I know I've been more careful with my money and I am trying not to put stuff on my credit card anymore. I'm also trying to be more choosy with the parts and tools I buy. I just bought a Northern Tool auto darkening welding mask instead of the Miller Elite I had intended to get. My parents were thinking about getting a new car to replace their 99 Corolla (150k on it) and I just told them I would try to do all the maintenance on it for them so they wouldn't have to get a new car payment for a while.

Most of my friends with project cars are cutting back or eliminating their mod budget.

How is the economy affecting the garage? I'm talking about car purchase decisions, mod decisions, and tool decisions.

1/24/2009 1:51:11 PM

i was fully prepared to purchase a new car today, but just yesterday received some very disturbing news at work about possible "changes" in the future. needless to say, i'm not buying a car today.

1/24/2009 1:56:59 PM

What the fuck is a mod budget??

If it comes down to brake cleaner or lunch, guess what I'm buying? You coupon clipping queers need to step your game up, I have spent around $3000 so far this year on car related stuff and expect to break the 15 grand marker before tax day.

1/24/2009 2:25:30 PM

I'm gearing up to / in the process of (by proxy) buying man-toys like it's cool, because there are so many great deals on things right now.

1/24/2009 2:50:27 PM

i may still buy a motorcycle this spring, job or not.

1/24/2009 3:21:17 PM

I work in the bearing industry and I've been reading that a lot of folks are going with the cheaper knockoff bearings when doing replacements etc... Even Dealerships are using them as replacements, but they are not near the same specs as OEM. However, some after market business is up -- suggesting folks are fixing what they have.

1/24/2009 3:21:49 PM

still buying stuff as usual, skimping elsewhere to fund it

almost time to build the 47rh, callling the tranny dudes monday

1/24/2009 7:24:40 PM

^way cool! get some pics

Since late december, I've spent about $2500 on my truck. Business isnt looking the greatest for my company right now...but oh well, we're humpin it anyway.


Got about $10k to go before the Blak Lung is finished

1/24/2009 7:38:31 PM

With a crap economy the LAST place I want to skimp is parts. Nothing worse for the budget than trying to save money and have a part give out on you when you are over a hundred miles from home. I've never been into expensive cosmetic mods, so nothing there to cut. I do my own work and buy good parts when the bike needs them. Top shelf bearings, oil, filters, etc.

No cheap tools either. You are only happy with cheap tools twice. The first time when you think you are saving money, the second time when it breaks or you throw it away and get something worth a damn.

1/24/2009 10:42:20 PM

Quote :

"still buying stuff as usual, skimping elsewhere to fund it "

yeah ramen and pasta meals do leave a little more room for car parts

1/26/2009 9:58:55 AM

i havent been buying things or woring on my shit mostly because i dont have time.. but i can say with confidence that a lot of people are spending less on their cars compared to 4-6 months ago.

1/26/2009 10:23:47 AM

Well I just bought a new car, first time in 9 years

But overall I've been cutting back, mainly taking fewer trips out of state and eating/drinking out less.

1/27/2009 1:06:54 PM

I'm surprised that so many of you, especially mostly in NC, are actually feeling any significant pinch from this.

1/27/2009 1:10:09 PM

I think the southeast is linked to the auto industry a lot more than people realize. I'm not sure how many people here that directly affects but I know where I work we've been hit pretty hard by the plant shutdowns during January. BMW is about the only customer of ours still really pumping out cars..the rest have slowed down significantly. The only real odd ball exception is the F150 that is still being produced @ around 6,000/trucks per week.

I get a newspaper every week that shows every common model of car/truck/SUV and how many were produced the last couple of weeks.. practically everything domestic was 0 for January except the F150 which is really screwing suppliers to a degree most people don't understand

1/27/2009 1:16:27 PM

^^well I think what it is for most of us, is that given how bad things have gotten we're just planning ahead more and being more financially conservative as insurance for if things continue to get worse.

(btw Bibeau and Kuhls, among a few others, lost their jobs months ago)

1/27/2009 1:19:57 PM

My company does finishing systems, and we are seeing no business currently. Freightliner Gastonia has pretty much closed down... the rest of our customers are idle.

1/27/2009 2:59:27 PM

NGK in Mooresville NC will shut down for all of February. Only 2 or 3 production lines out of 7 or 8 have been in use these last 2 months. Workers on idle lines have been pushing mops and brooms the whole time. By the end of this week, ~90 people are getting the permanent boot (~500 total workers in the whole plant). Projected demand for '09 and '10 is down by half compared to 2008.

we make the ceramic honeycomb pieces for catalytic converters (from cars to construction equipment)

1/27/2009 7:19:29 PM

Quote :

"I'm surprised that so many of you, especially mostly in NC, are actually feeling any significant pinch from this."

It took a while to get here, but its here now for sure. The Caterpillar plant up the road was pumping out new units all day long 7 months ago, now you might see one a week getting hauled to its new owner.

1/28/2009 5:52:20 PM

^Cat announced 20K job cuts globally on Monday. I was wondering how this would affect the NC facilities.

1/28/2009 6:10:32 PM

Fastenal wanted $70 for a thread insert kit yesterday. Carquest wanted $41. I bought the tap and the inserts and spent about $10. But other than that, looks like I am only spending $1600 this week on stuff.

2/18/2009 7:46:32 AM

I'm not making any major new car purchases, but I am looking to buy a jet ski/motorcycle/project car while there are deals out there. I'm certainly avoiding the credit card, but I've always done that.

2/18/2009 7:55:35 AM

The only thing it's affected is my trade-in value. I almost laughed the guy off the sales floor when he told me how much they'd give me for it.

2/18/2009 7:57:58 AM

Um lets see. The bad economy helped me to get a great deal on a new lexus.

Now I'm "broke" Poor 944 won't get any new parts for a while

2/18/2009 1:17:10 PM

Not really. A STi or 335i is on the radar for 2009, but I don't know if I'll pull the trigger or not. That's a lot of loot.

2/18/2009 1:18:20 PM

I've still got my eye on a G8. Not going to rush, but if I see a deal, I am there.

2/18/2009 1:56:07 PM

nope, i'm still buying junk. i've taken a HEALTHY hit on my investments, but i don't use that to buy stuff anyway. my salary hasn't changed, so no need to change my living habits. in fact, if anything, this lull in the economy has provided me some pretty damn good deals.

2/18/2009 2:44:15 PM