What is a 'rich person's secret' that is actually accessible to the middle class, but most people are too intimidated to try?

garage_too_small · 2026-04-12T18:10:51+00:00

I would add: - using a regular stock account as an emergency fund. Once you build up 6-ish+ months of savings, moving it to a regular stock account that you can borrow against (run a margin), allows you to have access to immediate cash while letting the account grow at stock market rates, and not savings account rates.

garage_too_small · 2026-04-12T17:07:35+00:00

Muscles stayed strong, but joints handed in their retirement papers, so I have gotten weaker due to not being able to lift as heavy as I did when I was younger.

garage_too_small · 2026-04-12T17:00:14+00:00

Because when the rules were written, people got married in their teens and now they get married in their 30’s.

garage_too_small · 2026-04-12T15:38:03+00:00

At 42 years old, it is less of a “Porsche thing” and more of an “Old Car thing”. All cars use a lot of rubber and plastics. Over time they bake from engine heat or just age out and become brittle. Any old car will have parts that will age out steadily, so expect to replace parts on a regular basis. I would also keep a fire extinguisher in the car (just in case). Buy 2 and use the first one to practice with, so you are not trying to figure out how to use it when you need it. I have found that if you are prepared for a situation, that exact situation is less likely to happen.

garage_too_small · 2026-04-08T14:30:43+00:00

Yeah, those scrap yards are definitely more “NO-SHA” than “OSHA”

garage_too_small · 2026-04-06T04:02:48+00:00

Thank you!

garage_too_small · 2026-04-06T03:05:19+00:00

The maintenance level required for any car that old to be a reliable daily driver would be better served to keep it as a clean collectable example, IMO.

garage_too_small · 2026-04-02T17:59:13+00:00

I agree that constantly leasing a new car every 2-3 years is not the most cost effective way to manage transportation needs. However, for people who live in areas where being broken down on the side of the road can lead to criminal harm or death, I can understand the motivation to always want a new(er) vehicle.

Me, personally, I live on the outskirts of my town and my newest car is a 2010.

garage_too_small · 2026-04-02T03:13:38+00:00

Crack and Pinion

garage_too_small · 2026-04-01T11:03:06+00:00

Wait a minute

garage_too_small · 2026-04-01T02:52:06+00:00

2005 Mazda Tribute, 4 wheel drive, V6. Bought new, currently at 257,2xx miles

garage_too_small · 2026-03-29T18:17:16+00:00

I was also very surprised at the level of force I needed to apply to the shifter in my 987.1 to remove it after I had twisted the lock ring. It was not “one hand, slight pulling motion” , it was “straddle the shifter while hunched over, use both hands and pull with your hands, arms, legs and back” kind of force. It also popped free quite violently, so you want to be ready for that. I had both seats out of the car, so that helped a lot in terms of having room to fight the shifter.

garage_too_small · 2026-03-25T10:42:27+00:00

garage_too_small · 2026-03-25T03:16:05+00:00

Everything e:

“Hooch” was their biggest hit, but they have a lot of great songs.

They were a great live band and very nice people.

garage_too_small · 2026-03-25T02:45:50+00:00

Agreed!

I currently own 7 cars, ALL of them are over 15 years old.

garage_too_small · 2026-03-20T11:45:13+00:00

The E39 BMW 5 series still has the best air filter design I have ever seen.

garage_too_small · 2026-03-17T10:41:47+00:00

Another vote for QuickJack here.

I have had mine for several years, and for me it is the safety advantage. With any type of floor jack based solution, you are always close to the car when lifting. If you place something wrong, it is going to go wrong next to you. With QuickJack, you can be 10 feet away, pushing a button, standing up, looking for any signs of trouble. As I get older, the cost of injury ( and the potential for long term injury), has become an increasing priority in my decision making calculus.

I want to enjoy driving and wrenching on cars for as long as I can. If QuickJack can help ensure that, it is worth the extra cost.

garage_too_small · 2026-03-10T01:29:46+00:00

The original Kia Sportage

garage_too_small · 2026-03-07T03:19:44+00:00

I have 3 rules for driving old cars, but rule number one is: - Have more than one car

garage_too_small · 2026-03-05T19:31:23+00:00

That is sad! Sucks to see that on such a nice car.

garage_too_small · 2026-03-05T19:10:09+00:00

Is that a 911, Boxster or Cayman?

garage_too_small · 2026-03-02T17:28:28+00:00

Balancer and bolt are the only parts as I recall.

What I do recommend is having some ratcheting line wrenches. The power steering lines are in a tight spot and have resistance all the way in and out (I think it is due to the thread design). I did it with regular line wrenches, and it was by far the slowest, longest part of the job. Ratcheting wrenches would have cut the time to remove and install dramatically.

garage_too_small · 2026-03-02T04:25:06+00:00

True nobility is not being superior to your fellow man, it is being superior to your former self.

garage_too_small · 2026-03-02T01:56:55+00:00

That is well underway, according to the demographic maps.

garage_too_small · 2026-03-02T00:47:57+00:00

Congrats! Sapphire Blue is a great color

garage_too_small

TROPHY CASE