Cost, Rust, Buy, Flip, Sell, Trade -- Etc

I noticed someone was complaining that their car wasn't selling and figure I'd bring up the age old story of car values, cancer and work required. Firstly, there's the DIY method, which isn't even that expensive if you have good connections to old hippies and rednecks with a yard full of mopar parts, or a buddy who can wield and will charge you fair. Next is the mid level, where you got skills, but no connections to find parts so you end up paying 400-800 a quarter panel instead of paying farmer fred $250 to haul his old car off and use it for parts. Now you got the "I sorta know how to change oil but got a lot more money and dont like getting grease under my nails" type who can drop a cool couple thou for a hemi and not even blink. Most of us fall in the middle level, which means what? We see a car with rust or body damage on places that require welding -- Quarters, floor, rockers, trunk. To us average joes with no connections, some decent skills ..... it's expensive. I've seen 'cuda level trim barracuda's that had shot quarter panels and needed everything go for around 1,500 -- alternatively I've seen people *TRY* to pull the ole "Well... when its done it'll worth bazillionmillionmillions! so I want 10,000 for it!" A car is only worth what people are willing to pay for it. The amount in existence, and it's demand. Plymouth arrows and Dodge Aspen? Rare assed car about as rare as a 70s entery level barracuda but god ugly, nobody really wants em, hence they aren't worth much. So..... you got a project that needs a quite bit of body work? People are going to low ball you, they're hoping to get it on a dime and end up with a 10k car for having spent 5k-7k -- nobody is going to pay 6k-10k for a project when they could get a clean body..... and often it takes 10k-20k to restore a car back to how it was. I'm sure SOME of you guys have the skill or luck to flip cars all day long and work your way up... Basically... if a cars worth 10k on its own but is missing things, has damage etc..... its worth 80% less than it's average market value in good condition :P unless its rare as.. something rare! BUT...BUTBUTBUT! hold on, there are people who have a little more cash and are willing to spend closer to what you'd want. Another theory I have is some people's dreams can't match their wallet size so they try to bring down your price to compensate to get what they want... and it has absolutely NOTHING to do with the condition of your car (although most times its a bit of both) Uhm..... coffee and smoke break, discuss! Edit: ew, i had paragraph breaks all over and for some reason when i hit post it smushed everything :(