MikeFellows
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| posted on 22/2/11 at 09:36 AM |
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Kits & Budgets
When I started building my car I had given myself a budget of £10k, with this figure approaching rapidly and the bits I still need to buy Im going to
over shoot this by at least £2k and thats without booking the IVA etc..
Its the little things that are the killer, switches, cable, bonnet catches, header tanks, silicon hose, nuts and bolts (ive spent over £80 on nuts and
bolts!) and other such bits
the big thing I didnt account for is the availabilty of information/parts (like not considering that you couldnt just buy an off the shelf busa
manifold)
maybe I shouldnt have accounted for everything so well and played ignorant.
has anyone building there first car come anywhere near their budget?
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Agriv8
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| posted on 22/2/11 at 09:56 AM |
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its the bling bits that cost the money.
regards agriv8
Taller than your average Guy !
Management is like a tree of monkeys. - Those at the top look down and see a tree full of smiling faces. BUT Those at the bottom look up and see a
tree full of a*seholes .............
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nick205
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| posted on 22/2/11 at 10:01 AM |
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I'd suggest 90% of builders go 30-40% over budget on their first build.
Like you say, it's the little things that mount up; paint cans, donor part refurb costs, tools and so on.
Also I found making/doing things twice after not being happy with the first attempt added more cost. e.g. I must have made half a dozen plywood dash
blanks and covered at least 2 of them in vinyl before I was happy with it.
Then there's aesthetic things like I assumed I'd reuse the Sierra gearknob as it was perfectly OK. When I got close to finishing the car
I couldn't stand the look of it in the cockpit and splurged £30 I didn't have on an OMP gear knob. It didn't change gear any
better, but it certainly looked better 
I'd love to build another to put in all the experience and knowledge gained on the first. I also now have or have access to pretty much any
tool I'd need as wll which cuts costs and speeds thing up.
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StevieB
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| posted on 22/2/11 at 10:04 AM |
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I was a little over my budget on my Indy build - £8k budget and £8.5k spent before SVA costs.
I found the best way to save money was to keep things simple and basic where they can be easily upgraded at a later stage (I used copper central
heating pipe rather than silicon hose, for instance). There are very few things on a kit that you can't easily upgrade over the course of a
winter.
If I was to start another build I would keep everything as absolutely basic as possible to keep costs down and then upgarde as I go along.
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nick205
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| posted on 22/2/11 at 10:10 AM |
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quote:
Originally posted by StevieB
I was a little over my budget on my Indy build - £8k budget and £8.5k spent before SVA costs.
I found the best way to save money was to keep things simple and basic where they can be easily upgraded at a later stage (I used copper central
heating pipe rather than silicon hose, for instance). There are very few things on a kit that you can't easily upgrade over the course of a
winter.
If I was to start another build I would keep everything as absolutely basic as possible to keep costs down and then upgarde as I go along.
Good point, I used micro bore copper plumbing for my fuel line after baulking at the price of fancy braided hose. Unlike the gearknob above it
wasn't visible on the finished car anyway so never bothered me.
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Bluemoon
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| posted on 22/2/11 at 10:22 AM |
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Simple build single, donner, cost ~3.5K budget ~3K not bad... Could be cheaper.. It's a trade of time/skill and money and bling..
The figures do not include tools, and the kit was bought 2004, so was cheaper then.. Small things do add up, my solution was to find cheap fastening
suppliers etc (yellow pages ect), kitcar ones are stupidly over priced.
Dan
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Kwik
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| posted on 22/2/11 at 10:32 AM |
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dpnt say that, my budgets only £1000 ...
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Chaddy
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| posted on 22/2/11 at 10:34 AM |
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I set myself a budget of £12k including IVA and registration, should come in under budget (just), as you say it is the consumables (nuts bolts, paint,
clips etc) that add up but i put in a contingency figure to cover this. I had read so many builds where they had gone way over budget or given up due
to lack of funds. I didn't want that to happen and this is the reason I hadn't built anything years ago as I never had the money, my
brother built a Merlin years ago and didn't finish it properly due to lack of cash.
If I built another I could do it a good bit cheaper with the knowledge I have gained so far.
Cheers
Chaddy
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MK9R
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| posted on 22/2/11 at 10:34 AM |
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quote:
Originally posted by Kwik
dpnt say that, my budgets only £1000 ...
mines only £250....... 
[Edited on 22/2/11 by MK9R]
Cheers Austen
RGB car number 9
www.austengreenway.co.uk
www.automatedtechnologygroup.co.uk
www.trackace.co.uk
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adithorp
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| posted on 22/2/11 at 10:35 AM |
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quote:
Originally posted by MikeFellows
maybe I shouldnt have accounted for everything so well and played ignorant.
There was your mistake!
"A witty saying proves nothing" Voltaire
http://jpsc.org.uk/forum/
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thunderace
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| posted on 22/2/11 at 11:18 AM |
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When I started building my car I had given myself a budget of £10k
then i got a dutton and put the other £9000 back in the bank lol
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Richard Quinn
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| posted on 22/2/11 at 11:19 AM |
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It was bloody P&P with me! No matter how hard I tried to work everything out, there were always more nuts/bolts etc needed. I think I must have
spent as much on P&P as I did for nuts & bolts at Namrick.
I did find a cracking fasteners supplier not far from home but I work 45 miles away and they were only open when I was at work!
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hughpinder
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| posted on 22/2/11 at 11:20 AM |
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I gave myself a budget of 3k for mine. Originally I hoped that would include SVA/rd tax/insurance, but now I think I'll just get the car for
that. The change from SVA to IVA will add to that, but I scavanged loads from the scrapyard (water header tank £1.00, as many rubber
hoses/jubilees/clips/nuts and bolts as I wanted for £5.00 etc), as I'm not concerned about the underbonnet stuff for looks - so I have a mild
steel inlet manifold (some scrap 6mm plate I had+3.48 for a 1m length of 45mm ms exhaust + a bit of paint ....), got CB1100 throttle bodies (42mm)+
injectors(335cc.min) for £35 etc. Alloy wheels with V rated tyres from scrappy £50. It probably helps that I have all the tools (including stuff like
metalworking lathes) and can weld a bit.
My plan is to get it registered, then immediately spend out on proper wheels and tyres, then gradually fit the nice steering wheel/gear
knobs/headers/trim/fancy lightweight brake calipers etc as and when I have the dosh.
Why not try putting a list of the bits you need in the 'wanted' section - I'm sure quite a few people have bought bits they
haven't used, or know someone with something that might do instead...
Regards
Hugh
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Irony
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| posted on 22/2/11 at 12:12 PM |
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I have spent a considerable amount of time going over my budget for my build. I have been reasonable careful about keeping literally every invoice
for all the parts I have bought and keeping a running total. I haven't bought poor quality but done research to get fair prices. My build is
going to be over 10K and thats with a secondhand part finished kit. I have a seeking feeling that a lot of people on here 'forget' to add
certain parts to their build cost. The odd bit here, the odd bit there. It adds up.
I respect those builders who have really taken the time to search scrapyards for cheap parts, but it's not always cheaper. By the time you have
driven to the yard, ferreted out the bits, taken them off and cleaned them up and driven back. Depends on how much your time is worth.
On other forums people inflate their 0-60 times as people naturally do by a little bit. On here I think people naturally underestimate their build
costs, it is locostbuilders afterall.
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Irony
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| posted on 22/2/11 at 12:13 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by Richard Quinn
It was bloody P&P with me! No matter how hard I tried to work everything out, there were always more nuts/bolts etc needed. I think I must have
spent as much on P&P as I did for nuts & bolts at Namrick.
I did find a cracking fasteners supplier not far from home but I work 45 miles away and they were only open when I was at work!
100% agree. I reckon at least 10% of my build cost is P&P.
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StevieB
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| posted on 22/2/11 at 12:44 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by Irony
quote:
Originally posted by Richard Quinn
It was bloody P&P with me! No matter how hard I tried to work everything out, there were always more nuts/bolts etc needed. I think I must have
spent as much on P&P as I did for nuts & bolts at Namrick.
I did find a cracking fasteners supplier not far from home but I work 45 miles away and they were only open when I was at work!
100% agree. I reckon at least 10% of my build cost is P&P.
Ditto - it's a budget killer.
I got most of my fasteneres from my local auto jumble where there's a guy doing stainless fasteners of just about every type imaginable at
decent prices, and also stalls selling bits of trim, fuel hose etc.
There was still a lot spent on p&p though.
I think the biggest thing that keeps a build within budget is having the experience of building a car previously, so you know what's truely
needed and what isn't
I reckon there's £1000 or more of parts that I could have left till later (such as using the perfectly good sierra calipers I have instead of
splashing out on a wilwood kit, and also refurbing the calipers myself instead of buying exchange items for the rear though there is good argument for
this) or bits that were part of the original kit I bought from MK that I just wouldn't want to pay for again as I never used them (and IMHO are
way overstated on their price list).
Biggest thing I learned was not to buy everything from one place for the convenience of it - I found that (in my experience) the kit manufacturers
seem to buy stuff at the same price I could from another supplier then just add a mark up on top. Better to shop around and figure out where they
get their supply form in the first place.
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edsco
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| posted on 22/2/11 at 04:02 PM |
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Hmmm....budgets budgets budgets!!
I set my myself a budget of £10k. This was loosely based on the fact 'build a kit from £7.5k' then add you VAT. However, £7.5K
doesn't get you what you are wanting in terms of spec. I must be around the £11.5K mark at the moment and will have to spend the thick end of
another grand getting it painted.
The plus side is, I must have spent about a grand tooling up for it etc so at least the next project i can knock that cost out.
I have also learnt a lot about suppliers and where is best to source items. A good fasteners and fixings and general race wear place is Trident
Racing based at Silverstone. I must have saved a considerable sum going there for stuff.
One thing i have learnt (being a novice builder).....plan it all out to the n'th degree. I must have splashed a whole load of cash on silicone
pipework which i later didn't require and kept Samco and other companies in business just off my purchases alone!! Maybe a slight
exaggeration!!
edsco
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pewe
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| posted on 22/2/11 at 04:16 PM |
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If you are married/partnered there are two budgets you have to run:-
1) the "I've only spent..." one and 2) the "real" one.
First is for general publication and the second for your eyes only.
Be aware however that even the second one will not reflect the true cost of the build as you will lie to yourself e.g. tools bought are for general
use not specific to the build and over-bought items are mainly "stock".
This probably doesn't help but I suspect reflects most builds.
Cheers, Pewe
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ashg
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| posted on 22/2/11 at 04:52 PM |
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i never really set a budget but 6k was the figure i kind of had in my head as an absolute max. i built the car for exactly £3080 not including iva
and registration.
i kept every reciept in a folder and didnt add it up until the end.
Anything With Tits or Wheels Will cost you MONEY!!
Haynes Roadster (Finished)
Exocet (Finished & Sold)
New Project (Started)
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theduck
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| posted on 23/2/11 at 03:15 PM |
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This is why I am buying a kit that will have everything I need in one box, so I know my £9k budget will mean a £9k build!
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mr_pr
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| posted on 23/2/11 at 04:03 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by theduck
This is why I am buying a kit that will have everything I need in one box, so I know my £9k budget will mean a £9k build!
That is what I thought... Not the case.
Add tools, fasteners, shiny bits you decide you need, etc. You say you won't do it but you will!
.JPG)
My Build Progress
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mr_pr
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| posted on 23/2/11 at 04:04 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by StevieB
quote:
Originally posted by Irony
quote:
Originally posted by Richard Quinn
It was bloody P&P with me! No matter how hard I tried to work everything out, there were always more nuts/bolts etc needed. I think I must have
spent as much on P&P as I did for nuts & bolts at Namrick.
I did find a cracking fasteners supplier not far from home but I work 45 miles away and they were only open when I was at work!
100% agree. I reckon at least 10% of my build cost is P&P.
Ditto - it's a budget killer.
I got most of my fasteneres from my local auto jumble where there's a guy doing stainless fasteners of just about every type imaginable at
decent prices, and also stalls selling bits of trim, fuel hose etc.
There was still a lot spent on p&p though.
I think the biggest thing that keeps a build within budget is having the experience of building a car previously, so you know what's truely
needed and what isn't
I reckon there's £1000 or more of parts that I could have left till later (such as using the perfectly good sierra calipers I have instead of
splashing out on a wilwood kit, and also refurbing the calipers myself instead of buying exchange items for the rear though there is good argument for
this) or bits that were part of the original kit I bought from MK that I just wouldn't want to pay for again as I never used them (and IMHO are
way overstated on their price list).
Biggest thing I learned was not to buy everything from one place for the convenience of it - I found that (in my experience) the kit manufacturers
seem to buy stuff at the same price I could from another supplier then just add a mark up on top. Better to shop around and figure out where they
get their supply form in the first place.
Totally agree with this. If I build again I will have the experience to buy all the little parts myself and save a small fortune!
My Build Progress
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Doctor Derek Doctors
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| posted on 4/3/11 at 01:02 PM |
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There's no point having a budget.... you only live once/can't take it with you.
A good way to save money is to work out what you will need and keep an eye open for deals on everything, I am not at the point of needing brakes or
race wheels yet but I recently picked up a hardly used set of Sierra rear brakes and a set of nearly new Compomtive CXL's for £200 (for the
whole lot), I don't need them yet but it has saved my around £200 on the build by picking them up now while they were cheap.
Always have a bit of cash handy in case you spot a good deal, you'll kick yourself if you miss a good deal and have to spend 2x the amount a
month later.
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