[Alex Csank]

Average money for me:

1969 Spider 1300 Junior - this year I bought a new top, re-built the alternator and starter, bought a used left-front parking light/ turn signal assembly, some new seat covers, a "Club" and some new wiper blades. Other than that, I changed the oil a few times.

top - $279
re-building costs for starter from local shop - $72
re-building costs for alternator from local shop - $38
parking light on E-Bay - $41
seat covers from Pep Boys - $60
The Club - $40
Wiper Blades - $20

Obviously, you don't have to buy a new top or re-build the starter or alternator every year. The Club is really just for security. The parking light is only because my original lens fell out. The seat covers will allow me to keep the original seats without getting them re-done for another year or so. The wiper blades are normal replacement items on any car. So, really...she has been very reliable and cheap! I have put over 14000 reliable miles on her this year!

1987 Milano Verde - this year I put a new custom interoor in her, re-did the exhaust, got new tires, replaced a rear rotor and some pads, fixed the A/C, fixed a busted clutch pivot pin, replaced the right front turn signal lamp, replaced the power window motors in both front doors, fixed some bad grounds in the engine compartment, had the alignment done and added some new speakers in front. Otherwise, just oil changes.

interior - $1400 (done by a friend in red and black tweed...it looks great!)
exhaust - $700 (all the way!)
tires - $300
rotor and pads - $250
clutch pivot pin and labor (I was on the road at the time) - $450
turn signal - $30 (E-Bay)
power window motors -$50 (E-Bay)
alignment - $30
speakers - $200

When I bought this car (for $600 plus a spare washer and dryer I had!), it had been off the road for about three years. So most of the work was just to bring it back to life.

Does that help?