Should I feel guilt about being a parts vulture?

[nextcar]

I really, really enjoy my FRS, but I am beginning to feel guilty about being such a parts vulture...

Between cars getting totaled and people addicted to modding their cars, I have made numerous additions to my car for pennies on the dollar. Some of the better deals so far:

TRD USA wheels and new Michelin Pilot Super Sports, mounted, balanced, and with TPMS sensors: $800

TRD lowering springs: $100

TRD cat back exhaust - used only 3 hours: $600

Bespoke stereo with GPS navigation: $235

In all my years of being a car enthusiast, I have never experienced such a great supply of cheap OEM parts!

[extrashaky]

Yes. You should give all that stuff back.

I'm keeping my BRZ mostly stock for now, but on my other builds I set up a spreadsheet budgeting out the build. I list the parts I need, along with the best prices I can find at the time. Then I watch and wait and collect them over time. Some I find on sale. Some I find used.

I put a brand-new-still-in-the-box header on my Jeep for about $100 less than retail because the guy who had it bought it, never installed it and eventually sold his Jeep. I got a $450 high output alternator for $300 because the guy who had it used it three months and then totaled his vehicle.

I don't see any reason to feel guilty about that. The parts were for sale. I bought them. Would it be better to say, "No, I'm not going to buy your parts because I wouldn't feel right letting you get any of your money back out of them"?

[why?]

hell no, that is the way to mod your car. Figure out what you want, then beg on the forum or wait for people to sell it used. You save a ton of money that way. It is wonderful when you have such a large community to choose from.

Originally Posted by nextcar

I really, really enjoy my FRS, but I am beginning to feel guilty about being such a parts vulture...

Between cars getting totaled and people addicted to modding their cars, I have made numerous additions to my car for pennies on the dollar. Some of the better deals so far:

TRD USA wheels and new Michelin Pilot Super Sports, mounted, balanced, and with TPMS sensors: $800

TRD lowering springs: $100

TRD cat back exhaust - used only 3 hours: $600

Bespoke stereo with GPS navigation: $235

In all my years of being a car enthusiast, I have never experienced such a great supply of cheap OEM parts!

[Impureclient]

You should feel guilty and everybody is ashamed of you. Now think of how the people who bought the car used/certified and not new off the lot must feel.
We bought the car after it took the huge depreciation hit and reap the benefit of not being the first owner. I know I feel terrible now about it and so should you
for you have dishonored and brought shame to the house of 86!

[Tcoat]

Well sombody has to buy the parts new or there will be no used ones to get but it doesn't have to be you. Better that the parts from the totalled ones get bought and used again instead of just pushing them into the waste stream.

Buy on guilt free.

[soulreapersteve]

I believe the saying is "another man's trash is another man's treasure"

In this case, its not literal trash but yah know where im going with this.

[humfrz]

Originally Posted by Impureclient

You should feel guilty and everybody is ashamed of you. Now think of how the people who bought the car used/certified and not new off the lot must feel.
We bought the car after it took the huge depreciation hit and reap the benefit of not being the first owner. I know I feel terrible now about it and so should you
for you have dishonored and brought shame to the house of 86!

REALLY ....... @nextcar ........

You should be tarred and feathered ........ and placed in front of a mustang at a cars & coffee ...


humfrz

[humfrz]

Originally Posted by soulreapersteve

I believe the saying is "another man's trash is another man's treasure"

In this case, its not literal trash but yah know where im going with this.

Oh, ya, I remember this girl back in ......... never mind .....


humfrz

[Ultramaroon]

I heart junkyards. I intend to collect a metric shit ton of spare parts.

[Ultramaroon]

Originally Posted by humfrz

REALLY ....... @nextcar ........

You should be tarred and feathered ........ and placed in front of a mustang at a cars & coffee ...


humfrz

That's the safest place.

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by soulreapersteve

I believe the saying is "another man's trash is another man's treasure"

In this case, its not literal trash but yah know where im going with this.

Originally Posted by humfrz

Oh, ya, I remember this girl back in ......... never mind .....


humfrz

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by Ultramaroon

I heart junkyards. I intend to collect a metric shit ton of spare parts.

I damn near grew up in the things. In fact our yard probably qualified. How many people get a 1953 Pontiac convertible and a 1944 road grader as a play house? To this day I will go into random junkyards just to wander around and look at cool shit. It is getting harder to find old school yards though since most now bring stuff in and strip it down or crush it pretty quick. Once in a while I find an old one though and have a blast digging through the hulks.

[Ultramaroon]

Originally Posted by Tcoat

I damn near grew up in the things. In fact our yard probably qualified. How many people get a 1953 Pontiac convertible and a 1944 road grader as a play house? To this day I will go into random junkyards just to wander around and look at cool shot. It is getting harder to find old school yards though since most now bring stuff in and strip it down or crush it pretty quick. Once in a while I find an old one though and have a blast digging through the hulks.

San Diego near the border was a u-pull-it mecca back in the late 80s. We have a few up here. Eagerly waiting for the first twins. It will take many years.

[humfrz]

Originally Posted by Tcoat

I damn near grew up in the things. In fact our yard probably qualified. How many people get a 1953 Pontiac convertible and a 1944 road grader as a play house? To this day I will go into random junkyards just to wander around and look at cool shot. It is getting harder to find old school yards though since most now bring stuff in and strip it down or crush it pretty quick. Once in a while I find an old one though and have a blast digging through the hulks.

Yep, especially the junk yards that were nothing but a field full of junked cars.

My rule of thumb was usually to get two of whatever you needed, then between the part that you had and two other used ones, you could build a good one.....

Just think of the fun the young-ens are missing, by not getting to go out into a muddy field, in the winter, finding the right car, that still had the part you needed, getting the part off and walking back up hill as it started to get dark and started snowing.

Then when you got home, going out into the cold barn, with a dim trouble light, and put the part on your vehicle...... yep, and snow was blowing in through the cracks in the barn siding.

Funny part is, that some of the young-ens are thinking I just made that story up .......


humfrz