Anybody's project turning into a cash cow.

[Mickey_D]

Heh, my Blazer isn't even a project and I've got more into it than it's worth. And I've still got more to put into it, and it'll still just be a rusted 1993 S10 Blazer. But I didn't buy it for looks, I bought it for better DD mileage than my truck.

The only time I ever got more out of a vehicle than I put into it was the 1956 Hillman Husky I restored for a customer and the 1959 Stuttgart Edition Volkswagen Beetle I did for another customer.

But I have gotten my money's worth out of quite a few cars. My 86 Toyota Tercel 4X4 wagon I bought for $500 and drove the snot out of for three years. I sold that for $100 and the only things I ever put into it were gas, oil, a set of tires, and a tuneup. My truck I paid $500 for, I've beat it senseless for 5 years now and I could still get $250-300 for it. Only things I've replaced were the carb, starter and alternator. My 1979 Toyota pickup I had in Washington served me quite well also. I bought it with 705,000 all original miles on it for $200. Drove the snot out of it for 3 years, never put a thing into it. Gave it to a friend in 2000 and it's still on the road out there somewhere.

I can honestly say I'm not too far behind when it comes to the vehicles I've owned. When you compare what some people pay for a new vehicle (including interest, full coverage insurance, depreciation, etc) and I think I'm actually AHEAD of things.