Anyone Flip Cars Here?

[Dantheman1540]

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]

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.

I did some work for the guy who lived in this house. I knew it was empty. The MB and the house was fitting.

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.

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.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

 

[Dantheman1540]

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]

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.

 

[Jason in DLH]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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.

 

[avalonandl]

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 murder him on pricing. View attachment 265590 View attachment 265591

That Civic is the definition of Rough around the edges...

 

[Leevon]

I do but mainly just because I own a shop and it's something to keep the guys moving if we get slow. I only flip one if I estimate the profit is going to be at least $3-4k or better. If you're an honest person you will lose sometimes. Also being an honest person you will spend much more money to fix things using quality parts that car dealers never would dream and your average customer only cares about the bottom dollar. So the risk becomes greater. I sold a truck and bought it back two weeks later with a bad engine plus paid for the new stereo he had installed. Had about $6k into a $9k van when the engine went to crap, got $3k for it a few weeks ago. I'm done for awhile because of those. Also have strung several good ones together and made around $20k extra pocket money in less than a year (I bought a '66 Ford with it).

The key is to keep the money rolling into itself so you can buy newer, nicer cars with bigger margins. Then cash out as some point when the nugget is big enough. If you're constantly cashing out every flip you're not going to get far. When the truck market wasn't so insane I flipped several Silverados for great profit. Stick with cars you know, you can estimate your profit on the fly making a buy much easier. Not sure about your state but we're only allowed to sell 6/year here in Missouri without being a dealer so choose wisely!

Also people will haunt you...guy bought an Explorer I sold with a rebuilt transmission...his words at the sale were "What's your never ever call you again price?". Guess who called THREE YEARS later trying to get me to warranty the transmission!?

Oh, GOOD PHOTOS! I pay a guy $50. And it better be shining.

 

[Dantheman1540]

I finally sold the gold Taurus 2 weeks ago for $2k. I had $920 in the purchase price plus parts, then I gave a $100 finders fee to the buddy who found a buyer because I was getting really sick of flakes. Wouldn't have done nearly as good on the car if I didn't recycle the tires from the car my sister recently totaled onto it. Oh well on to the next one.

 

[FasterBass]

Has anybody sold on Bringatrailer? I sold this RX-7 on there. Not going to tell you the purchase price but suffice to say I bought it from my neighbor as a non-runner. The process was nerve wracking but a ton of fun once the bidding started to get serious. I was actually on an anniversary date with my wife in the last hour of bidding and she was so pissed at me becasue I could not stop staring at my phone and cheering every time a bid was placed.

 

[Tonyrodz]

Has anybody sold on Bringatrailer? I sold this RX-7 on there. Not going to tell you the purchase price but suffice to say I bought it from my neighbor as a non-runner. The process was nerve wracking but a ton of fun once the bidding started to get serious. I was actually on an anniversary date with my wife in the last hour of bidding and she was so pissed at me becasue I could not stop staring at my phone and cheering every time a bid was placed.

I love the black/red color combo. Sharp. Hard to believe they were only rated at 100 horses. I bet it weighs around 2500 lbs tho.

 

[FasterBass]

I love the black/red color combo. Sharp. Hard to believe they were only rated at 100 horses. I bet it weighs around 2500 lbs tho.

It was so slow. Those motors were choked with the OEM smog equipment. Even if it was light I still got beat by a ratty 90s civic with a fart can.

 

[Tonyrodz]

It was so slow. Those motors were choked with the OEM smog equipment. Even if it was light I still got beat by a ratty 90s civic with a fart can.

Still cool cars tho. Back in the day I saw one that had a Chevy small block conversion.

 

[Just Fishing]

Has anybody sold on Bringatrailer? I sold this RX-7 on there. Not going to tell you the purchase price but suffice to say I bought it from my neighbor as a non-runner. The process was nerve wracking but a ton of fun once the bidding started to get serious. I was actually on an anniversary date with my wife in the last hour of bidding and she was so pissed at me becasue I could not stop staring at my phone and cheering every time a bid was placed.

my first car!
Even the same color, but mine was black on black with a manual transmission.

I can't believe how much those things are worth now, I so wish I could have kept mine.
but the apex seals were going, and giving the classic hard to start symptoms.
I wasn't about to try messing with it, plus I ended up getting a really clean K5 blazer to replace it with.

A very fun car, that thing loved to rev.
It was hard to keep it off of the red line alarm.

 

[Just Fishing]

and with my latest project, a 2007 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited that I picked up for 5k with a rod knock.
I think I can have it fully sorted and still be under 8k (worst case).
KBB value on that thing is just under 13k!

Around here I could probably get 14k for it...

It has me tempted to make some coin, but I'll probably just enjoy it instead.
Unless I get laid off with the current concerns with tech jobs, then maybe it will hit the market...