Do it yourself or buy it big?

Discussion in 'Chevy Truck Talk & GM News' started by Lexi_Girl4801, Jul 17, 2012.

  1. Lexi_Girl4801

    Lexi_Girl4801 New Member

    Do you prefer to buy a truck bone stock (or close to it) or do the mods yourself? i.e. lift, exhaust, tint, tires, etc..
    I'm looking to start modifying my truck but I don't know if it would better to just buy a truck that is already ready to rumble :)

    My truck is a 2001 Silverado with 150,xxx on it. Everything is sound in the truck, zero problems with it whatsoever. So, now all I need to know is whether or not I should spend the time/money on this truck or just wait until I get something newer.

    Any input would be appreciated :)

    Thanks, guys!!
  2. Curky

    Curky Rockstar 3 Years 1000 Posts

    It depends on how long you plain on keeping it. If another 150xxx I would go for it. Keep your stock parts and worse case when truck is dead. Swap parts back out and sell aftermarket part. If you small lift or just leveling it, larger tires, different gears, maybe some body mods.I would. If you average 35,000 miles a year and plain on going to 300,000 that is about 4yrs.
  3. SurrealOne

    SurrealOne Former Member ROTM Winner 1000 Posts

    There's a certain pride in ownership that ONLY comes with doing things, yourself. You also save a lot in terms of labor costs, and you get to know your truck really well by doing things, yourself. Last, you get to make sure things are done RIGHT. (Too often you see dealerships selling lifted trucks with gears that are far too tall for the truck to perform reasonably well; nevermind that they'll have six of the same truck with that lift, tires, wheels, etc -- destroying the uniqueness.)

    I'd say you should do as much as you are comfortable doing on your own. Stretch yourself a bit, too, so that you learn new things, but if there's something you're absolutely not comfortable with, then get an expert to do it. (I, for example, do most of my own work ... but my regear and body/paint work are things I outsourced, as I have no knowledge or talent in either area and I'm not willing to start learning on my DD.)
  4. Lexi_Girl4801

    Lexi_Girl4801 New Member

    Yeah, I plan on keeping my truck for a while and that's kind of what I was thinking. I also have a few guy friends who I'm sure would be willing to help put things together if I need. I have a family full of mechanics- my dad does body/paint work and my uncle does transmissions, etc. So, I'm thinking that doing it myself with this truck would probably be the best idea. I just wasn't sure if you guys thought that it would be a waste of time and money at this point. Thanks for your help :)) <3
  5. aloxdaddy99

    aloxdaddy99 Rockstar 4 Years 1000 Posts

    There is a saying in the Jeep world " Jeeps aren't bought their built". This goes for GM trucks also. Nobody knows what you like/want better than you. So why buy a truck and pull parts off of it to replace with "better" stuff.
  6. JohnnyZJ

    JohnnyZJ New Member

    the problem with buying something built is you stand the chance of inheriting someone elses headaches if it wasn't done right, or they cheaped out etc.

    it is much more expensive to do it yourself than to buy something built. but in the long run you know its done right :) or at least if you screw it up, you have yourself to blame!
  7. SurrealOne

    SurrealOne Former Member ROTM Winner 1000 Posts

    I have found quite the opposite to be true when it comes to doing customizations myself versus having them built/handled by someone else ... specifically because I don't have to pay for labor when I do it, myself.
  8. tbplus10

    tbplus10 Epic Member Staff Member 5+ Years 5000 Posts Platinum Contributor

    I'm a big fan of build it dont buy it. I think this way you have more pride in your truck and if something goes wrong you have somewhat of an idea on whats wrong and you normally wont be afraid to get in there and fix it.
  9. the phantom

    the phantom Rockstar 3 Years ROTM Winner 1000 Posts

    I found with my truck that purchasing the truck New with the Lift, Tires, Wheels, and some small other mods already completed was less expensive than if I had done it myself. I did the math before purchasing my truck on a bone stock truck and even without including labor charges for the installed items (with the exception of the labor on the lift wich I wouldnt have done myself) I still made out by a couple thousand. As far as destroying uniqueness I have yet to see another truck like mine anywhere around even not including the mods I have done to it making it unique. I dont think my pride for my truck is at all compromised in the fact that I purchased these items already completed. Not to mention that these mods I purchased were mirror image covered under GM's warranty. I will confirm that the truck was not geared properly for the installed mods but obviously that is something that would have to be done if you do these mods yourself also. So I may be the exception for purchasing these few mods already done but I definitely argue about uniqueness and pride of ownership. Also to mention that if something goes wrong, I dont have to blame myself.:lol:
  10. JohnnyZJ

    JohnnyZJ New Member

    oh yes, doing the work youself. i kind of assumed that! my theory is you can buy better parts when you install it yourself instead of buying cheap stuff and having it installed!

    i mean if you are buying a rig thats like, lifted, with maybe gears/lockers, power mods and stuff like that installed, they are usually a bit cheaper than buying all the parts new and installing them.
    i've bought one rig built in my life..... i ended up replacing most of the parts i bought it for cause they wore out due to improper maintenence etc :( then again, thats with older jeeps thats see a lot of trail abuse ;)

    i now also believe in the pride in building your own rig now too........ makes it 'yours' and gives you that sense of pride/ownership.

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