Anyone Flip Cars Here?

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Dantheman1540

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https://www.hybrid-racing.com/

My cousin helped to get them off the ground floor. He actually performed a K-swap by himself over a weekend just to see if it could be done with normal tools and off-the-shelf Hybrid Racing parts. They literally left him at the shop at close of business on Friday evening and when they returned to open on Monday morning, he was finished and waiting on the tuner to tune the ECM.

Love their site! I've been keeping an eye out for cheap or blown FRS/BRZ/GT86s to K swap. Would make a killed DD and fun slidy car. 240s are to expensive and ragged out now.
 

Da90

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I’ve flipped a few. I try to keep the flips less than 5k. That price range people tend to need transportation versus being cosmetically and mechanically picky. Seem like when I get 8-10k wrapped up in a flip it ends up sitting way longer. I mainly flip GM trucks and SUVs. Also sedans tend to sit longer in this SUV driven market. I damn near pull the seats and power wash the carpet on every flip. It makes the vehicle look and smell new. I keep a detailed parts list of what needs to be ordered and any cost associated. Also I try and take the main listing photo with a cool backdrop of some sort(clickbait). It will get your stuff at the top on FB.

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I did some work for the guy who lived in this house. I knew it was empty. The MB and the house was fitting.
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Then I listed this Yukon with the same back drop. I had more than one person ask me to donate the Yukon to their family. Then some ****** got on here lied about coming to look at it and was mad cause I sent him a pic of the clear coat on the hood.
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My last flip I ended up trading an 01 Tahoe for a 93 SCSB which I’ve ended up wanting to keep. Bought the Tahoe for $400 had $200 in parts. It needed a lot of work.

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Dantheman1540

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This is all great! Just the motivation I was looking for!

DanTheMan...do you simply fix the mechanical stuff, fluid changes, etc and flip it or do you do a serious detail too? You know...get the paint looking nice, tire dressing, engine bay cleaning, remove the seats for a complete shampoo of the carpet and stuff like that?


The less you put in the better obviously it has to be clean but I personally don't enjoy detailing stuff so they typically get pressure washed with focus on the engine bay and undercarriage so they look well maintained. I have an electric pressure washer with a chemical mixer so purple power concentrate is cheap and extremely effective. Then I basically use cheap glass cleaner on the windows and Chemical guys VPR on anything plastic or rubber, can't forget some tire shine and call it a day.
 

Bernie Daily

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I think it is something you start doing in your mid-teens. Coming into it later in life brings too many preconceived ideas. I have seen some that act like bottom feeders reading a script. Look for profit in something you have been doing a long time. It's natural.
 
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Jason in DLH

Jason in DLH

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I think it is something you start doing in your mid-teens. Coming into it later in life brings too many preconceived ideas. I have seen some that act like bottom feeders reading a script. Look for profit in something you have been doing a long time. It's natural.

Although I’m a tad older, I don’t feel a day older than 18. Well, besides all my aches and pains that is. ;)
 

andzac

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I've been flipping vehicles since I was 19,flipped about 140 over the last 37 yrs...Damn time flies by! I buy them,drive them and make sure they're mechanically sound and if there is any issue I can't or don't think is financially a good thing to fix I make sure to disclose it! Never had 1 brought back and I never spend more than 4-5K,like earlier poster said that range people aren't as worried about it being perfect. I always make $ 400 minimum so not getting rich but enjoy it and extra cash helps finance other stuff!
 

Geotrash

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I've flipped a couple of Acura Legends. The passenger side head gasket fails (always in the same spot, but new head gaskets don't have any problems) and the bill is $3K from a dealer to fix it but they usually have 150K+ on them so the people are just ready to get them out of their driveway. Bought one for $350 and the other for $500 - both Colorado cars with no rust and great paint. While I'm in there I have the heads cleaned up and checked by a machine shop, new valve stem seals, put on reman starter, new Chinese alternator, water pump, timing belt, front main seal, etc. All told about $500 in parts for each car and they were selling at that time for $3500 - $4000. And as Dustin says, at that price point they're not picky but want solid mechanicals and usually know Legends. So when you can show them that you've properly addressed all common failure points plus a little more, they'll pony up the cash because they know they're getting a good car.
 

Oldewing

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I've been flipping vehicles since I was 19,flipped about 140 over the last 37 yrs...Damn time flies by! I buy them,drive them and make sure they're mechanically sound and if there is any issue I can't or don't think is financially a good thing to fix I make sure to disclose it! Never had 1 brought back and I never spend more than 4-5K,like earlier poster said that range people aren't as worried about it being perfect. I always make $ 400 minimum so not getting rich but enjoy it and extra cash helps finance other stuff!

Me too, but I am 61...always have one going it seems...
 

outsidemike

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Ive never flipped a car, but when I was in school i flipped lawn mowers and small power equpment.

Theyre cheap to buy dead (often free), and 9 times out of 10 all they need is a carburator cleaning and a fresh spark plug. As for that 10th time, make sure there is actually oil in the crank case.

my first summer job was at a lawn mower repair shop. I decided $4.50 an hour wasnt enough money and started doing it on my own.
 
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avalonandl

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I shoot for trying to make $1k+ because there's always a hidden $500 of stuff you didn't plan on. So I'd say a safe average is $500-$700.

Most profit was a mid 90s k1500 with a "blown" but almost new GM crate motor. Got it for $350 cause it was in a parking lot and they were about to get a fat fine for it sitting. Rope towed it home and found multiple spark plugs about to fall out essentially making a motor with no compression. Guy gave me the title but I never signed it, sold it to a guy for his hunting club for $3,500. I had no more than quarter tank of gas and $350 in it never even paid to have the title transferred lol.

That's rare and only happens when you have good contacts and cash in hand ready to roll.

Not the only (broke down in a parking lot about to get fined) deal I've done. Just fixed a bad head gasket that wasn't for a buddies POS civic. Bled the brakes fixed some vacuum lines and a few other basically free fixes for $500 cash. Did tow it both ways as well but it was for a buddy so cant ****** him on pricing. View attachment 265590 View attachment 265591
That Civic is the definition of Rough around the edges...
 

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