Is it worth the money & effort

[dai-cymru]

Just after some thoughts. I have started a project mk2 16v.  It needs engine rebuild. Some welding and a respray. So far its cost me £1300 and still got lots to spend. When it's done I estimate I will have spent £3000 and countless hours. My question is am I an idiot because my heart is ruling my head and its unlikely to be worth the money I invest if I was to sell it ? I'm doing it because I love mk2s and this one turned out to be worse than advertised. What's people's thoughts?

[dragonfly]

Most people rarely get anywhere near what they spend on a project. I would say do what you need to and enjoy it when completed. If you sell it now as is will you make any money? Can you save costs by geting friends to do some work on it or donate parts?

[andykram]

Ask me when I finally get mine back! After spending a year having a nut and bolt engine bay refurb the thing has just had to have a new steering rack and power steering pump. It is now with an auto electrician who is finally trying to sort out its cold start issue. Beautiful as it is after the refurb it is currently testing my patience as I know I will never get back what I've spent on it and it never seems to be right!

[dai-cymru]

I do the work myself anyway as it's nearly my trade. (Commercial fitter) so will be no labour charge except the re spray but parts are much dearer than when I had my previous mk2 about 10 years ago.   

That's what worries me a bit  like your experience with always something needing doing.

Oh and couldn't sell it now anyway as 1 I wouldn't get my money back and 2 its in millions of pieces at the moment ha ha.

[Carl!]

If this wasn't the case then they would be 10 a penny, swings and roundabouts really, is it worth it depends on you!

[Waspy]

Don't think about how much it's worth on the market, think how much it's worth to you. At the end of the project you will have a valver which you have built up exactly how you want it... £3k doesn't sound bad to me for that pride and enjoyment

[sparkplug]

no...but do it anyway, it's not a hedge-fund ,it's a GTI 

[Foreveryoungaus16v]

Man up and make your own mind up.

[dubber36]

They cost money, there's no getting away from that. As said before, they will never be worth what you put into them, but that only matters if you are going to sell it.

I paid quite a bit for my car 5 years ago, but it was a one owner, genuine, solid car so was a really good starting point. I've had some paintwork done already, wheels refurbed, interior trimmed, heater matrix changed and other mechanical issues sorted. It's in for some more paint next month, then later in the year, a full nut and bolt engine bay refurb like Andy had. I reckon when it's finished, it will owe me around £10k. Will it be worth that? No, but where else would I be able to buy a car that looks and drives like brand new, that I know inside out?

[clipperjay]

I think once you have past a the point of sinking anymore money and never getting it back is where you take your time and finish it. I've still got loads to do on mine and have sunk over 2K already I need another 1.5K and I'll be happy but for sure if I went out to market today and spent 2K or even 3K I would still need to drop 1k or more depending if I did my home work and check a new car out properly. But as other people have said just keep going. I think MK's2 owners these days think its a cheap car to run reality is when this forum started way back when most of the owners had fresh newer cars to tinker with, but difference is things were cheaper and less rare.......? I see loads just give up or strip for cash because they will never get back what they spent on her in the first place! MK2's are so old now they should be projects that finish and should be shown at shows for pure enjoyment rather than a cheap runabout or if a sensor goes down and someone can't fix it, it usually gets sold or stripped.
Most people forget MK2's are Engineers car built for the people hence why we love to hate them sometimes.