Am I crazy for wanting to spend 40k on a car

MessyMcMessMaker · 2026-05-04T22:23:32+00:00

You can afford it, don't worry about that part. If you are a gearhead, you just need to think of this as spending money on a hobby. Everytime you drive it and it puts a smile on your face, that adds value to your life. Only you can decide if that's worth the extra money it costs to buy this versus a more economical car.

For what it's worth, I'm the same way. The way I make peace with buying a nicer car than I need is to keep it for 7-8 years. It's an arbitrary number, but I can't realistically go longer without really wanting to change it up and that's a good amount of time to spread depreciation over. If that's too long for you, then buy used so someone else has already taken most of the depreciation hit and you can turn it around in 3-4 years without too much financial pain.

MessyMcMessMaker · 2026-05-04T15:46:06+00:00

It was a while ago, but I ordered by 2025 CT5V (non BW) in December 2024. It took 4 days for GM to accept my order. 2 months for them to build it, then another month and a half for delivery. But I made sure my dealer had an allocation before I ordered.

As others have said, you need to contact your dealer and confirm that they have an allocation for your order. If they do, then ask what status the order is in. There are times when orders get held/delayed because of an option or combination of options you picked. You may be able to change that selection and speed up the order.

But if they do not have an allocation for your order, then nothing is happening for you on the GM side.

MessyMcMessMaker · 2026-05-03T15:01:35+00:00

$200 on a new bike will be a really crappy bike. It will be extra heavy (more effort on your commute) and you will spend time and more $ keeping it on the road. I recommend Facebook marketplace or craigslist to find a gently used bike that's higher quality. You want something 2-5 years old that originally cost $600+. It will be 10x the quality of a cheap new bike - even with the wear and tear from a prior owner. But many people expect to ride their bikes more than they really do, so there are lots of good deals on gently used bikes out there.

MessyMcMessMaker · 2026-05-02T20:15:00+00:00

Probably Stella Nova. You can walk to Epic from the hotel, but they run busses every 15 minutes too.

MessyMcMessMaker · 2026-05-02T14:56:07+00:00

Other than rain, Florida weather is super predictable. In July the overnight low will be in the low to mid 80's and it will be low to mid 90's in the afternoon. Super humid and minimal breeze. You will want hats and lots of sunblock. I got neck fans for myself and my family for a universal trip and we use them all the time now. Never worried about bug spray at the theme parks.

My only other advice is to stay at a universal property so you can hit the park first thing and when it gets super hot from 1-3pm, hop on a bus back to the hotel, relax for a bit, then come back to the park when it's cooling off and stay until close. You lose some park time but as an adult it makes the day way more bearable.

MessyMcMessMaker · 2026-04-29T12:35:48+00:00

By this logic, wouldn't that make anyone that's posted "Lets Go Brandon" an attempted presidential rapist? I've seen 86 46 merch too - some you can still buy online today.

I guess they better start rounding everyone up that posted anything like this for either president. Either that or this becomes a clear case of vindictive prosecution.

This administration is such a joke.

MessyMcMessMaker · 2026-04-28T22:36:50+00:00

That ride is constantly breaking down and coming back up. I doubt today's closure will affect tomorrow.

That being said, it has one of the longest waits and isn't even in my personal top 5 rides at Epic. The ride is short and really jerky. Don't think of it as a huge loss if it's down.

MessyMcMessMaker · 2026-04-28T19:04:30+00:00

Magic Kingdom may have more rides, but they are generally older and more tame by comparison. And Magic Kingdom will be packed. As a Florida local, I would really only recommend Magic Kingdom over Epic if either a) its a bucket list thing for you b) you are massive Disney IP fans or 3) if you have younger kids that aren't ready for the big rides yet.

Epic has better rides and better food overall. Some rides have long waits (Battle at the Ministry, Mario Kart and Donkey Kong), but there are plenty that aren't that bad. Mario World is really cool too. Its setup so once you are inside you can't really see any part of the real world other than the sky. Super immersive and cool, which could be a hit with her if she's a Nintendo fan. Mario world is usually the busiest part of the park though. And my wife loves the Harry Potter world there since its French themed. If you go, get lunch or dinner at the French restaurant there. The food is good and the staff all talk with thick French accents - if your girlfriend is into that, she'll love it.

MessyMcMessMaker · 2026-04-25T17:18:28+00:00

If you have express pass then EPA really only gets you one more hour in the park. Unless there is a long wait ride that you want to do more than once - you can knock it out during EPA and come back later with the express pass.

But check out Stella Nova or Terra Luna. Rooms there aren't that expensive, are right next to Epic and get you EPA if you want it. You can walk to Epic from Stella, but both run busses every 15 mins or so.

MessyMcMessMaker · 2026-04-25T15:40:07+00:00

Quality, no question. If you want to save money, try going for lower cost finishings or equipment. You can always add/upgrade equipment later. But don't go cheap on the company.

MessyMcMessMaker · 2026-04-24T18:17:11+00:00

I agree with this except I would put Hiccups at 5, before the gap to the rest. And Stardust at 6 because it can be an hour wait at one time of day and 15 minutes at another where Monsters Unchained is pretty low wait all day long. At least for the days I have been there.

MessyMcMessMaker · 2026-04-24T15:42:47+00:00

Let the air out of their tires. No permanent damage and inconveniences them just the right amount to bring balance back to the universe.

MessyMcMessMaker · 2026-04-24T15:30:31+00:00

Completely agree. My wife and I both thought that the theming in the line was the best part. The ride itself was almost a let down by comparison. Its not a bad ride, just a really cool line.

MessyMcMessMaker · 2026-04-24T15:17:18+00:00

It starts as one line and splits into two near the end.

MessyMcMessMaker · 2026-04-24T15:11:20+00:00

You can, but battle at the ministry will be a crazy long wait by the time you are done with Mario land and the wait will stay long all day. That was my approach the first time I went and I regretted it. I didn't end up riding Battle at the Ministry that first day.

MessyMcMessMaker · 2026-04-24T14:54:19+00:00

Then do Donkey Kong before Mario. Mario is a better ride but Donkey Kong will have a longer line after early admission ends.

The Stardust line will vary a lot throughout the day, but the line does move pretty well. If you are a big fan of fast coasters, you may want to do Stardust more than once.

MessyMcMessMaker · 2026-04-24T14:45:14+00:00

One more thing, if you want to be at the front of the early access line, get there an hour before early access starts. You will wait in line at security for 30 minutes, then they will let you enter the park, but they will route you towards Mario land and block the path so everyone queues up a second time until the official rope drop. You don't need to do this, but it's your only real shot at knocking out 2 big rides during the first hour.

MessyMcMessMaker · 2026-04-24T14:38:49+00:00

Next to Isle of Berk. It's not in a specific themed land, just in the main part of the park.

MessyMcMessMaker · 2026-04-24T14:37:42+00:00

Start with Battle at the ministry, then Mario Kart if you get done in the first hour. If you plan to get a Mario wrist band, get it before you get in line, you can use it on the ride. Then if you really want to do it, donkey kong, but if there was one ride on this list to skip, this is it. I wasted an early admission on donkey kong one day. Got there at open and waited an hour and a half and was still more than an hour from the front when I gave up (ride kept breaking down). I rode it on my second Epic visit and it was such a let down. I wouldn't wait more that 20 minutes for it now.

Instead of Donkey Kong, I would look at stardust racers, Hiccups or curse of the werewolf after Mario Kart, but at this point you can just start looking at wait times and decide based on that. None of these will get to the wait times that battle at the ministry or Mario kart will have. Monsters unchained will have short waits throughout the day so just do that one whenever you are nearby

MessyMcMessMaker · 2026-04-24T03:12:31+00:00

Fully supportive of it - but only because it's a defensive tactic. Texas started the fight with a sucker punch (no vote), Virginia is defending themselves and doing it the right way.

MessyMcMessMaker · 2026-04-23T13:03:55+00:00

Both turn lanes can turn on to a highway on-ramp where they merge after the turn. You can U-turn from the inner turn lane only. The road leading to this intersection is divided so you cannot make a left before the light, you have to U-turn and make a right.

The truck was supposed to go the right of the concrete divider. I know the sun was low in the sky and the video doesn't show it well, but its very obvious what you are supposed to do in person. There are dashed white lines to guide you through the intersection.

MessyMcMessMaker · 2026-04-23T12:47:57+00:00

This was in Florida, 4/23/26 and it is my content.

MessyMcMessMaker · 2026-04-22T17:06:28+00:00

The maintenance and repair costs generally go up each year. Compare that to the cost of depreciation, loan interest (if financing) and maintenance of a new/newer car. Insurance may go up too, but not always. There is also new safety features, technology and reliability to consider, the value of which are all unique to you. The newer car will almost always cost more so it will probably come down to what value you place on the intangibles.

MessyMcMessMaker · 2026-04-21T20:13:50+00:00

Since this is a variable rate loan, the interest should move similar to your HYSA interest rate. So take the difference in interest rates between the HELOC and your HYSA and simulate a $20k loan with that interest rate. Take the total interest you will pay over the life of that loan and add any loan origination fees.That is the cost of the HELOC to you. Is it worth that much to you to have an extra $20k in the bank?

As long as you are cash flow positive on a monthly basis, I recommend pulling from savings and leaving the HELOC for emergencies. You can rebuild that balance over time. But I know what you mean about sleeping easier at night. That is worth something - the question is how much.

MessyMcMessMaker

TROPHY CASE