We do it because it is cool to see how fast our money can go away.

I think it is impossible to get a person to understand if he or she doesn't share similar interests in cars. It is much of what others have said above for me......this is a hobby for me that I enjoy to toy with. I work lots of hours, long ways from home. If I am going to be spending a good deal of time in a car, I'd like it to be enjoyable. And....it is enjoyable.......

 

For the pleasure and the wood (I suppose they're one and the same, though).

Why do people smoke? Drink? Pay a lot of money for fancy yard plants that die after a few months? Aren't those lousey investments?

 

You could easily go to a bar five nights a week and spend $20.00 or more. In a years time that is $5k based on 5 nights a week. Maybe she would prefer you spend your money that way. Don't get me wrong as I love my beer, but I also love my Mustang and buying presents for it. I also enjoy photography and my new Nikon DSLR, A/V equipment, model cars and home improvement projects. My problem is not enough hours in a day to enjoy them all in the same 24 hour period.

 

What's funny is my wife was not a car person, but she hears so much from me about Mustangs along with me always pointing out cars, options, models, etc in various trim... that now she finds herself looking at Mustangs when I am not with her!

 

Why? Because we can. Because we enjoy it or the results of the mod. Because it's in our blood (if you do one mod, it will not be the only one you ever do in your lifetime). Because we have too much time on our hands. Because we want to get away from the significant other (lol!). Because we want to make more noise. Because you no longer have blood-sucking kids taking all your money and need a hobby.

The satisfaction of doing something constructive and/or creative is very rewarding.

 

Exactly. We do it because it makes the car more fun and enjoyable to drive. It's a better and more exciting experience. Non-car people don't have a clue. This is no different than buying most anything else. For example, lets say you spent a large amount of money on a vacation involving a cruise and staying at exotic resorts or whatever. Do you recoup any of that money during or after that trip? Of course not. Then why do it? This is the same line of thinking from non-car (or non-motorcycle) people. We go on that vacation/cruise to have fun and to be happy. Does performance modding not have the same effect? To us it does. What about people (women in particular) that spend hundreds of dollars all the time on clothes, shoes, etc? Do you recoup your money on those? Nope. Those things deteriorate and brake down to being useless after so long and then they're thrown away. So why do it? Why spend all that money on nice looking clothes when you'll never regain your money back and they just break down over time and have to be thrown away? Well, we do it to look good b/c it makes us feel good. I see a trend...

I never understood the whole line of thinking that you must always recoup all of your money in anything you purchase. That's just absurd and nonsensical. Rarely does that ever happen unless it's from starting a business or something like that.

 

To leave our personal mark on something that is mass produced, achieve a personal goal, or just add something that Ford forgot. Mustangs are like starter kits...that's why there is such a huge market for aftermarket appearance and performance mods. This market is not nearly as prominant for higher end performance vehicles.

 

Ask them if they would rather you threw all your money into booze and drugs while your at school... Its your hobby, your not investing money in your car, your spending money on your hobby. Could just as easily be there shoes or purses. They purely see the vehicle as a mode of transportation, not a relaxing leisure indulgence of yours.

 

It did not take long for every one to chime in on this one!! Everyone spends money / time on something, everyone. Whether it is hunting, fishing, golf, you name it. A lot of people (not just women) do not understand why we mod. We are a few people with a passion for a certain car. My Mustang is not the fastest one in this bunch by a long shot. But is one thing that ALL the others are not: MINE. The reason I mod is just for the pure satifaction of a job well done. I am my own worst critic. My car is an extension of my personality. My wife also used to get on to me about modding and playing around with my vehicles. But you know what? It keeps me at home, busy and occupied. She does not have ot worry about where I am or what I am up to. All she has to do is go out in the driveway, and there I am. All of those combined, to me, make it worth my time and money entirely.

 

Because ODDYSEY said so...

Take that message and deliver it to the non-believers, go my child.