If your time billable, how much would your car be worth?

[jd52cranbrook]

Not including the original price of the car

Say $50 per hour

I realize for most this is a hobby, a few may be even in it for profit.

For me it's my second car, (2003 4x2 Ram), so it has to run well. We take it everywhere, hence the T-5, AC, Stereo, three point seat belts, etc.

But if I was to charge for my hours working on my car to get it to where it is today, it would be way way overpriced. Heck I even rewired the car twice because I didn't like the first results.

When I bought this car, from a Chevy guy, he said don't put any money into it, just use it to get you into the correct car events. (because it wasn't a ford or Chevy, or any popular car used for hot rodding or classics.) I haven't seen him in the six years I have had it, but I think he would be surprised to see it now.

I started crunching numbers, my car would be worth a mint.

Edited October 10, 2010 by jd52cranbrook

[Greenbomb]

Millions and millions and millions and...........

[Big_John]

Well.. I know what my billable rate is at work and and I can't afford myself.

[TodFitch]

I try not to think about this. Nor about the actual amount of money consumed.

[Plymouthy Adams]

if it were all to come down to the money...the guy who buys his completed is the better investor..

however..where is the fun in that

[Don Coatney]

I try not to think about this. Nor about the actual amount of money consumed.

Me too. Takes the fun out of it. Same reason I never check fuel mileage. Plus I dont want Lisa to know as she calls my car a money pit.

[greg g]

You talking just billable rate or wage plus madated costs, disability comp, SSan, legacy cost, sunk costs, dues, certfications costs, health insurance etc. I work for about 10 bucks an hour but that would cost a regular employer about 75+ these days.

Here is another question would you charge yourself more for mechanical work that bosy work, or welding over running wires. Or painting compared to sanding bondo? How about upholstery and glass/rubber work?

[greg g]

Hey Don, you could be out boozin and chasin' skirts, how much would that set the family coffers back as opposed to tinkering in the garage. Did you get that grouting all done??

[Don Coatney]

Hey Don, you could be out boozin and chasin' skirts, how much would that set the family coffers back as opposed to tinkering in the garage. Did you get that grouting all done??

Dont go there, or there, or there!!!

I just got off the phone with Lisa (she is still in Akron, NY) and she told me it is a whooping 70 degrees there today. Here in Tennessee it is pushing 90F.

Edited October 10, 2010 by Don Coatney

[jd52cranbrook]

I'm lucky enough to

if it were all to come down to the money...the guy who buys his completed is the better investor..

however..where is the fun in that

True

Plus I dont want Lisa to know as she calls my car a money pit.

I'm lucky enough to have a partner who enjoys both working and cruisin in the car. But we still watch the money part of it. Labor is free...And actually she works less on it now, which is ok too.

You talking just billable rate or wage plus madated costs, disability comp, SSan, legacy cost, sunk costs, dues, certfications costs, health insurance etc. I work for about 10 bucks an hour but that would cost a regular employer about 75+ these days.

Here is another question would you charge yourself more for mechanical work that bosy work, or welding over running wires. Or painting compared to sanding bondo? How about upholstery and glass/rubber work?

That's why I mentioned $50 per hour. It's all variable, in everything.

Edited October 10, 2010 by jd52cranbrook

[busycoupe]

I don't keep track of the time or the cost. It would take the fun out of owning an old car. The nice thing about our old Mopars is that you can get Dusenberg fun without the same investment.

[Oldguy48]

When I first bought the P15, I began to keep a running tally of expenses on an Excel spreadsheet. I stopped doing that...it was amounting to more than I had hoped. I didn't want the cost to put a damper on my enthusiasm for working on the car. But the more work I did, the more I discovered that needed attention. Things that I just couldn't ignore. So now, I try not to think about the expense. I'm retired now, with a lot of available time to work on the car, and I'm having a blast doing it. It's hard to put a price on that.

[Chester Brzostowski]

In answer to your question;

Way more then I could sell it for. But it's not an investment it's a hobby.

Chet...

[Bingster]

Yeah, ya gotta realize that when the cars were newly built, nobody had to stand around guessing how they came apart and were put back together, or degrease it, or straighten this and that, etc. It all just fell into place. The beauty of the assembly line.

If Chrysler was to tool up and build one of these old designs today, it would cost as much as a new 300. So a new "old" car would maybe be more in line with what we have into ours.