Don’t Compromise – Why Car Enthusiasts Need (at Least) Three!

Let’s face it, as car enthusiasts, you want many cars, many cars that do many things; you have a problem…

Actually, no, you can quit anytime you want, right?

RIGHT!?

In reality, there are people every day, just like you and me, that make it work. You just need a little foresight and framework to make your decisions.

I want to use my own little corner of the internet to share my perspective and framework that has evolved to where it is today and has seemingly stabilized, which has allowed me to continue being a car enthusiast as life grows and evolves. I think they call this “wisdom,” but who am I kidding – I am just a guy on the internet. This article is the first one introducing the “Behind the Wheel” category here, which shares my editorial opinions and commentary.

Car Enthusiasts Struggle

Most car enthusiasts start out with their real first car, not their parent’s car but the one that they bought, the one that “bit” them, and usually send you down a path of modifications constrained by financial capacity, time, and skills. Everyone who gets started in this hobby experiences this in one way or another. Hopefully while skipping the young, misguided Pep Boys phase, we have all seen the overly riced-out parts store mods done to someone’s daily driver.

As you make more money, learn how to work on your cars, and even start to pursue deeper involvement in competition, shows, events, etc., you start to develop a heading, a direction you want to go with your car. Oftentimes this starts in high school or college, around the time you start getting a regular paycheck. Ultimately, you modify your one car, the one that gets you to class, gets you to work, and gets you to the mountains or the beach—it’s your freedom.

Unfortunately, what occurs all too often as new car enthusiasts is that you start making modifications that improve one aspect of your car while reducing others, sometimes significantly.

I am looking at you! The car enthusiasts that removed their air conditioning back in the day because they learned it was a drag on their engine and it was heavy.

It was me too; I definitely did it! Or the guys who stripped the interior of their cars for weight reduction, “because racecar!” I cover some of my own over-modifying of my daily driver back when I was in college, with my Subaru Forester, found here.

I get it; we were cool!

You start doing performance modifications, making more power, stiffer suspension, sticky tires, aggressive brakes, weight reduction, etc. How many of you have driven around with soaking wet backs of your shirts because of the lack of AC during the summer? How many have broken down on the side of the road because your car died on the way to work? Or how many have been on dates when your date complained about the ride quality of the suspension or the smell of your catless exhaust, even asking if something was broken?

Ultimately you want to do everything, but you have one car to do it with. This is the struggle, the COMPROMISE, but it’s often also the source of the wisdom you get right after you need it. You start to discover that you want to race your daily but end up with a car that’s terrible at both; you discover you can’t do it. Now what?

My 3-Car Theory

I have learned that car enthusiasts need (at least) three cars to scratch the itch! Now I am talking about this from the perspective of a track guy or someone who likes to do spirited driving and road racing, but the same framework goes for off-road trucks, drag racing, drifting, and even show cars.

Instead of spending money modifying your daily driver in a way that degrades its daily-driver-ability, save up to get something excellent out of the box that you can use as a weekend cruiser, that you can take to the track and push 90%, take on mountain roads for some fast cruising, and even some cars and coffee.

Do this separately from your daily driver, but don’t overdo this street car either; I have learned it is best to think of this as a possible backup car for your daily driver, and it’s best to buy something nice that doesn’t really need to be modified to be fun.

The 3rd car in order, then, is your full track car. This removes all compromise, allowing you to get the best out of any platform you choose and not have to worry about crossover. You want to acquire these in order: a daily, a fun street car, and then the track car.

Daily Driver: Practicality Comes First

Instead of spending money on a “nice” or luxury car for your daily driver, knowing that you intend to have other options for specific purposes, you should consider a cheap, beater car as your daily driver. Something cheap, reliable, good on gas, and generally a point-A to point-B car.

Focus on maximizing what you need for this specific purpose, which is usually to get to work, run errands, and haul people and things. This is something you don’t have to worry about getting caught in a hailstorm, getting miles on it, or even worrying about where you park it. Comfort and reliability are the main parameters.

Your daily driver should be an appliance, effectively.

Weekend Warrior: Street-Friendly Fun

You’ve got a dedicated daily; you can park it outside, and you don’t have to worry about it. Ideally, you have a garage that is empty, and you saved some cash from your cheap daily purchase and not modifying it. Now is the time for the second car.

I have made the mistake of getting the 3rd car before the 2nd car, and it always fails and burns me out every time I do.

I’ve learned since then…

Enhanced performance, sportier handling, and an overall enjoyable driving experience should be the focus. It is also important to note that of the three cars, it is very possible (and probably smart) that this is the most expensive of the three. It is the least likely to experience damage, has fewer miles accumulated, and is usually stored inside. The second car’s use and environment provide the best opportunity for value retention and potential appreciation.

Think of something like a Porsche 911, a Mustang GT350R, or a BMW M3; of course, there are many, many options here and will realistically be limited only by your financial situation and willingness to spend on a single vehicle. The key here is that it is enjoyable to drive and doesn’t need to do anything else. Live somewhere it snows? RWD for the second car is not a problem. Live somewhere with lots of traffic? Having a manual transmission for the second car is not a nuisance. The list goes on.

You can take this car to the mountains for fun; you can take it on date nights, to car meets, “fun car Friday,” or weekend use only; it will keep the miles low and the driving experience novel. Alternatively, although not intended for this, in a pinch, it can get you to work, take you to class, or otherwise be a backup car.

This second car should give you a sense of occasion when you go to drive it; it should be special to you. But if you can only have two cars, skip the third; this is the other car to go with.

Dedicated Use: Full Performance, Nothing Else

Only after you have the first two covered should you consider the third. As car enthusiasts, I am sure you are anxious to get on track. This will also force you to be fiscally responsible (as much as this hobby/sport allows; I mean, I am talking about buying three cars here). This is the dedicated vehicle, which opens a LOT of options, even full race cars that may not be street legal, cars without titles or registration, open wheel race cars, tube frame trucks, fully build drift cars, etc.

No interior, roll cage, race brakes, stiff suspension, crazy aero, no emissions, swaps and ECUs, race fuel, and fixed back seats with harnesses; these are things that help the third car excel at its singular purpose, in my case, going fast on track and developing as a driver without any functional concern for needing to use it any other way. You can even get into an open-wheel track car. Take a look at Formula 1000 cars; surprisingly cheap for what you are getting into.

There is a lot of peace of mind around a car that is literally a toy, to be used for fun and not relied on for anything else. This vehicle can even break catastrophically, and you can park it until you save to get it replaced or repaired, and it will not impact any other part of your life. You can still be a car enthusiast and go to car meets, go on cruises, and even track days with your second car in the meantime. This is a key point of the 3-car theory – it doesn’t burn you out as car enthusiasts or make you start to hate your passion for these mechanical toys.

Maturing as Car Enthusiasts: Less is More

In addition to the 3-car theory, each of these three fits into the ‘less is more’ mentality as I have grown. Don’t over-modify or make changes without a holistic plan; this is the folly of the beginner, but some never learn it at all.

If you have the financial means, you can also have multiples of each of these three categories, and obviously there are many more, but establishing these three first before expanding will save time, heartache, and ironically, money.

Be diligent and methodical in your modifications; look to improve the whole of the car, as opposed to peaking in one aspect while reducing in another. Modify your platforms with balance in mind. You don’t want a 1000hp car out on the track with stock brakes or weak tires, for example. Keep up with maintenance and focus on the upgrades that provide the biggest value in return for specifically what you are doing with that vehicle.

Of the three, the second car will be the most challenging; you will want to modify it, but don’t go too far. Keep it subtle and streetable, if not stock. The third car is where the peak performance goes.

Lets Finish This Rant

Owning multiple specific cars is not cheap, I know that, and it should be a goal to strive for. Although it’s not cheap, it also doesn’t have to be wildly expensive either. You can even do all of this for less than the average American’s new car purchase.

Consider this: the average new car purchase in the States at the time of this writing is $49,740, per KBB.

• You can get an older Camry or whatever other reliable appliance-type car for under $5k as a daily driver.
• For street use, your fun second car could be a used older BMW M3, Porsche Cayman, or even a 996 911 for under $25k.
• All-out performance use could be had by picking up a used C5 Corvette that is already heavily modified for the track for under $20k.

You could have all three of these, without compromise, for less than a single new car purchase. As car enthusiasts, it’s all about prioritizing what you want from your platform instead of spending a lot of money on a single new vehicle; hell, you can even do this for significantly less depending on what you want. Getting out on track and going on cruises with friends, all while saving significant money over the average American.

Of course, over time and spreading costs, you can get into some pretty cool vehicles (possibly ones that appreciate), and you may find your focus shifting, but with this framework, you will have the most flexibility.

See — having three cars CAN be financially responsible!

Which cars are you choosing for your core three?