The pros and cons of built and bought

obi_waynne

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On here we tend to build cars to suit us rather than just buy them but both options have their pros and cons.

What do you see as the pros and cons of building your own car (modding one to your spec)?
What do you see as the pros and cons of buying a car which offers your preferred setup and performance?

I see bought cars as more reliable and cheaper to run, but compromises are made so built cars offer better performance (if done properly).
 
Insurance costs are usually lower for bought cars, especially for us young drivers.

Building a car is fun though and the only way you can be sure what parts go into it.
 
By built do you mean yourself or a designated Tuner. My car is built to what I want but I pay the best Tuner around to build me a Top engine. On the Ford Forums mines a bought car because I don't build a 1000bhp engine myself. Building a 500bhp engine may be possible but what I want is beyond my knowledge.
 
How many people can do all of the mods themselves? Virtually none. By the Ford Forum definition there can be VERY few built cars out there.

I have done a lot of work on my car, but:
I didn't build the rear suspension parts or do all of the chassis modifications but they were both to my requirements.
I didn't build the engine but it was built to my spec.
I didn't fabricate the roll cage but I was there the whole time discussing and finalizing the design.

So I guess my car is also bought.
 
That is a really tight definition. The car Is still built imo just not by the manufacturer.

The only way to avoid bought labelling in that case would be by stealing the parts used! Or smelting the metal and building the parts yourself.
 
Just as above really

If you cant buy what you want you have to have it built.

Its then a question of who does it - yourself or someone else/better

Most people cant do everything themselves especially when the power starts to get "serious". (Id say thats around 500 bhp)
Then the cost of parts become such that you cannot trust to chance that it is put together right.
So it has to be done by a specialist.

If that makes it bought Id like to see a car running over 500bhp that is built.
 
"Built Not Bought" was originally used to differentiate between the guy building his car at home and the guy who had his car built by a company with very little or no personal input or bought it already built and then tried to live off the reflected glory. Guys who build their own cars (even if this entails some outside help) tend to look down at cheque book cars.
 
I don't think so. Sleeper said he would like to see a built 500bhp car but was talking about a single engine. Claymore has built 2 :) So his car stays within Sleeper's limit :)

Caymore's car is brilliant and hope to see it close up one day.

I disagree with Sleeper. 500bhp is not difficult to achieve at home. Sticking to my limited experirence, Cosworth YBs can reach 600+ with off the shelf parts and an experienced home builder.

However, if you have been seduced by the dark side 750+ is within reach with V8s
 
Can serious powerYBs be successfully/properly mapped at home I honestly don't know bu very few can really do with an rb26 ( and get the power curve that an expert can )

As to claymores beast I I'll give him that one |B . After all I didn't say it couldn't be done .

Maybe I should have said very few are capable.
 
Agreed that the mapping part requires an expert, be it the engine builder or a specialist. But this has always been the case. I built all my Lotus Twin Cam engines, right up to 168bhp at the wheels (not much now but race engine spec back in the 80s) but I still took it to a rolling road for tuning. I don't think that doing this turns my built car into a bought one :)
 
The definition of pedant doesn't include the difference between built and bought :) Also, opinions aren't covered by the pedant charter, you are free to have as many wrong opinions as you like :)

Being a pedant isn't an easy lifestyle. It must be so much easier to sail thriugh life not noticing or caring about inaccuracies, mistakes, myths, etc but someone has to do it.
 
The definition of pedant doesn't include the difference between built and bought :) Also, opinions aren't covered by the pedant charter, you are free to have as many wrong opinions as you like :)

Being a pedant isn't an easy lifestyle. It must be so much easier to sail thriugh life not noticing or caring about inaccuracies, mistakes, myths, etc but someone has to do it.

Ohh, the irony :D
 
Probably, as far as Americans are concerned. They haven't a clue as to what the word actually means :)
 
Ah!! The home built 500bhp YB's a disaster waiting to happen. 1000's of them about & if they really had 500bhp its a 180mph car. Only 15 Cosworths have ever been timed past 180mph, hundreds have tried although not many these days. Having 500bhp at the start is easy but 40secs of 100% WOT sorts the 'I got this Spec from Passion Ford' guys from the Pro Tuner cars. Its not about a figure you can quote down the pub lads its about actually having a designed engine that's proven.
 
Ah!! The home built 500bhp YB's a disaster waiting to happen. 1000's of them about & if they really had 500bhp its a 180mph car. Only 15 Cosworths have ever been timed past 180mph, hundreds have tried although not many these days. Having 500bhp at the start is easy but 40secs of 100% WOT sorts the 'I got this Spec from Passion Ford' guys from the Pro Tuner cars. Its not about a figure you can quote down the pub lads its about actually having a designed engine that's proven.

When I talk about a home built engine I am not thinking about one built in the kitchen with 2 spanners and a hammer :)

500bhp is perfectly achievable, IMO, by the amateur who knows what he is doing. It isn't rocket science, just the putting together, correctly, of the right pieces and the correct machining specified where and when required.

However, it's the putting together that sorts the men from the boys. For example, all of the block's oil and waterway plugs have to be removed so it can be cleaned properly, and that includes the ball bearing that blanks one of the oil ways. This can't really be done in the kitchen sink. When I cleaned a block it went through 5 cleaning cycles - Acid dip, three manual cleaning cycles and then into an industrial dishwasher.

I think, having written this, I am inclinded to modify my stance. Building a 500bhp YB, that will stay together, at home is very difficult unless you have a dedicated workshop and the skills to take advantage of it.

Agree with your last sentence, Rod. The BS stops when the flag drops.
 

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