Need a bit of help convincing wife to build

[Mayor West]

The $$$ do add up quick. I OK'd $15k with my Financial Advisor (aka my wife) for this project and I'm well past that, probably around $18k now with another $1k coming at least. Having to buy a second donor didn't help.

I think this is a pretty common story, you could do a goblin for 10-15k if you get a base model kit/donor, reuse every donor part, sell donor parts for a premium to recoup some money, get little to no options from DF, paint it yourself, and do no engine maintenance - and have a good donor on top of that. You have to be very diligent to build a goblin and not spend close to 18-20k.

You may be better off buying an already built gob, people seem to be giving them away.
I think there was a donor + painted kit that recently sold for about $7,000 all-in, which is less than the cost of the kit itself.

When I did the "budget estimator" on the DF main page, I felt it was a little high and that I could do it for less. It's not high, it's pretty much correct and realistic.

 

[Rttoys]

With everything on lockdown and can’t do anything, my budget went up on the goblin. Not that I want to overspend, but now I have room to buy things a little better than I would have before.

Wife was/is 100% on board and even helped during the build, but she also likes my motorcycles too.

 

[benjy]

You may be better off buying an already built gob, people seem to be giving them away.
I think there was a donor + painted kit that recently sold for about $7,000 all-in, which is less than the cost of the kit itself.

Buyer of said kit here! FWIW I'm an additional $4k in stage 3 and IC/HE/Exhaust, etc... My build will still come in around the $15k mark (not that I'm complaining, I know I got a screaming deal).

My wife just wanted me to have a project to work on to keep me busy. Usually when I'm distracted by a project I'm more satisfied with my professional career, which means I won't be looking for a new job and moving.

As far as safety concerns, a professionally welded DOM chassis with 5 point harnesses is pretty darn safe. I home built a cage out from the same material and put it to the test multiple times... a few slow rolls, some slamming down from 10' onto rocks, and one roll on a track at 40mph. The goblin will be a safe vehicle.

Another compromise was that if I was going to have a "fun" car, she wanted one too...

 

[PyroGuy923]

I'll be in mine for roughly $24k plus another few grand in tools. Ouch...

 

[Dsteinhorst]

I had a budget of 13k initially for an N/A build. I ended around 16k including all options, parts, and taxes. Dont plan for less than $15k. It's possible, but won't happen.

As far as safety goes...

 

[Ark :D]

That's amazing! Get 'em started young!!

 

[Desert Sasqwatch]

I had a budget of 13k initially for an N/A build. I ended around 16k including all options, parts, and taxes. Dont plan for less than $15k. It's possible, but won't happen.

As far as safety goes...View attachment 15542

Merrimac ferry?

 

[TheNuker]

My 82 year old grandma can't wait for me to get my second goblin done haha. Just told her to keep her mouth closed so her teeth don't fly out LOL

Nuker-

 

[duanew1]

I had a budget of 13k initially for an N/A build. I ended around 16k including all options, parts, and taxes. Dont plan for less than $15k. It's possible, but won't happen.

As far as safety goes...View attachment 15542

I would say be careful with a child in the Goblin. I knew a guy that got caught doing a quick 70-95 acceleration in a very fast GTO showing off to a friend with a kid in the car. Child endangerment and street racing. The other car was stock, so they were not racing. They threw the book at him. It was years before he could drive that car on the street again.

 

[Kenny123]

Show her this one, it belongs to a 70 years young woman.

View attachment 15535

That's Awesome!!