I have had quite a few customers that have gone through this in the past year or so. I see 2 kinds of customers,
1) DRUG ADDICT - These guys walk in my shop and look at everyone elses cars in shop, due to their passion for the journey of creativity and fabrication. If you were a by stander and saw some of these customers walk in my door, you would be hard pressed to know which car in the shop is theirs. These guys like the Journey more then the destination.
2) Big EGO guys - You have the guy who walks and thinks his car is the only one in the shop. The world revolves around him. He is just here for the laundry list of mods. He looks at you as the bidder for the work he is looking to have done. Not so much worried about quality or what have you, Just wants A, B, and C. He wants to be in the scene or be like that bad ass guy in high school that he never was. Most truly rich guys that are like this just buy cars at Barret Jackson. Or they realize to even be the big shot you have to have the latest greatest.
3) There is a very rare 3rd type that, Comes in and does not know anything and with education will choose quality and not the lowest bidder. These guys are usually referrals, they know and trust you from an outside source. I have only had one of these guys in 9 years. He did not know what whitewall tires, or even a small block Chevy was. He did not know what a burn out was. ( Seriously ). He wanted a 1946 Packard 4 door to be restored so he could drive it from California to Florida. I told him for months we did not restore cars. Now he has an LS engine 1946 Packard that looks super original, but will be a 6 figure car and he is cool with that.
The reason I give a description is this splits the guys into the point in life where they might sell the project when times get tough. And there are exceptions. But guy # 2 would be the first to sell his car, cuz more then likely he is over extended in his trying to keep up with the Jone's. Sometimes I wonder if those Jone's get any commission.
Guy #1 would probably let the house go back to the bank and the old lady leave him on the corner with his project, but he will never sell that car. These guys have to get broken down pretty far in order give up their dreams. But these guys don't do much else as far as hobbies, these guys eat sleep and breath building cars. When they are done with their latest project they are thinking about the next.
I think it might be pretty amazing how thin a car guy might spread them selves to see their dream come to life. I think there are more projects that never get finished then those that actually do. I have heard some of my customers tell me that a drug habit would be cheaper then what they spend on cars each month. Just due to the fact, your body could not possibly do that much drugs.
When you get into the higher end cars the percentage of your income that is spent on cars I thinks gets lower. If a guy makes 40 grand a year, I could see him spend 10% of that if his financial position would allow it. Do you think a guy smart enough to make a million a year will spend 100 grand each year? Not as likely. This hobby is expensive.
I think the state of our economy has shown how thin people have spread themselves. And it also shows how bad some people may actually have it these days.
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