Stress and selling your car

[Matt P]

I know I've been pretty quiet around here for a while, and upon thinking about writing this post I realized it almost sounds like a cry for help. Maybe not for help, but at least for sanity. Basically, I am asking 'Am I the only one who gets this way, or is this normal'? Ok.. I'll get to the E34 related part...

In a nutshell; My life for the last few months has been on the verge of all consuming/overwhelming (working zany hours to finish big game for Xbox, wife out with major knee surgery, child out with surgery, every non-working, awake monent spent caring for child + infant), and out of that, I have been driving my M5 to work and back for almost 2 months straight (I've was unable to arrange for someone to drive me across the DFW metro area to BMS to retrieve my 535i).

Instead of enjoying the drive (and hitting the S-curve past the east end of hwy-190 @ 60+) I find myself really, seriously, considering just selling the M5 Touring, without any plans or ideas for its replacement. Not just for a fleeting moment, but for the last couple weeks its been on my mind continously.

So my question is: have any of you gone through a similar time where there is no joy in BMW-ville, and did it change when things lightened up?

Thanks for any perspective,
seriously,
-Matt P

[Paul in NZ]

matt,seriously you cannot make such desicions at a time like this....at a time when i am out ofcontrol at my work i find myself thinking the opposite,buying another car...why?... to exert some control on my out of control life!Of course that would mean the 535 would have to go...

[Phil Sanderson]

...So my question is: have any of you gone through a similar time where there is no joy in BMW-ville, and did it change when things lightened up?

Put your M5 in the garage with a cover over it if possible. Drive one of the others to work if you can - make the effort. If you are like me then obtaining that M5T was a goal in your life, something you appreciate and something you would like to keep until it or you drops. In the good times you obviously enjoy your driving as I can see by the cars in your garage. Letting something like that go (a dream) when you may be in a slightly depressed mind would be a decision you would regret - hell sell the 535 - you can always buy another.

When I get depressed Matt, I don't sell something, I usually go out and buy something. If it's just a change in circumstances you are looking for, go buy a big TV or something else that is new to take your mind off things.

A couple of guarantees I will give you:
1. Your wife's leg will heel and she will be able to do those things she really would rather be doing.
2. You will be able to pick up the 535.
3. You will get past this slightly cloudy bit in your life and you will go to your garage remove the car cover, look at the M5T and think - "What the hell was I thinking". Life's too short.

hope this helps
Phil

[MBXB]

Matt,

You have a PM.

[scott540]

Matt, I went so far a few years ago to actually put a for sale sign in the 540. I drove a few new cars- hated them. Same deal, very sick kid, new baby,, worried that the 540 was going to eat me alive financially. One day I picked my 4 year old son up from daycare. He got in and after I buckled him him he ripped the for sale sign down then looked at me kind of shocked and scared he said I'm sorry, I try to get it back on. I just laughed and said" it's ok just leave it, we're not selling it" Sometimes it takes a 4 year old going through to really let you know what's going on.

[Patrick]

When you've got stress from real-life issues/problems there's certainly not much joy to be found in any materialism. You start to realize that it's just metal, albeit nice metal, and it's just takes money to buy/maintain/insure it. In the end you can't take it with you, and nothing is as important as your family or friends.
However, that's no reason to seek retail-therapy by selling it and buying something else when you're feeling down. Things will improve -in the mean time don't do something you may regret.
Hth.

[bimmerd00d]

Matt, I would be more than happy to take you to pick up your 535 after work one day, you dont live too terribly far from me! I would hate to see you sell the M5, there'd be that empty space in your garage after that and i dont know about you but i'd die if i had that empty garage with your car missing. PLEASE think about this long and hard, and if you do, certain local friends would love a purchase of such a great car

[Alan_525i]

I have been going through this same thing right now. With my mounting law school debt and the current blown headgasket (got word this week that the head is NOT cracked, and for those of you keeping track, yes the car has been there since the first week of december), my lack of need of a car in Philadelphia, my hatred of city roads and other assorted issues have had me seriously considering moving the car. But then i looked a pics of it from a meet last summer and thought about driving down kelly drive this spring and there is no way I could do without it. Even if I did sell it, by summer I'd be jonesing for another bimmer that might cost me even more in maint as I have now done almost everything there is to do.

With all the money you've put in the M5 and the small chance of every owning something that unique again, I think selling it at this point just because of the serious but unrelated conditions in your life just isn't a good idea.

my 2 cents.

[billb]

Just before plunging into parenthood, I had an epiphany that involved selling off my tired '85 RX7 (which was all I could afford "dream-wise"in college) to someone who wanted it worse. Of course, I had been eyeing E30s for a year at that point, and had my 318is scoped out. That was my goal, and I executed. Of course, the 318is turned into somewhat of a money pit (things are not always as they seem on the surface), but I think I'm winning the battle. Around Christmas, a couple of nice local 535s popped up, and I seriously considered selling the E30. I was feeling overwhelmed by costs to maintain 2 aging BMWs, failing health of my grandmother, insurance, the stress of Christmas, a friendship crisis between the wife and her "best friend"(?), etc., you name it, I could grow a gray hair for it.

But in the end, Jr intervened, and said "whatchu thinkin?" or something along those lines. Now I'm focused. Prepare the 318is for July driver's school. Get more involved in the CCA (by the way, come on down to Oktoberfest in September...I'm in charge of the Fun Rally!!). Do some charity work. Spend more time with family (especially those that may not be around too much longer). Love the wife, love the kids, but make time for yourself too. They can't make it if you're a wreck. Put the M5T under the covers for a while. Get the 535, take the long way home, and enjoy the 535 for what it is, the daily driver. Then when you're feeling blue, pull out the M5T for a bit. I do that sometimes as well (daily drive the E30 until it's down for maintenance, then drive the Explorer to remind me how the soccer moms feel ), and then drive the Model A to put a smile back on my face.

In the end, don't let all the negatives outweigh the positives. There are worse places in the world to be right now (Iraq, Afghanistan, homeless on the streets), so sometimes counting blessings is in order.

[billy in slo]

I know I've been pretty quiet around here for a while, and upon thinking about writing this post I realized it almost sounds like a cry for help. Maybe not for help, but at least for sanity. Basically, I am asking 'Am I the only one who gets this way, or is this normal'? Ok.. I'll get to the E34 related part...

In a nutshell; My life for the last few months has been on the verge of all consuming/overwhelming (working zany hours to finish big game for Xbox, wife out with major knee surgery, child out with surgery, every non-working, awake monent spent caring for child + infant), and out of that, I have been driving my M5 to work and back for almost 2 months straight (I've was unable to arrange for someone to drive me across the DFW metro area to BMS to retrieve my 535i).

Instead of enjoying the drive (and hitting the S-curve past the east end of hwy-190 @ 60+) I find myself really, seriously, considering just selling the M5 Touring, without any plans or ideas for its replacement. Not just for a fleeting moment, but for the last couple weeks its been on my mind continously.

So my question is: have any of you gone through a similar time where there is no joy in BMW-ville, and did it change when things lightened up?

Thanks for any perspective,
seriously,
-Matt P

To answer your question, ya, we all get overwhelmed with life, all have our own stories, and when it is your story it is real to you, while it may not sound too bad compared to someone else's story it is more your state of mind than the actual circumstances. We all react different to stress, I'm in the school of thought that if I buy another car or more go-fast goodies I will feel better but it is short lived happiness. Sometimes I need to take a break from the "boards" so I don't get caught up in "keeping up with the Jones's" syndrome. I don't know your car but it sounds like a keeper. I would park it, pick up the 535 and then do some praying for God who loves you and knows what you are going through and wants you to be happy to bring REAL joy to your life. I hope I can say this w/o offending anyone. I've been there and done that and know it works. Take care.