This week's salvage auction targets

If you were closer i have an excellent detailer but he's on the far east edge of medina going out toward akron. 

I have an excellent detailer, but, its a side job for him and getting an appointment is tough.  Locally I have also used some "okay" shops.  

However, while waiting for inspection appointment, I may also be able to get the car to my guy before the state inspection or just slightly after that state inspection.  

Yesterday, I had some text chatter with the Silver Prius previous owner.  He does have a second key and I will get with him for that.  His neighbor tapped his car in the driveway or parking lot.   I offered to sell him the Prius but he has a Rav4 now.  Other than the $1,500 battery he had put in 2 months before the accident!!!!, he claims the overall car is in fine running shape.  He says he was told the car was mechanically damaged due to the accident. 
I'm sure that has to due with the "thermos" who's rusty bracket disintegrated via impact.   This is a common problem on these but it also not the first time that I have "remounted" one with zip ties.  Two zip ties would get the job done, so for "saftey sake" I used 4 zip ties.  A little pink foam (later trimmed down) so that it is not metal-to-metal.  

I got an inspection appointment today.  Sadly, not until Friday Oct 25th.  Even with that the nearest date I could have gotten was Monday Oct 21.  Friday is much better for me.  

Also, the closest inspection site is 1 hr South from me.  Another 1 hour West.  Next 1.25 hr SW and then 1.5 hr East.  Yeah, to get the Friday appointment, I'm going to the 1.5 hr East location.  Southington, Ohio (Warren, OH)
 

I reached out to my detail guy this morning via text.  Much to my surprise, he had me drop it off at 5:30pm today!  He said since its a spare car and a car I don't need for work, etc, then drop it off and he'll get it done over the next few nights, a little each night.  

My Detail-Guy just sent me before/after pics 

Before:

After:

Headlight restore

Run some numbers...  

DOLLARS: 
$1,144.00 purchase, all in with fees

$90.00 tax, title #1
$85.60 LF fender
$21.40 steering wheel
$10.00 antenna
$55.00 trunk trim
$30.00 tow dolly
$300.00 detail

$592 total

HOURS:
1.5 hrs: pick up from auction place
3.0 hrs: parts run to Ravenna
1.0 hrs: trunk trim install
2.5 hrs: fender/bumper install
0.5 hrs: pending steering wheel install
4 hrs: pending trip to state inspection and back.

12.5 hours total @ $100 = $1,250

$1,144.00 purchase
+$592.00 parts and tax
+$1250.00 labor
$2,986 grand total  I'd like to sell the car for at least this much.  Actually, I think I'll come out at $4,300 with a $4,000 target.  
 

This is a super informative post. I appreciate you showing the whole process. 

I threw up a little at that center arm rest.

In reply to AngryCorvair (Forum Supporter) :

yeah that guy earned that $300 for sure lol

John Welsh said:

$1,144.00 purchase
+$592.00 parts and tax
+$1250.00 labor
$2,986 grand total  I'd like to sell the car for at least this much.  Actually, I think I'll come out at $4,300 with a $4,000 target.  
 

Life's been busy and I've been slow of getting the silver Prius sold.  I put an ad up late Sunday (too late to see the car in the daylight.)  Today, the night before Thanksgiving, I showed the car for the first time and sold, as expected, to the first person who drove it.  $4,000  

Now I need to do more to get the white one ready for market.  However, my favorite thing about these flips is I can do them in "spare time" which allows for me to let them set if need be.  Not rush work like if you were trying to please a customer or a meet a deadline.  

My way of looking at these is dollars per hour of labor.  In that way of thinking, this one turned me $160 per hour of labor.  

Sure there are caveats to that labor.  I do not include "shopping time" like hours of looking but not buying cars.  Or, time scouring auctions.  Or, time for auctions bid on but not won.  I also don't factor selling time.   Of the hours that I can easily assign to this specific vin, I'm happy with the return.  

John Welsh said:

John Welsh said:

$1,144.00 purchase
+$592.00 parts and tax
+$1250.00 labor
$2,986 grand total  I'd like to sell the car for at least this much.  Actually, I think I'll come out at $4,300 with a $4,000 target.  
 

Life's been busy and I've been slow of getting the silver Prius sold.  I put an ad up late Sunday (too late to see the car in the daylight.)  Today, the night before Thanksgiving, I showed the car for the first time and sold, as expected, to the first person who drove it.  $4,000  

Now I need to do more to get the white one ready for market.  However, my favorite thing about these flips is I can do them in "spare time" which allows for me to let them set if need be.  Not rush work like if you were trying to please a customer or a meet a deadline.  

My way of looking at these is dollars per hour of labor.  In that way of thinking, this one turned me $160 per hour of labor.  

Sure there are caveats to that labor.  I do not include "shopping time" like hours of looking but not buying cars.  Or, time scouring auctions.  Or, time for auctions bid on but not won.  I also don't factor selling time.   Of the hours that I can easily assign to this specific vin, I'm happy with the return.  

I appreciate these threads greatly. Congrats on the sale!

That's a great side hustle and far better than driving for Uber or delivering pizzas!

In reply to John Welsh :

👏 

Well done 👍