Why I Pay the Pros to Do My Repairs
My work life has been all about cars, but I have a confession to make: Fixing what’s broken is not my thing. Sure, I can glue stuff and I know my way around some of the most basic tools, but a handyman I am not. Online courses taken at YouTube University have helped, but the reality is that you just don’t want anything DIY’d by Dave.
In my field of valuing cars, however, I have many examples of much better DIY work. This includes everything from simple fixes to entirely home-built automobiles. When it comes to the value of these cars, it all comes down to two simple words: build quality.
Yep, build quality. Hot rods? Build quality. Restored cars? Build quality. Rebuilt wrecks? Build quality. For anything that has been extensively touched by humans or machines not employed by the factory, those two words overrule the rest. And, in general, a repair or modification that leaves your car significantly different or objectively worse than when it left the factory will likely make it worth less than the same car in highly original or properly restored condition. Work done by well-known professionals also generally has a better value outlook down the line than even competent work you’ve done at home.
Of course, there are nuances here. The first has to do with the kind of car. Generally speaking, the more exotic and expensive the vehicle, the greater the scrutiny on your handiwork. For example, about 15 years ago, I looked at a Bentley whose dash had been replaced with plywood. Had this been a 1950s MG or an old pickup, I might have found this charming or at least forgivable. But a Bentley? Not so much.
For true high-dollar classics, the mere lack of a receipt for maintenance work from a reputable shop can be a black mark. I admire anyone with the gumption to attempt an engine-out belt replacement on a Ferrari, but I’m willing to bet it won’t sell for as much as one that’s had the service done by professionals and has the paperwork to prove it. For a buyer, receipts are reassuring.
The next question here—and forgive me for getting personal—is who are you? What skills or qualifications do you really have? Think about it this way—a classic maintained at home by an aerospace engineer is going to attract more buyers than one maintained at home by a tax attorney. In the end, though, the work usually speaks for itself. When a car presents with a poor-quality paint job, incorrect parts or a botched interior re-do, the value prospects become dimmer.
The same basic rules apply to kit cars. From the 1950s and well into the 1980s, they were offered and built everywhere. You’d find them in the back pages of magazines for the mechanically inclined, as prizes on game shows, in the lots of new and used-car dealerships, even on raised displays at airports. The Mercedes (kinda almost) look-alike SSK’s, the VW-powered fiberfab exotic racers, the faux MG TDs with a motor mounted in the rear. The values for these projects depends heavily on how well they were finished (and, for that matter, if they were finished at all). The difference in quality between a kit car built to last a lifetime and one built to last a lunchtime is obvious. The difference in value between the two is astonishing. A professionally built or even factory-produced replica of a classic is also always going to be of better quality, and therefore worth money, than a replica built by a DIYer.
None of this is meant to discourage anyone from wrenching on their own car. I’m in awe of those who can use those skills that I don’t possess—the building, fixing, repairing and restoring of automobiles. And, enjoyment rather than monetary value, should always be the primary return on a classic car. Yet if we’re talking about protecting an investment, it’s important to make sure work is done properly—even if that means paying an expert.
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I’ve learned over the years, the most important tool in my tool box, is my Master Card.
Nobody touches my car for any reason. My local machine shop does the engine machining to my specifications. That’s the only other entity allowed to put fingers anywhere near my cars. What’s the point of being an enthusiast if you don’t do the work yourself? The whole entire ideology behind automobile enthusiasm revolves around DIY. Anything less feels fake to me. Who am I? Just a clown puncher playing with cars and nukes (nuclear QC engineer).
…and that folks is why no one can afford to restore a car or get involved in this wonderful pastime. I did my latest (last?) one that was a true barn find (read rusted hulk) by myself over 2 years. Finished great, total dollars invested was half that appraised. BUT, it is done in my 2 car garage in my suburban house. Shopped out the glass cutting, upholstery work , engine machining, and final paint. All else done by me FOR me. This was not my 1st car, been doing this silly love affair with old iron since my 15th birthday, only 5 cars ago over those 50 years, but all work, and errors, done by myself so yes, this is the end of a lot of experience (read mistakes already done) by me but I could not be happier with the results. I am not selling, I am driving. IF I followed this article’s advice I would have paid the appraised value of the car in labour alone. Therefore the car would still be in the barn until it disappeared in the dust. One less beautiful car generating fun and smiles wherever it goes, because it should have been done so it would be an investment? Please. This man’s world is much happier than those worried about other’s value of their own hobby. When I did my 1st car back in the 70’s I got parts at wrecking yards and dealerships, now it is all aftermarket and BIG dollars because the “Investors” moved in so anyone watching an auction thinks their car is worth high 5 figures, instead of the old days when you checked how much gas was in the tank to determine what the car was worth!
I produced machine parts for a robotics company for many years. This company wanted inspection reports and certifications for every single item or part. They gave me a rush order and were pressing me to deliver. I asked, what do you want, parts or paper? The manager said paper. Well, that is going to take longer I said. We worked very hard to make sure our parts were as perfect as possible and our paper certifications were perfect. Here is what I know. the person I hand this part to has no idea what it really is made from, or how. He accepts it based on the paper trail. I have the receipts from the last Corvette specialty shop that worked on my C2. I went over everything they said they did and wound up redoing nearly everything myself. Just because you have a piece of paper doesn’t mean you got what you paid for. I am sure many of us on this site have gotten burned and have a lovely piece of paper to show for it.
Just like anything else, you are better served by at least knowing as much as you can about any subject you rely on someone else to do. It’s the only way to know if you’re getting your money’s worth and not getting ripped off.
Knowledge is power.
Let them eat cake.
Don’t remember how many times I’ve been disappointed by a ‘professional’ job that I redid, not being experienced, but it came out better. I find it’s sometimes better to invest in the tools and do it myself.
It would be helpful if there was a national posting of recommended or not recommended shops by way of customer experiences.
I do not think I can replace the original ignition system to my 86 Lotus Turbo Esprit, but I get something new and save the original for sale with the car, how much does that mitigate value loss?
Note: It is the Lotus sent by Lotus to the the GM Tech Center when GM was buying Lotus, and has less than 21K original miles. When it is running well, it screams! (not to mention handling like it is on rails)