how much have you put into your 914
 

how much have you put into your 914

Over the past dozen years, including the purchase price (but valuing my "employee discount" parts at the discounted prices), I'm definitely over $10K.

That also includes things like having the seats re-done in leather and cloth, putting race-prep parts on it, buying documents (books, etc.) for it, and so on.

--DD

The cost on my car went from the initial $2500 to over $7000, and that's just to fix everything wrong with it. The only things left to fix is the horn, the left low-beam, and the radio, then I can spend even more improving my car.

Just in OEM rubber...over 1,500

and it still aint on the road....Sigh...

I dunno-
I gotta add it up. I hope I remember to fill in the poll.

Purchase (1989) $5000
DIY Mechanical rebuild (1992-93) $1600
Professional Mechanical services ('93) $ 600
DIY bodywork ('93) $100
Professional paint ('93) $600

Professional Mechanical services (1993 to 2002) $ 500
DIY Mechanical work (1993 to 2002) $500

DIY Mechanical rebuild (2002) $400
Professional Mechanical services ('02) $ 1200
DIY bodywork ('03) $100
Professional paint ('03) $800

Adds up to $11,400

I'm sure there is at least $500 unaccounted for, but it is worhtwhile to aknowledge that there were many improvements made- in fact almost everything that could be made "better" has been - suspension to electrical and everything in between.

$12000 for 15 years of great driving fun, plus a (full-time) hobby and membership in the weirdest crowd this side of mars. A great investment. The shape it is in jn nowI'll be driving my car a lot more miles, too, and I've always considered mileage to be "free" for this car, since it has so many miles already that no one is counting anymore (265000).
I've put about 60,000 miles on it, so that comes down to $0.20 per mile, not counting gas and insurance, or around $750 a year. Thats a great deal, I think. What are monthly payments on any car these days?

if u tell my wife i`ll hunt u down
 

Good grief! I quit counting after 6 years . I`m afraid to think about it.:eek: I had to hide the reciepts,(you spent how much on what for that d*mn car). Really she does`nt say that but I`m sure she has thought it at times.I`ve been tell her (6yrs)just wait until you take a ride in it. I took her for the first ride on thanksgiving day.... well her reaction ... too loud!

My wife is leaving in June, she says I spent over 20k on the cars together. She hates them and thinks they are too loud also. She says it is our retirement on wheels. Too bad she wont be around for my retirement. She wont even ride in them. Thats fine though, I dont have any trouble finding passengers.

Gulp..., and with much embarrassment, here goes..

And I can already hear, "I coulda told ya so."

Found at the foot of a PO's drive, weeds growing up around it, and purchased as an "I'll save you, Nell" exercise in near futility for $2500. Strong point - little body and structural rust, despite having set outside for I don't know how long. Major weak point, other than current owner's addled brain, the engine bay "hell hole."

Jake Raby 2270 ..................approx $6000

Front mounted oil cooler with the necessary lines run through the passenger side inner longitudinal.

Redone brakes, rebuilt calipers, replaced lines
Upgraded to 19mm master cylinder

Restored gas tank and replaced plastic lines with stainless steel.
Replaced and moved fuel pump and filter

Found a set of 15" 2.0 Fuchs alloys on the Net

Also picked up a Momo Prototipo steering wheel from the Net

Have a set of custom fender flares from an extremely talented guy in Seattle that'll eventually be my best purchase.

....and am currently hung up with learning to mig weld before I get brave enough to attack the hell hole repair.

Right now, excluding the purchase of the Lincoln welder, I guess I'm into it for $10,000, probably a little more. I'll certainly be way over 10 by the time I'm through.

Naieve, certainly.....stubborn, definitely. Would I do it differently if I had it to do over again. Surely. But I'd do it.

Echoing the words of many others wiser in 914 speak than I.....
Buy the best 914 you can find because you'll spend much more trying to repair one with more problems. But buy a 914!

Too much, I wouldn't do it again.

M

About a grand so far and it's running great. My next project is the suspension and five lug conversion. I have the rear hubs already, now if I can just find the front strut assemblies I will be fine. Add some Fuchs and I am done......

415pb ... so you think

Car=free
3.6=free
914/6 stub axles=free
SC front end=free

No, really, I've probably got around $2800 in my car.
This is, of course, not including the 3.6, the stub axles, and the SC
frontend--which, actually, I have none of. :(

I put 5 naked women in my 914. ;-)

71' virtually rust free complete car in great condition 2500.00

88' 930 brakes and rotors front and rear 1100.00

88' 16x7 & 16x9 fuchs 1600.00

84' carrera 915 transaxle 550.00

84' carrera front suspension 800.00

74' 914 steering column (No momo hubs for 71') 85.00

70 911' rear trailing arms complete with hubs 100.00

total is 6745.00.

I havent even begun to scratch the surface yet. Future purchases include

3.6 motor conversion around 10k

transaxle rebuild, modifications, wevo stuff, axles and quaife diff.
around 4k

total resto job inside $ out around 6k

and another 5k miscalaneous parts to get the brakes and suspension working.

when its all said and done around 30+k :eek:

Im sure im missing some things i cant think of right now.

Look I'm thinking of only 1000.00 this weekend. And I've found no parts that I want. I need one good Mahle, 2 harnesses, a seal for the taco plate, and to have all the lifters sold in the last six months be good.

Joe, I still have that seal for you, you never called or came by. I will be at Dunkels on Sunday. You going? Look for me.

Scott: Thanks, I'm sorry. Good to see you up. I'll be looking for you.
Joe

I think you need to add a few more choices over 10k to the poll. Maybe 15k, 20k, 30k, 40k, 50k..................

uh...none of my damn business.

Yeah, like $2K+ for the flares to fit those wheels... (A bit less for FG flares; DIY installation reduces the price more.)

--DD

You don't even want to know...

Well the Mrs just added this up last month
So far the grand total is a hair under $14,000. The funny part is I have done just about everything myself excluding bodywork and paint. She says I'm done and thats it...flipping accountants who needs them?

I'm in the same boat as Qarl.....cept mine runs:D

Over $10k is the max? Seriously guys, that's not that much at all for a car these days?!?!

-Steve
'74 914 3.6

Karl will have (I estimate) about $47,000.00 in his... I just love those last 2 zeros.


M

Here's some hard money facts on my completed restoration. I started my ground up, every nut & bolt restoration using all OEM German parts. I started in 1995 & completed the car late 1998 with over 2000 manhours of my own time. I believe another 1000 hrs. were used in outside services I could not do myself.
Breakdown:
Parts, etc. $12,000
Labor & Paint $9,000
Total including everything and anything including my 914 purchase price of $400 totaled =$21,000 dollars.
The car came out beautiful & was featured in the August 2002 of EXCELLENCE Magazine. I have won many awards so this out of pocket money $$ can be done. I would estimate a 25% cost increase if you were to do the car today. Parts have gone up and labor rates have increased. Keep in mind my labor was free so if you outsource the labor your costs go up. I also forgot to say when you read the EXCELLENCE article it will say I spent $14,000 That was for my wife's benefit.
Tom Bliznik, HIPO-2L Chrome Yellow 914

$11,000 and counting.

Lets see up to 6k and I still have to paint and assemble. Hasnt seen daylight for 4 years. Thats no joke!

Dont forget the over 10k for the workshop to put it in

Rich, how many seals for 1500?

Yikes! I'm in deep, I still owe my wife for our 5th anniversary.

Over 40. [sigh]

But I love it. It will eat a Boxter alive, no one knows what it is (read "it does not scream mid-life crisis") and it is stunningly cute. In other words, it was a bargain.

The question of how much I spent on the car is not so bad. The one I hate is when my wife asks how much I could get for the car and all the boxes of extra parts that surround it?

Whats worse, how many miles have you driven your 914? In 2 years probley less than a 1000 miles after spending a lot of money and time. cost per mile is out of site.

Bernie :mad:

I had less than $4000 into the 914 turbo and less than $7000 in the V8 914. I sold both of them for a profit, I figure I made about 10 cents an hour ;)
YMMV, I am a cheap bastard and will get very creative trying to save a dollar.

How about; How much has your 914 cost you per mile. A real incentive to get out there and drive that thing!!

Regarding your thread, if your including purchase price and shipping over 23K.

See no evil; no evil...
 

I know that I probably have between $15 and $20k in mine, but I don't keep track of it. My car is my therapy. If I think too much about the $$, then it's not therapy anymore:D

I just don't want to know. Plus, if I don't know, than my wife don't know either, and that's better for the health of the marriage;)

I've got about $500 over what I paid for my car. I've had two great years of driving and have probably put about 6-7,000 miles on it.

The secret is buying a really nice car and just driving it. I could probably sell it for a small profit today.

Still, I think "total cost" is the wrong way to look at this hobby. I figure it will cost about $500-1000 a year to own one of these cars and that's with doing most of the maintenance and work yourself. So, over the next 10 years I may spend $5K-$10K to keep the car on the road. One year I may only need an oil change and tune-up but I may also need an engine or tranny rebuild or paint job. Averaged out over time these cars are pretty cheap to keep on the road.

I bought a car with a new motor, and transaxle, and have had nothing but Effing trouble for a year.

Anyone want a 914? I am contemplating blowing the engine, and rolling it in the river. I've never had such a piece of crap.


M

if you consider how much it cost to play golf, go fishing, hit the casinos, smoke then these cars are cheap therapy. I ama car nut always have been and will always be.

Bernie

It's a hobby, right? So, who's counting? I keep telling myself that, and maybe I'll convince myself someday! Until then, over $14K and counting!

Mike

Heh. $1000 here, $1000 there....pretty soon it adds up to a fun 914! (There's no point in keeping records if you're having fun!)

What kind of depreciation would you be looking at if you had a newer
sports car or even just a comuter? I'm sure I'll easily have over
10k in mine in parts alone! How much car does that get you these days?

Ron