When is it acceptable to buy a stupid car?

[CPM]

All of my life I’ve been pragmatic about my vehicle choices. Chevy Blazer, Ford Taurus, Camry, F150, 2 Ford Edges. I love being able to roll around incognito with a car full of guns, ammo, steel targets, etc... I also love the ability to hop a curb in an emergency. I have a wife and four dogs, so hauling them around is important.

Right now I have a ‘15 Ford Edge with 80k left on warranty. My wife has an LS460 that needs to go. I plan on giving her the Edge and buying a car for myself.

My question is this: knowing that we are going to try and have a child this summer, do I buy a stupid car now, while I can? I was looking at ‘16 Scat Pack Challengers. Or do I buy something sensible as always and expand my household capabilities- like a four door Tacoma around the same vintage?

Is there ever a time where it’s reasonable to buy a two door rear wheel drive sports car?

[hotrodder636]

When you have the money, you are not shorting your retirement and savings and it is an “extra” or third vehicle. That would be my logic.

[Business_Casual]

If you are about to have a kid, batten down the hatches and go into Dad mode. It’s actually quite fun, to be honest.

[opngrnd]

If you are about to have a kid, batten down the hatches and go into Dad mode. It’s actually quite fun, to be honest.

This. You can certainly get a quality family car, but the novelty on fun wears off. The much better (and more fun long term) investment is it what works better for the family.

[SteyrAUG]

When you have the money, you are not shorting your retirement and savings and it is an “extra” or third vehicle. That would be my logic.

Yeah, pretty much. I'd also say when you can afford it and it's a good deal and you aren't losing 40% of the purchase price when you drive it home. It could also be a second vehicle as long as it can function as a daily driver.

When it comes to money I worry about two things. Not having enough money for everything we need and still having money I didn't spend to enjoy life with family and friends after I pass.

I also find, no matter how much money you have, things adjust to eat any excess up so really there will never be extra money. If my household income doubled tomorrow I would simply allocate the extra funds to fix things around the house that I've been holding off on, would upgrade to more reliable and safer vehicles for my wife and I and I'd completely flush any debt I'm carrying up to and including the mortgage on the house.

But in the meantime every once and awhile, assuming it won't mean not paying the electric bill, you have to buy a few things that give life "meaning", something you can enjoy that makes the last 20-30 years of working your ass off amounting to something more than just getting by. Something that will make it acceptable to keep working another 20 years or so depending upon your age.

The times when I've been the most broke and figuring out how to get my head above water, I think of better days when I had my father staying at my house for the winter and taking him out to nice dinners and crap like that and I don't regret a single dollar that I spent even if the steaks were sometimes a little pricey. I imagine those with children feel the same way.

I've been way up and I've been down and I have a reasonable expectation to continue to be doing ok. There will always be opportunity to make more money, but you can't get a second chance at those nice dinners with family who isn't with you any more.

[CPM]

I check the first two, but I have a two car garage and demand all cars are stored inside of it.

[hotrodder636]

LOL, I don’t even know what it is like to park a daily driver in a garage. My last 2 homes have had 2 car garages and I manage to have them filled with not cars.

Honestly, like Business_Casual said, I would not go getting a car like that right before have a child. Having 2 utilitarian vehicles makes more sense.

I check the first two, but I have a two car garage and demand all cars are stored inside of it.

[Todd.K]

Have fun as long as it only hurts your fun fund. But embrace being practical first, the last thing you want to do is end up resenting your responsibilities.

Unless your schedules (and willingness to swap cars) allow the Edge to always go with who will have the baby, explore fun car options that have four doors. Seriously, if you have not had the pleasure of fitting rear facing child seats, buy one then go sports car shopping with it.

[scooter22]

You only live one short life.

[Averageman]

You only live one short life.

And you don't want to spend it trying to fit a baby seat in a Mustang GT, or better yet trying to get the baby in and out of that seat once you get it in there.