How much (on average) would it cost me to restore a car?
Discussion
Good evening Pistonheads. I am not yet old enough to get my license (13) but some members of my Family have suggested that if I want a cool first car then I should consider buying a car to restore so that by the time I am 17 I will have a fully restored classic car to drive around. Fortunately where I live there are a Multitude of semi abandoned cars to choose from. Each in varying states of disrepair. In my town there is a pub and around the back in the car park are 2 type 83 Lotus Elites. They have been there for as long as I can remember and while there is a lot of plant life growing around them they do not have any visible rust under the wheel arches. I figured that depending if the owner was willing to part with them then I could use 1 as a donor. Of course this would depend entirely on whether or not they would be willing to part with them. Anyhow. What I came here to ask was What sort of money do you think it would cost to buy these two cars and how much you think It would cost to fix one up. For the record they both appear to have engines and complete interiors and no visible body damage apart from winking headlights, rusty wheels tired paintwork and one of them has had its window open for the entirety of its time parked up. Of course their could be way more damage that I can't see as I doubt someone would park up two perfect lotuses. How much would you all estimate I could expect to pay in total? Thanks all 
Doing up a car is a great idea.
However, it's an almost impossible question to answer 'how much'. It's a bit like asking 'how much money does it cost to go on holiday?'.
The main factors are:
1) The state of the car to begin with
2) How good you want to make it
3) The model of car
1 - Obviously if the chassis has structural rust or a conrod has broken out of the side of the engine block, that will cost a lot more to fix than if it's just in need of a good clean and oil change.
2 - With older cars there's often a choice of whether to accept something as 'good enough' or try and make it as 'good as new', the latter costing a lot more.
3 - Rarer and higher value cars will have much more expensive parts, and if you need to pay professionals to work on it, more expensive professionals.
Probably the best thing would be to try and get some photos (if possible) and ask some Lotus owners (perhaps https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/forum.asp?h=0&... or in a Lotus specific forum) for some advice. There will be some things that will definitely need doing or can be seen from the pics, some things that probably will be fine, and other things that you wouldn't know until you get a closer look at the car.
Incidentally, the reason they don't have any rust visible under the wheelarches is likely because the Elite has a fibreglass bodyshell, so it won't rust - but fibreglass can have other issues.
However, it's an almost impossible question to answer 'how much'. It's a bit like asking 'how much money does it cost to go on holiday?'.
The main factors are:
1) The state of the car to begin with
2) How good you want to make it
3) The model of car
1 - Obviously if the chassis has structural rust or a conrod has broken out of the side of the engine block, that will cost a lot more to fix than if it's just in need of a good clean and oil change.
2 - With older cars there's often a choice of whether to accept something as 'good enough' or try and make it as 'good as new', the latter costing a lot more.
3 - Rarer and higher value cars will have much more expensive parts, and if you need to pay professionals to work on it, more expensive professionals.
Probably the best thing would be to try and get some photos (if possible) and ask some Lotus owners (perhaps https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/forum.asp?h=0&... or in a Lotus specific forum) for some advice. There will be some things that will definitely need doing or can be seen from the pics, some things that probably will be fine, and other things that you wouldn't know until you get a closer look at the car.
Incidentally, the reason they don't have any rust visible under the wheelarches is likely because the Elite has a fibreglass bodyshell, so it won't rust - but fibreglass can have other issues.
Edited by samoht on Friday 9th April 21:01
samoht said:
Doing up a car is a great idea.
However, it's an almost impossible question to answer 'how much'. It's a bit like asking 'how much money does it cost to go on holiday?'.
The main factors are:
1) The state of the car to begin with
2) How good you want to make it
3) The model of car
1 - Obviously if the chassis has structural rust or a conrod has broken out of the side of the engine block, that will cost a lot more to fix than if it's just in need of a good clean and oil change.
2 - With older cars there's often a choice of whether to accept something as 'good enough' or try and make it as 'good as new', the latter costing a lot more.
3 - Rarer and higher value cars will have much more expensive parts, and if you need to pay professionals to work on it, more expensive professionals.
Probably the best thing would be to try and get some photos (if possible) and ask some Lotus owners (perhaps https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/forum.asp?h=0&... or in a Lotus specific forum) for some advice. There will be some things that will definitely need doing or can be seen from the pics, some things that probably will be fine, and other things that you wouldn't know until you get a closer look at the car.
Thanks so much, I will definitely do that!However, it's an almost impossible question to answer 'how much'. It's a bit like asking 'how much money does it cost to go on holiday?'.
The main factors are:
1) The state of the car to begin with
2) How good you want to make it
3) The model of car
1 - Obviously if the chassis has structural rust or a conrod has broken out of the side of the engine block, that will cost a lot more to fix than if it's just in need of a good clean and oil change.
2 - With older cars there's often a choice of whether to accept something as 'good enough' or try and make it as 'good as new', the latter costing a lot more.
3 - Rarer and higher value cars will have much more expensive parts, and if you need to pay professionals to work on it, more expensive professionals.
Probably the best thing would be to try and get some photos (if possible) and ask some Lotus owners (perhaps https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/forum.asp?h=0&... or in a Lotus specific forum) for some advice. There will be some things that will definitely need doing or can be seen from the pics, some things that probably will be fine, and other things that you wouldn't know until you get a closer look at the car.
Also, have a read of these threads (found by searching 'Lotus Elite restoration'), should give you an idea of the common issues and work needed on these cars
https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...
https://www.thelotusforums.com/forums/topic/87236-...
https://www.thelotusforums.com/forums/topic/90176-...
https://www.thelotusforums.com/forums/topic/95524-...
https://www.thelotusforums.com/forums/topic/81315-...
https://www.thelotusforums.com/forums/topic/85688-...
https://www.lotusexcel.net/viewtopic.php?f=7&t...
https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...
https://www.thelotusforums.com/forums/topic/87236-...
https://www.thelotusforums.com/forums/topic/90176-...
https://www.thelotusforums.com/forums/topic/95524-...
https://www.thelotusforums.com/forums/topic/81315-...
https://www.thelotusforums.com/forums/topic/85688-...
https://www.lotusexcel.net/viewtopic.php?f=7&t...
Edited by samoht on Friday 9th April 21:47
DasStig said:
Good evening Pistonheads. I am not yet old enough to get my license (13) but some members of my Family have suggested that if I want a cool first car then I should consider buying a car to restore so that by the time I am 17 I will have a fully restored classic car to drive around. Fortunately where I live there are a Multitude of semi abandoned cars to choose from. Each in varying states of disrepair. In my town there is a pub and around the back in the car park are 2 type 83 Lotus Elites. They have been there for as long as I can remember and while there is a lot of plant life growing around them they do not have any visible rust under the wheel arches. I figured that depending if the owner was willing to part with them then I could use 1 as a donor. Of course this would depend entirely on whether or not they would be willing to part with them. Anyhow. What I came here to ask was What sort of money do you think it would cost to buy these two cars and how much you think It would cost to fix one up. For the record they both appear to have engines and complete interiors and no visible body damage apart from winking headlights, rusty wheels tired paintwork and one of them has had its window open for the entirety of its time parked up. Of course their could be way more damage that I can't see as I doubt someone would park up two perfect lotuses. How much would you all estimate I could expect to pay in total? Thanks all
So you're 13 years old and clock not one but two Lotus Elites, and are talking about restoration and 'donor' cars. You're talking about 'buying' them despite them having plant life growing round them for as long as you can remember, and no idea as to who owns them. I would go into the pub in question and offer the owner 2 magic beans.Love the idea!
However.....
Impossible to say how much to restore them but honestly it will be more than buying one that's already restored or at least a good runner. Elite isn't a particularly sought after car, and it's rare so parts and knowledge would be hard to come by I guess (although likely a lot of parts will come from more mundane cars). Fibreglass difficult to work on and paint to. Think several thousand £ for a respray.
I guess you have time on your hands so you can wait for parts to come up but still...
Suggest something a little more mainstream and something that at least runs. Classic mini maybe, scruffy mx5, 2cv? Something with plentiful cheap parts, readily available second hand parts, and a good online knowledge base...
However.....
Impossible to say how much to restore them but honestly it will be more than buying one that's already restored or at least a good runner. Elite isn't a particularly sought after car, and it's rare so parts and knowledge would be hard to come by I guess (although likely a lot of parts will come from more mundane cars). Fibreglass difficult to work on and paint to. Think several thousand £ for a respray.
I guess you have time on your hands so you can wait for parts to come up but still...
Suggest something a little more mainstream and something that at least runs. Classic mini maybe, scruffy mx5, 2cv? Something with plentiful cheap parts, readily available second hand parts, and a good online knowledge base...
I think it's great that at 13 you have a real interest in cars and would want to try something like this.
Forget about Lotus unless your family have deep pockets and are willing to help. Set your sights a bit lower with more mainstream cars which will have cheaper parts.
I have some friends whose son is now 19. He always loved cars and is currently doing an apprenticeship at a local garage. When he was 17 he bought a fiesta zetec s which he did quite a bit of work on including sorting out some body repairs after he pranged it! Two years on and he has an old 5 series as a daily as well as an Impreza WRX which he is restoring. That's kept in a lock up somewhere local and has kept him busy while he has been on furlough.
It can be done.
Forget about Lotus unless your family have deep pockets and are willing to help. Set your sights a bit lower with more mainstream cars which will have cheaper parts.
I have some friends whose son is now 19. He always loved cars and is currently doing an apprenticeship at a local garage. When he was 17 he bought a fiesta zetec s which he did quite a bit of work on including sorting out some body repairs after he pranged it! Two years on and he has an old 5 series as a daily as well as an Impreza WRX which he is restoring. That's kept in a lock up somewhere local and has kept him busy while he has been on furlough.
It can be done.
drgoatboy said:
Suggest something a little more mainstream and something that at least runs. Classic mini maybe, scruffy mx5, 2cv? Something with plentiful cheap parts, readily available second hand parts, and a good online knowledge base...
It's a great idea, I did something similar myself at your age, with my dad's encouragementHe did the same with his dad.
But a Lotus Elite is not the car to cut tour workshop teeth on. Potentially ovely cars but a really challenging and expensive proposition even for the very experienced.
2CV is a good shout, or an MGB or Triumph Spitfire/Herald. MX5 or MR2 if you want something more modern.
Good luck!
The answer to your question, as others have suggested, is “more than its worth”, or “more than it would cost to buy a good one”. That’s the price you pay for the fun and satisfaction of doing it yourself.
Cars are very seldom laid up in good running condition. And if two are laid up, the chances are the same thing’s gone wrong with them both so “spares cars” often aren’t. Normally something terminal or expensive has gone wrong, so with a restoration of something laid up or abandoned you are entering the unknown. Now that’s half the fun. The detective work and the problem-solving, but I’m not sure it’s the ideal starting point. You need a wealth of tools and skills to do a restoration including mechanical, cosmetic and structural (ie welding). You also need somewhere weather proof to store it and do it.
You’re 13 and you might develop other interests over the next 4 years so my advice would be to buy an MOT’d runner and a Haynes manual and spend the next few years going over it, checking and replacing all the service and wear items as necessary, giving it a cosmetic update and making it your own. Then when you can drive it you’ll know it inside out and you’ll have a good reliable car (hopefully). I assure you even an MOT’d runner will have plenty needing doing and keep you busy!
You also need to make sure whatever you buy you can insure. I think you’d be wait until you’re 25 for the Lotuses (not least because many classic policies have a minimum age higher than 17 and most will only insure as a “classic” if it is a second car/policy).
Cars are very seldom laid up in good running condition. And if two are laid up, the chances are the same thing’s gone wrong with them both so “spares cars” often aren’t. Normally something terminal or expensive has gone wrong, so with a restoration of something laid up or abandoned you are entering the unknown. Now that’s half the fun. The detective work and the problem-solving, but I’m not sure it’s the ideal starting point. You need a wealth of tools and skills to do a restoration including mechanical, cosmetic and structural (ie welding). You also need somewhere weather proof to store it and do it.
You’re 13 and you might develop other interests over the next 4 years so my advice would be to buy an MOT’d runner and a Haynes manual and spend the next few years going over it, checking and replacing all the service and wear items as necessary, giving it a cosmetic update and making it your own. Then when you can drive it you’ll know it inside out and you’ll have a good reliable car (hopefully). I assure you even an MOT’d runner will have plenty needing doing and keep you busy!
You also need to make sure whatever you buy you can insure. I think you’d be wait until you’re 25 for the Lotuses (not least because many classic policies have a minimum age higher than 17 and most will only insure as a “classic” if it is a second car/policy).
It is a great way to get a "different" first car. My parents kindly bought me a knackered VW Beetle for my 15th birthday, and I spent the next two years doing it up. I was always willing to tinker and learn, and with the help of some family friends who knew about cars, learnt so much in those two years and had a (what I considered) cool car ready to roll on my 17th birthday.
A Beetle is a good shout, as they are very simple to work on and parts are easy to find. You will need to learn to weld, or just get someone to replace the rotten bits for you, or find one that is solid but tatty.
Costs - how long is a piece of string and how willing are you to mess around and get dirty? You have so much time on your hands, you can learn many of the required skills as you go along and which will stand you in great stead for the future!
Go for it!
A Beetle is a good shout, as they are very simple to work on and parts are easy to find. You will need to learn to weld, or just get someone to replace the rotten bits for you, or find one that is solid but tatty.
Costs - how long is a piece of string and how willing are you to mess around and get dirty? You have so much time on your hands, you can learn many of the required skills as you go along and which will stand you in great stead for the future!
Go for it!
fflump said:
So you're 13 years old and clock not one but two Lotus Elites, and are talking about restoration and 'donor' cars. You're talking about 'buying' them despite them having plant life growing round them for as long as you can remember, and no idea as to who owns them. I would go into the pub in question and offer the owner 2 magic beans.
Have spoken to people nearby who tell me that on ran when parked but was abandoned as the clutch was temperamental and the paint was shot whereas the other one was a basket case all along and had a rusted chassis. A quick Google of the pub reveals that they want to get rid of cars as they are an eyesore but don't want to scrap. My uncle who happens to be an RAC mechanic reckons that Depending on the year they could be not exempt. Just to be clear I wasn't planning on buying them right now but I wanted to know if they would be fixable so that I can aspire to restore them someday. Here is a photo I took of them... 
alfabeat said:
It is a great way to get a "different" first car. My parents kindly bought me a knackered VW Beetle for my 15th birthday, and I spent the next two years doing it up. I was always willing to tinker and learn, and with the help of some family friends who knew about cars, learnt so much in those two years and had a (what I considered) cool car ready to roll on my 17th birthday.
A Beetle is a good shout, as they are very simple to work on and parts are easy to find. You will need to learn to weld, or just get someone to replace the rotten bits for you, or find one that is solid but tatty.
Costs - how long is a piece of string and how willing are you to mess around and get dirty? You have so much time on your hands, you can learn many of the required skills as you go along and which will stand you in great stead for the future!
Go for it!
Thanks so much for the motivation A Beetle is a good shout, as they are very simple to work on and parts are easy to find. You will need to learn to weld, or just get someone to replace the rotten bits for you, or find one that is solid but tatty.
Costs - how long is a piece of string and how willing are you to mess around and get dirty? You have so much time on your hands, you can learn many of the required skills as you go along and which will stand you in great stead for the future!
Go for it!
DasStig said:
Have spoken to people nearby who tell me that on ran when parked but was abandoned as the clutch was temperamental and the paint was shot whereas the other one was a basket case all along and had a rusted chassis. A quick Google of the pub reveals that they want to get rid of cars as they are an eyesore but don't want to scrap. My uncle who happens to be an RAC mechanic reckons that Depending on the year they could be not exempt. Just to be clear I wasn't planning on buying them right now but I wanted to know if they would be fixable so that I can aspire to restore them someday. Here is a photo I took of them...
Theoretically anything is fixable, it just depends on how deep you8r pocets are and if your intention is to enjoy them for what they are and not worry about recovering any or all of the restoration costs.You need to get somebody to look at them with knowledge of restoring similar cars to tell you if it is worth it, impossible to tell from a photograph, and whatever they tell you it will cost, double it and add a bit more
A good rule of thumb is that you will be unlikely to recover the costs of a good restoration, always buy one somebody else has restored.
Nothing to add other than do it!
I started messing with cars with I was mid teens, I bought a BMW E36 when I was 17 for €400, Then took a gamble on a Sierra Cosworth just before I turned 21!
I still have both almost 10 years later.
Find a model you really like, Buy one and then learn them inside out.
I started messing with cars with I was mid teens, I bought a BMW E36 when I was 17 for €400, Then took a gamble on a Sierra Cosworth just before I turned 21!
I still have both almost 10 years later.
Find a model you really like, Buy one and then learn them inside out.
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