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Took my 75 Corvette to the bank last week.
They valued it at $12500.00 and it was pretty stock then.
Now I'm painting it and redoing the interior.
I bought my 75 for $2250.00. It was complete and been sitting in a garage for 10 years.
And with only 160 hours and $4000.00 I had a 12.5k car.
Now I'm spending $1000.00 on paint and another $1000.00 on labor from a retired auto body guy, and another $500.00 to my Nephew for interior work.
And then there is the nearly $2000.00 in tires and rims I need to go pickup that I ordered.
When does the madness stop? The more I do the more I need to do.
Tail light lenses $200.00, really. But with new paint they will look really bad.
I'll need new springs to lower the front end, I already have a new leaf spring for the rear?
Well, the even with the modest amounts you are putting into the car to make the cosmetic and operational reality equal the value, you are still into it for less than it's worth. Worth is relative. Clearly, you didn't buy this Vette for 4 all in so you could sell it at 12 and pocket the balance. Otherwise, we'd be reading a "sold it" post. Given that it needed paint and interior, I'd imagine any savvy buyer would have offered you a number south of 12 anyway... Maybe like 6 or 7. Therefore, the money your spending is both improving the enjoyment factor for you since you'll be more proud of your better looking Vette AND you still spent less than it's worth when it's all said and done.
I've found the madness stops when you're done scratching whatever makes you itch. However, like Clint Eastwood so aptly put it "a mans gotta know his limitations".... Meaning don't go overboard.
2 things.
1: If you can get $12500 for it sell it now!
2:And if you paid $2000 for wheels and tires you will have lots and lots of money in it that you will never get back.
look at it this way, in 1995 i spent 25k on cosmetic enhancements for my now ex wife and 1500.00 to paint my car. now she is gone thank goodness and looks like she needs 75k more work done. and my paint job is holding up well. be glad its a car