Ha, I've painted myself into every corner.

Man, I gotta disagree a little. Just seeing the numbers side by side never clicked for me. I mean, I need to know why something went over, not just that it did. I started doing a quick five minute huddle at the end of the day where we talk about any cost overrun and what caused it, like a material delay or extra labor. That way you're fixing the problem, not just tracking it.

But a full rewire isn't always possible for everyone. That's a huge cost that can put people in a real bind. Sometimes a safe, professional patch is the only realistic option to keep the lights on while you save up. Calling it irresponsible ignores how much money actually plays into these choices.

Jenny had a point about it being scrap. A whole year of weekends for a car that probably still needs work. The win seems more about pride than having a working vehicle.

Someone on a diesel forum swore by a smoke test for tracking down boost leaks. Might be worth a shot before throwing in the towel.