Satisfaction. Buy it or build it?

Interesting thread idea...
I'd quite happily buy a minter off someone else, but I couldn't take the praise for it.
Just wouldn't sit right in my head.
It's definitely more satisfying to drive something you've built though, tenfold, makes the skinned knuckles worth it.

Yes.. yes I could.

If I had enough disposable income I'd drive my car to Huxley autoservices and throw a small pile of cash at him to build the car I want built. I know I don't have the skills to do it, so I'll spend my time working all hours in order to earn enough money to pay someone else to do the job properly.

I'd not want to buy someone elses finished project, unless it was exactly the sort of thing I wanted... for example I'd buy John's Minor if I could afford it as it is perfect to me.

Would bother me if car X was built by me, someone else, or desperatly in need of a shed load of work, if someone offered me a drive, id drive it, window down, arm out. (within reason) BUT, driving around in your own work is pure pride, and you cant put a price on that.

A lot of us, myself included, would pay people to build what we want. There's nothing wrong with that, after all that's why such businesses exist. And yes, there is nothing wrong with buying a car that's been built by someone else which happens to meet your criteria.

What I'm asking is would it feel right to drive a car that someone else built, knowing that you had skipped over your own expertise to simply reach the finish line?

I know I could, given time, restore a Capri to the standard of the one outside my house. I'd never buy one and in that state and enjoy it though, not knowing that it's something I could do.

Chris

She's a beauty, you'll love it.

Chris

Yeah but what if you don't have the expertise to 'reach the finishing line ' ?


Whether you've built the thing yourself or bought it as is , you'd still get a sense of pride owning/driving it - no ?

Sorry, expertise or means.

Chris

Ok first things first I know I don't have the expertise to make a minter (I cant weld very well for a start lol).

Thing is though as much as Id love an absolute minter made by someone else to drive round in, I think Id be more happy in a car with half finished bodywork, primer and with that not complete feel. I know it sounds crazy but then I could say yep its my car, I'm doing the work on it, all my work. To me the point of driving a mint car is knowing the amount of effort and time you've put into it restoring it to that standard. The fact that you know every bit of work thats gone into it, I think you appreciate it more when you've done the work as the niggles that you notice when you first get it you know you've fixed.

A ready made car to me is like a microwave meal. Its all done for you all you have to do is eat/drive but if you make it how you want it, it will always taste / feel better.

Apart from the Mini, I've built everything I've ever owned. The Min can't be changed from what it is now, that would be sacrilidge. But at least I had to recommission it.
The Anglia needs work, the more I look at it the more it needs.
But, I'm not going to change the way it is - just put it right. IMO the colour works spot on, the height is right and the engine sounds like a Ford should.
All the above I'd never take credit for, even though I'm redoing it. It was someone else's brainchild.
The Cortina is getting a full revamp so that'll all be down to me. ;D
I don't think I could ever buy something turn key, just wouldn't seem right. I'd either get bored too quick or start picking fault.