I just got done reading a post entitled "Losing faith". It got me wondering how much time and money has everyone spent on their cars?
My car is a hobby. I enjoy spending time in the garage and don't care if I drive the car much. Over the past 7 years that I have owned it, I have driven it about 600 miles. Including the purchase price I have about $13,500 into it.
I know the car is not worth that in resale, but to me it is worth every penny.

 

i purchased mine new in 91 and to date bet i'm in the 25000 range and like you could care less.i love my car.of course i've also got a few extra parts like a spare 360 and tranny out of a 92 bird but who among us isent a collecter?
i also have a paxton how is yours holding up?i've got around 10000 mi on mine and still going strong but i dont have the ho inpeller
pete

 

The Paxton is holding up fine. I have heard they don't have much longevity, but mine is holding up. I don't have the high output impeller, but rather an underdrive pulley on the compressor. It gives me more boost at lower engine speeds, but I can't safely rev the engine past about 5K.

 

I have about $5000 into motor and tranny, and I'm lookin to put another $3000 into paint, then whatever suspention costs...So yea way more money then needs to be put into it but I think its worth it!!!!

Jason

 

too much

 

The worst thing anyone can do with a car they love and enjoy is try to figure out how much money they have in it. As third gen owners we do not have it as bad as 1st and 2nd gen owners. They not only have to face what they have in the car, specially if they restored it to factory original, they also have to live with the realization that their car is worth more in parts than whole. The best thing to do is enjoy it until you get bored with it, then spend more money to start enjoying it again.

 

The worst thing anyone can do with a car they love and enjoy is try to figure out how much money they have in it. As third gen owners we do not have it as bad as 1st and 2nd gen owners. They not only have to face what they have in the car, specially if they restored it to factory original, they also have to live with the realization that their car is worth more in parts than whole. The best thing to do is enjoy it until you get bored with it, then spend more money to start enjoying it again.

 

it just keeps going up, thats for sure

 

i'd rather not even begin to think about it.

 

So far my purchase price is 1900 most of my parts are free just spent about 200 on sanding materials and primer about 300 on various repairs 350 on exaust 100 on my new motor so far so i guess i only got about 2850 into my car. I must be a good budgeter!

 

i fail to see where 1st and 2nd gen guys have it any better. Maybe if we all drove around stock 3rd gens that had been taken care of inside and out we'd have it better. But the way I see it, 1st and 2nd gen guys have it alot better than us. First off, they have removable from subframes, which just makes life that much better for them. If they get in a minor accident, they can just put a new subframe on, if they wanna make the car perform, there are front subframe assemblies that are tubular, coil over, with big brakes and calipers, all chromed and powder coated. The closest we get to that is a tubular k-member 1st and 2nd gen guys have every body panel available in full or half sections as well as lenses, lights, seats, dashes, clusters, everything NOS or Aftermarket...our cars are SOL unless we find a perfect car in the junkyard, the odds of that happening are approximately 100000000000000 to 1. Their rears and tranny's are beefier from the factory than we can hope to ever build our stock rears and transmissions. They use a leaf spring, and can easily swap in a 9" or 12 bolt, we have to spend 1500+ to just get the housing. 1/2nd gens are stronger frame wise, body wise, drivetrain wise. I can't see one single area where we have an advantage....care to help me see your point of view?

 

for once i have to agree with elmer, 3rd gens are shafted compared to 1, 2, or 4th genners.

 

How much do I have in my car 92 RS I bought brand new in Germany. Simple every penny I can find. It is my toy, my hobby my sanity as far as what we have over 1st, 2nd & 4th gens

Set up properly the 3rd gen is the Sexiest looking f body ever bar none!!

 

Inever meant to imply thet the 2nd Generation was better or worse than the 3rd or any other for that matter. I meant that when our car comes up missing, there is a chance it will be located. If you lose a 1st or 2nd Gen this way; forget it. The thing is apart and scattered across the country before you finish the call to the police. Watch the next major show you go to and see how many ist and 2nd Gen owners stray form their car versus the number of 3rd and 4th Gen owners who are all over enjoying the show. This is what I was referring to. Trust me I own several Camaros and have had my nightmares with this uni-body stuff.

 

ditto^^^^^^^^^^^^^i can honestly say i do not have that much in my conv.my 355 is a spare,new tpi harness,4th gen 3.42 disc rear,need a front cover,coated hedders and new ex.system needs paint..roughly 4000.00 add another 5000.00 it will be done.

 

:werd:

 

I bought the car for $2000, and I have another $2400 into according to my Excel spreadsheet.

Eh, I probably won't have the car forever, but you're only young once.

 

Well, let's see....500 for car, 2000 G Force trans, 400 headers, 200 catback, 5000 engine when do you want me to stop??? lol

 

$13,500 after the rearend takes a s*$t this spring (that is if its all together by then).

 

Bought my '89 Formula 350 10 years ago for $8,400 with 25,000 miles on it.

Dumped at least $10,000 in maintenance, mods, tires, etc.

 

new engine@ $2,760.12(inc. install), $400.00 for something i 4get, about $70.00 in tune ups and oil changes, $22.05 for gatorback poly-v belt(tax inc.), about $15.00 for two air filters, $4.49 for 100w H3 bulb, $2.99 each for : 1 small can OZIUM Vanilla air spray, 2 musk air fresheners, 2pr of 906 bulbs, 1 dome light bulb, 4pk chrome valve caps,1 pk astd. wing nuts.

yeah....pretty damm tedious and well....expensive!?!?!? hmm...i'll just nod my head and shut up...:lala:
-G

 

i have wayyyy tooooo many receipts to go thru to answer ur question...and after cleanin 27 rooms at work today i doubt i can even add them up....but i've stuck just about every penny i've had in the last year into this car....and all my birthday gifts and christmas gifts had something to do with my car


hi steve...havent talked to u in awhile

 

hi leah.....my car is expensive too....crazy huh? i'm still under 10K but barely right?

 

I've got about 4 to 5000 in mine right now, but that will go up since i'm plannin' on a 383

 

O Sheet...
$45 CAR
$175 TRANSMISSION
$20 ENGINE MOUNTS
$80 GFX
$50 WINDSHIELD
$30 DRIVERSIDE WINDOW
$100 RIMS AND TIRES
$30 PULLYS & BRACKETS
$400 FLUIDS(SYNERGEN,CENPECO,SUNOCO)
$44 HATCH & 1/4 SPOILER PIECES
$100 CARB PLUMBING(PARKER)
$200 CARB(EDELJUNK)
$800 MACHINE WORK
$1700 CRANK(LUNATTI)
$1300 PISTONS(JE)
$800 RODS
$100 BLOCK
$100 DISTRIBUTER(ACCELLEJUNK)
$100 AFPR(BARRY GRANT)
$50 TRAILER PARK DRESS UP KIT(EDELJUNK)
$200 ROLLER ROCKERS
$200 ROLLER CAM
$175 ROLLERLIFTERS
$450 EXHAUST
$150 HEADERS
$FREE HEADS
NHRA TOP FUEL BURNOUTS about $10 apiece

TOTAL $7,399

It's going to be hard to sleep tonight, knowing the total now. Ive been avoiding it for many years. The car is scarry to drive but I STILL LOVE IT, even if it dont look as good as most of the cars on the board.

 

Only about $300, not counting gas and routine maintenance.

The previous owner dumped all the money into it..

The air conditioning does need repair, that will add to the total.

 

would anyone really want to see a breakdown list of 6 years???



i paid 8200 for the car.....Kelly bluebook has it at 4,000 with all the options and mileage, it apraised last week for 42,000. so all you internet theives come and get her she's insured. just don't be surprised if you loose an arm or a leg in the process.

 

42,000 huh?

i'd wonder how much you have in it compared to that figure....lol

 

42k for that pile????



4500 for the car....

well i just got done dropping almost 400 into mine just updating everything brake related..add another 200 for rotors, pads, shoes, inner and outer bearings....

25 for the megashifter 30 for the hammar shifter handle
100 for new tires/rims
100 shocks/struts
100 Hotchkis STB
35 SFC's
100 radiator
110 alternator
100 springs
100 Roller Rockers
30 for new Trans pan (With Drain Plug!!)
45 EGR
10 miscelanous bolts ive broken
95 new battery
30 for miscelanous junkyard parts


i realyl dont want to total it up but im sure theres more im missing...

 

that's including the new interior, new suspension as well as a newer paintjob that hasn't been seen.....

10k custom motor and everything needed to make it work
2k custom brakes all around
4k custom whees/tires
7k custom adjustable suspension (includes all chromoly bracing/cage)
7k custom paintjob
6k custom leather/sued/fiberglass interior
2k custom lt's and mandrel 4" exhaust
2k bullet proof rear
1.5k supposed bullet proof 700-r trans
5k in odds and ends
4k value of stock car

as you can see it adds up very easily. when values are figured it's also figured for the labor that would be involved to replace the job as well. i don't have that much into it, maybe half; but if i had to replace what was into the car that's about what it would cost......i'm very thankful for classic insurance.

:hail:

 

32k in a engine that blows the doors of most things in this area.
6k on rearend
3+k on my trannies
3k on car
10k in go fast goodies (ie seats, pumps, siwtches, cage, wheelie bars/etc.)

 

see.....i'm not the only one!



i'd like to know what you have for a driveline for 32k must sound nice.

 

I bought my 84 Trans Am in 1997 and paid $3,000 for it but never kept one reciept until the original 305 locked up in my driveway, since then I have kept every single reciept for every penny spent for insurance purposes. I had a 71 Camaro that I totaled and the ins company said they had nothing to base its price on so they valued it at only $1,000 which was def far below it real worth. in reciepts not including my origanl price I paid for the car I am just over $12,000 but in a couple of weeks that will be going up quite a bit b/c I am buying a Ford 9 Inch rear end for the car. I could def not sell the car for what I have into it and I am not going to win any trohpies at any shows anytime soon but I have pretty much re-built my entire car frome the ground up and I know EVERY NUT AND BOLT in the car. I would say this is my first real project that I put together and no matter what the cost the project will still go on b/c I love working on my car and driving it. by the way I not only have roughly $12,000 in my Trans Am but I also have I think its 8 parts cars worth of parts in my car and counting(losing track lol). everytime I buy a parts car I always find something for my car in that car.

 

too much but i love driving the bitch

 

I got a couple grand in my car with maintnance and mods, half of which aren't even on my car yet..... I bought the car alomst 5 years ago..

 

Lets see here,

hmmm... paid 1300 for car, and have spent another 1500 or better fixing all the things that 12 years on the streets of Chicago can tear up. That puts me at about 2800. I still have to weld in a new quarter panel a piece in the floor, a new motor, and suspension. I haven't even gotten to mod it any been to busy fixing crap.

I do however have it to where now I can start modding it. Look out next year
Scoty

 

Ive just over 6000 total into my car. The nice part is that is as fast as a stock LS1. No rust either thats a bonus. Not too bad since im on a tight budget.

Now why doesn't that damn lottery ever call my numbers?

 

As you can see it never ends I have about 16,000 and still climbing.Can't put a value on enjoyment.

 

OK lets see...

keep in mind i'm just starting in the modding department, much more mods to come

the car- $4,000
the paint- $2,800
misc.-$800
audio-$100
performance-$700
383 motor project-$400 (still a 350 and not in car... yet)

total:$8,800 (give or take)