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

-
Asktoro

Asktoro

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jun 21, 2011
Messages
630
Reaction score
7
Location
Montana
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 :(
 
I know for a fact as people get older that they start to want to do less work on a vehicle, even if they have the skills and means to do it. Most older folks like my age group (50) are tired of messing with rust repair, refurbishing every little aspect of a car and just want to buy something nice and enjoy it. Up until the economy went south, most middle aged people finally had the monetary means to buy a nice example and just enjoy it.

Now, I am still of the old school, I get parts cars and part them out to finance my personal cars. I do a lot more work on a parts car than I do on my regular stuff. But without using the $$ from parts I wouldn't be able to enjoy the hobby as much as I do. My method has yielded me a nice personal stash of vehicles that I have very little money into, simply because I was able to be at the right place at the right time, and was willing to do the work that nobody else wanted to. I also am very patient, an attribute that not a lot of the newer enthusiasts have anymore. They want to buy a car, then spend thousands they don't have to get it done asap. It's the instant gratification plague that society has brought upon them. I have no problem looking for years for just the right part at the right price. They are out there, but you gotta be patient, and if you're not, don't complain that the price is too high.

This hobby was meant to be enjoyed for a lifetime if you truly have the love for it, why rush it?? Only through years of enjoying it can you get the knowledge and insight that one needs to truly understand these cars. I personally enjoy every minute I am able to spend on this hobby. I hope any enthusiast can also do the same!!! Geof
 
I have been playin with cars since i was old enough to hold a wrench i love this hobby i'm in the old school [50] age group there are some things i would rather not do myself but due to finances [the lack of] i have to do it my self. I'm not a patient person i would like to have every thing finished yesterday but with age comes patience [or just old age slowing ya down] i'm in the middle of a complete rebuild of a charger for my son i have been doing metal work for what seems like an eternity and i'm no body man nor a welder hopefully it will come out decent, not looking for perfection just acceptable.In this economy there way too many cars for sale for outragious prices folks are tryin to recoup the money spent on labor plus parts costs due to the fact they paid to have their car done for them. I congratulate any one whom takes on a restoration singlehandedly when they are done they have some thing to be proud of and it will be worth every penny,unfortunatly cars are only worth what someone is willing to pay no matter how much you have invested in them,it's a shame that there more and more flippers in this hobby [some whom rip folks off with out blinking an eye] just for making money they have no intrest in the hobby only money.Shows like desert classics,overhauling,search and restore,the auctions,ect. Have hurt us diehard enthusists the days of a classic muscle car in a barn for a cheap price are all but over [there are rare occations] even parts cars have gone up in price,all we can do is just continue to do our hobby that we love as expensive as it has become and be proud of preservin our peices of history so we may share them with others,the best trophy in any show is when someone says damn that's a nice car! [Knowing you built it in your garage yourself] keep it up fellas we are a die'in breed.
 
cosgig said:
I know for a fact as people get older that they start to want to do less work on a vehicle, even if they have the skills and means to do it. Most older folks like my age group (50) are tired of messing with rust repair, refurbishing every little aspect of a car and just want to buy something nice and enjoy it. Up until the economy went south, most middle aged people finally had the monetary means to buy a nice example and just enjoy it.

Now, I am still of the old school, I get parts cars and part them out to finance my personal cars. I do a lot more work on a parts car than I do on my regular stuff. But without using the $$ from parts I wouldn't be able to enjoy the hobby as much as I do. My method has yielded me a nice personal stash of vehicles that I have very little money into, simply because I was able to be at the right place at the right time, and was willing to do the work that nobody else wanted to. I also am very patient, an attribute that not a lot of the newer enthusiasts have anymore. They want to buy a car, then spend thousands they don't have to get it done asap. It's the instant gratification plague that society has brought upon them. I have no problem looking for years for just the right part at the right price. They are out there, but you gotta be patient, and if you're not, don't complain that the price is too high.

This hobby was meant to be enjoyed for a lifetime if you truly have the love for it, why rush it?? Only through years of enjoying it can you get the knowledge and insight that one needs to truly understand these cars. I personally enjoy every minute I am able to spend on this hobby. I hope any enthusiast can also do the same!!! Geof
Click to expand...



i totally agree.although i'm not older,(33)me and my father very much enjoy our automotive hobby,but can only do so on a limited budjet.it took us years to find something worth repairing(my 69 valiant).around here,virgin sheetmetal is few and far between in atlantic canada (the belt buckle of the rust belt lol)and makes you appreciate actually having a "complete" car to work on and make your own. if we were in the southern states,we would be in heaven,where relatively rust free cars are still available for a decent price imo anyways.when you're doin it yourself makes you appreciate your car much more and gives you thar sense of accomplishment that can't be beat !
 
Im 42 and do all my own work, yes I am not as gung ho like when I was 20, but I can still get the job done. I turn all my own wrenches, do body work and paint.

I have never bought a car just to flip, but I have an offer in to a guy at work on a 73 duster with a 318 all the goodies, 727, and a 8.75 rear. The car looks good from the outside, but the floor pans and trunk are shot. It is also a factory stick shift car.
Or I might use it for parts to finish mine and sell off what I don't use.
 
I am 39 and finding my biggest problem is not the money or the desire to own the car I always wanted but it is the time to build and enjoy. I have got my car 90% where I wanted it but haven't taken vacation since 2007 and have too many things to do with work and home to enjoy. So this year I have driven it twice and it is already late September. What a waste. At least I have spent as much time wrenching as I have driving so it has been worth it.
 
wow you know what... seriously guy thanks for the wise words... frustration was settling in with my projects and ready to call them quits.. but after reading all this. i am head strong back into it. and more calm about it entirely thanks for this posts... seriously from a "newer" hobbiest
 
To me, this is a Hobby, a pass time. Not a profit making business. I have the cars that I have because they are cars that I like, that I have a passion for. I know that I will have to learn what I dont know, buy tools and parts that I dont have and come up with the money to do so. Its not a instant gratification kind of hobby. Its a Labor of Love. If you dont love it, you will never finish it. Did I mention the Labor? Its a long term goal oriented commitment.

Now there are those out there that can find and buy cars on the cheap and put in a little work, cash and flip it for a profit. But those folks have generally been in the game for a long time and have amassed a collection of parts, skills, knowledge, tools and connections making it easy to turn out a car for a profit. In reality, there are not many of those types out there but, there are lots that try to be and get frustrated when nobody wants what they are selling.

I sell some parts. But it all goes into my 'hot rod' fund or to pay bills when times are rough.

The basic truth is that you will never get the money/time you put into a project out of it. The investment is, IMO, about pride, building friendships/connections and smiles. Not how much its worth to somebody else. Its about what its worth to me. To me its the pride of achieving the skills and abilities to do it right.
To have that **** eating, ear to ear grin every time I look at the reflection of me in my pride and joy in the mirrored windows of the downtown office buildings. That, my friends, is priceless.
 
Asktoro:
I resent you calling me an old hippie or a redneck. (I'm only 49 lol)
Honestly, guys like me that picked up these cars and parts are making virtually nothing off of them.
I do it because i like the cars and the the people, not for real profit. BTW, it takes a lot of effort and time to part a car out, clean, catalog the parts and send them to people or stash them away for yourself to use later. Shipping is really expensive these days. So is transportation. It takes a lot of work, money, and time.
I do my own work because i can't afford to bring it to someone and write a check. You get more satisfaction out of the project in the long run anyway!
Patience is a virtue with these cars. If you don't have that, then you better bring a big checkbook and still then, dealing with body shops, mechanics, etc. will drive you to drink!
I think i better shut up now.
Tom.
 
Yeah, OMO you're in it for yourself. If you don't do as much as you can do yourself and only farm out what you have to, then you won't get that satisfaction that some of the other blokes mention.
Satisfaction for your own efforts on the car/cars that you like yourself.
Can't see anybody doing a professional resto and expecting to turn big dollars, you will be lucky to get what you spend unless it is a really special car.
Sometimes when I look at what I spend on parts I cringe!!!
Let alone the countless hours I spend on each car.
But I'm in it for the fun and comradeship - it's terrific!:cheers:
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
-

Back
Top