It wasn’t long ago that I owned 9 million cars, had the city inspector on my back telling me I had to get my cars running and registered or else, had a neighbor literally calling me “an animal,” and had almost no clothes that weren’t covered in motor oil. It was a great time in my life, filled with adventure and learning; of course, at the same time, I hadn’t been on a date in about 9 million years, and I’d often wake up in a sweat in the middle of night frantically reaching for a pen and paper so I could write down all the cars I owned and everything that needed to be fixed. It was unsustainable, and now, after miraculously getting engaged, I’m finally — after almost a decade — bringing the fleet down to a sustainable number of cars. Here’s what made the cut.
I’ve made a few tough choices over the past few days. For the longest time, I’ve been flip-flopping between selling my 2014 BMW i3 and my 2021 BMW i3S. The former is older, has 145,000 miles, and has a smaller battery offering 75 miles of range. At the same time, the 2014 has a brand new battery and compressor, and also it’s just better built than the 2021. The 2021 costs three times as much (mid $30 grand all-in), and offers a similar driving experience, but the advantage is that it looks incredible; it’s got double the range thanks to a battery that many say doesn’t degrade pretty much at all over the first five years, 50,000 miles (which bodes well long-term); and it has a 12 year, 130,000 mile warranty on pretty much every major component. It’s basically a brand new car, and it really does feel special.
Should I sell my Jeeps and buy a basically-brand-new BMW i3 for 30 large?
— David Tracy (@davidntracy) April 21, 2024
Still obsessed with this car. pic.twitter.com/1rSYnhEtDr
— David Tracy (@davidntracy) October 12, 2024
So I’m selling off the gray i3. What else will I keep? Well, I need a wedding car in a few months, and I figure it might be nice to have something convertible out here in California. What’s more, given my limited garage space, the CJ-3B makes a bit more sense than my YJ, which won’t fit in tandem with my i3. So I’ve decided to whittle my car collection down to three. It will be the CJ-3B and i3 at home:
And then at work I’ll have the five-speed ZJ overlanding project/road trip car that I need to someday get to:
So that’s it. Three cars, plus my brother’s Mustang:
So this means the Gray i3, YJ, Jeep J10 (which won’t make it through SMOG here in CA, anyway), World War II Jeep and Nash will all hit the auction block:
The reality is that, at this stage in my life, I need to focus on having a fleet of easily-maintainable cars. The Gold i3 has a huge warranty, so that should be no issue. The CJ-3B is not far from being on the road, plus it’s bone-simple and parts are plentiful. Not to mention, I think it’ll make a cool wedding car. The five-speed ZJ Grand Cherokee will be my one real project; it’s going to take a lot of work, but I’ll be excited when it’s done. And the Mustang is kind of a family heirloom at this point, it’s simple, parts are plentiful, and it’s only gone up in value since I bought it. It needs some work here or there, but it’s not really a priority.
In my head, the Willys I’ll use to putt around town, and I’ll tow it to an off-road park (and Moab!) every now and again. The i3 will be my highway/work car/the real daily driver. And the ZJ will act as my adventure car and occasional tow vehicle. That should be an easily-maintainable collection, and enough fun/variety to keep me happy. Probably. I can’t stop looking at Ford Model T’s, so maybe one of those will show up at some point. But until then, three cars and my brother’s Mustang. That’s all I need.
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I really should probably stop looking for Tin Lizzies, since I have only a couple months to get the Willys in good enough condition that it’ll work as a wedding car. At this point, I’ve never even heard it run, but hey, at least the stakes aren’t high… gulp!
A few years ago, I got rid of everything. With work, kid, and just the pace of life, I didn’t need any more mouths to feed to say it one way. My truck and my wife’s SUV were all we have left.
One of the vehicles I sold was my beloved S-10, I still miss it. But I always told my self it was just to get a fresh start and I would grow my fleet again when I had time. Get some cooler stuff. Not sure if I was lying to myself there. . .probably.
I feel sad for the Nash,but otherwise I agree that this will be a lot more sustainable for you. Good job.
Like I’ve seen others post, three is perfect for us too. My fiancee’s Mazda3 is perfectly reliable and needs nothing other than basic maintenance. My Sportwagen has proven to be the same, though I make occasional mods to it. I can’t seem to own a daily driver without doing (tasteful) things to make it “my own.” And I’ve got a 1972 Super Beetle, so there’s always something to tinker on. I think I’d be overwhelmed with any more than those three, at least in this stage of my life. I bet it’ll feel like a weight off your chest when you are finally down to three cars!
I’m glad you’re doing this. It will make you happier.
Proud of you, boss. Yeah yeah, we’ve all heard and made the “David’s gone Hollywood!” comments, but we all change man. I’m sure not the same person when I met my now-wife, and for the better.
You had a lifestyle and experience that was 100% worth it. The memories, the stories, the adventures, that’s a beautiful thing to have and to have so well documented, too. But change is good, change is necessary and it can feel liberating to “move on” as it were.
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