OV9

Zonda_ wrote: Thu Apr 29, 2021 1:56 pm You do wonder though if it had been a 'normal' customer whether they'd be saying "it's fucked, it's needs way too much replacing"

Nah restoration companies make their livings from builds like this. As long as there's a bit of metal with a vin number on it and a customer willing to pay for the work, there's no such thing as too far gone

ZedLeg wrote: Thu Apr 29, 2021 2:41 pm

Zonda_ wrote: Thu Apr 29, 2021 1:56 pm You do wonder though if it had been a 'normal' customer whether they'd be saying "it's fucked, it's needs way too much replacing"

Nah restoration companies make their livings from builds like this. As long as there's a bit of metal with a vin number on it and a customer willing to pay for the work, there's no such thing as too far gone

With something like a rare Ferrari or similar yes but an XJC in full restored condition is only worth around 25k, unless it had serious sentimental value it would be madness for a normal person to entertain.

Or maybe, just maybe he wants to do a proper job so the XJC he has can be the best XJC he can own.

It’s so easy to hide lots of sins beneath under seal.

Dave!

You never restore a car to make money though. Surely everybody knows that?

You do it because you want the best version of that exact car.

I'm not disputing that but Harry is not your normal owner he can throw any amount of money at it and not care.

Zonda_ wrote: Thu Apr 29, 2021 2:55 pm

ZedLeg wrote: Thu Apr 29, 2021 2:41 pm

Zonda_ wrote: Thu Apr 29, 2021 1:56 pm You do wonder though if it had been a 'normal' customer whether they'd be saying "it's fucked, it's needs way too much replacing"

Nah restoration companies make their livings from builds like this. As long as there's a bit of metal with a vin number on it and a customer willing to pay for the work, there's no such thing as too far gone

With something like a rare Ferrari or similar yes but an XJC in full restored condition is only worth around 25k, unless it had serious sentimental value it would be madness for a normal person to entertain.

Like I said before, if the customer wants to go ahead and has the funds to pay a garage will never talk them out of the work. There are loads of stories with the lesser known muscle cars of people spending $40k - $50k to end up with something worth $20k.

Zonda_ wrote: Thu Apr 29, 2021 3:24 pm I'm not disputing that but Harry is not your normal owner he can throw any amount of money at it and not care.

Harry clearly has a lot of squids, but I am not sure he is at the “throw any amount of money at it” level. He comes across as pretty well in control of his spend in the vehicle area (albeit with a sizeable budget).

mik wrote: Thu Apr 29, 2021 3:50 pm

Zonda_ wrote: Thu Apr 29, 2021 3:24 pm I'm not disputing that but Harry is not your normal owner he can throw any amount of money at it and not care.

Harry clearly has a lot of squids, but I am not sure he is at the “throw any amount of money at it” level. He comes across as pretty well in control of his spend in the vehicle area (albeit with a sizeable budget).

Harry's farm is really good for seeing how HM thinks about money. Although he clearly knows the farm figures in detail off the top of his head he doesn't seem to be dependant on it for the majority of his income either? I got that impression after his comments on the Rapeseed crop failure in his latest video.

You don't see many V12 XJCs about and the 4.2s seem to be anywhere from £20-40k in normal looking condition. A fully sorted V12 could easily push the upper boundary of values.

But more importantly, I imagine Harry knows VERY well what the potential cost and worth of his car (and the gamble of potential value in X years too) - more than any of us.

RobYob wrote: Thu Apr 29, 2021 4:27 pm

mik wrote: Thu Apr 29, 2021 3:50 pm

Zonda_ wrote: Thu Apr 29, 2021 3:24 pm I'm not disputing that but Harry is not your normal owner he can throw any amount of money at it and not care.

Harry clearly has a lot of squids, but I am not sure he is at the “throw any amount of money at it” level. He comes across as pretty well in control of his spend in the vehicle area (albeit with a sizeable budget).

Harry's farm is really good for seeing how HM thinks about money. Although he clearly knows the farm figures in detail off the top of his head he doesn't seem to be dependant on it for the majority of his income either? I got that impression after his comments on the Rapeseed crop failure in his latest video.

People own farms for the inheritance tax benefits these days; Harry may have been a farmer for a long time before he started Evo, but conveniently it is a good way of preserving the money he made for his kids.

I'm sure the Jag is affecting the bottom line of his son's inheritance somewhat

He mentioned that he puts all the money from the youtube videos back into the cars - the Espada rebuild, Lancia and Jag namely which then in itself provides more content for the channel. I guess without those he'd just be left with reviewing new cars and they're not exactly great are they...

speedingfine wrote: Thu Apr 29, 2021 5:43 pm I'm sure the Jag is affecting the bottom line of his son's inheritance somewhat

It sounds like the son rather likes it, so any money put into it may well end up being his in the will anyway

If I had a son who lived and enthused over an old Jag it would take a stronger man than I not to make it as good as I possibly could.

Dave!

From my last comment in the Boxster thread it reminded me I watched Harrys Golf 8 R vid last night. Two thing I don't miss about mine, the tech and the unexciting quickness of it.

I'm probably sure most of you wont have seen Archie Hamilton racing taking his around a track, they couldnt turn the driver aids off so it decide to brake everywhere on a track to save the drivers life. Useful but not entertaining.

Plus they are more 50k than 40 these days with a few boxes ticked.

Fast but ultimately fairly dull seems to be what pretty everyone who’s owned one seems to say, even if they thought it was the best thing ever when they bought it.

The touch screen interface in the new one looked awful and very slow to respond.

integrale_evo wrote: Wed May 05, 2021 2:54 pm Fast but ultimately fairly dull seems to be what pretty everyone who’s owned one seems to say, even if they thought it was the best thing ever when they bought it.

The touch screen interface in the new one looked awful and very slow to respond.

I'm of the opinion that on the user interface for a car, there should never be any lag - it takes your attention away from the road longer than necessary.

Strange, the touchscreen (apple airplay) stuff on my golf is as instant as a phone screen.

Add I understand it, it treats the car interface as an extension of the phone, so if the phone is fast, the car interface is fast.

integrale_evo wrote: Wed May 05, 2021 2:54 pm Fast but ultimately fairly dull seems to be what pretty everyone who’s owned one seems to say, even if they thought it was the best thing ever when they bought it.

The touch screen interface in the new one looked awful and very slow to respond.

I preferred the first one I had which was manual, now not an option. Mistake.