What it Cost to Own an 80 Series: 11 months and 20,000 Miles In

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Thats a nice spreadsheet can you post it up?
Sure thing. It's a Google Sheet primarily because its easy to edit on a PC, phone, tablet, etc and its always saving updates. It auto-color codes some cells based on input so its easier to keep tabs on things at a glance. I also have a tab for trail spare inventory and a number of other more specific tasks/parts lists.

It's detailed here:
http://oppositelock.kinja.com/spreadsheets-maintenance-and-parts-1794504389 and I'll copy the important bits to future-proof it.

The first tab is the maintenance log. Columns are as follows:
  • A -C are self-labeled.
  • D is the Action column- What was done to the component in Col C.
  • E-F are for logging expenses of parts and labor. 0 value labor was completed by myself.
  • G is asking if this action was required. Values are Yes, PM (preventative maintenance), Acc (Accessory- optional and not needed.)
  • H is the notes column. If the part was merely inspected or repaired, details are recorded. If parts were replaced, part numbers are also noted. This makes it easier to recall exactly what I did to a certain part and to trace a future failure back to my actions if the repair may have been done incorrectly.
Second tab is the To-Do list. Columns are as follows:
  • A-B are self-labeled.
  • C is the part status. N-no action. O-on order. D-done. H- on hand.
  • D is the quantity on hand. If this value is less than the Quantity required (Col B) the cell is highlighted yellow.
  • E is priority. Acc- accessory (optional, not needed) High Med and Low priority, Ref- line retained for reference.
  • G-K are self-labeled documenting the part source, part number, estimated price, a link regarding some sort of detail (usually how to install) and any special notes regarding this line item. I.E. Change this with gasket P/N XX or similar.
The Google version can be viewed and downloaded in an xlsx file here:
Maintenance Log and Parts
 
It seems safer to say the same thing we had in the BMW e30m3 world some years ago ($ amount has easily doubled now) but we had a "$20K rule"

You could buy a ~$7K M3, and it would wring $13K out of you 'baselining' - or you could buy a ~$15K one that would eat another $5K out of you.

Or you could buy the nicest $20K one back then & just keep up as needed.
And you owned a better example with paperwork, etc.

The price you paid for the 450 need to be factored in, so unless you bought a $15K 450 that $6K (some were mods too) seems totally normal.

Right now & today, I'd say a $15K rule would apply for a stock/no mods & not planning to run trails type 80.
$15K would get you any near top-tier 80 with records, low owners, lower-ish miles & still leave you room for a ~$2-3K hit on anything needing attention in the 1st year.

But that "$15K rule" only is as current as market value. That $20K rule for M3's in ~2007 is more like $45K now.

$15K is a starter number I'd toss out to new-to-be prospective 80 guys. I think it's about fair for a mainly stock configuration 80 that is driven just as a street DD.
 
yea totally f'ed up that rule up :slap:

My modus operandi has been "no kids, no wife yet so get the toy done" and if all goes well after cruise moab this year it will be down to "no kids, seriously wrap that s*** up the clocks ticking".
 
yea totally f'ed up that rule up :slap:

My modus operandi has been "no kids, no wife yet so get the toy done" and if all goes well after cruise moab this year it will be down to "no kids, seriously wrap that s*** up the clocks ticking".

Yeah, but you justified a cool lift :D

Srsly, what lift is that? I just sold my old traditional one as I'll be moving within ~18-24mo, been looking casually at lifts I can take w/ to new location.

How do you like that design for ease of workability?
 
Yeah, but you justified a cool lift :D

Srsly, what lift is that? I just sold my old traditional one as I'll be moving within ~18-24mo, been looking casually at lifts I can take w/ to new location.

How do you like that design for ease of workability?
In Ground - Smartlift | Rotary Lift

The thing is fantastic. Do have to admit that this is my mom's house. My dad and I use to race and I did all the servicing so we built a new garage and got the lift. Unfortunately he passed away in 2013 and we sold the race car. Now I just service our vehicles on the lift. Absolutely love it. I'm looking at putting a 2 post lift in the garage of my new house.
 
^^^ Real nice lift!

I thought maybe it was more transient than that, like some newer styles.
Yours is nice, Dad has a air/oil twin post too - but he's retired & not moving anymore.
 
Well played, Jose :smokin:
 
In September 2013 I posted this:



I have the raw data to update to last week but I don't look forward to the answer.....:lol:
Interesting thread. It's like keeping a lifetime tab on how much you've spent on beer while placing a value on how much you've enjoyed the beer. :)
 
Interesting thread. It's like keeping a lifetime tab on how much you've spent on beer while placing a value on how much you've enjoyed the beer. :)


Pretty much:grinpimp:


The transaction count would be a bit higher however.:rimshot:
 
Good write up. I think I have about $8000 in, plus the $3000 that I bought it for 8 months ago. I really don't have many major items left to replace or rebuild except replacing the rusty gas tank skid plate. All new brakes, front axle, HG and top end rebuild, exhaust, tires, and a million little things, etc. The truck is definitely in good nick now and I have enjoyed doing all of the work and I would feel comfortable taking it anywhere.

That said, there a couple of old neglected looking 80's rattling around my area and they seem to be doing just fine without all that fancy maintenance. I would be curious to know what the bare minimum it would cost to keep an 80 on the road.
 
So what's the point of tracking costs again? I'm sorry but I don't quite inderstand.......

My original intent was just to document maintenance and record date/miles for reference. I figured that its easier to collect data and figure out what to do with it later.
At this point, I realized that I'd finally addressed most everything commonly discussed as a baseline so I summed it up all one day for kicks and nearly sh*t a brick. I thought I'd share it if the knowledge would help someone who is considering purchasing one
 
I summed it up all one day for kicks and nearly sh*t a brick.

I think that was his point, brick sh_tting is not advisable and is the only likely outcome of this exercise.:poop::rofl:
 
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