The interior of the SD Formula is absolutely hammered....
Seat Covers -- which is DYI -- 289 per seat for the fronts
Seat FOAM -- DYI -- 132 per seat
So before you do ANYTHING else to the car -- you've got almost a grand in the two front seats.... that's 10% of your total budget... and we haven't replaced the door panels - or the rear seat or the carpet.... So 20% or so of your budget is getting the interior to fair condition. That's seats, front and rear - and door panels...
Now -- ALL the wubba (rubber) in that car is completely shot... so that's a must do item if you want to drive it. There's two pieces -- door seal -- and upper seal -- the door seals are 229 for a pair - but the uppers are 140 EACH - so you've got almost $600 for the door seals and misc crap plus shipping etc...
You haven't got the trunk done yet - and the seller was either afraid to take the crap out of the trunk - or he's just lazy -- or both -- which would explain the condition of the car that he's owned since '07..... but you need a trunk weatherstrip.... and that's another $180
Power window doesn't operate.... so it could be the switch or the motor - or the regulator ---- but it needs to go up and down and you've got the door panel off to replace it so might as well work on getting it running... figure worst case and you need a motor... new ones for both doors with motors $300
Mind you --- this is YOU doing all the work.... so you need to do upholstery and now do windows.... so you're going to need tools and some knowledge... or double the above prices for installation. So figure 40% of your 10,000 budget for interior and weatherstrip - and windows working. $4K ..... not a bad figure if you can find someone to do it for that.
Leaves you 6K for running and dependability.... Lets say the motor just needs a tune up and oil and filters --- and maybe a carburetor rebuild... so that's going to be $750
Change filter and oil in tranny --- $150
Change rear end grease -- $50
Bushings and ball joints to make it be able to go down the highway..... and alignment -- $1250
Shocks -- which have to be shot given the rest of the cars condition... just slap on some Monroe's -- $250
Brakes checked and operable - can't skip that part -- assume you'll need some parts or rotors turned - the fluid MUST be completely changed out etc -- $750
Tires are shot -- I don't give a damn about what the tread looks like -- this thing has ROTTED tires and they MUST be changed... $500
So roughly half your balance is spoken for.....
That leaves you maybe $2500 for stuff that nobody knew it needed.... like if the steering box is shot --- or the tie rods are toasted... or the tranny is puked or the motor is puking blue smoke after driving it 100 miles...
Doable.... yeah -- if you're lucky and find a good mechanic that is honest and is willing to work on the beater.
That's all stuff that MUST be done ----- and you haven't touched the exterior looks. Maaco might paint it silver again... so maybe you have enough for a quick spray job.
All in all said --- you have the cost of the car -- and 10K invested.... and you better pray to god it needs nothing else.
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