Cost justification exercises for car mods
02-15-2011, 06:00 AM
#1
Registered User
Thread Starter
Cost justification exercises for car mods
Is it just me or do you find yourself trying to justify to your other half, the financial benefits of whatever bit you're about to order for your S2000?
Service items are simple enough to get past when you rack up the miles especially if it's a daily driver, other items can also be shoehorned into this category i.e. Brake disks/pads etc (Yeah love, I need some new disks. They're £xxx.xx a pair - She's not to know OE ones are only £30 odd..)
Other items are not so simple however and an element of "truth stretching" or "creative accounting" can be necessary.
e.g. I think there may be a hole in my exhaust. Now I've priced up a replacement from a Honda dealer and it's ridiculously expensive (Not that you'd ever get an OE one from a dealer) but the goods news dear is that someone on the forum is selling an aftermarket one for <Insert real price -20% here>
or..
Yes, I could buy the cheap ones but they'll only last me X miles. If I spend the extra now they'll last me Y miles and in effect, that means in the long run a saving of £Z.
This system has worked quite well for me over the years until I flippantly asked her if I could spend £3.5k on a supercharger kit at which point she used the killer line...
"Of course you can dear.....if YOU think we can afford it without us having to cut back on anything else. And have you booked the holiday yet?"
Now realistically, I don't have to run this stuff past her or get her approval for this kinda thing but for some reason I feel it necessary to justify what I spend.
Is this just me?
Service items are simple enough to get past when you rack up the miles especially if it's a daily driver, other items can also be shoehorned into this category i.e. Brake disks/pads etc (Yeah love, I need some new disks. They're £xxx.xx a pair - She's not to know OE ones are only £30 odd..)
Other items are not so simple however and an element of "truth stretching" or "creative accounting" can be necessary.
e.g. I think there may be a hole in my exhaust. Now I've priced up a replacement from a Honda dealer and it's ridiculously expensive (Not that you'd ever get an OE one from a dealer) but the goods news dear is that someone on the forum is selling an aftermarket one for <Insert real price -20% here>
or..
Yes, I could buy the cheap ones but they'll only last me X miles. If I spend the extra now they'll last me Y miles and in effect, that means in the long run a saving of £Z.
This system has worked quite well for me over the years until I flippantly asked her if I could spend £3.5k on a supercharger kit at which point she used the killer line...
"Of course you can dear.....if YOU think we can afford it without us having to cut back on anything else. And have you booked the holiday yet?"
Now realistically, I don't have to run this stuff past her or get her approval for this kinda thing but for some reason I feel it necessary to justify what I spend.
Is this just me?
02-15-2011, 06:17 AM
#4
Registered User
i just buy stuff without saying anything, just see if she notices the change.
Unless you have a brother like mine, who ask's your other half questions like: So how are you benefitting from this exhaust he's just bought??
B#stard!
Unless you have a brother like mine, who ask's your other half questions like: So how are you benefitting from this exhaust he's just bought??
B#stard!
02-15-2011, 06:18 AM
#5
02-15-2011, 06:21 AM
#6
Your thinking about it too much, you remind me of well...me with mods. And look what happened to my car 
.
Hole in the exhaust, bet its where the pipe meets the back of the backbox?, if so that's a £15 repair job and it will last.
Depending on what you buy you can always sell on the mods, without losing too much money depending on parts.
I think with tyres you can't really skimp, and its usually false economy in the long run, with performance, longevity etc.
My Yaris for example, i just buy 3rd party stuff, half decent oil and half decent tyres - but not budget.
My GF said 'Dont buy a supercharger the car is fast enough and it will kill you", i bought one.
.Hole in the exhaust, bet its where the pipe meets the back of the backbox?, if so that's a £15 repair job and it will last.
Depending on what you buy you can always sell on the mods, without losing too much money depending on parts.
I think with tyres you can't really skimp, and its usually false economy in the long run, with performance, longevity etc.
My Yaris for example, i just buy 3rd party stuff, half decent oil and half decent tyres - but not budget.
My GF said 'Dont buy a supercharger the car is fast enough and it will kill you", i bought one
.
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02-15-2011, 07:18 AM
#9
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I've been considering the R888's in the for sale section.
50 quid for the set, 40 to fit.
If they last me two track days, that's about 3mm of tread.
A full set of tyres, with 7mm of tread costs £340.
therefore 3mm of tread on those costs about £160.
£90 to buy and fit some part work R888's sounds like a bargain!
50 quid for the set, 40 to fit.
If they last me two track days, that's about 3mm of tread.
A full set of tyres, with 7mm of tread costs £340.
therefore 3mm of tread on those costs about £160.
£90 to buy and fit some part work R888's sounds like a bargain!
02-15-2011, 07:18 AM
#10
Member
I say man up I buy anything I like for mine and any interference is dealt with quickly! In fact there is none now, it's not open for debate.
It's like blokes who I know, who ask for permission to go out. WTF is that about?!
I buy anything I like for mine and any interference is dealt with quickly! In fact there is none now, it's not open for debate.It's like blokes who I know, who ask for permission to go out. WTF is that about?!