Whats your most money "invested" in a vehicle after purchase?

[Blmpkn]

Cars/trucks are a lifestyle. It's something in your blood. We all know this. We "get it".

However, the overwhelming majority of people on earth DO NOT UNDERSTAND. At all.

We're lunatics to them. The amount of time and money we put into our "babies" is unfathomable..unjustifyable.. A waste.

Recently, after adding up what I've spent (so far) on a near 40 year old, moldy, slow, worn out station wagon nobody wants.. I could finally see why they think we're all batshit crazies.

Here's where we start to get on topic:

I bought my 83 caprice wagon a few years back sporting a 305 and 700r4 for 900$.

I was "just gonna drive it", buuuut I relapsed (like we all do!) after saying such things and it's now on its way to 1000hp.

I'm now, purchase price excluded, 5 thousand deep into a car who's marker lights and sun visors are held in with wood screws, who's "paint" has more mold than clearcoat, and if it sits for longer than 3 days mice start bringing their acorns in and eat them under the pedals.

I reckon I'll be about 10k in to it before it's "done"

Over 10x purchase price invested in a car less desirable than the obese. I'd agree that's crazy.


What about you? What's your record?

 

[Curious Hound]

I refuse to try to put numbers on it. But I’ve already got more than your projected “finished” number in my 93 Ranger and I’m just starting an engine project.

 

[sgtsandman]

I'm just starting down the rabbit hole with the 2019, so just tires and the cap as far as major expenses. $1200 for the tires and $3100 for the cap.

On the 2011, $2000 for the cap, $1500 for all-terrain tires, $800 in suspension upgrades, and $344 for the windshield visor. Those are just the big ticket items. Some of the repairs and preventative maintenance have been upgrades as well. All told, I've spent about $7900 in preventative maintenance, repairs, and upgrades on it since I bought the truck new.

 

[JOLENE_THE_RANGER]

this is a question i never want to have to find the answer to.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Ignorance is bliss

The only thing original from time of purchase on mine is the body and the frame.... and the body will be reduced to the cab shell/inner fender/radiator support assembly when I get to painting it.

I wouldn't mind finding a frame either...

 

[RobbieD]

If we counted up the money, and if we were sane, then we wouldn't do it, would we?

 

[Snoranger]

I ball parked my first Ranger build at just shy of $13k. That included the $2500 purchase price... so, $11.5k

I’m into my ‘79 for over $5000 and I haven’t turn a bolt or a screw on it yet. That just acquiring the first round of parts... wait until I dig into it a see what else I need. I’ll have $25k into by the time I’m done... less then half of the cost of my new truck.

 

[4.0blue98]

Don't ask, don't tell.

 

[Ranger850]

I'm a over $1000 deep on a free truck that was absolutely fine and drivable when i got it. I could have spent 0 on it and been A-OK. I have a to-do list for it and plan on stopping as soon as i finish the list. Yeah right

My 88 D21

This is the 88 Nissan Hard Body "D21" This is the day I first parked it in the yard. It was worse for ware. At first glance, It was ugly to say the least. When you got up close, it was even uglier. The Hood and PS fender had obviously been replaced, so it has been wrecked, :poop:, The...

www.therangerstation.com

 

[pjtoledo]

modifying something I overheard at Cabela's: son, what we spend here is between us and God.

I assume "don't tell you mother" was previously understood.

 

[97RangerXLT]

Congrats on the Longroof Chevy... I have always liked the Malaise Era GM cars..

I probably have in the past 15 years dropped a few grand in repairs to the Ranger, especially in the last 2 years. New tires and battery in 2009, New upper engine gaskets in 2010, All new Shackles and Hangers and fleabay fuel filler neck (needs replaced again) in 2012 complete new A/C system minus the Evaporator and Condenser ( which now has a leak in it grrr...) in 2013, New front bumper and valence panel in 2015 due to the wife hanging the Ranger up on a guardrail on 465, New front brakes, rotors, bearings in 2016, New radiator, water pump, hoses in 2018, New tires, starter, battery, complete steering rebuild in 2019... and here we are in 2020 and probably will need to do the brake lines at some point...

Many of the above things were wear and maintenance items, but some of the repairs such as the spring hangers (which was not all that costly to do) and the steering system would have put the truck in the junkyard up here. I did see a 1998 for sale a few years ago with a rusted through spring hanger for 400 bucks...it was a 2wd 4 banger single cab though, and I really don't have a place to put it otherwise I would have nabbed it. the mileage on it wasn't too bad either.

AJ

 

[racsan]

percentage wise on my 94- alot! bought truck for 700, after all the things Ive done to it im at about 3,000 in it. not bad, but percentage wise its quite a bit. on average I spend about 1,000 accesorizing something. I think Ive put 700 in the escape and thats just step bars, grille guard, trailer hitch and trailer wiring harness. I should send pictures in to rock auto and maybe get it put on a magnet.

 

[Ramcharger90]

5k in the current motor and trans alone.

 

[gaz]

Blmokn:

My 87 Ranger cost $7,900 in 88, to rebuild the 2.9L including headers and computer chip was just under $1,800.

 

[lvwill]

Never count on a "project vehicle" being in any sort of budget. It is what whatever you can throw at it!