The delimma anyone still paying off a car will understand.

[stickgoat]

I'm sure that any of you still making payments on your 240sx (or other cars) will understand this delimma I've decidedly come across.

I am paying $5000 for my 1996 S14. I put $3000 down which was acquired from selling my Probe. Payments for me are $140 a month of which I am making to a private party, not a bank or dealership or some other corporation. I've made two payments so far, thus leaving me with $1720 to pay off.

Not all that much, all things considered. $140 a month is easily affordable, and if it weren't for my complaining fiance I'd have made 4 payments already (doubling up). I can afford to do so, he just doesn't care for my car too much, so he doesn't like me spending our money on it any sooner than I have to.

However, I'm the type of tightwad that not only hates spending money, but hates OWING money. I have no credit cards and have no intentions of even applying for one anytime soon. I never borrow money from anyone unless I'll immediately be able to reimburse them.

Anyway, I've assessed and re-assessed the long list of things I eventually want to do to this car, and then applied that to real life. I'm currently trying to get into college after taking a year off after high school, everyone knows college students are broke.

Basically I've pretty much decided that I'm not going to put anymore money into modifications until I've paid the car off. I do very much hate the stock CD player with a firey passion and will probably get a decent one for Christmas, but that'll be it. I'm at one of those points in my life right now that the $540 I'd eventually put towards an Apexi N1 dual can be better applied to other things.

I may go ahead and splurge on a new set of struts too just so I can have peace of mind when I install my Eibachs that have been sitting in a corner for 3 months, but that really will be it. Anything else will have to be minor and inexpensive.

So anyway, has anyone else decided this same thing? Doing the responsible thing of making payments before modding? If not, how do you decide what to spend on?

[Repo Man]

Pay it off early. You don't want someone like me coming to see you because you dropped some bank on an exhaust. You do need to have some $ in reserve for repairs though. Even Nissans break something every now and then!

[lucky]

My vote goes for pay it off as well. If I had a car payment that was $140, I would probably be making tripple payments each month just because I hate owing someone money.

[stickgoat]

Well, I work at Jiffy Lube for $7.50/hr. I'm supposed to be full time but lately I've been lucky to get 40 hours...been more around 30 or so per week.

Thus, I'm lucky if my checks hit 500. At about 2 checks per month, that's only $1k or LESS a month. Sucks. But making double payments is still quite feasible. I am also going to be using any Christmas money I get from family towards payments. Not "fun" exactly, but hell.

I'd like to have the car paid off by summer.

[nismokid]

i hate owing people money too forget the mods til the car is paid off, you'll probably pay it off faster than you think. good luck

[cnichols]

Well, I would have to go with paying the car off too...it's a shame I don't take my own advice.

I still owe $13,000 on my S14 and just bought a new motor, standalone engine management system, getting a new custom stainless turbo manifold, bought some new HKS electronics, new ACT clutch, GReddy catch can, the list goes on.....

but I am going to pay $3,000 on the loan in a week....but damn...still got $10 G's to go after that.

[stickgoat]

Wow. Did you buy your car new, Chris?

[RYNO_s13]

I'm thinking that since you have a job, whether you make double payments on your car is your business. tell your fiance I said so. My Girl is in MS until she gets a few bills paid off, but if I told her how to handle her finances, SMACKSMACK, and The Ryno gets a standing 8 count. I paid 500 a month for my car, plus 2000 down, and just got it paid off last week. I'm the same way when it comes to owing someone money. The faster you get that puppy paid off, the happpier you're going to be.

[Anand]

I say, pay the car off and then save up.. I have had my car for about 2 and a half year.. I saved up my money will about 9 months ago and got all my stuff within that time frame. so even if it takes you a while to save back up.. it will be worth it. when you want something for sooo long and you get it... that is the best feeling in the worls especially when you work HARD for it... and all you people who work and pay for EVERYTHING yourselves know what I am talking about! more power to you Summer!

[GrubyFngaz]

Oh I know exactly how you fell. I am a senior in high school. I work at a shoe store making $7 an hr. and I have a serious g/f. So I have to spend money on her. My car was $4500, My parents paid like $2000 and I have to pay the rest off, plus I pay my own insurance. I also have about $800 in Credit Card debt and I want to get if paid off. Doing mods is just so addictive and fun. : ) I love it. I guess I should pay it off. Anyone got any advice for me?Josh

[Anand]

you see... credit cards are good... that is IF you know and understand how much it could get you in trouble... I used it to build my credit up. When you grow up and want to buy a house or that new car, you need credit. so wht you should do it when you have enough money saved up for anything... just charge it and then pay it all off when you get the bill.. that also gives you a month to save some more money... but be very AWARE... that can get addictive and you can start charging when you don't have any money... but it's good to be out of debt and then do things you want to.. that was one of the reasons I had to wait almost 2 years to do anything to my car!

[sxse]

I'mon the same boat as stick and Grub. I owe another 2Gs on my 240 and My job starts next month but I really want to get it paid off cause I know it will make me so happy and I will be able to work a little less and spend more time with the g/f.

[GrubyFngaz]

It is a pain in the butt though. I need to start being responsible with my credit card. I got it so I could start building up credit and now I am getting out of hand with it. So I definetly need to go ahead and get that paid off.

Josh

[cnichols]

Wow. Did you buy your car new, Chris?

No, unfortunately not....paid 12K for it + loan costs...all for a car with a bad cylinder.

BUT...before you say "What a moron" there are a few saving graces....

It came with the only HKS KA turbo kit ever made (prototype made by HKS USA and featured in a 98 issue of Super Street). Anybody remember that issue?

It's got an HKS GT3037 BallBearing turbo, HKS Hiper Damper Coilovers w/ Pillow Ball mounts, HKS custom Stainless manifold, Front mount HKS intercooler, HKS Wastegate, HKS SSQV Blow-Off Valve, HKS Dual Drager Exhaust (switched to an Apex'i N1 and put it on my 95), HKS electrical gauges (Boost, EGT, Fuel Press, Oil temp, Oil Press, Turbo Timer), Apex'i AVC-R, Ported and Polished Head and Intake Manifold, Walbro 255 lph fuel pump, Cusco Front and Rear Swaybars, Cusco Adj. Rear Upper Arms, Suspension Tech. Sway bars, ACT 6 puck clutch, JWT cams, JWT ECU, Cobra MAF, Brembo Big Brake Conversion (13.1" rotors) and 18" x 8" 3-piece 5Zigen Heidfield Rims (not anymore...Cobra rims )

<Deep Breath> .....I think that's it...of course, I've been adding little things here and there and plan on adding more....really not much left after the standalone...besides putting in a built motor.

[Bubba1]

Before you jump and pay off the debt, think for a moment. If you're not paying interest on that loan, then you're foolish to pay it off early. You're treating debt like a phobia. It's not. Wait until you buy a house. You should do something more productive with that money, like saving it for things you're going to need soon, (like a security deposit/furnishings for an apartment, or a down payment for a house, college (if your parents can't afford it) or an engagement ring perhaps)., and not splurging on parts for your car that you don't really need. Just remember, your needs come before the car, especially if you're on a budget. That's not to say you shouldn't mod your car, I'm suggesting staying within your means.

[UncleBen]

everytime i read or hear the mods on that car chris, i feel like i jizzed myself. i didnt' know that turbo kit was the only one ever made, i thought it was just some special kit or w/e. i didn't know that. your car just got better, even tho i didnt' kno that was possible (except for the part about it not running right and all that)

[Lsnaple]

i would pay it off. thats just me. thats also why i bought a second s13 instaed of a s14, so i would have no payments!

[cnichols]

everytime i read or hear the mods on that car chris, i feel like i jizzed myself. i didnt' know that turbo kit was the only one ever made, i thought it was just some special kit or w/e. i didn't know that. your car just got better, even tho i didnt' kno that was possible (except for the part about it not running right and all that)

I didn't show you the magazine at the last meet?

I actually only found out it was the same kit a couple of weeks ago. HKS had it on a 97 Red S14 before it was on mine...I think they blew it up and sold the kit...obviously, they decided to never produce it. I never could figure out why my intercooler piping had HKS stamped on it when they never made a kit for the KA....I just figured the shop who put it together for that other guy used it from another kit.

[Dano]

thats sweet, itd be cool to have one of a kind.

-Dan

[AznRide]

I couldn't stand driving a stock car and now i'm in debts...6G in my car and now it's stolen. I now have no car, with a big ars debt. Do NOT, i repeat, do NOt get a credit card. It's like a drug. Also, a drug store would be ebay. Stay off drugs kids...

[cnichols]

Credit cards have their place...as in building credit. Although loans may have more of an impact, it still is important.

Get some damn willpower....I've never had a problem and I love to spend money.

[stickgoat]

I know I'll be just fine when I get a cc.... I hate spending money.

[Lsnaple]

i wont buy anything with a credit card unless i already have the full amount to pay it off.

[Bryson]

I made sure when I bought my 93 240 that I'd have no payments.. I also hate owing money.. but since I have no car payment... I am planning on taking out a 5k loan to mod it up. I am a little nervous about owing 5g's (plus interest). But I think it'll be alright

[Phax]

Credit cards have their place...as in building credit. Although loans may have more of an impact, it still is important.

Get some damn willpower....I've never had a problem and I love to spend money.

I gotta agree with Chris. Debt is an okay thing, as long as you go into it with a plan to get out of it. I was looking at going into debt ~$18k to purchase a new 2003 Sentra Spec-V. Luckily I was enlightened toward the 240SX, and now I'm about $7000 into my S13 SR20DET project, and will probably be spending another 3-4g's before all is said and done. Most of that is on a creditcard at 7.9% interest. The car itself I bought with a $3000 loan for 6.9% interest.