Wife is PISSED
#41
My wife and I are kinda low tech Eric. We don't use ATM's and can't see a value or reason for them. We use a joint checking account, but I can't remember the last time I wrote a check since you can do everything online nowadays. We use credit cards in place of carrying cash and pay em off at the end of every month. On a side note the credit card rewards program pays me more money when I spend money than what I get in the bank, go figure.
#44
Maybe a bit more than that too.
Having my 455 rebuilt by Bill Trovato. Doing a pump-gas 468 build which will be completed Wednesday after it's time on the Dyno.
Well-------- I got the final bill today, that I, being the non-secretive husband I am, showed her. Haven't seen her this mad at me in a LONG time. The budget kind of went wayyyyy out the window, by a couple grand.
Well guys, how do YOU handle your better halfs in these situations.
Having my 455 rebuilt by Bill Trovato. Doing a pump-gas 468 build which will be completed Wednesday after it's time on the Dyno.
Well-------- I got the final bill today, that I, being the non-secretive husband I am, showed her. Haven't seen her this mad at me in a LONG time. The budget kind of went wayyyyy out the window, by a couple grand.
Well guys, how do YOU handle your better halfs in these situations.
#46
My wife and I are kinda low tech Eric. We don't use ATM's and can't see a value or reason for them. We use a joint checking account, but I can't remember the last time I wrote a check since you can do everything online nowadays. We use credit cards in place of carrying cash and pay em off at the end of every month. On a side note the credit card rewards program pays me more money when I spend money than what I get in the bank, go figure.
#47
Many know im a penny pinching budget building scrounging gearhead. My reason for that is., I like to save money plain and simple plus cheap thrills are where its at. I think in the last 6 months I have not spent more than 500 bucks on car stuff and all of that money came from sidejobs selling parts and some of those parts came from trading stuff I had. My girlfriend/fiancé got mad at me once and said "how come you have all this money to blow and im sitting here broke " :we have separate accounts and split bills: . I simply told her " look I scrounge, ask for hand outs whenever possible, I trade labor for work space to do side jobs to pay for parts, Im wearing the same jeans I wore 3 years ago along with shirts, I drive a turd bucket Saturn to work everyday, and limit my personal weekly spendings so I can have gas money to take the beast out. What sacrifices do you make ? ". I think I struck a cord with here because she is horrible with money but is learning if you spend less on dumb things you get to do fun dumb things lol. She works car sales on straight commission and some weeks are harder than others. There has been weeks when I couldn't take the car out because I had to put the cruising fund towards groceries. There was even a 2 week spell where I had to wait to spend 50 bucks on trans fluid and trans pan gasket and filter because I had to step up and cover her end of the bills which I don't mind. I think I spent more on helping her out than my car this year., AND she gets a ring this fall. Not fair at all lol.
#48
WOW, this thread went well.
Update; Better half was more mad about the amount than being mad at me. The original estimate was for around 6K. Price blossomed almost another 3K.
I don't keep anything from her since she get's my paycheck and pays the bills (AND PAYING BILL). It's worked well like this for the 24 years we've been married.
AND, I had this Olds before I met her. Matter of fact, I met her in it. After I sold it in '02 she mentioned that I would regret selling it. When I was given the chance to buy it back I reminded her of that statement. This car has more sentimental value than monetary value. As a matter of fact I call it "The Money Pit".
Bill Trovato IS expensive. No arguing that. But he is one of the best in the business and with his close proximity to me, it made sense to have a quality build done, The mentality I'm trying to use is build it right, and make it last.
And yes guys, I used the drugs and gambling excuse as well.
Update; Better half was more mad about the amount than being mad at me. The original estimate was for around 6K. Price blossomed almost another 3K.
I don't keep anything from her since she get's my paycheck and pays the bills (AND PAYING BILL). It's worked well like this for the 24 years we've been married.
AND, I had this Olds before I met her. Matter of fact, I met her in it. After I sold it in '02 she mentioned that I would regret selling it. When I was given the chance to buy it back I reminded her of that statement. This car has more sentimental value than monetary value. As a matter of fact I call it "The Money Pit".
Bill Trovato IS expensive. No arguing that. But he is one of the best in the business and with his close proximity to me, it made sense to have a quality build done, The mentality I'm trying to use is build it right, and make it last.
And yes guys, I used the drugs and gambling excuse as well.
#50
#51
You're assuming nothing changed. Did the customer decide to go with some other, higher $, parts during the process, etc??? You know..."I want a stock rod, TRW pistoned build". Later on it could be "you know, let's change to Eagle rods and lighter pistons, etc".
#52
I don't tell her anything.
We have a deal: She doesn't tell me when she buys expensive clothing, she just claims she's always had it in the closet, and I don't tell her when I buy car stuff.
If either one of us has a problem with the other one's purchases, the other one has ammunition to prove life is a two way street.
It's called Mutually Assured Destruction.
- Eric
We have a deal: She doesn't tell me when she buys expensive clothing, she just claims she's always had it in the closet, and I don't tell her when I buy car stuff.
If either one of us has a problem with the other one's purchases, the other one has ammunition to prove life is a two way street.
It's called Mutually Assured Destruction.
- Eric
#54
#56
Not hardly. I get an estimate, and if it's more than 10% over, someone's got some answering to do, and it sure isn't me. That's on paper before any work starts for me. More importantly, it had better not be a surprise delivered after the fact. 50% means either something catastrophic happened that wasn't detected at the beginning when I ok'ed the quote ... someone screwed up, and how is it my problem to pay for that .... or the person quoting didn't have a clue .. and when their website states 28 years experience in Olds engines , none of those are really acceptable answers. But the OP hasn't said which of the above it is.
Originally Posted by 70Post
You're assuming nothing changed.
If I'm paying someone a premium for their expertise, I'm sure not going to be telling him how to do his job. My first post in this thread was asking why the bloom. Still no details. I can't really see that shop blowing a quote that badly. $9k for the engine he's getting isn't unrealistic ...
#57
I bought my Cutlass in '06 or '07. At the time I was driving an '00 Regal that I bought for my wife when new and she always had newer cars. Previous to the Cutlass I was looking at a BMW as a daily driver. I used the reasoning that if I wanted to drive an old car every day and have the Olds that is what I should do. In '11 I bought my Caddy CTS new so that line went out the window.
#59
Had the car before the wife,she is long gone.Car is still in my garage.Last summer I had a 455 built at a little shop in Paso Robles Ca. Carb to pan minus the manifold and pully's cost 9g's.....Motor has aluminum heads ,roller cam,and restrictors,and a pertronix ignition.Might be a tad high,for the hp output,which I think should be close to 450.About the manifold I did send them my Performer to clean and have divider milled down,included in price.
Last edited by drjr56; August 7th, 2013 at 01:24 PM.
#60
Another thing I go by is, when I buy a car I put a price on it from day 1 and make adjustments to the price. Plus I have no budget, if the car needs it I buy it, if I want it I buy it but the whole time not going over what I think I can get out of it minus mileage I put on it.
#61
Happy wife = happy life
If I go too far with toy expenses, I reel it in. Take a break with repair/resto until you can restore your "points". Otherwise, like I've seen happen to a buddy of mine, you'll ****-off the wife so bad that when she leaves, she'll make it her goal in life to separate you from that car. Be careful.
If I go too far with toy expenses, I reel it in. Take a break with repair/resto until you can restore your "points". Otherwise, like I've seen happen to a buddy of mine, you'll ****-off the wife so bad that when she leaves, she'll make it her goal in life to separate you from that car. Be careful.
#62
This has turned into quite an interesting thread.
I will second, "Happy wife, happy life."
I feel very blessed. We married very young,
I was 19, she was 17. God is good.
The sale of the 66 442 cpe. got us out of that
rat race in DFW 25 yrs ago and we landed on the Highland
Lakes and haven't looked back.
I had been mumbling about the cpe for yrs. I came across
the vert and so far so good. It did help that I had JUST paid
off her trailblazer. My argument was, "Hell, I have been making
car payments for the last 15 yrs, what's 5 more?"
On a side note the house will be ours next year as well.
A good woman is hard to find, all bullshit aside guys.
Good luck to all, sincerally. If I didn't say it, I
truly mean it, "Thank you God!"
I will second, "Happy wife, happy life."
I feel very blessed. We married very young,
I was 19, she was 17. God is good.
The sale of the 66 442 cpe. got us out of that
rat race in DFW 25 yrs ago and we landed on the Highland
Lakes and haven't looked back.
I had been mumbling about the cpe for yrs. I came across
the vert and so far so good. It did help that I had JUST paid
off her trailblazer. My argument was, "Hell, I have been making
car payments for the last 15 yrs, what's 5 more?"
On a side note the house will be ours next year as well.
A good woman is hard to find, all bullshit aside guys.
Good luck to all, sincerally. If I didn't say it, I
truly mean it, "Thank you God!"
#67
I'd sell mine, but it seems they can be fairly temperamental, and demand quite a bit of time, money, and attention, so the market's not what you might think.
Lynxes and Minxes, on the other hand, seem to demand a premium, even when they won't go at all.
Go figure...
- Eric
Lynxes and Minxes, on the other hand, seem to demand a premium, even when they won't go at all.
Go figure...
- Eric
#68
I'd sell mine, but it seems they can be fairly temperamental, and demand quite a bit of time, money, and attention, so the market's not what you might think.
Lynxes and Minxes, on the other hand, seem to demand a premium, even when they won't go at all.
Go figure...
- Eric
Lynxes and Minxes, on the other hand, seem to demand a premium, even when they won't go at all.
Go figure...
- Eric
#69
Wife has calmed down. She WAS mad. Her anger was at the idea of the amount of money overall spent, because HELL, this was a lot of money. The work done was QUALITY work with QUALITY parts. This costs money and we both know this.
Was BTR expensive? Sure he is, but compared to what and who? He's one of the best in the business and his work shows it.
There were no real suprises on this build. A running total was kept during to who process. And as said, I should have doubled the estimate.
There were a lot of parts bought, there were mistakes the PO made on the initial build that needed correcting, and in the end there was a little bling tacked on as well. But just a little bling.
BTW. The dyno results are ----- 549HP @ 5300
620lb ft @ 4000
Like I said. I wanted a quality, durable build that wouldn't blow up on me.
In the end I got just that with a bonus.
Even I'm not happy spending those kinds of bucks, but I feel I did get what I paid for.
Was BTR expensive? Sure he is, but compared to what and who? He's one of the best in the business and his work shows it.
There were no real suprises on this build. A running total was kept during to who process. And as said, I should have doubled the estimate.
There were a lot of parts bought, there were mistakes the PO made on the initial build that needed correcting, and in the end there was a little bling tacked on as well. But just a little bling.
BTW. The dyno results are ----- 549HP @ 5300
620lb ft @ 4000
Like I said. I wanted a quality, durable build that wouldn't blow up on me.
In the end I got just that with a bonus.
Even I'm not happy spending those kinds of bucks, but I feel I did get what I paid for.
#77
I have not read the other posts and i am divorced but what the heck. I say take her for a seat wetting ride and let the chips fall where they may. I have a girlfriend and she loves this kind of ride belieeeeeeeve me.
#78
I'm feeling like a Sugar Daddy.
#79
To meet a fellow member here I would definately consider meeting you at the Cabin. But know this, the place has gone more to the tuners and bikers over the last few years. Haven't been there at all this year and went once last year. And the place is 10 minutes from me.
B&C Restorations is having an open house and Cruise-In this coming Sunday, the 11th.
http://www.bandcautorestoration.com/
When I've got the time I stop over to Tom Wahl's in Newark on Tuesdays. Anywhere from 40 to 80 cars go there.