View Full Version : Where do you draw the line.... Novas drain cash fast!
DAFTJOHN
18-12-12, 01:26 PM
So after the car being away for just shy of 3 years I've had it for 2 months. It's on a spit just now and has had the 4 corners sandblasted to show where the bad metal is.
As well as that the engine has had a refresh and paint. The fuel tank, axle, tie bars, hubs and wish bones have all been powdercoated, as have the wheels. I've a box with all new wheel bearings, handbrake cables, lights, ball joints, TR ends, drums, callipers etc.
The shell was painted but will need painted again as the cars getting welded, new front end and I doubt the paint will match.
I could have bought a nice VXR now or a mint ready built Nova.
So now I need to get the car to the painters on the jig, wait until its welded, sealed and painted....hopefully to a standard I want and then it needs rebuilt! Sooo do I cut my losses and put the 3k into something else and sell all the powdercoated bits and engine to make some cash back or press on in the hope I have a really nice nova that will last for many years?
Guess I'm just groaning at throwing more cash at it!
You will feel better about it when it is back on the road
Make sure you use it !
I felt the same way when ours was off the road for 6 months last year
Spending any money on a nova never makes sence, but when it's all said and done the smile on your face when you drive the car you built to your taste is priceless.
It's the same old story I'm afraid... You will spend two/three times more than it will actually be worth in today's market. If you can't deal with a huge loss then better to stop now.
Nick.
DAFTJOHN
18-12-12, 02:11 PM
It's the same old story I'm afraid... You will spend two/three times more than it will actually be worth in today's market. If you can't deal with a huge loss then better to stop now.
Nick.
Not so bothered about the value, ill be keeping it but its the worry of spending the next 3k and it not being up to spec. Fingers crossed.
blue_peg_16v
18-12-12, 02:16 PM
just dont add the cost up then you never know lol
I stopped counting at £12k
Then bought another nova
And kept all my parts,
Surprised I'm not divorced yet
8valve-craig
18-12-12, 02:25 PM
What spec are you building it to?
I just try not to add mine up. But starting with a mint shell will help the finances massively.
End of the day, if you were looking at it as a cost sensible way to get a high performing car, you're going about it the wrong way.
If it was to build something right, the way you wanted to, and to have fun doing so, then it was always going to cost you more and you should have known that.
Personally half the fun for me is in building it right, that's why mine is still in the garage as a bare shell, I could have slapped it together with the parts off of my old one, it was a running car after all. But I wanted it lighter, more powerful, more capable and over time these plans grew, especially as I picked up more and more from uni and related stuff.
Doesn't make it a bad choice because you decided to build a mansion rather than buying a house.
John stop moaning and get on with it lol you could plough 3k into a mint nova and then not be happy with it, youve started yours so you might as well finish it the way you want to.
Just make sure your happy with whos working on it to start with.
DAFTJOHN
18-12-12, 02:46 PM
What spec are you building it to?
I just try not to add mine up. But starting with a mint shell will help the finances massively.
A good freshen up, its a 84 1.3sr with an xe in it. Look standard inside and out, with the exception of it being lowered and on speedlines.
Novasport
18-12-12, 02:52 PM
Nothing like building your own but having said that, selling the shell and buying my current Sport was the best thing I ever did.
Buying somebody elses modified car is a different matter as you dont know what the quality of the build was like, unless it was built by the likes of Nick or Edd etc. Might even turn out to be a brown base model in disguise ;)
waggygsi
18-12-12, 03:15 PM
i bought then smashed an now rebuilding my mk2 escort 4dr just got it back from paint i whate to have counted the cash ive spent
paul james
18-12-12, 03:29 PM
I didn't keep track of what I spent on mine, a lot of money, and time for that matter. But if like me you put on new suspension, rebuild brakes with new parts etc so every component is like new, then the likelyhood is you'll never have to replace these parts ever again. It might cost quite a lot to rebuild a Nova, but afterwards you can enjoy the finished product knowing exactly how it was put together and the condition of everything. It actually does make financial sense in a way, as if you buy someone elses car instead, you'll be spending money on it eventually as parts wear out.
8valve-craig
18-12-12, 03:39 PM
A good freshen up, its a 84 1.3sr with an xe in it. Look standard inside and out, with the exception of it being lowered and on speedlines.
Ah right, sounds nice, but unfortunately finding a mint SR as a base isnt on the cards, so theres not really a way around the expensive bodywork.
Unless you teach yourself to paint?
DAFTJOHN
18-12-12, 03:48 PM
Yeah you are all right, if I spend 3k on another Nova ill end up spending on that. Guess its press on, get the right painter and have it on the road next year
206 days to Billing!
Finger ooooooot man :)
chrisd1986
18-12-12, 04:04 PM
Ive not even scratched the surface with my car and im already £800 in to it easily
DAFTJOHN
18-12-12, 04:04 PM
206 days to Billing!
Finger ooooooot man :)
Is that all?!?! Ill take the cavvy lol
DAFTJOHN
18-12-12, 04:37 PM
Turncoat lol
Ach alright ill bring the Nova
chrisd1986
18-12-12, 04:53 PM
Putting a nova badge on a push iron dosnt count lol
John you know it makes sence lol
On a side note, I booked my caravan for billing today, incase I forgot nearer the time lol
If you like good mental health NEVER EVER add up the total cost
16v Nova Kev
18-12-12, 06:12 PM
You have done it a bit backwards. That's what's gonna cost most
Building a car always cost more as you're building it to just what you want. Buying ready done can save at the start but will cost when you find bits you wanna change.
A hobby will always cost you... Even if i bough a new 62 plate VRX i'd wanna change/paint/upgrade bits... Older parts are just cheaper..
Ach alright ill bring the Nova
I hope to see it there mate, I read your build thread from start to finish , inspired me to look for a decent Sr and get back into Nova's!
How many jam yellow ones are left? Just building it for rarity alone will be worth it! :)
DAFTJOHN
18-12-12, 06:28 PM
You have done it a bit backwards. That's what's gonna cost most
Aye originally started as a freshen up but when I got it back decided to go the full hog...could have saved a bit doing that at the start though.
DAFTJOHN
18-12-12, 06:29 PM
I hope to see it there mate, I read your build thread from start to finish , inspired me to look for a decent Sr and get back into Nova's!
How many jam yellow ones are left? Just building it for rarity alone will be worth it! :)
Fingers crossed, not sure how many jam yellows are left, you don't see many on the forums though.
peester
18-12-12, 06:47 PM
Building a car always cost more as you're building it to just what you want. Buying ready done can save at the start but will cost when you find bits you wanna change.
A hobby will always cost you... Even if i bough a new 62 plate VRX i'd wanna change/paint/upgrade bits... Older parts are just cheaper..
This. Many of us would have ended up with 'nicer' newer cars any old joe's drive. But thats not the point, thats not enthusiasts. You end up wanting to spend on this newer pricier car.
NOV4_SPORT
18-12-12, 06:48 PM
Quite moaning and get to the fixing !!! If your free tomorrow I will pop over for a bit of moral support and a slap lol
DAFTJOHN
18-12-12, 06:54 PM
Quite moaning and get to the fixing !!! If your free tomorrow I will pop over for a bit of moral support and a slap lol
Haha sorry, i'll stop right now! I'm over in Edinburgh tomorrow mate, plus I'd rather miss the slap lol
NOV4_SPORT
18-12-12, 07:11 PM
Haha sorry, i'll stop right now! I'm over in Edinburgh tomorrow mate, plus I'd rather miss the slap lol
No worries bud, the slap can wait lol, give me a txt when your free and I will pop over mate, would like to see how the shell is looking after its been blasted
Southie
18-12-12, 07:21 PM
I spent the best part of 15k building Novas over my life, it's why I don't own a car anymore lol
DAFTJOHN
18-12-12, 07:24 PM
I spent the best part of 15k building Novas over my life, it's why I don't own a car anymore lol
There's got to be some Nova Anonomys club for folk with our "problem" lol
I've probably spent over £40grand on Nova's over the last 17 years lol
Yes I have a problem, and no I don't want to do anything about it
Southie
18-12-12, 07:48 PM
I must be an addict, I've stopped the spending but still on bloody here ffs lol
I had plenty of moment during my long build when I asked myself wtf I was doing and considered selling up. You end up chucking another couple of hundred quid at it but it doesn't feel like you're getting closer to finishing. Its all worth it when you get it back on the road and you get that big grin on your face.
I also have never properly worked out what I spent on mine, got a rough idea and I wouldn't get half what I spent back on it. I could be spending 100's of pounds going out on the piss every weekend but I have more to show for my money than people doing that. At the end of the day its a hobby, not an investment.
Mines 'only' an XE nova, which isnt anything special in itself, and we all know how long it took me to build it, and it owes me in the region of £3k!
That includes buying the cav the engine came from, and the nova as a rolling car originally, and yet i still want a cav turbo more, and couldve easily bought a good one for £3k, law of sod eh!
I guess-timated my build cost before even starting it...
Then broke it up for spares lol
Mines 'only' an XE nova, which isnt anything special in itself, and we all know how long it took me to build it, and it owes me in the region of £3k!
That includes buying the cav the engine came from, and the nova as a rolling car originally, and yet i still want a cav turbo more, and couldve easily bought a good one for £3k, law of sod eh!
Doubt you'd loose much on yours so crap example.. lol
8valve-craig
18-12-12, 08:31 PM
Im pretty confident that i could break mine for not far off what its cost to build. I have been very lucky with some of my purchases though, and im under no illusion that buying parts new means big losses.
Modifying cars will always be a waste of time and money but its a hobby.
In my current 3 modified cars I probably have about £45k and to sell would be lucky to get £16k back but I have nothing else I want to spend my money on so don't let it bother me. People think i'm mad spending £3k building a new engine for my 25 year old MR2 but it gives me something to do at weekends and something to research in my spare time, keeps the boredom away.
As said John its a hobby. It will be a cracking car when its finished and I cant wait to see it in the flesh. In my opinion its worth every penny. At the end of the day its only money and if you have the cash to spend then do it! Have no regrets :thumb:
Southie
18-12-12, 08:55 PM
In my current 3 modified cars I probably have about £45k
That's what's left on my mortgage lol
That's what's left on my mortgage lol
Thats were i'm stupid, I rent instead.
Southie
18-12-12, 08:59 PM
Thats were i'm stupid, I rent instead.
Not really as you've more enjoyment than I have, I can't go for a quick cruise in my house, well unless it was a camper van lol
That's what's left on my mortgage lol
Your a lucky guy........ I only wish I had that little left on mine! You'll be laughing later on in life and have more cash for cars then when we are all still skint! lol
Back on topic..... I can only echo comments of above and If you get the enjoyment from it then why not! I normally go flat out with my projects until they're finished however with the latest one Im trying to spread the cost over a much longer period so it doesnt hurt my pocket as much and Ive learnt theirs no need to rush! Lets face it their is much worse ways to spend your money like putting it up your nose for one!
Nick.
Doubt you'd loose much on yours so crap example.. lol
If you can sell mine for £3k then crack right on mate!
I reckon i wouldnt see more than £1500 for it tbf!
If you can sell mine for £3k then crack right on mate!
I reckon i wouldnt see more than £1500 for it tbf!
I enjoyed the spin last weekend that much Id consider giving you 1500 tommorow.
Nick.
I enjoyed the spin last weekend that much Id consider giving you 1500 tommorow.
Nick.
I dont think i could bring myself to do it, although im currently searching to see what mildly modded mk4 astra's are going for atm, and to see if there are any cav's about:cry:
I dont think i could bring myself to do it, although im currently searching to see what mildly modded mk4 astra's are going for atm, and to see if there are any cav's about:cry:
Two Cav T's on migweb currently...... one with the zlet is great!
Nick.
Two Cav T's on migweb currently...... one with the zlet is great!
Nick.
No pictures on one of them though, seen the zlet build thread on ctoc as he was doing it, nice car :d
Id have to shift both the astra and nova to fund one though, i reckon i could sell the astra happily enough, nova, i doubt!
ShÃ*t cost's money lol end of story really.
Even the Corsa B I had stood me at a couple of grand. Broke/sold it & bought an Astra Sporthatch instead. Its alright, and thats about it really, slow as funk mind.
The next car Ive got in the pipeline will easily cost way over £10k, atleast £3k of that will just be a donor car!
But its an expensive hobby that aint never gonna get any cheaper unfortunatly.
I much rather have your Nova to blast around in and a daily astra than a cav turbo tbh Spud
And definitely over one with the engine of fail, I mean zlet lol
I much rather have your Nova to blast around in and a daily astra than a cav turbo tbh Spud
This^
Jeff16v
18-12-12, 09:57 PM
It a cooler hobby than playing golf or collecting stamps and you can't crack off on the Internet forever.
Novasport
18-12-12, 10:02 PM
Better than p*ssing it up the wall down the pub. At least we have something to show for our hard earned, not just a pickled liver!
Better than p*ssing it up the wall down the pub. At least we have something to show for our hard earned, not just a pickled liver!
I must be truly heroic then, I've got both lol
Don't work out how many years ago you could have had a Cav turbo if you drank like a nun then :p
Better than p*ssing it up the wall down the pub. At least we have something to show for our hard earned, not just a pickled liver!
Agree with that, few mates of mine spunk £100 on a night out easily, what do you have to show for it? Waste. I spend most of my money on material things, hate to waste money on beer!
Hopefully with a promotion in the new year i'll finally throw some doe at the VX, and hopefully get a piggy bank going for a Nova!
BRoadGhost
21-12-12, 01:12 PM
I'll never understand those that invest large amounts of money / time into restoring things to a like new OE spec. Things like original engines, interiors, fuel tanks, suspension componentry etc. They were built to a price and developed some 30+ years ago; things have moved on.
Fact is you can make any car a dream to drive; especially something light like a nova, so why waste effort on anything not an upgrade?
paul james
21-12-12, 01:23 PM
I'll never understand those that invest large amounts of money / time into restoring things to a like new OE spec. Things like original engines, interiors, fuel tanks, suspension componentry etc. They were built to a price and developed some 30+ years ago; things have moved on.
Fact is you can make any car a dream to drive; especially something light like a nova, so why waste effort on anything not an upgrade?
The thing is so many people have/do see them in that way too, so there aren't many left around in original spec, especially models like the SR and GSi (which also happen to be a very nice car in original form anyway). Not that my SR is anywhere near standard, but then it wasn't when I bought it either (its developed its own unique identity to me). However if a Nova has survived all this time in its standard guise, it seems a shame now to detract from that. It would be sad if the time came when there wern't any standard Novas around.
BRoadGhost
21-12-12, 07:43 PM
Sorry to disagree, but I'd rather see them all on track rather than bumbling around tescos.
Why cant you have the best of both? I want all the spec with a oem but better looks kinda thing... I fully under building to be fully oem, but for me it then needs to be totally minty (think dec)
tommy8252
21-12-12, 11:19 PM
As always my advice is get it built, no better feeling than knowing all your hard work has paid off when your left with something you know has had your blood, sweat and tears put into it and your driving it. Once your done with it you can always sell whole or break to fund a new project.
One thing I've learnt with Nova's though is even if you reach the end you'll always want another, it's a damn disease.
Don't work out how many years ago you could have had a Cav turbo if you drank like me then :p
.....
Jon_nova1
22-12-12, 03:28 PM
every hobby costs money, the only way your making it is if your a hobbyist antique collector, people play golf for a hobby and spend well into 4 digits a year, people build computers and upgrade thier own knowing as soon as they've got thier £700 graphics card home theres a better one on a shelf.
Just start worrying when you've grown an over attachment to your car and start announcing to it you bought it a present lol
BRoadGhost
23-12-12, 10:27 PM
£700 for a graphics card..? It better come with lube.
turbojolt
23-12-12, 10:41 PM
my nova has been of the road for 3 years, i bought it for 450 quid Ive spent (estimate) 3+ grand on bits for it, i even moved house so i can store it in a garage, in a vain hope to finish building it myself after being messed about
i dont know if/when i would pull the plug on spending money on it, but i cant see myself doing it any time soon, sadly its acculy one of my dream cars as a kid so when its finally finished i can acculy say Ive owned and built one of my all time dream cars not many people can say that so that why I'm pushing on with it, if your hearts not in it dont keep fooling your self and plowing money into it fella
Jamie.bowen
23-12-12, 10:46 PM
I'm in this position right now... Got a XE in my nova, decided I was going to go out and buy brand new twin 45s, piper cams, have head ported and polished plus all the little bits to go with it hoses etc etc etc.. I get the car back and the piston rings go on me... Then I have a choice get it back up and running or go for the silly expensive iffer and go all out and go fully forged, oversized pistons lightened and balanced along with a diff.... My love is there for the car so I went for the silly expensive offer
BRoadGhost
24-12-12, 11:02 PM
Mhmm well if I had a couple of quid to rub together an alloy block would be the first thing I'd go for. You could spend five figures on an engine quite happily and then there'd be the fuel costs to use it :o
My Nova is nothing outrageous or special, it still rocks its little 1200 and is reasonably standard/OEM to look at. But I have chosen the new parts and keep it shiny shiny route and have probably spent around 4-5k on it, mostly in bodywork. Yes, I could have paid that off of the mortgage, or put it into a pension, or bought a newer car, you know, something safer or more economical. But then, I could have snorted that, bought golf clubs, paid for gym membership, poured it down my neck or done any one of a thousand things that other people do for enjoyment in the name of a hobby or past time.
Thing is, I actually enjoy driving it in the summer with the roof rolled back, I get a nostalgic kind of grin creep across my face, and nothing comes close to when a complete strange stops you on a petrol station forecourt, or in a car park and strikes up a conversation with you about the car.
Keep going John, the feeling you will get when you first drive it after a rebuild will stick with you for a long time!
Oh, and leaving it in the car park at my work, surrounded by BMW's, Audi's and the like, always makes me smile.
BRoadGhost
31-12-12, 04:57 PM
Oh GAWD, petrol station stalkings are one of the most awkward things ever; why does nobody say anything of relevance and why's it never a pretty girl? Law of averages suggests there's gotta be at least some munter due in the next ten years :'(
BRoadGhost
31-12-12, 11:40 PM
Don't you ever get that Ben? Some random bloke will ask you some obscure question like "what's that in the back?" Then start talking about the car they used to have or a mate has and you're still listening after ten minutes?
paul james
01-01-13, 12:11 AM
Oh GAWD, petrol station stalkings are one of the most awkward things ever; why does nobody say anything of relevance and why's it never a pretty girl? Law of averages suggests there's gotta be at least some munter due in the next ten years :'(
A pretty lady asked about my Nova at a petrol station a little while back, she said it was cute, a proud moment! :)
brainsnova
01-01-13, 12:18 AM
I got stopped by 2 police woman years ago only to ask where I bought my front fog lights lol nothing about having them on was illegal
Don't you ever get that Ben? Some random bloke will ask you some obscure question like "what's that in the back?" Then start talking about the car they used to have or a mate has and you're still listening after ten minutes?
Oh, i get the "what's under the bonnet" and "god that looks low" i just laugh and say "yeah it's..." so and so... Guess at times my face says how interested i am in talking...
I know exactly what you mean, I get the same all the time. Some nice encounters where they're interested in the car or have attended the same drifting/trackday event as me, but mostly they just launch into how they had a Nova/Corsa/Vauxhall/Skoda years ago and every mundane modification in detail
BRoadGhost
01-01-13, 08:25 PM
So are you happily married now then Paul?
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