Just wondering, how can most of you afford to buy parts for your car?

Considering that you have a Lexus (Especially a new or two year old one.), I'm amazed that you still have got a lot of leftovers to spend on your car!

Even with a used car (A RAV4.), I don't think I can even find the money to start buying some parts & accessories for it! (Parents think that modifying a car is a waste of money, while I'm the opposite.)

PS: Unless you count the AU$ 3.00 air freshener from Bunnings Warehouse or the cardboard trunk mat (To carry plants.) as a modification.

 

If you buy a car that stretches your income to the limit, you couldn't afford the car in the first place. Most Lexus owners have enough money or are a little smarter with their finances to know how much of a car they can actually afford. You have to be able to maintain the car throughout your ownership, have enough money to repair any unexpected repairs needed. Do all that while not majorly disrupting your actual life. You still have to pay your other bills, put money away for savings, college funds and whatever else you need to do.

Bottom line is that most Lexus owners know what they can afford. If they couldn't afford to spend a little on mods whenever they felt like it, they probably wouldn't have bought the Lexus and/or bought a cheaper car.

 

I could mod my car, but I think there are better things to spend my money on, considering I have no desire to end up with an modded eye catching car as my daily driver right now. Also mods don't appreciate in value.

I guess my car has turned from a passion to more of a mode of transportation over the last couple years.

Considering a car is probably one of the worst things you can put a ton of money into (value wise), if you can only afford the car itself and nothing more maybe you shouldn't have it.

 

A lot of research. I often look at something on the market and ask myself if I can build something similar. I try not to get wound up in hype. Keep in mind, we don't go out on a buffet and buy everything all at once. The modifications you seen on my car domain page below are spread out over years. I should add that having cheap labor cost and mechanic uncle with his complete set of tools is also a great help.

Keep in mind that even with a RAV4, where you face similar lack of aftermarket support (especially in terms of performance modifications) compared to other vehicles, a great part of the fun is the challenge that you are modifying something that others do not modify that much.

I frequently get comments at my own track as to why I won't get a sports car or something else, and I always say, "because that has been done before"

Just like they say on Star Trek, "To boldly go where no one has gone before"

BTW, I hope you reach your goal to obtain an RX

 

i work overseas and see my car maybe a month out of the year

 

You mentioned your parents in your post so perhaps you're quite young? Perhaps your income isn't that high yet - I'm just speculating, no offense meant.

So if those things are true then just affording a vehicle at all can be a challenge!

But many on here have either been working a long time or happen to be in high paying careers or have their own businesses, or they have wealthy parents!

I see your location and you mention AU$ and I think cars themselves are MUCH more expensive in that part of the world than they are in the U.S. so maybe that's another reason why more people in the U.S. can afford mods.

 

I bought my car used for a cheap price. It's not like I'm spending $10k on a turbo. Just the minor suspension setup that doesn't run more than $1000.

 

Yes, I'm still young (Just turned 18 last year.) & just started uni. I did help my parents by selling off some of our surplus stocks of seat covers last year, but at a total of AU$200, that was just enough for a few driving lessons at the time. Don't worry, no offense taken.

The RAV4 was the former family car (Handed down to me by parents. It' still runs, so I might as well use it instead of getting another car for the time being.).

Maybe I should've taken a year off & worked instead of starting uni this year?

 

You should definitely start and finish university as soon as possible. Why work a low paying job for a year when you can graduate a year earlier and start working a real job?

Obviously some people have tons of money and can afford to mod whatever they buy. Other people just dump all of their disposable income into a car. I think a better question is whether or not mods are really worth the cost. There are some serious diminishing returns when it comes to mods for looks and performance. I personally would rather save up my money and get a better car than to try to mod a lesser car, because the total package will almost always be better if you just buy a better car to begin with than if you spend money modding. This is why I just bought a 2006 Corvette even though I have no money left over to mod (or not much , I think I'll still add a few things) as opposed to getting something like a Supra or 350Z for 1/2 the price and using the rest on mods

 

Finish school first... That should be a high priority than working and getting a new car... You can always get a car later on, but as long as you prolong your school, it might get harder and harder down the line... Just stay focus and things will fall in place...

 

if only i were in college again... wow - i'd be a dynamo.

my advice - start a side business in college. there's a lot of down time (if you're a business major like I was) and in that time, you can start something that will get the funds rolling in.

when i was in college, my friend was buying stuff cheap from wherever and selling the stuff on eBay, she pulled in 36k a year, tax free. Of course this was back in 1998 so the number of people doing this on eBay was relatively a lot fewer so you'll have to figure out something else unless you have something unique.

 

NEVER PUT OFF SCHOOL FOR WORK unless you are in some sort of financial crisis. Most people who take a vacation for a year will NOT want to go back to school the next year, or until years afterwards.

Putting off school and working for a year just so you can afford to buy/mod a car is insane and impractical.

 

Thanks for the advice guys.

So I'm thinking this means, "Saving the best for last".

After thinking about it for a while (And reading GSteg, thetopdog & o2GS43o's post.), I actually thought "Hmm..... If I get really good results & graduate from university, I could find a good job & achieve my goals!"

 

Some young people have a wealthy family.
Some do business on forums and eBay.
Some just work their *** off and spend their minimum wage pay on the car.
Mod while you're still young, you won't have time to do that when you're older.

 

How old is older I'm in my mid 30s, married, and just started putting my first born through school. Sure, it is only preschool, but I still find the time to mod. I think if you enjoy modifying cars you will have the time to do it.