Chasing The Dream Car: Part I

Most children have an idea of what they would like for a dream car when they are growing up. Sometimes it may be silly, like my wife who wanted a Dodge Neon, and other times it is just plain over the top. People usually face reality and at some point in time that they have to sell out on their dreams. There may be many practical and pragmatic reasons why people forsake their desires but in many ways it is like giving up a piece of their souls. Just when people believe that they have suppressed that last little bit of adventure so as to not lose their minds every time they fire up their less than stellar vehicle, along comes their dream car being piloted by the newest AARP member (props to them for finally living their dream by the way). The reality sets in for many that they may almost be a geriatric before they will ever be able to have their dream car.

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The thought of waiting forever until getting the dream car may be daunting for most but the obligations of food, clothing, rent, mortgage, utilities, insurance, school bills, cell phones, cable TV, Amazon Prime (for you Grand Tour fans) and children also must be met. Another solution must be found since selling your own kidney is generally frowned upon in most parts of the world and most of us are not going to be able to sign that big sports/music contract any time soon. Kudos to you who have found wealth or were given wealth early in life but the rest of us are going to have to come up with a plan. What good is watching all of these car shows and reading all of these internet blogs if you will never have a car that you a proud of at the end of the day?

Yeah, you’re probably going to have to wait…

So, yes, there is going to have to be some waiting but hopefully we can get in our ride before retirement or even much sooner than that. The journey on the way does not have to be a tale of monotony or total surrender to practicality, however. It is possible to find a vehicle that has some practicality to it but it is not burdened down by the realities of this world so much that it has no excitement left; no soul at all. Cars are an extension of our personality much like the clothes we wear or how we cut our hair. In many ways, cars are how we project ourselves to the world. The quest for the dream car should not be one of vanity but one of true expression. The steps that we take on this journey should help us learn a little more about who we are and what we like but it will take at least some time.

Step 1: Set A Realistic Goal

Realistic should mean that you are setting the bar high but not ridiculously high. For instance, if your dream car is a Bugatti Veyron and you are not a Fortune 500 CEO, an oil baron, a member of a national royal family, or Floyd Mayweather Jr., you are never going to have enough money to purchase this car. The people that can afford to purchase and maintain a Bugatti are basically billionaires. Unless you are on the path to billionaire status, the Bugatti is not the car for you. More importantly, it was never a true expression of who you are. You were not born with a silver spoon in your mouth or made a monumental achievement that skyrocketed you to immense wealth. The odds are that you work hard for what you get and while you might not be on the cover of magazines, you are successful in your own right. The car of the aristocrats is not who you are. Maybe you had a dream of restoring or hopping up a classic but you are not very mechanically gifted. People can always improve on their mechanical abilities but if it is not something that you are already gifted with, the odds are that your project car will never be a reality. Setting a goal that is perceivable within your financial and mechanical means is crucial.

Setting lofty goals may seem stressful for many so the tendency for some is to set a goal that was not that hard to achieve. This often results in having a car that is nice but was not actually what you had in mind when you first sought out for your dream car. Maybe you could have gotten the upgraded package for just a little more money. Maybe there is a classic out there that does not have any major issues but could use just a little TLC to get it in shape but you were nervous about taking on a little project. The dream car that you compromised for but did not have to do so is also not an expression of who you really are but only what you felt comfortable going after. It will always lack the complete sense of accomplishment that you wanted when you envisioned your dream car.

Many may not be on any sort of track to get any sort of dream car. Good jobs are often hard to come by and sometimes it feels almost impossible to catch a big break. It can be overwhelming getting back on track or just plain finding a track to get on. However, you do have hopes and aspirations. Your dream car can be one of the things that you use as motivation to get going down the path you had always wanted. Selflessly trying to provide more for you and your family is important but it is often personal goals that put the icing on the cake to get motivated to turning things around. Yes, the thought of your family having all that they need is pleasant but it is extra sweet when you picture them cruising around with you in your dream car.