Topic: Buy a Lemons "ready" $K car yet not run afoul of $500 rule?

It seems like the least sketchy way to join in the fun (if not a shop/builder) is to buy an existing Lemons "race" car that has run in a Lemons race and thus passed Tech for the obvious minimal Safety needs and passed some level of ringer scrutiny.

Trying to understand the "journey" of buying an already "proven" Lemons ready car for over $500 ($4-7k) and then explaining that in Tech, since you obviously paid over $500. Is it all about Safety systems (and consumables) to rationalize the price above $500 for an existing Lemons racer?

Do you just take the hit on penalty points and get on with it?

Re: Buy a Lemons "ready" $K car yet not run afoul of $500 rule?

It's very common to buy an existing LeMon for over $500.  There's a number of reasons why it's ok if it's over $500 and they have been previously discussed on this forum ad nauseum.  It's actually the cheaper way to go than building anew.  If you are concerned about penalty laps, email pix of the car and perhaps the races it's been in to one of the Lemons Supreme Court Justices.  eric@24hoursoflemons.com

If its been a while (like years) since it ran, it's best to check in with the head of tech for update advice pagel@24hoursoflemons.com

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Re: Buy a Lemons "ready" $K car yet not run afoul of $500 rule?

An (oversimplified) explanation goes like this.....You are not just buying the car,but also buying the safety gear (seat,cage,kill switch,spare parts,etc) that comes with it.These items do not count towards your $500 limit.....Say (for example) you bought a 'car' for $ 1500.00...What you are actually buying is the car for,we'll say, $400.00 and the rest of the safety gear,etc. for $1100.00...Like I said,this is oversimplified,but you get the idea.....The Lemons judges have seen this many times before.Email them with pictures and get their ruling.

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(Still a Class B driver in a Class A car)

Re: Buy a Lemons "ready" $K car yet not run afoul of $500 rule?

Another over-simplified explanation:

There's a lot of "insider baseball" going on.

The $500 thing is in spirit, not in numbers. The numbers are there for the pedantic and there's selective enforcement. If you demonstrate that you do NOT "get it", you need to worry about it. One way to demonstrate that you DON'T "get it" is to worry about the $500 limit because you might get penalty laps that will prevent you from winning.


It's tough as a first-timer 100% newbie on the outside looking in, I know. But once you've crossed over the threshold and been through your first or second event, you'll see what I mean.

Re: Buy a Lemons "ready" $K car yet not run afoul of $500 rule?

Pretty common, as long as it isn't super cheaty you should be fine. Just get the log book(s)
then come have some fun.

"get up and get your grandma outta here"

Re: Buy a Lemons "ready" $K car yet not run afoul of $500 rule?

There is a thing known as residual value, the judges will assign his after a race completed on request in case you need to make repairs or replace parts. If you can find when and where the car you are buying last raced and email the officials to get a residual value.

This is almost always $500 or less unless the car was hella cheaty.

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7 (edited by OnkelUdo 2021-03-21 01:52 PM)

Re: Buy a Lemons "ready" $K car yet not run afoul of $500 rule?

So as a team that sold a race-ready car, almost everything mentioned is true:

B or C class car, no need to even care that you paid $750-2500 for the car.  If you still care, have a bill of sale for the car of $4XX.

The point is, a car costs at the VERY MINIMUM $1800 to clear tech.  More realistic is $2500-4000.

We sold our Suzuki Esteem for $1400.  It had everything but a seat to pass tech.  We sold for the cost of the safety equipment.  Belts, cage, fire system...yeah, that equals $1400 when you wedl the cage in yourself from a Role Cage Components prebent kit.  We did not even give them a seat.

I hope that boils it down to the minimal "why should I be worried" level.

Re: Buy a Lemons "ready" $K car yet not run afoul of $500 rule?

.The judges will assign his after a race completed on request in case you need to make repairs or replace parts. And its pretty common

Re: Buy a Lemons "ready" $K car yet not run afoul of $500 rule?

Thanks for all the replies and explanations, it is appreciated.