take your wife down to the dealer and have her drive a
vette.
as far as a Harley as an investment. I had a 1990 fxrs for
three years, paid 10K, sold it for 9K, they sold it for 10K
and they sold it for 12K.
keep in mind that it was 15 years back. the resell is not
quiet the same these days.

g'luck

=============
Well I retired in 1998....and the way I got my C5 was to  take the
wife on the 1999 National Corvette Caravan in my 72 ... BEAT THE
LIVING HELL out of both of our "old" bodies...  Wife gave me strict
orders that UNLESS I purchased a newer Corvette she would NEVER do
that kind of trip again... BTW it helped that I limited her to 2 pair
of shoes for the trip (one pair on her feet and a second pair jamed in
the car anyplace she could find BUT the top had to DOWN...

She also had a Hot Tub installed in the bacikyard within a week after
we returned home since she discovered just how "healtfull" hot tubs
are for relaxing a stiff and sore back after driving hunderends of
miles in a old Corvette every day for a week... LOL

You can use the investment "angle" if you forgo a NEW Vette and buy
another Midyear ... No you will not get a big ROI but if you can
handle a 3-5 % return per year the midyear should give you that less
insurance etc.. better then taking depreiation losses every year with
a newer Corvette.

We (the wife and I") are not rich either but I never figured Social
Security into our income when I did my retirement planning and
calculations and now that she gets her check on the 2nd Wednesday of
each month and I get mine on the 3rd Wednesday of the month  LIFE IS
GOOD....  She wants yet another sewing machine and I need (not want) a
larger Telescope ...SS will fund both...LOL

You are NEVER too OLD to have a Happy Childhood... !!!!!!

Bob G.
64 72 & 98 Convertibles
76 & 79 Coupes

I'm not retired and I drive my 93 all the time.  As for the wife, I started
out it would be a great date night car.  We use it for a lot more now that
the kids are all gone, but we still have date night and it gives us time to
ourselves.  With a Corvette, you can't take the kids or a group of others.
It's the best investment in our marriage that we ever made.  It used to be
that every so often, I'd show up at the door  with a rose and ring the bell
like a real date.  She always thought that was a romantic thing to do.  I
believe it kept our marriage young.

Why do you need any reasons?   Tell your wife to look around and take
stock of  all you've done for her and the family.  You worked hard to
support the family, providing them with a good home, food to eat, and
a place they could always feel safe.   Along the way you made a lot of
sacrifices for them.    Now you'd like a " toy".  

Not to sound critical but frankly I've never understood women like
your wife.   If the husband is a good provider, a good husband, and
good father, not abusive, doesn't run around on you, etc.etc.  LET THE
GUY HAVE A DAMN CAR!!    You spent your life trying to please her I'll
bet, now it's her turn.  

Good luck.   :)

What a Vette cost you back in 65 is nowhere what it costs today in terms of
constant $s.  I paid right at $6,100 in 1971 for a 454 roadster 4 speed with
ac etc.  In terms of tdoay's dollars that is around $32k.  I am glad I was
able to have my fun when I was a good bit younger -- a single Captain in the
USAF.

get the vette, lol - specially if it's red, and you're an older guy...all
the other drivers will think mid-life crisis

Some day you're going to be lying on your deathbed.

Will you be lying there regretting not doing the things you really
wanted to do, because you couldn't quite find a good enough reason to
"justify" it?

GET THAT VETTE!!!

Welcome to the world of the senior's menu.  Also dinner at the local
"early-bird-special."

Hate to generalize about women but they frequently view an auto as
something in which to be seen.

That dark sedan doesn't stand out in valet parking at 7 p.m. but a
'vette will show her off as a femme of fine taste (in both cars and men)
at 5:30 in the afternoon.  Promise her a regular ride to the
early-birds.  It's yours on weekend mornings.

Oh yeah, show an understanding for brand names like Bernina, Pfaff,
Necchi and Elna.  (and preferably before the dollar sinks any further
against the Euro)  No, you never heard of your mother's White or Singer!

--
pj

Any new Corvette or Harley is not an investment.  One a couple of years old
can a be a fair hedge on inflation, or just a sound way to buy, as the
selling price will be close to the buying price.

The investment comes with the older ones, and you need to know what you are
doing, like everything else in life.  If it was so easy anyone could do it,
they would.

So if you want one, buy it. There isn't any justification other than you
want it.  Mileage is good, but they are not an economy car.  The Z06 is
worse than the regular Corvette.  So if you try the gas mileage angle, most
small cars will blow it away.

Buy it, have fun, include the wife, and it will go ok.  You may have to
forego the 6 speed if you want her to drive it, and you probably do if you
want her to buy into the whole thing.

I'm a bit younger, 51, and won't be retiring any time soon but I just
decided a couple years back that I was going to buy my Vette.

I had loved the cars since childhood when the single guy who lived across
the street got his new one in '68. It was the first year of the new model
and I just thought it was the greatest thing I had ever seen. Looking back
now the maroon '66 C3 he traded in on it was the better car but at the time
the new "Shark" body style just knocked me over.

I told myself then that someday I'd have a Vette... but I was married at 20
and didn't make any real money until several years later. By then between
some health issues for my wife, a house, adoption costs and finally my
daughter (all much more important than a car for sure) I kind of forgot
about ever becoming a Vette owner. Then a couple of years ago, for whatever
reason I realized I was in a position to finally go for it as long as I kept
it within a very modest budget.

I didn't clear it with my wife, I just started looking. I watched the local
classifieds, checked E-Bay for Vettes within 100 miles or so and stopped
whenever I saw one for sale in someone's driveway. I don't think she really
thought I was serious until I told her I found what I was looking for and
was going to make an offer.

When I brought it home she had no real interest and wasn't particularly
happy but she also wasn't upset. It's a red '85 with a ton of miles but runs
great and with a little tlc now looks pretty good too. Funny but now when
it's just the 2 of us going somewhere she asks if we'll be taking the Vette.
She even likes to use it herself when she can.

My car will never win any awards at a show and it sure isn't the fastest
around but I enjoy the hell out of it and so does she. It's the most fun
either of us has had in a car since the back seat of my '68 Charger when we
were teenagers! Anyway, my advice is let her know you would really like a
Vette, start looking around for what you want, then just make the leap and
take her for a ride. She'll warm up to the idea quickly.

Brad

The corvette is totally impractical and there is no justification for
it.
You need to forget this insanity and ride the bus.
Yes, the bus is the only justifiable and sensible thing to do. Ride
the bus. Buy a monthly pass to get a discount.
Life is not about passion and fun and excitement. It's about hauling
your old a.s from point A to point B in a safe, dull, and justifiable
manner.
Get on the bus, Gus.
That's the plan, Stan.

Don't take this the wrong way, but grow some balls and tell the old
ball and chain that if you drive the crappy car you drive now, you are
only gonna be able to pick up ugly girls with diseases.  If you get a
vette, you'll get a better class of broads and you won't be bringing
any clap home to her.  Butch up, pal.

;)

--
lab~rat  >:-)
Stupid humans...

Many thanks to all who have responded.

Several have pointed out that if she buys into the car by getting some
benefit out of it, things will go easier.  I think that's right, but I need
to look for a combination that works for her.  She isn't the "hair blowing
in the wind - high society" type of woman.  But if she enjoys being in the
car... well, it's gotta help.  The challenge is to understand the
pleasurable side of it from her perspective before I buy the car.  If I just
buy the car, she will feel like I have jammed her, yet again, and I'll never
get a chance to show her it is fun.  That happened with the Harley.  She
never got on it with me.

I really want to avoid buying the car in spite of her objection.  Done
things like that before, and it's a great way to win battles and lose wars.
Those of you married for a long time know what I'm talking about.  Sometimes
the shortest distsnce between two points is not a straight line.

However, this forum is about vettes, so I shall cease and desist with all
non-vette discussion.

thanks

'I need some good reasons why this would be a good idea. I can't really
use the "investment" argument. I just sold a Harley I owned for 7 years,
and I used the "investment" angle with it. While the bike held its value
pretty well, she knows these things are not really decent investments
from a financial perspective. '

REPLY:  Id show her a nice picture of a 1970's Corvette and say :"
Honey...I just want you to know something ;  I think your curves are
even better than the curves and lines of this gorgeous  Corvette !"   .
After she is finished blushing and thanking you profusely,  say :" I
think YOU sitting in this Corvette would simply put icing on the cake
and Id like to find one with an automatic transmission in your favorite
color .  Is your favorite color still _______"?  (fill in the blank)

Then you tell her later on in the week, youre going to devout 'a little
bit of time' to finding the right one that matches her .  

Thats it..its just that simple.  Let us know what she says .

Dave
1970 Coupe, Big ol'Block with all the trimmings.

its a toy..
u dont have to justify toys

http://community.webtv.net/jcorvette/MYMOSAICS

http://community.webtv.net/jcorvette/JEROMESMOSAICS