"...then one day, I see it listed for three grand with the words ‘need gone ASAP.'"

PHOENIX—Local car enthusiast Daniel Rojas finally sold his project car last week, securing a generous $3,000 payday after investing a tiny sum of $23,000 into it. The sale marks the end of an era filled with endless wrenching, questionable financial decisions, and a firm belief that “it would eventually come off jack stands.”

“I got a solid deal,” Rojas claimed, doing his best impression of someone who doesn't know basic math. “Sure, I put in some money here and there—coilovers, jack stands, a car cover, a standalone air freshener—but that’s just part of the journey. And honestly, I learned so much. Like how much I suck at wrenching.”

The car, a 1993 BMW 318i, spent the majority of its life in Rojas’ garage, either watching parts arrive but remain in boxes or just being completely ignored for months on end. Despite the laziness, he remained optimistic throughout the "build," frequently reassuring homies that it was “almost done” for the last six years.

“It was a clean build,” said Rojas’ friend Marcos Sánchez while scrolling through old messages where Rojas swore he’d never sell. “That’s until he put his hands on it. He took a bunch of stuff off of it, but I’m not sure he knew how to put it back together. Then one day, I see it listed for three grand with the words ‘need gone ASAP.’”

The new owner, 19-year-old Alex Herrera, seemed thrilled with his purchase. “Yeah, it’s got some issues, but nothing major,” he said as the car sputtered at 3,800 RPM and leaked coolant. “Dude told me it was basically track-ready. This is what they mean about a barn find.”

Rojas insists he has no regrets—other than his entire financial history. “At the end of the day, I was a car enthusiast,” he said. “And that’s priceless.” Well, technically, it’s about $20,000.