Better To Buy Or Build Up?

[Fryday13]

Ive been having a a fair look at turbo-ing my car recently and all the ways in which to do it. And then I thought along the lines of a new car and thought id get peoples opinions on whether its best to Start with a turbd skyline or get a rolling shell and build it up? Id eventually be looking to replace most stock parts with slightly better options because i'd like to be fast but not become a track demon or anything.

What are peoples thoughts on it? also would be good to get a perspective through cost and then if cost wasn't an issue?

Cheers!

[zebra]

Buy one already done!

[badhairdave]

Buy one already done.

If money, time, and alternate transport aren't issues then build it yourself so it's how you want it as nothing you buy will be exactly what you want.

[tridentt150v]

Depending on what you buy......a good r33 GTR with say 350kw goes for $30-40K. If you did that yourself you could spend close to that on just the mods alone. The car will still set you back +$20-25K. And its relative, so any car will be similar give or take.

The only thing you miss out on is the learning experience and the 'built not bought' edict. But you'll have a lot of skun knuckles, late nights and downtime achieving it.

[Fryday13]

Well ideally im not looking for a GTR i just want something like a 97 or 98 R33. If i bought It I just want it to be turbo with reasonable k's but i figure build it is buy a beater and replace its engine etc

[tridentt150v]

Ok, then expect to pay $15-$20K for a good one [you can get cheaper, but I did say a good one]. I have a '98 and I gave up keeping a running total at $20K. And I noted everything down, if it was for the 'line then I added it to the total.

Honestly there are absolute sub $20K 300rwkw bargains out there in the Gtst range, and in very good to pristine condition - but take your time and shop around, its a buyers market.

[Bsa]

I suggest buying one with most things donethen adding your own touch I wish I did that now. I bought my 32 for 3 k and now spent 6 on it and I havent even touched suspension yet unless your like me and want to be able to say I built this car myself then spend the money on a mostly done one

[Room42]

I've spent almost $8k on bolt ons for the engine to go harder. Haven't got to suspension, drivetrain, wheels or anything else yet. In hindsight I would have bought a built one.

[joeyjoejoejuniorshabadoo]

if i bought my car as it is now.... i would have saved somewhere in the realm of 15-20k

[GTR_JOEY]

ive already spent 20k in engine mods/drive line mods alone, and ive done pretty much all the work myself and thats shopping around for my parts

AND i still have about another 6k to get it goin

[KiwiRS4T]

Buying a modified car is the cost effective way to do it. You can save many thousands of dollars that way (save $10 to $15K or more).

The key is patience. Keep an eye on the forums - find a really good car with not too many miles on the new engine.

If you want ot personalise it or money is burning a hole in your pocket there is always more you can do!

[Rolls]

Buy one already done, then spend a few k getting it up to your standard, that way it is the way you want it and it didn't cost a bucket. If you buy one and mod it yourself it is such a money pit.

The other option is to buy a defected car or a GTR with a blown motor and do the engine swap yourself, this way you save massively on the buy price however you have to be capable of doing the work yourself.

[battery]

Buy already done, just make sure you spend some time finding the right car and don't buy the first one you look at!

[ARTZ]

yeah one already done will have half the bits you will want already on it..

So even if you do have to rebuild it at least it had lots of good parts already..

I now have a pile of stock parts in he shed that are good for nothing and a 20+k bill, I have seen cars with as much or more power selling for half that..I would probably be lucky to sell it for 10k and even then it has to clear a RWC somehow somehwere

See the big problem can be getting them transferred into your name if the car has alot of modifications..But if you know the right people and have access to borrowed parts for a RWC you can get around this, meaning you could buy something even cheaper because the previous owner couldn't bother to clear a defect or RWC..

[SargeRX8]

My first skyline was modified before I bought it. I knew nothing about the car but loved it. Bought this one stock, I know the parts used and everything else inside out. I spent the same amount on both cars too.

[pipster11]

my mate got a pretty good deal

r33 s1

forged motor + hks 2530 (i think) and all the supporting fruit ~ 280-300 rwkw (i forget now)

+ suspension stuff sorted too

$7k

only downside is it had peeling clear coat

hunt around and make the decision on whats available to you, if there aren't any decent ones about then you might have to build your own

[luke gtr]

Look around, then decide....

The build that I wanted, I havnt really seen done.

so, I'm building my own.

I also didn't have the money to spend on a moded one when I first got my car 5 years ago.

Definitly would have saved money buying a car that was already done.

If you've got the money, I recommended buying as close as you can get to what you want.

If you're chasing something that's a bit left field, build it yourself.

Either way you decide, goodluck with the new car.

And post pics when you get it

[Dobz]

yeah one already done will have half the bits you will want already on it..

So even if you do have to rebuild it at least it had lots of good parts already..

I now have a pile of stock parts in he shed that are good for nothing and a 20+k bill, I have seen cars with as much or more power selling for half that..I would probably be lucky to sell it for 10k and even then it has to clear a RWC somehow somehwere

See the big problem can be getting them transferred into your name if the car has alot of modifications..But if you know the right people and have access to borrowed parts for a RWC you can get around this, meaning you could buy something even cheaper because the previous owner couldn't bother to clear a defect or RWC..

^^This.

[Rolls]

If you live in SA we don't have RWC lol!

[Dobz]

If you live in SA we don't have RWC lol!

What?!

So if it starts and moves it can be registered?