As most of you know I have been trying to sell the car and havent had much luck. Winter is coming so I decided to part the car of all the performance stuff. I was trying to work a deal with someone local to me to buy all front brakes, suspension, TA, bolt in cage and harness, turn-key package. I totaled up in retail prices what it would cost me to replace everything and I just about fell over. aprox 4100 bucks. I never sat down to think really what in cost wise I had in all this stuff. Im going to miss the old girl. I will hold onto the car till the spring when sports car prices go back up and run it through the auction.

As you can tell Im kinda bumbed about doing this. The money I got so far is nice but, I hope I don't regret anymore doing this. Everything is sold that I posted less a few items. Then I move on to putting the motor back to stock and selling those parts. Some of the stuff went to a couple member here. Thanks

Glad I kept most of the stock pieces.

Sorry for the vent so to speak.

John

It's very dangerous keeping track of all expenses.

A friend did that one year. I told him to NEVER do that again ....

I started doing that. I had to stop. It was way way too much...

I think the receipts on my '89 were getting close to 20 or 25k (including $5900 for the car) and it wasn't exactly finished yet.....

If you think about the money in terms of resale value of the car and/or parts, it's depressing. If you think of it as money spent enjoying your hobby, it's not so bad and no worse than what people spend on other hobbies.

In other words, think of it as $1000 for the destination and $3100 for the journey.

Sean ... you are so philosophical ...

John, I was certainly afraid I would miss my '98.

There have only been a few times I wished I had it back. But those times are few and would probably have resulted in a road side discussion with a man wearing a badge.

Exactly! It's fun! I had a spreadsheet going at one time....and I decided to stop, although I do have most of my receipts and 100% of the work has been done by me and my mechanic buddy. I also think of how much I save by learning on the car and then being able to tackle other car projects and home projects.


That's one of the reasons I made mine a dedicated track car! Too bad it is still a baby that I bought new and only has 35k miles...and will NEVER be able to go anywhere near stock again.

It's a gift ... and a curse

After "totalling" my 96 on a patch of black ice on the interstate, I took it on a long farewell drive through the country. Insurance companies have a very different idea of what constitutes "totalled"

It all depends on your priorities and thinking where else the money would've been spent.

I keep a spread sheet with most of the money I've spent on my car. Right now it's almost $9000 over 30 months with another $1500 coming for the cage in a few weeks.

It seems like a lot, but if you break it down it's under $100/week. I have buddies who'll go blow that at the bar almost every weekend. When I look at it that way, I don't feel nearly as bad. At least I have something to show for the money and I'll actually remember all the fun I had

Or I could just be a speed addict who's looking for a way to justify the habit... Haha.

Thanks for all the kind words.

Its one of those thing that I need to do. Did I want to part the mods and the engine stuff. Nope!!! But once I started doing it there is no turning back.

I know how much I made so far. Just need to track down some rear suspension piece's, rear exhaust and good carpet.

Nape oh yeah I've done the parts breakdown too and yeah it was fun while it lasted. I guess this was really my first project car and my entry into road racing. Sad to see it go. But I could copy the setup again in the future.

Thanks to all my friends here.

John Oliver

The car I am on now is my second f-body I started spending on. My first one was in my late teens, '93 LT1 with 3 rebuilds, supercharger, drag car... lots of $$$ in trial and error. That is why I am so happy I found FRRAX. Cuts down on the trial and error $$$.
I got my current car in 1999 and have not messed with it for 6 years. Hey!! that is 6 years of savings.... At least that is how I sell it to my wife.. I also point out how each part is a safety item!!!!

The fun you've had, knowledge gain, and improved driving skills are hard to put a price on. I realized long ago I'm the type of person that will make any hobby complicated and extreme if given enough time. I have way too much money already tied into reloading supplies for shooting. And then there is fishing and boating.