Build VS buy debate

mikew

mikew

New member
So I was reading another post where a board member was bustin balls for some one buying there truck done VRS building it themselves. I find it interesting that many guys who have the skill set and ability to build there own trucks bust balls like this on those who just buy or pay some one to build there truck.

Some people simply were not blessed with the skill set or time/work space to do major engine work, fab up parts etc. Whats funny is if every car guy had these skills then you guys who build you own would be jobless as many of you work as builder mechanics etc...

Just because a guy buys his truck or pays a shop to build his motor does not make him less of an enthusiast. :2cents:
 
SYO237

SYO237

SyTy Registry
Re: Build VS buy debate

mikew said:
So I was reading another post where a board member was bustin balls for some one buying there truck done VRS building it themselves. I find it interesting that many guys who have the skill set and ability to build there own trucks bust balls like this on those who just buy or pay some one to build there truck.

Some people simply were not blessed with the skill set or time/work space to do major engine work, fab up parts etc. Whats funny is if every car guy had these skills then you guys who build you own would be jobless as many of you work as builder mechanics etc...

Just because a guy buys his truck or pays a shop to build his motor does not make him less of an enthusiast. :2cents:
Click to expand...

Whoa. Hold your horses. Im the one you are talking about busting on T-Bone in the other post. Just so everyone is clear, we have a friendly competition between us. Yes, we are bagging on each other pretty hard, but it is on good terms.

T-bone knows he is a washed up motorcycle racer, he cant deny that. He also thinks that beating me in autoX by mere hundredths with his TRAILERED fully race prepped Lap 1 of America Typhoon versus my DRIVEN limited bolt-on modded stock street tire syclone with at the time a failing transmission makes him a superstar. I know T-Bone has the skillset to work on his own trucks. He finished out the Aspen truck....granted, it came with all the BUILT parts and modifications when he bought it, but I guess if you want to get technical, he put the few pieces it needed back together. He probably wore 3 sets of gloves though just so no dust would make contact with his skin :roll:

I know some guys dont have the knowledge or ability to do their own shit. Im OK with that. Ive worked on countless trucks where someone has asked me to do it cause they didnt know how. My only stipulation with that is that the person is gonna help me do the task and hopefully learn something from me. Only thing major Ive never done on my truck is the 5 trans rebuilds its had. That there is a gray box of mystery and I much rather pay someone to take care of that mess. Of course, after 5 youd think Id be motivated to figure it out on my own....
 
dgoodhue

dgoodhue

BuSTeD 4.3
Re: Build VS buy debate

I can't afford to pay someone to modify and maintain my Syclone. I learned years ago if I want to have a fast vehicle I was going to need to do it myself. An unexpected result was going to be a sense of pride in my work and significant saving for repair bill on my daily drivers.
 
qbnkiller

qbnkiller

Conflaguration Specialist
Re: Build VS buy debate

when I first bought my Ty 10 years ago, I paid people to do it for me. My travel schedule made it difficult to work on my stuff. After many years (and being screwed by many different people and supposed speed shops), I took matters into my own hands.

Personally, it doesn't matter if you built it or bought it. either person can come off like a complete douchebag with their ego. Be cool and down to earth, and all is good.
 
M

MikeRenz

not stock
Re: Build VS buy debate

Who cares what other people think? Do what best suits you or makes the most sense for your situation.

Sometimes the best thing to do is just sell a project because you don't have the skills to complete it...like BigSmoosh did.
 
DanenGraham

DanenGraham

Big in the rear
Re: Build VS buy debate

qbnkiller said:
Personally, it doesn't matter if you built it or bought it. either person can come off like a complete douchebag with their ego. Be cool and down to earth, and all is good.
Click to expand...


This is it. Some people are just going to be DBs no matter what. I could care less if you bought a fast car or built it yourself, other than admiring the craftsmanship and hard work a person put into it. Some people have the skills but not the tools, other people have the tools but not the time. And some people have the money, and like to stay clean. Big deal.

Im getting to the point, that i just hate working on things. Anything. And really why i have lost a lot of interest in the Sy. I want a new car, with a warranty, that i can drive the living sht out of. Something goes wrong, have the dealership cover it and in two-three years sell that pile and move on.
 
S

sy605

Member
Re: Build VS buy debate

Buy it done. Just makes more financial sense. Take it from me. I have a garage full of parts that I don't have time to install and wish list of like 20k in parts. You can buy an awesome truck if you wait. Then again 10 sec. trucks don't pop up for sale a lot which is why I'm building. I sourced the cheapest Sy I could find so I could dump money on the build.
 
JSM

JSM

Active member
Re: Build VS buy debate

I built mine as I was stupid and needed a place to dump all my spare $1 bills and hide them.

For the right price I might help someone buy one though.
 
Windedv6

Windedv6

Ty n 10s
Re: Build VS buy debate

I do most of the wrench work on my trucks, but I am fortunate to have a local pro chassis/car builder as a personal friend. I enjoy the taking apart, putting together and coming up with a few ideas here and there, but when it comes to engineering, welding, machining I leave that for the professional. I don't assemble the short blocks as I want them done precisely, but I normally do the rest of the motor assembly, installation, etc.

The best one can do for the money is to buy one completed then do some of the upkeep work from there. Anyone that has done a quality rebuild or a built a quality truck through upgrades will lose money selling them. It's is always a better deal for the buyer with our trucks.

John
 
alwayscode390

alwayscode390

pppssssshhhhhtttttttttttt
Re: Build VS buy debate

I used to SWEAR by doing all my own work ... then life gets in the way and I wish I would have bought a completed vehicle.

The only thing, is when you buy modified ... 75% of the time I would say you get someone elses headache and you end up working on it anyway!!! ---
 
Blazerspeed

Blazerspeed

New member
Re: Build VS buy debate

Everyone has different skills, not to mention we all started with ZERO knowledge. 90% of the people I've met in my short time on this rock simply can't or never had any one show them how (and yes, some simply don't have the desire) to turn a wrench. There's nothing wrong with that, you have to learn this stuff somewhere.
While I think you get more of a sense of accomplishment and ownership when you build/repair it yourself, that doesn't mean the people who pay someone to do a specific job (or in some cases the entire build) are any less of an enthusiast. Hell, I'll play with wiring all damn day, but if you ask me how to fix or diagnose your trans...yeah, you're going to get a blank, and not so bright looking stare.

I look at it this way - take Jay Leno, and Jerry Seinfeld. Both are well known, high profile, car guys. One is in the "buy it" column, and one is in the "build it" column. Both have massive warehouses full of vehicles that someone else maintains, yet we all consider Jay to be the "build it" guy without me even saying it off the bat. It's all a matter of personal perspective.
 
RealFastV6

RealFastV6

@jb_and_his_coffee
Re: Build VS buy debate

I like working on projects. It's personally rewarding, and a way to make the vehicle "mine." I don't think I could just drop it off somewhere and have it all done, but at the same time I don't think any less of anybody that does.

That said- there's lots of areas where learning the hard way or reading it in a book just isn't going to cut it. I pick up my assembled shortblock from the engine builder - I pick up my assembled transmission from the transmission builder - I don't do bodywork... Pretty much outside of that it's fair game.

Like everything in life; sometimes paying an expert to do something is the best way.
 
Throws

Throws

Active member
Re: Build VS buy debate

I do most, if not all of my own work... except for body work (I don't eye or touch for it). I've also bought an assembled short block. after deciding that while I have built my own engine... I just didn't have the time for it.

I think that the main reasons people pay for it to be done is knowing it's done properly and for the time involved. People do it themselves for the satisfaction of doing it right.

-P
 
Mprt Kla

Mprt Kla

Donating Member
Re: Build VS buy debate

I've migrated on to the buy it phase for the big stuff. definately don't have the nice setups that some of you do on here....any even if I did I wouldn't know what to do with half of it. I work on my older stuff most of the time (jeep/trooper) but anything major on the Sy and its off to the shop as it works out cheaper for me in the end because I'm not trying to do something...breaking that something...rebuying that something a second time. etc. But living in a town house with no garage/covered space and a HOA that will fine you if you have a paint chip peeling somewhere on your house doesnt make things any easier. Hence the reason I sent my truck a few years ago to RPM to just have everything done that I had been saving for for years. I wish I could have done it myself but I know myself to well and my truck would still be sitting behind my house not moving if I went that direction.
 
V

vmack

New member
Re: Build VS buy debate

I work on cars in my shop here do pretty much everything; body, paint, engine work, electrical.I try not to get in to trans work and I don't have a machine shop.So I can't pay someone to work on my cars really wouldn't look good for me. Long story short I get burned out sometimes and the smallest job on one of my older cars just seems like the biggest pain to me. All this being said if I hit the powerball I would buy all kinds of s*** done.So if u don't have the skills,don't have the tools, have the money and buy a done car I don't see a problem with it.
 
MadMike

MadMike

Member
Re: Build VS buy debate

I think an important note is how all of the buyers take away from the design and build conversions. In that everyone just copies other combos instead of learning why or how to make new combos that work. Or new stuff with new tech. I get a go buy this instead of some details about how to make it....

I build and make custom anything I can. It's cheaper and usually better. The major limitation is the machinery I have to work with.

The real beat down is when I need to go to a shop and explain to them how to do it. Ya I'm that guy. They talk to kit people all day and/ or just are focused on what they know. It makes it hard to make relationships where you can get things done the way you want, then you get to play the game ' $200 for a pipe and an elbow welded together bc everyone else is dumb enough to pay.

I guess some people have to get paid. But that's maybe another topic.
 
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