2o6 Flip Car thread!

[giant_mtb]

Indeed. I don't have the mechanic hookup he has, which would be the major issue. 

[2o6]

My mechanic isn't even a "Hookup". You can find indie guys all over craigslist who will put a motor in a car for $400+.

Kevin has a magician as a mechanic that works at a crazy speed for cheap prices.  Unless you're like that dude, I would be hesitant to jump in.  Kevin also picks cars he knows really well.  I'm shocked how well he's done picking which cars to buy.  The Journey might be the only loss in this whole group?  Or the CTS?  All the Toyotas and Hondas have been flipped for a substantial profit really quick.

I made $1200 on the CTS, and $200 on the Journey.



I lost money on the most recent VW Jetta, and the Honda CR-V from a long time ago.



Also, too many people think you can buy a car that "needs a few things" and limp it home. The vast majority of my cars do not run when I buy them.

[giant_mtb]

There is one and only one ad on the local CL (which is the entire UP) for a mechanic.  Seems legit enough.

https://up.craigslist.org/aos/d/trusted-mechanic-and/6533473213.html

But yeah, you make good profit on your cars because they have those major issues that cause people to let go of the vehicle for nice and cheap, leaving you room for profit.  A car that needs brakes and wheel bearings isn't gonna have the same margin for sure.

[MrH]

My mechanic isn't even a "Hookup". You can find indie guys all over craigslist who will put a motor in a car for $400+.



I made $1200 on the CTS, and $200 on the Journey.



I lost money on the most recent VW Jetta, and the Honda CR-V from a long time ago.



Also, too many people think you can buy a car that "needs a few things" and limp it home. The vast majority of my cars do not run when I buy them.

Are you still using that Honda tech?  Does he want to change an S2000 clutch for cheap?

[CaminoRacer]

Are you still using that Honda tech?  Does he want to change an S2000 clutch for cheap?

Do it yourself.

[MrH]

Do it yourself.

It's a miserable job.

[CaminoRacer]

Benchpressing a transmission in & out of the car is a good workout.

[giant_mtb]

There was a high-lift 2-stage transmission jack left at the shop when I bought it. It works, but I don't have a lift, so it's pretty useless to me.  Just takes up space, but I don't feel like getting rid of it...just in case. If someone offered me like $100 on the spot I might take it though.

[MrH]

https://www.s2ki.com/forums/california-southern-california-s2000-owners-16/clutch-install-diy-779439/

No thanks.

[2o6]

Another one:


2006 Honda Civic LX, automatic, 1.8L. 171K miles.



The body is OK, the paint on these cars likes fading, but this one looks good. The rear bumper needs to be rehung, and I'm debating on getting a new front bumper cover.


The car *runs* but it suffers from the common-on-this-model ill-casted engine block issues that early cars suffer from. Honda has an unlimited mile 10 year warranty to replace these, but with this car now being 12 years, it's not eligible. So basically, it runs, but it won't hold coolant. I tried to limp it home, but I got maybe 1/3 of the way to my mechanic when I had to pull over and call a tow truck.









KBB puts it at $3800 for "good" condition. I'm aiming for $3500.


Purchase price: $800.

[giant_mtb]

What's the fix for the coolant issue?

[2o6]

What's the fix for the coolant issue?

A new engine. The whole block has cracks in it.

[SVT_Power]

https://www.s2ki.com/forums/california-southern-california-s2000-owners-16/clutch-install-diy-779439/

No thanks.

Looks like a day's worth of work if you take your time, what's the big deal?

[AutobahnSHO]

I saw an Outback here on Craigslist "worth $10k" that needs a new engine- selling for $3k.

I mean, sure you could tow it and pay for a new motor and probably only be out $5-6k. But seems like a lot of hassle, unless you're familiar with the process and as savvy as it as Kevin is...

[CaminoRacer]

I saw an Outback here on Craigslist "worth $10k" that needs a new engine- selling for $3k.

I mean, sure you could tow it and pay for a new motor and probably only be out $5-6k. But seems like a lot of hassle, unless you're familiar with the process and as savvy as it as Kevin is...

If it's just a new engine, you could probably do it for $2-3k (assuming you don't have an engine guy like Kevin does)

[2o6]

If it's just a new engine, you could probably do it for $2-3k (assuming you don't have an engine guy like Kevin does)

Subaru engines are expensive.

[AutobahnSHO]

Subaru engines are expensive.

I got my (97) Legacy's motor replaced in 2012. When I first talked to a guy he said no problem, they were cheap. But later he said the price had been creeping up and he had some difficulty getting one for a lower price. I paid $2200 after taxes and all. It was a little tuner shop that I was kinda hesitant, but he did good work.

In 2016 we got (05) Impreza's motor swapped out, the dummies at Subaru Augusta GA didn't diagnosed head gaskets and it kept over heating. I was so mad!!!  Car only had 75k miles on it.  Dealership wanted $8k to do it, I think we spent under $3k and the guy said there was a guarantee on the engine for a year.

In both cases they swapped out the timing built, waterpump, any other belts that looked sketchy.

[CaminoRacer]

$8k for an engine swap? Goodness. You could almost LS swap it for that much.

[AutobahnSHO]

$8k for an engine swap? Goodness. You could almost LS swap it for that much.

Yeah, dealership prices. The motor was way expensive too, probably not a well-used one.

[2o6]

Yeah, my mechanic definitely specializes in Hondas. I dropped the car off Monday. He started on it Tuesday. He sent me a text Wednesday evening around 9:30PM that it was running, and he had driven it.


Keep in mind, he works from 7:30-4PM. So he did most of this after work. So roughly....8 hours from removal to install?

[MrH]

Holy shit that dude is fast.

Ask him how much for an s2k clutch job!

[2o6]

Holy shit that dude is fast.

Ask him how much for an s2k clutch job!

Lol he said hes done one before. Idk what he'd charge. I'd have to ask.

[2o6]

Alright - I picked up the Civic today.



The motor, transmission, and suspension all feel great!


The bad -


Those shitty wal-mart Weslake tires are all bald, and at least two of them have shifted belts. The car violently shimmys above 55MPH, and they all sound like death.


The interior is in worse shape than I remember. The guy was a roofer, so it's got lots of dust and literal nails in the car.


That bumper crack looks worse than I remembered.

[giant_mtb]

How does your detail guy price himself?  Does he charge more for shit like that?  I know what it's like to detail a vehicle used for work. Virtually every surface possible is coated in dust.

[2o6]

How does your detail guy price himself?  Does he charge more for shit like that?  I know what it's like to detail a vehicle used for work. Virtually every surface possible is coated in dust.

I'm probably gonna pre clean this one

[giant_mtb]

I'm probably gonna pre clean this one

You the real MVP.

[2o6]

Alright! This is the first flip I've had to do paint and body work, but I found a place in on a budget.



OK


$875 - Car, Tax, Title

$322 - Engine + tax

$573 - Labor Install + accessory belts and fluids

$67 - eBay Bumper Cover

$18 - eBay wheel well liner

$350 - brand new 205/55/16 tires (with warranty). The tires on the car were all balding, and 3/4 belts shifted. Horribly violent noise and shimmy above 45 MPH. Used tires for a tire this small and common aren't really that cheap. I figured "New tires" would be a selling point, and it was only like $75 more for new tires versus going to a used store.

$225 - Painting of front bumper, mounting of front bumper and fender liner, rehanging of rear bumper

$80 - Interior Detail

Total Invested ~$2500.


KBB - $3350 - 4500.



I'm aiming for a 1K profit.



It looks like nothing ever happened! The eBay bumper is definitely not as good as the OEM one, but for a cheap car with 171K, it looks fine.


Before:














After:

[giant_mtb]

Nice. Out of curiosity, do you use this money as income?  Save/invest it?  How do taxes work (or do you do it under the table)?

[MexicoCityM3]

Great job! Amazing improvement.

[MrH]

Wow. Big difference.

What the hell was in that trunk? That car was nasty