Growing up we're conditioned to work hard to get what we want, to trust the process and be patient, because good things come to those who wait.
On occasion however, it might not make sense to wait until the opportunity arises. There is also a saying that those who wait, never get what they really want because opportunities don't just come to you, you have to go and grab them. Other factors may influence this too, perhaps it is a once-in-a-lifetime situation, or perhaps you have to compete with others for supply of a particular thing, event or opening.
For Thomas Do, he knew that the opportune time to purchase an Evo was as early as he could possibly do it, because of the craziness in the JDM market. "I knew that they were appreciating slowly and in Vietnamese communities we have an interest-free loan initiative" he told me as we talked about his decision to purchase one while he was still on his Provisional license.
As a law-abiding citizen (cough), Thomas kept the car in his garage for eight months while he waited to get his full licence and the ability to drive the car legally, "I bought a tool kit and started tinkering". While it sat, Thomas begun switching things up on a previously unmodified CT9A, including an exhaust, new wheels and an Evo 9 rear bar.
Thomas' future plans include more performance upgrades and having booked his first track day in September, we definitely know the rabbit hole that he is about to enter. However, his inspirations for this build came from his childhood, "I knew an Evo in grey was what I wanted ever since I played Maximum Tune in high school".
The video game franchise has been a major influence for so many young enthusiasts today, and Thomas built on this by teaching his friends manual as soon as he could drive. His first car was a DC2R, but when the Evo dream was in sight, he sold that and purchased a cheap daily EG so he could continue to commute while the Evo sat at home.
It's probably not the most financially-wise decision for a young man to purchase a vehicle he can't use while cash flow is low, but interest-free loans are as rare as original Evos themselves, and Thomas came across both.
Thomas reflects on this decision, and the the whole "patience is a virtue" theme came up. "I could have invested that 25K on the 8MR into Afterpay stocks, and it'd be worth $200 000 today". The team at Carbonetics feel that life shouldn't be dictated by what-ifs like this, and for most the twenties is the best stage to experiment and make losses. Business opportunities will always be around, but responsibilities as an adult begin to grow as you enter your thirties.
For someone just entering his adulthood, purchasing a low-depreciation vehicle with an interest-free loan despite the lack of cash flow, could potentially be the smartest impulse decision Thomas will ever make!
