One of the hardest parts about life is that, often, people find themselves with not enough time or resources to fulfill their goals. Maybe you want to learn how to drive fast on a track or maybe you want to learn how to rebuild an engine, but between work, life, and family, there’s just no time. Maybe you want to restore that classic Ford Mustang in your garage, but the cost to do so is currently beyond your means. There are countless automotive dreams out there, and sometimes, life just gets in the way. What’s your biggest automotive goal that you’ve been putting off?
While I did center this around cars, I am opening it up to all forms of transportation. Do you dream of sailing around the world, or motorcycling to some far-flung destination? Do you wish you could drive a semi or pilot a Boeing 787? All transportation goals are welcome here!
I have done so much in such a short time thanks the wonderful folks who run the Autopian. Through this excellent publication, I’ve driven a 700 HP pickup truck, got to play with one of the first Acura NSXs in America, flown on a Goodyear blimp, taken my first international trip, and have stepped foot in so many cool RVs. That doesn’t even mention some of the other great fun I’ve had like driving a diesel-electric locomotive, importing cars, and hooning an electric box truck.
This truly is a dream career, and I have so much more to go. One of my dreams has been to experience as many car cultures around the world as possible. I want to know how car enthusiasts in Africa hang out, I want to take a Smart onto the Nürburgring, and I want to take a ride through Chinese car culture. I’d love to actually visit Japan, instead of just importing cars from the country. I want to drive a massive Torsus bus and get a CDL. I also want to see how big an aircraft a Smart Fortwo can tow.
I have so many things to do, but so little time to actually begin to achieve them, and sometimes not the funding, either. After all, I couldn’t just disappear from these pages for a month to go on adventures!
But I am making one important step towards my dreams. As a kid, I always wanted to fly. Then, from late 2020 through much of 2021, I achieved my dream by racking up hours behind the controls of a Cessna 172.
Eventually, life got in the way, from quitting Jalopnik and losing health coverage to my wife getting cancer. My flying dreams kept getting pushed further off. But things are better now, and one thing that EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2025 taught me is that there’s no better time than the present to chase your dreams. So, as of next weekend, I’ll be back in the cockpit of my favorite Cessna, ‘ol 82H. I’ll have to start nearly at the beginning again, but I’m ready and excited.
How about you? What goals have you been putting off for way longer than you probably should have?
Top image car source: https://www.vau-max.de/
Does achieving the minumum level of preventative maintenance on my vehicles count?
So far I need to do 3 oil changes, 2 timing belt changes (time, not mileage), all sorts of fluid changes, valve adjustments on the motorcycle, and on and on.
Practical goals:
Impractical goals:
I’ve been planning to do a high performance driving school for years. Really need to pull the trigger.
Do it! I’ve done it twice, wasn’t cheap, and I’m far from rich, so it really stretched my budget but 100% worth it.
Designing and building a new front end aero package for my Lotus.
I just want a damn Saab 900. I want that one soooooo bad. Just a coupe in running condition (preferably green). That’s all. An imperfect example that I can work on and take out on occasion would be lovely.
But I just can’t get out from under seemingly endless home repairs. Last weekend I had to replace a failing post on my front porch, only to find that the beam above is… well let’s say pretty shit. That’s one in about 3 dozen somewhat major projects that have been piling up. Hopefully one day I can move on from The Money Pit to a Saab (which would be the new money pit, I guess).
Owner of an ’88 900T ‘vert here. DO IT.
I’ve got a couple of somewhat significant safety issues to take down first. I still have some horrible wiring and asbestos issues. Also a gigantic hole in my foundation wall that’s currently covered with an epoxied wood door? A bathroom project I’ve never quite finished where it appears I screwed up the shower pan install? My bedroom has commercial ceiling tiles where the grid appears to be held up by approximately nothing?
If the right one comes around though I’m sure I could be swayed, lol.
Normally I don’t like black cars but there’s something about a three door black SAAB 900 turbo that is just perfect.
I would also take an electric blue 9-3 Viggen.
Oh… the 9-3 Viggen (especially in blue) is #1, but I’m especially terrified of what it would require to keep on the road. Ironically I think a 900 would be easier.
Our son has a 9-3 Aero convertible and we have two local SAAB whisperer mechanics. I will admit that it has needed more repairs lately. It’s nearly 20 years old.
We only have one Saab specialist locally, but he’s winding down his business and I don’t think he’s taking new customers.
My first car was a used 83 900S, and I still miss it. Go for it!
Moto trip across the country using all dirt and back roads.
But in the short term future I just want to find a reasonably priced dirt bike for a decent price that isn’t beat to hell.
This actually sounds like a blast. I have a CRF300L that I’ve been wanting to ride a bit longer trips on. Tiny bike but still roadworthy.
I’ve been putting off my goal of trading in my Durango R/T for a new Ram 1500 (3.0 standard output I6) for the following reasons:
2026 also gets that 10/100k miles warranty (which might be the only reason I’d consider a Ram over the competition).
If I can save enough, I can opt for a MaxCare extended warranty and still be money-ahead. But we’ll see… Otherwise maybe I will cash in on a gently used 2025 with the CPO 100k powertrain warranty as people trade them off for 5.7L trucks.
I really want to drive across the country at least once, taking time to sightsee. As part of that, I’d like to do some overlander stuff along the way in my 4Runner, spending as much time as possible on dirt.
Also part of that, I’d like to complete a few of the BDR’s (Backcountry Discovery Route) out west.
When I was a kid, I really wanted to restore a vehicle. Decades later, I realize that’s a pipe dream, I lack the funds, skill, and maybe most importantly, the workspace to work on that type of project.
I was able to accomplish one goal a few years ago, I rented a Rubicon while on a MTB trip in Moab and ran some trails.
Some encouragement: You cannot gain the skills to wrench unless you dive in and do it. Make sure that you surround yourself with some good folks who can bail you out of the pickles that you will likely end up in. You can’t learn unless you do!
Thanks! I can wrench okay, but welding and fab work are something I’d like to learn.
The major obstacle to that is that I don’t even have a driveway to work in, never mind a garage. It’s hard to justify spending money on a project vehicle while I’m renting. Of course, it’s likely that I’ll never be able to own a house (with or without a garage), so maybe I need to make some friends that are into that stuff.
I really need to do a big, giant, no good service on my mint 1994 M Edition Miata.
Cooling system on these cars is deeply flawed, as the coolant goes in the front of the motor and exits the front of the motor. Being near sunny Phoenix, Arizona, the car has gotten hot twice and cyl 3 and 4 has not so amazing compression.
I need to collect the parts and do the labor to:
-Remove Engine and transmission
-Pull head and have it resurfaced with new valve seals (and pray that the rings/cylinder bores are good)
-Install new Clutch/resurfaced flywheel and all rear engine and front transmission seals
-Install new head gasket, front engine gaskets, timing belt and water pump
-Install coolant re-route to avoid future issues
-Maybe re-upholster the passenger seat and add some heat insulation to the bottom while I wait for the machine work to be done
I plan to do the work in spring of 2026 and am hoping the car holds up until then for the fun driving season (winter here).
Oh, and I’d love to drive the PanAmerican Trail someday in a Toyota Land Cruiser.
I’ve got a handful of items on the list that seem in reach, but I keep pushing out for reasons:
Getting my 18yo comfortable driving and get him his driver license (he seems to have a lot of anxiety about it). Teaching my 21yo to drive stick, since he want to learn.
I work at a large midwest university and the amount of freshman who don’t drive or won’t due to anxiety about it and my son (16) and his friends are the same.
Yeah, he heads to college in less than a month. At least he’s only 15 minutes away and will be living on campus. Every time we try to take him out, he “jokes” about crashing the car. His older brothers work hard to tell him that it’s fun and he needs to learn it. He’s had his learner’s permit for 2 years and has about 15 hours of driving under his belt, and most of that is just interstate driving out in rural areas. The other 2 kids were hard, but nothing like this.
Haven’t been putting off, just can’t seem to accomplish:
I own the 1990 Toyota Celica GTS #20 race car from the Toyota Pro / Celebrity race back in 1990 driven by Dwight Yoakam. I have been trying to contact him or anyone with him to get an autograph. Nothing has worked.
Have you checked with Supply to see if they can get you a new helmet comm?
In order of importance:
Complete Engine swap into X5- i blew the turbos, starved the oil, and spun a bearing. bought a donor X5 with lower miles, pulled both engines, and i’ve stalled since life has gotten in the way. thankfully a rental car is within budget for the time being
diagnose and repair e30- after the engine blew on the x5, i installed a new top and cooling system on my convertible e30 to promote it to daily duty. drove it fine for two weeks, went to iceland for a week, came back to an e30 that misfired, smoked, ran like our economy, and just flat out did NOT want to be a daily driver. preliminary steps (block test, compression test) inconclusive so shipping it off to a local shop for diag while i finish the X5, and then start repairs in accord with whats recommended
finish stripping donor X5 for usable/saleable parts and send to scrap
oil change and general health check on my wifes GL350. Achille’s heels of timing chains and oil coolers have been sorted in the last six months. all maintenance up do date but i think its nearing it’s oil change interval and diffs/tcase need fluids swapped as well as a detail
Driveway will need a power washing with pool shock to get all the stains from the engine swap and all the other client work that has been relegated to the driveway while the X5 is in the garage
Once the garage is cleared of the engine swap, a deep clean- like toolboxes and cabinets moved to the driveway, wash the walls, replace all the ceiling lights, power wash all the exposed foundation brick in the garage, power wash the epoxy floor. debating on re-doing the floors and installing a mini-split, along with a complete overhaul of tool and *stuff* storage in the garage, turning the attic into usable/easily accessible storage space to free up a bunch of floor space in the garage currently used by gladiator cabinets
long term (within 3 months) i’d like to start digging and putting retaining blocks to create a parking pad next to my driveway that’s level, compensating for the 10-12 degree grade, and start digging for a driveway addition. the driveway is less a priority than the parking pad
longer term (within 6 months) i’d like to put a 4 post lift in, and change the tracked garage door for a roll up door, and switch up to two cars that can double stack inside of a 10′ garage for storage next to the x5. would like an i8 to complement the e30 and x5
longest term(within 12 months) complete driveway addition, raise roof on garage so attic is now fully usable workshop/office/storage space accessible from both inside the house and from the garage
Actually putting this into writing has done wonders for my motivation
At one time, I wanted to get my pilots license by age 40, but 40 hit faster than expected, I procrastinated too much and found other things to spend the money on. I guess its still something I’d like to do, but no longer hugely motivated
I guess a current goal would be to consolidate down my fleet, dump two cars and my RV and replace them with one decent daily. Stretch goal would be to add a really nice classic at some point, like a Forward Look hardtop or a Gran Turismo Hawk, or maybe a prewar Packard or something. Basically stop pissing money on smaller things, save it, and put it toward something truly impressive
Nothing like flying an airplane. I’ve had the opportunity to control and aircraft 3 times and I am hooked. I’d love a pilots license someday, even if it means I only use it for 300 dollar currency cheesburgers.
I have a whole list of those!
Get the 240sx running after its been sitting for 15+ years.
Widebody build on my 92x, plus airbags and a bunch of TLC.
Get the go cart running.
Finish the custom 4 door datsun truck build.
Get the Travelall chassis sold.
Sell like 3 vehicles.
And more!
Yep, restoring my 1968 Mustang 302 4-speed. It’s been with me for 3 moves, meeting and dating my now wife, getting married, and having a child. There have been many other projects (including project cars) that have come and gone. It’s always been “someday after I complete [next big life milestone].” Now it’s “after I pay off the house.” Ugh it never ends. Cosmetically it’s a pile, but it runs and drives reliability, and maybe that’s the issue.
Getting to another HPDE day at the track. I want to become a better driver but in all honesty I just didn’t have a great time the last time I was there. Being on a track at the same time as people of wildly varied skill levels driving at wildly varied speeds while an instructor is shouting feedback at me just kind of makes me anxious, your consumables get absolutely destroyed (I needed new brake fluid and an alignment after my last full day), and to be quite honest the people that run the local track aren’t particularly nice.
If you’re one of the rich guys bringing his 718 GT4 RS they’re very welcoming and accommodating but they don’t really care that much about the little guys in normal cars that just want to learn and they are very, very judgmental of people that make mistakes. You really get berated for it even if it’s something incredibly minor (I got screamed at because my rear wheel touched grass last time).
I mean I still had some fun and got to drive really fast but once all the costs are factored in (a ticket, gas getting there and back, gas on the track, lunch, insurance, whatever needs to be done to my car, etc). I’m burning through $500 or more for the privilege of not having that great of a time. Maybe at the end of the day I’m just a n00b who should stick to more casual shit like track attack days or test and tune nights but I’m having a hard time convincing myself to get back on the horse.
This is why I’m investing in sim racing now. Sure, it’s not the real thing but it’s infinitely cheaper and for the most part can be fit in with a couple hours of free time. iRacing now has AI racing series that help to get more seat time to gain skills before going head to head with others, and has the all important pause button because it’s even hard to get the 1-2 hours without some distraction from family life. Maybe someday when the kids are older I can get a car dedicated for tracks but for now, I’ll have to live that life virtually.
My instructor told me I should get a sim set up and that most of the super serious drivers use them often to hone their skills. Unfortunately I don’t really have the time for that and already have one very expensive hobby (playing guitar) so adding another seems less than ideal…especially since I have a guitar I custom ordered for my 35th birthday that’s in the finishing stages right now.
Don’t ask me what I’m spending on it….suffice to say the wife has put a moratorium on guitar purchases for the rest of the year so I can imagine dropping 4 figures to put a sim together would be well received lol.
Wouldn’t it be nice to have just one expensive hobby? Ah I can dream.
Getting my first car 1971 triumph spitfire back on the road. I have been building skills/ getting distracted by other projects for about 15 years now and have finally started (last week) on repairing the Swiss cheese floors, rotten rockers and dodgy electronics. DHL just dropped off a big box of sheet metal yesterday from across the pond.
Great car!
Thanks! It’s a POS but it’s my POS and getting slowly getting better.
I love Spitfires. You are saving one. That is noble. Thank you and enjoy!
Put my TE37s on my E63S Wagon. Everytime I’m ready to do it something comes up and I just don’t. I really need to though.
Goals that will not happen because of time, money and space:
Go rent a car and drive the Nürburgring, Buy and enjoy a SAAB sonnet or Volvo P1800ES. Run the Rubicon with my Jeep. None of these will happen.
I think the Rubicon trip would be doable. I’m sure a local club would let you tag along, and worst case scenario, you ship your Jeep out there if you don’t have the time or tow rig to make the trip.
I’d like to run the Rubi one day on my mountainbike, haha.
I am running limited slips and 33 in tires so it may not happen.
That was a hot setup back in the day!
Back in the day of twin shocks and chrome tube bumpers. 🙂
Back when I lived in Colorado, I used to see lots of Sonnetts in semi-retail places. Maybe you’ll be able to find one!
I can find them. I cannot justify the price, space, and repairs and that is why I an putting it off.
Buying a two seater coupe or convertible weekend car.
Part of it is my height – at 6’5” my options are limited. It gets discouraging finding a car in good condition at a good price, and then finally taking it for a test drive, and then realizing you need to do the entire test drive slouched awkwardly or with head tilted to one side.
So, I’ve kinda put the whole thing off, and end up going to my local CarMax every few months to just sit in a few cars I’m remotely interested in.
Trying to get my car to 300,000 miles, as the digital odometer (2003 Toyota) stops at 299,999 miles and I want to see that.
Hard to do when WFH and use a different car (hybrid) for trips. Been 8 years since 200K, and I only have about 240K.
Been over 15 years since the heater core sprung a leak. There are only a few days per year when I really need heat (mostly for defrosting), and it is a 144-step * 2 process for me, and $2000+ to have someone else do it.
Car also needs repainting or a wrap.
Short-term: needs new tires.
In the past year I developed chronic pain in my left knee. I’m still mobile and can walk but the process of using the clutch causes a twinge of pain. It’s to the point where I avoid driving manual and defer to my other (auto) vehicles. I’m sad about it and I’d like to get it fixed at some point.
Organizing my garage.
I really want to make it into a space where I can wrench in relative ease with all the needed tools within reach but it is still mostly a giant pile of crap we have no where else to store. The progress has been slow and I have no desire to go out there and work on it while it is disgustingly hot. Maybe by the end of the year.
Same. Every couple of months I make progress and clean out a portion of the garage and when I look a few weeks later it has been filled with a new pile of crap.
I only have short term projects right now: I need to wash my cars, and then fix all the paint chips on my van…but I need to fix the pipe that burst in the wall last winter to be able to use that hose…but also I have a teething baby. So I doubt I will get to it for a few months.
Fixing my moribund 2000s Audis!
(This comment posted in pure shame)
joining in solidarity. I have a
I also scour FB Marketplace daily for a B7 A4 Avant Manual and a B5 S4 Manual Sedan.
Love your username!