Married to the Madness: My Wife’s Honest Take on the “Car Guy” Life

Title: Married to the Madness: My Wife’s Honest Take on the “Car Guy” Life

Josh here. While Alex is off wearing mouse ears and eating overpriced churros at Disney, I decided to upgrade my co-host situation significantly.

Usually, you tune in to hear two idiots arguing about rust and bad wiring. But this week, things looked a little different. With Alex abandoning ship, I did what any smart man would do: I brought in the real boss. My wife, Allison.

We sat down for Episode 18 of the DPV Podcast to answer the question I’m sure many of you—and your significant others—have asked: What is it actually like to be married to a guy who drags home rusted junk and calls it “potential”?

If you’re trying to convince your spouse that buying that non-running project car on Marketplace is a good idea, you might want to read this first. Or maybe hide it from them. I don’t know.

The Ultimate “Pain and Victory” Proposal

We talk a lot about the cycle of Pain (the struggle, the breakdown) and Victory (the payoff). Turns out, my marriage started with the ultimate DPV episode.

Picture this: Christmas Eve, 2005. I had a ring in my pocket and a plan to propose. But because I’m me, I decided the best way to start the day was to take the family snow-wheeling in the Blues. We took my Jeep and Alex’s Bronco.

You can guess what happened.

The snow got soft. We got stuck. Then, in true Alex fashion, his Bronco snapped a front axle. We had no real food (unless you count Doritos and Mountain Dew), no cell service, and a dog that decided to puke all over the backseat. It turned into a survival mission. Allison’s dad actually had to come rescue us and hit a deer on the way up.

We missed our fancy dinner reservations. Allison missed her nail appointment. We were cold, miserable, and smelled like wet dog.

The Victory? We ended up at Pizza Hut, I proposed that night anyway, and somehow, she still said yes. If she stuck around after that disaster, I knew she could handle a lifetime of oil stains and roadside breakdowns.

The “Car Guy” Tax

One thing we dug into was how to balance the obsession without ending up divorced. Allison dropped some wisdom that I think is actually pretty solid for us gearheads.

She calls it the “Passenger Princess” compromise. She doesn’t want to drive the rig; she wants to navigate and handle the snacks. But more importantly, she made a good point about our vacations. If I want to drag her on an ATV tour in Mexico or sneak in a visit to a car museum, I have to pay the tax: equal time at the pool or shopping.

It’s about blending the hobbies. We go to Costco? We look at clothes for her, then hit the tool aisle for me. It’s a simple system, but it keeps the peace.

The Fantasy Build: The “Burberry” Jeep Commando

Since Alex wasn’t there to pitch a ridiculous build, I put Allison in the hot seat for our Fantasy Build segment.

I found a 1967 Jeep Commando in Sandpoint for $6,000. Red, rough shape, total project.

Her take:

• The Vibe: “Mr. Frederickson from Up.” She sees it as a beach cruiser or a farmer’s market rig.
• The Mods: No lift kits or lockers. She wants a “Burberry” interior—black and tan plaid.
• The Dealbreaker: It must have a working stereo with Apple CarPlay, and absolutely NO Creed allowed on the playlist.

Honestly? A plaid interior on a vintage Commando sounds kind of awesome. Maybe she’s got the eye for this after all.

The Takeaway

Look, guys, we joke about the “pain” of this hobby, but the real victory isn’t just the running car—it’s having people in your life who support the madness. Whether it’s your buddy who helps you swap a transmission in the freezing cold or your wife who doesn’t kill you when you buy another lemon, that’s the good stuff.

If you’re sitting on the sidelines, afraid to start a project because you think it’ll ruin your life or your relationship, just remember: My wife sat in a broken Bronco in the snow on Christmas Eve and still married me. You’ll be fine.

Get out in the garage, get your hands dirty, and maybe buy your wife some flowers before you bring home that next project.

Wheel it, Wreck it, Wrench it, Repeat.

-Josh