Those of you with little kids, hows your build going?

[Vanne]

Let me start of first by saying.. "Its a tradeoff and sadly, my zed looses a lot of the time!"

Ive got 2 little munchkins, 4 and 3 and another one on the way for end of May. So yep, its gonna be an even madder house here than it is right now. I am away for work quite a bit, and when i do get home (walk in through the garage ALWAYS, just to get a look at the car) and then play with the kids if they are not at kindy or pre school or whatever you guys call it where you live.

The thing is, I wish i had more time, always love working on the car when i can, but i gotta admit, i love playing with the kids more..

I have a maids room (yeah no maid full of parts that need to go on the car and to me thats the easiest bit, ordering and obtaining the bits and pieces.. Ive got a CSL intake thats been in there now for close to a year, front/rear rotors and pads (thanks JD) that have been in there for longer than i can imagine.

Bits and pieces everywhere, currently my whole rear boot lining is in that room all over the floor.. waiting to be put back in place after the APR wing install (Ron, you are a bloody Legend mate )

Man, its all just taking such a long time for bits and pieces to come together.. I have been waiting now for over 3 months for new Struts for the bonnet.. (which i need before i can install the CSL intake) its just crazy to think how much time goes into doing a build.

I was reading the UK top gear mag the other day in the plane and the Yellow Reno gtr powered race car thingy interested me a lot.. 200k euros for a pocket rocket ready to race.. Wow, i was thinking.. thats cheap!! and its all ready and done for you… (id need to learn to drive first of course, buts thats only a slight hiccup in the grand scheme of things

But then it hit me.. I do actually enjoy the building part of the car very much aswell, maybe on par with driving it… well maybe a little less… haha

Anyways, where was i going with this? oh yeah time… time..

Its also made me realise that all of you doing builds, its a long road, sometimes frustrating, sometimes very rewarding, but all take a lot of time and effort.. and id like to take this opportunity to thank you guys for detailing and inspiring me with your cars and progress..

Lucky for us these are pretty much timeless (dare i say classic) cars, and as such, Even if i don't complete the rotors till next year, the car will still be there, and by then maybe, my little kid can help and start learning about cars too

SO for all those guys out there with little kids and doing stuff to your car, Hat off to you, thats most probably going to be harder than any other race your going to be running.

Cheers and thanks for listening...

[itdnwiwbp]

I know exactly how you feel. I used to work a shift schedule out of state, 2 weeks on/2 weeks off. After my daughter was born in April I decided I needed to be closer to home and a few months ago took a job in CA. I bought a Honda to commute and work a pretty typical schedule now. If I'm lucky I get the coupe out and drive it 100 miles or so every couple of weeks but more likely once a month.

I miss the huge amounts of time I used to have to work on the cars but, as you said, the time spent with the family is better and far more important. I'm just getting used to taking care of projects around the house and on the cars a little bit at a time now instead of tackling them and having them done to enjoy.

You'll love the airbox. I got mine on a couple months ago and that 100 miles every few weeks is even better now! I'm enjoying my time now but I'd be lying if I said I wasn't looking forward to a time in the future when I have a lot of free time again. Hopefully the coupe is still with me at that point.

[Vanne]

Thanks for chiming in, I just heard they delivered my hood struts to my work, so the intake work can start once they are on. Yay. Haha, I hear what your saying about projects around the house, I put in a new door and frame about 8 months ago and still have to install the flanges on one side. Terrible

Lol. Yeah cant wait till this intake is on.. gonna be awesome...

[Beedub]

vanne im a lone parent to a 4 year old boy..... I've had him on my own since he was 3 months old, didn't have a clue what i was doing and still attempted to run my business , have a life and enjoy my hobbies..... it damn near killed me... My z4 was one of the things that gave me a strange comfort and focus during some pretty rough times..

so yeah i get you, its really tough to even drive the things let alone build something, takes real dedication, i can only wish i had someone doing the bits that the guys aren't so good at.

Keep rolling buddy!! number 3 sounds like my idea of hell lol...

[Twixboy]

Hmm, I taught my 4th grader how to swap a wheel last weekend when I was changing my wife's SUV over to winter wheels. I told her she has to show me she can change a flat before I let her drive. Hard to believe she will get her learner's permit in less than 6 years. Whatever little free time I have usually goes toward routine maintenance on my truck and SUV. I still have a subwoofer and backup camera I bought for the truck 3 years ago that I still haven't installed.

I've barely touched the Z4 since I bought it a year ago. If I want something done to it, I drop her off at my indy mechanic, go to work in his E46 loaner, then pick up my Z4 after work.

[WickedNy]

My kid has four legs and is content with a chew toy, bone, or left over steak...all the time in the world...on the weekends...in the summer...when it's not raining

[Bossdog]

I Don't have small Kids (anymore). Don't give that car a second Thought! You're spending your time in the best possible Place! It won't be long and they will be teenagers and you won't hardly see them. From that point forward, you'll have plenty of time for wrenching. It seems far away when they are 3 & 4, but, it will go so fast, you won't believe it! The problem here in the USA is, next, your putting them through College and sucking up ALL the extra Cash (and the cash that isn't extra also).

I started light wrenching with my son and daughter when they started to drive (15 - 16). It built self confidence in both of them and my son eventually enjoyed it and now does much of his own maintenance. My Daughter is the only young lady I have met that can drive a stick and change her own oil! She was Plenty mad when I told her she too would be required to take their driving test in a manual transmission car, but now she is proud of it.

I know its hard to be patient! You're on the right track! Good Luck.

[3GFX]

What a heart warming thread (even the single dog owner up there).

I've got two munchkins as well 6 and 9 and a Porsche (my puppy). I drag the girls and wifey to different car meets and races over the summer. We've driven 8 hours for a car meet before. But we always tie in a family trip along the way. Hotels, pools, museums yada yada. Some of our best memories have come from some sort of car piece.

The girls help once in a while, and in all honesty it's the best feeling. Even the wifey has helped sometimes she offers and that alone is enough to warm the heart.

The Z4 is the new project this year and I can sympathize with the time element. I have headers sitting in my garage now, and between switching jobs and other things my parts wish list grows longer as I wait to accumulate funds to actually make the purchases. It's easier now (not really) to see it with a car cover in the garage because of the snow outside.

It's a lifestyle hobby. Family on board will make it easy no matter what.

[WickedNy]

One thing I can proudly say is that from 4 years old my father, being an automotive fanatic and neat freak (washes his 5 series n 4 series 3x a week without regard for temperature), was always patient with me in teaching me how to properly wash, wax, and do as much as I can without relying on and paying someone else to do what I'm more then capable of doing myself as well as going to car shows yearly. Because of him and future fathers like him, there will always be that small percentage of future us's where our cars not just pieces of metal that go from here to there, but something to be respected and appreciated

[3002 tii]

I finished my build a month before my first kid was born. Now it's just a matter of finding time to drift the Z lol.

[yousefnjr]

24 hours in a day, need 10 more

Just treat your Z like another one of your kids, that way it'll never get neglected lol. College fund for real kid = SC fund for Z

Having to split time between your family and toys is a good problem to have, a lot of people don't have either

[Twixboy]

Originally Posted by yousefnjr

24 hours in a day, need 10 more

Just treat your Z like another one of your kids, that way it'll never get neglected lol. College fund for real kid = SC fund for Z

Having to split time between your family and toys is a good problem to have, a lot of people don't have either

You must be dreaming. I'm saving $2,000/mo over the course of 13 years (age 5 thru 18) for my 2 kid's college funds and I still wouldn't be surprised if I fell short of funding 4 years of college tuition. If it was for a SC I'd hit my goal in 3 months!

[Twixboy]

Originally Posted by 3GFX

What a heart warming thread (even the single dog owner up there).

I've got two munchkins as well 6 and 9 and a Porsche (my puppy). I drag the girls and wifey to different car meets and races over the summer. We've driven 8 hours for a car meet before. But we always tie in a family trip along the way. Hotels, pools, museums yada yada. Some of our best memories have come from some sort of car piece.

The girls help once in a while, and in all honesty it's the best feeling. Even the wifey has helped sometimes she offers and that alone is enough to warm the heart.

The Z4 is the new project this year and I can sympathize with the time element. I have headers sitting in my garage now, and between switching jobs and other things my parts wish list grows longer as I wait to accumulate funds to actually make the purchases. It's easier now (not really) to see it with a car cover in the garage because of the snow outside.

It's a lifestyle hobby. Family on board will make it easy no matter what.

My 2 girls are the same age, but I don't have a Porsche unfortunately. Sounds like you're living the life!

[3GFX]

Originally Posted by Twixboy

My 2 girls are the same age, but I don't have a Porsche unfortunately. Sounds like you're living the life!

Lmao, I was literal when I meant my puppy

[itdnwiwbp]

Originally Posted by yousefnjr

Having to split time between your family and toys is a good problem to have, a lot of people don't have either

Well said.

[TexasZed4MC]

I know for myself, there are conflicts. 2 of my kids are grow and married, and the last a junior in college. I just became a grandfather in September. I have plenty to do though, a full time job, a college and high school baseball umpire, a private body guard, a BMWCCA driving instructor, and the event chair for the Texas Trifecta and HPDE Chair for the Lone Star Chapter BMWCCA. AND Still married to the same woman for the past 13 years!
I have found that a few minutes here and there with the extra stuff takes care of them and more time spent with the wife and granddaughter makes my life complete.
Enjoy your young kids guys, they grow up so fast and tell them just how much you love them everyday.