Our Two Cents: Signs You’re Taking The Car Hobby Too Seriously
Passion is a double-edged sword. It lets us create things that others can appreciate, but sometimes it takes us so far down a wormhole that we no longer know what direction is up. Perhaps you have been lucky enough to fall in said wormhole, climb your way out, and live to tell the tale. Or perhaps you never fell down in the first place?
No matter what corner of this hobby you find yourself in, odds are you have a thought or two about taking this scene too seriously for your own good. That’s what I figured, anyway, when asking this question to members of Hagerty Media, and the team did not disappoint. Here are their replies:
Hoarding
“Parts hoarding. Bonus points if you have parts lying around for cars you don’t own. I recently found a set of polyurethane diff bushings meant for a Miata I sold years ago. I haven’t got rid of them yet because I might want another Miata someday.” – Chris Stark
The Forest vs. The Trees
“I know I am getting too serious when I lose sight of the bigger picture and get caught up in what I am doing in the moment. Whether it’s old cars, amateur racing, or any other facet of the car hobby, attitude can be almost everything.
I just had a really frustrating weekend at Mid-Ohio, chasing my go kart’s engine issues. I was miles off my pace from last year. My initial anger told me that having fun shouldn’t be such work. Then I took stock: I am at the track, doing what I love. Yes, there was no way I’d set a PR with a hobbled engine, but the thrill of correcting oversteer in a kart at 80 mph and wrenching under a tent on a beautiful day are a lot better than the alternative.” – Eddy Eckart
Look But Don’t Touch
“Signs that say ‘Don’t touch me, I’m not that kind of car’ and the like. It’s a car. You might as well put a sign on it that says ‘Go away,’ or ‘I hate people.’ If you’re that worried about it, don’t take it out of the garage. Kids experience the world in part by touching, and fingerprints are just that, fingerprints. They wipe off. Accidents happen at car shows, prams and bikes sometimes touch metal, a sign won’t stop that.
I saw a ‘don’t touch’ sign on a WW2 Jeep in Normandy last month. Really? It’s a military vehicle with a renowned reputation for toughness and being filthy, and you’re worried about some kid fondling the bumper? As far as I’m concerned, a ‘don’t touch’ sign is quite literally a sign that you are taking it all much too seriously.” – Aaron Robinson
“I’ll have to agree with Aaron’s response. I’d like to add one thing: When you talk to the guy (usually a guy) who owns a classic car and they nonchalantly mention in conversation how the car is their baby. Their wife or kids aren’t allowed to touch the car (I suspect these are the same folks who wonder why younger people don’t seem interested in cars). When you’re prioritizing the car over your spouse or family, then something has gone seriously wrong with your priorities.” – Greg Ingold
All Work And No Play?
“For me is when you spend more time working on them than actually driving them. Unless you’re restoring a low mile museum piece, they need to be enjoyed and driven, even if they may break down 2 miles from the garage.” – Sajeev Mehta
Closed Minds
“I get annoyed any time I hear somebody say something like, ‘I don’t understand why anyone would like that car.’ Maybe it irks me because I like so many weird vehicles that most people don’t care for. But thinking your opinion on cars is the be-all, end-all for what is ‘cool’ or ‘collectible’ or ‘interesting’ is peak taking it too seriously.
People like what they like, who cares what you think? Enjoy the fact that they’re into cars and move on with your life.” – Ben Woodworth
***
Check out the Hagerty Media homepage so you don’t miss a single story, or better yet, bookmark it. To get our best stories delivered right to your inbox, subscribe to our newsletters.
In the modified words of Oscar Wilde _ [ Life is too important to take seriously ] _ Who could improve on that?
I’ve got my eye on you Sajeev…
Some of us just enjoy the work. Driving is great and all, but I’d bet I have just as much fun working on my projects as I do driving them–if not more.
Kyle, if he gets too big for his britches, ask him how many hours he’s spent driving Project Valentino vs. hours spent sourcing parts and that’ve been spent working on it in, oh say, the last 24 months!
Very few on both…because I have been working on 3 other cars instead. Sometimes it feels like it never ends, and that’s a problem when you start collecting too many cars!
Regarding the Look But Don’t Touch claim, like a lot of things, there are limits. I like to let people “respectfully” touch, inspect, and sit in my car, but one time I looked up to see some dude sitting on the right front fender, having a conversation with his friend. I had to remind him that I was sitting in a chair, but a classic car in a car show is NOT a chair (and that there are some people who would probably punch him in the nose if he sat on their cars). Another time at a drive-in movie cruise-in, the guy parked next to us came over and leaned on my door, wearing jeans with copper rivets on the back pocket corners. I shooed him off before he did any damage, but he kept giving me dirty looks all night. Letting people touch your car is fine, but I have to draw the line at touching that can potentially cause damage!
Does that fall under “hoarding”, or is it an entirely new category?
Sorry, this post was supposed to fall under Sajeev’s last comment!
Well the answer to your question is: are you collecting stuff most folks can stop and appreciate, or are you collecting “junk” in the opinion of most folks? Cars can be junk, but unknown parts usually are (to most folks).
Hoarding is having more of a thing than you can ever use.
An electronic part with a 10 year of use lifespan… it’s not hoarding to have a bunch if you expect to own the vehicle they are used on for more than 11 years. Holding 20+ of them…
Project vehicles are easier to hoard. If you get 1 project done every 5 years it doesn’t make sense to have 20 “next projects” out back.
*having the income to properly indoor stored said projects and/or parts without negatively impacting your lifestyle or family changes the equation. Doesn’t make it more logical… when finances are a main factor in “not getting to” the ten projects in the grass out back you probably have a problem you aren’t choosing to face.
Your third point hit too close to home. So much more fun to find and acquire the next project than it is to slog through actually getting one done!
You use the word “collecting” here, but I kind of feel like collecting and hoarding (although related) aren’t really the same thing – are they?
Can there possibly be a bigger waste of a summer Saturday than being in a car show?
I recently sold my old Land Rover and made a point to put anything and everything Land Rover related in it before it left. I kept telling myself I was hooking up the new owner with all these extra parts. I went through my garage multiple time because I knew if I found any spare parts after it was gone I’d be holding onto them for the next Rover…
Years ago I needed a new frame for the driver’s seat on my 2011 NC Miata, but the only way to get one at a halfway reasonable price was to buy a pair of used OEM seats. I’ve replaced the NC with an ND, but I still have an NC passenger seat sitting in a box in my garage.