Which do you put more time and effort into, boats or cars? Why?

Boat ... definitely boat!!
The wife's Yukon (old pic) gets its normal cleaning and my truck already has all its "extras" on it. (6inch lift, off-road lights, nice rims, off-road tires). Sides the truck is made for the hunting camp and hauling - not for showing off on the beach and on this forum!!

Cars, because we have been gear heads from the beginning. For us to reach our watercraft we have to travel about 2 hours. The cars (69 Camaro & 69 Firebird convertable) live in the basement.

Hey @Ronnie , can you add motorhome to the list? I don't know if it is because I enjoy spending more time working on it than the boat, or if it just needs more work! Either way, I spend more time on it lately. I will vote car to at least be casting for automotive vs marine.

@txav8r , I don't think I can change the thread now but would just clump all land vehicles under cars. Speaking of which how long does it take to wash a big rv like that?

@Ronnie surprisingly not very long, depending on how you do it. Now if you detail it, all bets are off. Just a simple wash and dry doesn't take long. I use a bucket of car wash and a boat brush on an extension pole. I wash one section at a time and I use an 18" California water blade on an extension pole to dry the bulk of it.

I use a microfiber cloth to get the drips. The blade prevents water spots on those big surfaces and Windows. Then I was the next 10-15' and repeat, moving around the coach. I don't wash the roof but about every quarter. Wheels stay covered so they don't require polishing every time. If it needs detailing, it is a two day job for me. I found a mobile coach detailer that gets $350 to wash/dry/wax/detail, including polishing all chrome /and aluminum. I have used him once and will again about twice a year. Anyway, it's less than hours to wash it.

Since we bought our new diesel trucks and got rid of playing with fast cars (I will always be a gearhead though), the boat gets the most attention these days. Now I do miss my Z06 once in awhile, but that car made me crazy keeping it perfect, waxing, detailing, and trying to keep others from door dinging it, etc. She was a beauty.

Spend a lot more time cleaning and adding mods. to the boat than the truck. Then again the truck is a 10yo. work horse, it is not as new to me as the boat. The boat brings me pleasure, the truck brings the boat which also brings me pleasure. hmmm. Still rub on the yamaha more than the chevy.

Gotta go with the car. The boat is amazing, but don't get to use it as often as I would like. The car lives in the garage and is available any time the weather gets nice. Wife says I am OCD about cleaning it, just because it has to be detailed before and after I drive it.

Boat. and Bike. I couldn't care less about my cage. And if you saw it, youd agree. 2006 Dakota. squeaks like an old bed in a wh0rehouse. missing front CV joint. its 3wd LOL Ill get to it... but I really dont care, as long as it works. Though I attempted (and failed miserably) to repair rusty rear fenders

Spend countless hours, mostly offseason, preparing, repairing and caring for the boat. or just sitting in it "tuning" the stereo. Bike gets used up until Snow flies. and sometimes even after. then I work on it too.

Boat because it is my hot rod now too congested of roads to enjoy cars so the boat gives me my freedom back

Both boat and car , for me !! I enjoy boating , but I also enjoy messing with my 1969 plymouth valiant , 360 Procharged small block !! Fun street car

The boat I spend to much time in the car on weekly basis to even want to touch them in my free time.

MOA_Chaser said:

Boat. A car is a mode of transportation to me, not an enjoyment. If I need to work on a vehicle too much, I sell it and get something that I don't.

Now, my current ride is a 2013 F150. I have done a few mods to it... a hard folding tonneau cover, added a solenoid to the tailgate so it locks when I lock the vehicle, a customized grill to protect the intercooler, and I'm in the process of adding a dashcam to it in order to catch "interesting" events on the road and possibly catch hit-and-run sleazeballs at the local Wal-Mart. I will likely get aftermarket wheels and tires when it's due, and I'm not sure if I'll do a leveling kit or a lift... but if I do, I'll have a shop do it to make sure everything lines up properly.

But although I love it, I don't enjoy my truck as much as my boat. I see no reason to get a newer model of my boat, I'd rather upgrade what I have and keep it meticulously maintained. I'm not that attached to my truck.

Click to expand...

I couldn't have said it better....the most I've ever done to a car is improve the stereo...and now I just buy cars with good stereos!

I said both. I used to be a hard core car guy.

Drove this for 10 years.....started life as a pretty plain 2wd S10. Ended up with all kinds of custom parts on it from suspension, to brakes, to body mods, tons of interior stuff. Lots of custom 1 off pieces. I went to national S-10 meets twice a year, and even organized vacations around it.

That spread into Syclones and Typhoons, then I had an RX8 for awhile, then my Audi. All with varying degrees of modifications. Working on the car was a hobby, and I enjoyed it a ton.

Then I got married, and had a little boy. priorities changed, as the time spent wrenching was time taken away from the family. I could spend cash and time working on the car by myself, or I could spend time and money on something else that we could all do together. I now drive one the highest performing vehicles I've ever owned (and it's really not that fast/great) in my 2006 Trailblazer SS. Tons of power and decent handling with a few mods I've done to it (sway bars, and aftermarket coilovers). It's on the block to be replaced this weekend though. It needs a few things that are going to take more time and money than I care to put into it. Something I never would have said as early as 5yrs ago. Pulling an engine and repairing it and reinstalling it over a weekend would've been a great thing to do with my buddies. Now it's going to cost me a weekend on the lake, and that simply isn't acceptable.

SO.....I marked both in the poll. I don't have many mods on our current boat. Been too busy using it this season to risk taking it down for a mod. I have a laundry list of stuff to do to it this winter though (sound bar, luck 13 cone, access door for starboard storage, seadeck bits, stereo remote, etc). The SS is getting sold, and replaced with something that hopefully has fewer problems, but still keeps at least a small amount of "fun to drive"..........

And for those keeping score at home.....NOT spending the time and money was never an option. I'm going to spend it on something......might as well be something the whole family can enjoy

I had to change my vote to boat since we traded the car for a diesel truck to pull the camper.

The Yamaha boat is newer (2013) and is a perfect match for a mechanically challenged guy like me. The 1985 Land Rover Defender is not aligned well with my mechanical skills. Here she is aptly sitting on a trailer ;-)

My Boat, Waverunner, or my motorcycles get way more time individually because they are my passions. My 2 cars are a necessity for transportation and life. While they are maintained well they dont require much attention.... both Toyotas

I LOVE my truck, but all my friends and family get excited about taking the boat out! There for, I spend hours online looking up ways to make our boating experience even better. BOAT WINS!!!!

Did the car thing as a teenager into my 20's. Used the boat then and never did anything to it but use it. Truck is so complicated I let someone else take care of it and love to work/tinker with the boat. Much more relaxing. Sometimes I just lay in the boat and daydream.
Papa

Depends on what's broken, or how broken it is. My 2002 mustang has a header leak at the collector, but it's not a huge issue. It's got every part mm makes and a kb blower. My 06 rubicon on 35s has a leaky rear main seal and rear axle seal leak. My excursion needs new shocks. My crown vic needs new rear control arms. My boats got a hurt engine, but I'm working on the river house to raise up the boat shelter! The boat is next.