Like they say, it's not the things in life you do that you regret, it's the ones you don't!

svt93style said:

I am 38 years old.
I use to really be into cars in high school up to my twenties and somewhere along the line I fell out. The last car I had was a 2006 GT that I bought brand new and ended up in a 3 year lawsuit with Ford. I guess that really put me off.

Now I am on the verge of getting a GT350 and I have to wonder - is this a mid life crisis? Is this even a real thing? I guess as I have gotten older I have always heard negative things from women about guys and cars and how its a immature thing etc. Seems to be taboo if your an older guy and like fast cars or just cars in general. My girl is okay with it.

I miss it because I really enjoy maintaining the car, its almost like a meditation for me. Nothing makes me smile like starting up a beast and enjoying some cool air in the fall as I rip around town.

I guess I am seeking some kind of permission to drop this kind of money on a 2nd car and feel okay about it. Part of me is like "this is ridiculous" and another part of me is like "you deserve it".

Anyone else go through this? Am I crazy?
Thanks for listening.

Michael

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You're either a "car guy" or you're not. Sounds like you are. I started riding motorcycles at 40 after having no interest until then. I quit at 65. Just do what makes you happy and enjoy your decision.

svt93style said:

I miss it because I really enjoy maintaining the car, its almost like a meditation for me. Nothing makes me smile like starting up a beast and enjoying some cool air in the fall as I rip around town.

Michael

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Enough said! It really is therapeutic. If your girl is on board and you can swing it financially, I'd do it in a heartbeat regardless of what others may think

If you can afford it, get it, you deserve to buy whatever car makes you happy. Mid life crisis is a term some hen pecked dude whose wife has had his sack locked away in her purse came up with. Wear it like a badge of honor....

Who gives a rip what others think? Mature adults are perfectly capably of making these purchasing decisions and don't need to justify it to anyone else, especially insecure women whose mission is to emasculate men who like nice cars. Of course, this also assumes you're not married.

If you still love cars and you're in the position to afford a GT350, then buy one. Obviously, if it puts you in massive debt, it's not a smart move.

I've been wanting a Mustang through the years. I did own a '78 Mustang II, but that doesn't count. Ha ha. After years of financial sacrifice and my aging body breaking down, I finally realized my dream of owning one. I love it. It puts a smile on my face. Probably the dumbest thing I ever did financially, but it's the one treat I've given myself the past 30+ years.

By the way, if it makes you feel better, 38 is too young to be considered a mid-life crisis. ;)

I sincerely hope you're not considering 38yrs old as "old". Hell, I didn't even start playing Aussie Rules football (club level) until I was 35 (played for 8yrs).

As someone else said, age is just a number and who the hell cares what other people think.

Grip n' rip....

I'm older than you and like ricardo above started riding a motorcycle recently as well and whenever people have thrown the "mid-life crisis" comment at me I just say "Nah, it's a mid-life awakening." ... took a divorce and the unfair shenanigans that went with that to make me realize you've got to smell the roses along the way and you can't take it with you when you're 6 ft under.

Be sensible about it financially but do what makes you happy in the end.

Once a gearhead, always a gearhead.....

Why would you ever worry about what someone else thinks about something that makes you happy?

It is a lot of cash for a car, but it's one hell of a car.

If you live your life according to what others think, you're not living "your" life.

Keep that in mind anytime you start to worry about what other's think, especially when those thoughts start to affect your decisions about what you do for you.

People that call anything mid-life crisis are usually just broke and jealous. They couldn't swing the money for nice things if they tried, or their SO won't let them. You're a car guy for life, sometimes life gets in the way but you can always come back to it.

Especially since your girl is on board with it, do it up. Do what makes you happy in life. The other people aren't paying your bills, or paying for your toys.

SoulTea said:

People that call anything mid-life crisis are usually just broke and jealous. They couldn't swing the money for nice things if they tried, or their SO won't let them. You're a car guy for life, sometimes life gets in the way but you can always come back to it.

Especially since your girl is on board with it, do it up. Do what makes you happy in life. The other people aren't paying your bills, or paying for your toys.

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my GF gives me more crap about my gun collection that my cars. Never any midlife jokes about the cars. Any new gun shows up then out comes the MLC jab.