It wasn’t long ago that I owned 9 million cars, had the city inspector on my back telling me I had to get my cars running and registered or else, had a neighbor literally calling me “an animal,” and had almost no clothes that weren’t covered in motor oil. It was a great time in my life, filled with adventure and learning; of course, at the same time, I hadn’t been on a date in about 9 million years, and I’d often wake up in a sweat in the middle of night frantically reaching for a pen and paper so I could write down all the cars I owned and everything that needed to be fixed. It was unsustainable, and now, after miraculously getting engaged, I’m finally — after almost a decade — bringing the fleet down to a sustainable number of cars. Here’s what made the cut.
I’ve made a few tough choices over the past few days. For the longest time, I’ve been flip-flopping between selling my 2014 BMW i3 and my 2021 BMW i3S. The former is older, has 145,000 miles, and has a smaller battery offering 75 miles of range. At the same time, the 2014 has a brand new battery and compressor, and also it’s just better built than the 2021. The 2021 costs three times as much (mid $30 grand all-in), and offers a similar driving experience, but the advantage is that it looks incredible; it’s got double the range thanks to a battery that many say doesn’t degrade pretty much at all over the first five years, 50,000 miles (which bodes well long-term); and it has a 12 year, 130,000 mile warranty on pretty much every major component. It’s basically a brand new car, and it really does feel special.
Should I sell my Jeeps and buy a basically-brand-new BMW i3 for 30 large?
— David Tracy (@davidntracy) April 21, 2024
Still obsessed with this car. pic.twitter.com/1rSYnhEtDr
— David Tracy (@davidntracy) October 12, 2024
So I’m selling off the gray i3. What else will I keep? Well, I need a wedding car in a few months, and I figure it might be nice to have something convertible out here in California. What’s more, given my limited garage space, the CJ-3B makes a bit more sense than my YJ, which won’t fit in tandem with my i3. So I’ve decided to whittle my car collection down to three. It will be the CJ-3B and i3 at home:
And then at work I’ll have the five-speed ZJ overlanding project/road trip car that I need to someday get to:
So that’s it. Three cars, plus my brother’s Mustang:
So this means the Gray i3, YJ, Jeep J10 (which won’t make it through SMOG here in CA, anyway), World War II Jeep and Nash will all hit the auction block:
The reality is that, at this stage in my life, I need to focus on having a fleet of easily-maintainable cars. The Gold i3 has a huge warranty, so that should be no issue. The CJ-3B is not far from being on the road, plus it’s bone-simple and parts are plentiful. Not to mention, I think it’ll make a cool wedding car. The five-speed ZJ Grand Cherokee will be my one real project; it’s going to take a lot of work, but I’ll be excited when it’s done. And the Mustang is kind of a family heirloom at this point, it’s simple, parts are plentiful, and it’s only gone up in value since I bought it. It needs some work here or there, but it’s not really a priority.
In my head, the Willys I’ll use to putt around town, and I’ll tow it to an off-road park (and Moab!) every now and again. The i3 will be my highway/work car/the real daily driver. And the ZJ will act as my adventure car and occasional tow vehicle. That should be an easily-maintainable collection, and enough fun/variety to keep me happy. Probably. I can’t stop looking at Ford Model T’s, so maybe one of those will show up at some point. But until then, three cars and my brother’s Mustang. That’s all I need.
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I really should probably stop looking for Tin Lizzies, since I have only a couple months to get the Willys in good enough condition that it’ll work as a wedding car. At this point, I’ve never even heard it run, but hey, at least the stakes aren’t high… gulp!
“The reality is that, at this stage in my life, I need to focus on having a fleet of easily-maintainable cars.”
At some stage in life you will probably be focusing on having only one car — a trouble-free transportation tool. A grandpa car. A 2044 Camry, perhaps.
I can’t say it any better than Wodehouse did a century ago.
“Cynthia advised me,” proceeded Eve, “if ever I married, to marry someone eccentric. She said it was such fun . . . Well, I don’t suppose I am ever likely to meet anyone more eccentric than you, am I?”
“I think you would be unwise to wait on the chance.”
Leave it to Psmith
All the best, DT. I hope the cars that leave your life today, come back as different ones soon. Don’t lose the eccentricity!
That reminds me of when I had my own repair shop, I had like 30 cars there at any given moment, was always greasy, and the stress was killing me. Getting out of that was a painful process and probably took a few years off my life, but now that I’m 6 months past it, I’m much happier and more relaxed. No, I’m not self-employed anymore, but having a job with steady pay and benefits is nice in its own way after 5 years of financial instability.
Not strictly related DT but your article on the i3’s gear oil nonsense provoked me to get it changed. I took it to BMW (ouch) and got serious cred from the service manager and tech; it was heavily implied that the typical BMW owner around here doesn’t know the front of their car from the back.
No…where did DT go? Ha ha
You’re not the first car guy to have to reduce his fleet upon marriage, David. Happens to the best of us.
Now that you have some space freed up, ahem: https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/926108602605831/
As an owner of a Type 4 with a black hood and cool numbers on the side, I can honestly vouch for owning a Type 4 with a black hood and cool numbers on the side. Mine’s downright reliable at this point!
Basically, you’d be a fool for making space and not buying a Type 4 with cool numbers on the side. Join the cool kids’ club.
“I’m down to 3 cars” is the most American girl shopping obsessed math I’ve heard in a while given in reality you have 7 cars only 4 of which you’re willing to acknowledge
Acknowledged cars…
1. Newer i3 (given it’s condition), a good choice as a daily driver, even though give it miles & time and it will do German car things and be less and less reliable as it eventually crosses 100k miles especially
2. The Flat fender Jeep, let’s be honest this IS an ancient (and cool) project car. It should be so incredibly basic it may make sense for low speed around town fun driving to the beach, for a picnic or parade or car show…
3. Jeep XZ, project car, though sounds like it is at Beau’s dealership, so out of sight, out of mind. You’re justifying keeping this bc you think you’ll get it running, but you have another car you need to get running before the wedding. After the wedding there’s the honeymoon & before you known it a David or Elise Not her real name Jr. Will be on the way & then you certainly will Not ever get to this project…
4. “My brothers Mustang”… This is the real, running condition convertible you effectively own and its a great car with lots of aftermarket support.
Additional (unacknowledged) Cars you own…
5. XJ “my 1st Jeep” which you’re likely never going to sell. Unacknowledged likely bc it is in another state 1/2 way across America.
6. Diesel Chrysler Minivan – mentally easy to not count bc it is on another entire continent.
7. Project Cactus a brought back from the dead cruck*/ute, likely not counted bc again it lives on another, this time 1/2 way around the world & upside down continent.
I’m intentionally Not counting Elise (not her real name) Lexus bc that’s her car.
So if you’re writing this for her… you really only will soon 3 cars that she will see likely at your place. The newer i3 and the flat fender Jeep. As you mentioned the XZ is at Beaus dealership and I think you mentioned the mustang lives at a storage unit
*”cruck” was intentional bc while it has a frame it had a “car” front end and “cruck” i.e. short for “car-truck” is what we always called these growing up
I think he gets a pass for anything on another continent, although I hope the people storing them are being compensated.
A fan of “auto enthusiast / shopping obsessed girl” math I see 🙂
Mental justification is a hell of a drug and I get it, if I were in his shoes I’d probably be doing some mental justification gymnastics too. Right now living in a burb + with only a 3 car garage I don’t really want to add to my tally unless I find an RV I convince myself I can’t live w/o
Owning a possession is binary like being pregnant you either are or aren’t.
Thinking relatively David could make a case for owning between 2-8 cars (not including the 3 he’s looking to sell)
With the 8th being the Aztek which frankly I had forgotten about and I think is technically owned by the Autopian
So (likely) his name is on the title and therefore the direct owner for 6 of the ones he’s looking to keep + two others for which he is the steward (mustang + aztek)
I have to do Actual Math so much at my job that I feel entitled to some Shopping Girl math in my personal time. 😀
Really the only thing keeping me from having more motorcycles is the insurance cost.
That’s totally fair
The story would have been just as interesting if it were honest and titled…
“I am triming my fleet to 8, here’s why it is really like 2”
Sorry you got overloaded, if you want I’ll take the Metropolitan back and fix it my ownself .
-Nate
Whatever the ransom is, I’m pretty sure we will pay it. DT, blink your eyes once to tell us you’ve heard us…