The question is, for a normal guy on a budget..no shop tools, lift, extreme cash flow or easy deals, whould you rather buy a halfway decent car, then drive the shit out of it, upgrading whatever breaks one thing at a time until you eventually have a bad ass ride...

Or:

Would you rather build your car from the ground up, knowing that you can't drive her until she's finished, also, spend alot of money over time that you may never get back in resale (this lengthens your not driving her)..but, when it's all said and done you have a truly badass car that you know intimately well...every nut and bolt.

I'm asking because it seems to me the second option is the best in the long run, but how do you cope with your car being undriveable for so long?

The reason I left out the shop guys is because it seems like they can have their cars together alot quicker than somebody who does other full-time work.

 

if i was normal and had cash i would buy a built car blow it up sell it and buy a new one lol

 

build.

 

I have built a couple cars, nothing too stupid, but done everything myself.
I'd say buy a car that someone has spent all thier money on and wants to bail out of it. If you are patient sit on your money and wait for the right deal to come along.

If you want to say you put some work in it buy a roller that is set-up to your needs / wants and build or install your drivetrain.

As stated you never will come close to getting your money back building nuts and bolts

 

Buy a setup roller or any of a dozen mostly finished cars always for sale around here for dirt cheap and finish to your taste. Then blow the shit up!

 

Just keep in mind your buying someone else's problems also. But if you buy a bone stock car to start with you have to spend cash on the parts you want.
The roller idea is a good compromise I think. Get into something that has some of the stuff you want/like. Then buy the rest of the parts you want.

 

I'd say that's a pretty personal decision. Do you want instant satisfaction, or do you enjoy tinkering and making something uniquely "yours?"

 

buying a car is better financially. no question at all.

me personally, i MUST have someting different. i must STOMP the jones's, not keep up with them. Fuckers.

 

/\ Fuck the Jones's!

I'm with E-Rock on this one; you're 9 times out of 10 buying someone else's problems. Just be prepared to do whatever you have to do to make it correct, and make the car uniquely yours.

You could do what I did; buy an "almost" complete car, find out all the problems with it, part out some valuable goodies to compensate for the problems, replace the problematic stuff with good stuff, and finish the build the right way

Only problem is that "my" way takes a lot longer than planned or expected, and also burns a lot of your mooooola. But, fuck it, it's all in the name of fun!

 

IDK if I agree with that statement. I own a shop and we see how my car is doing right now....crap! Just because you have a shop doesnt mean you can spend every hour of the day on your personal car.

We have been busy as hell around here lately and when that happens my personal car keeps getting moved to the back burner.

Like I say "Customers cars pays the bills, my car doesnt!"

And because I focus 150% of my attention to a customers car when it comes through the doors means my car suffers for it. But I am ok with that (no matter how much shit I get for it) More customers I get coming through the door and the faster turn around times I have the happer they are and that means good rep, repeat happy customers, and more money in the long run.