YouTubers Budget Builds for charity

Four teams of YouTubers have gone budget, challenged to buy and build a 4WD with only $5,000 and go head to head!

By Jess Olson 6 Min Read

Four teams of YouTubers have pieced together some epic budget builds, collaborating on a challenge. Their task? To buy and build a 4WD with $5,000 each and go head to head on a variety of challenges!

The Explore Life, Built Not Bought, Shed Life and the girls from Red Dirt Diary are all competing for the winning title. The proceeds going to their charity of choice.

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The Explore Life

There was a gear lever bush for $55, exhaust pipe for $10 and to register it roadworthy it cost a total of $125. The gearbox and engine oils were $127.20, the engine and fuel filters cost $115 and the air filter was $43. The extended rear brake hose came to $55.50.

The diff oils cost $50 and the boys also added in $35 for miscellaneous consumables, bringing the grand total to $1996.96, $3 short of the $5000 benchmark.

More known for their ‘Cruiser and Patrol builds than anything British, the boys from the Explore Life certainly took a massive gamble here. An old unregistered Land Rover Discovery for just $3000 was their starting platform. Long known as one of the most expensive budget builds people talk themselves into, they were up against the wall here. 

The boys wasted no time throwing a little over $500 straight at the landy. A full service front to rear, a few odds and ends like bushes and some exhaust work was surprisingly all it took to get ready for rego. They spent a hair under $1500 on mods too. Second hand wheels, some new rear shocks and mounts, a body lift, and the ever important window tint. All up they got the job done for $4996.96 – just $3 shy of budget and had an absolute blast in the process. 

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Built Not Bought

One of the more unique budget builds of the lot, Sam Eyles from Built Not Bought picked himself up a ’94 Delica from Facebook Marketplace. It remains to be seen if that was a good idea or not. At $4500 for the purchase price, scope to modify it meant he’d have to lean on his DIY ability rather than credit card.

After running low on the funds for mods, Sam decided to busk for some loose change to boost the fund. “I can’t sing or play guitar, I just need money for my car” is now stuck in our heads forever. He came away with $6.15 that he then went and spent on Boost Juice.

Is it good? No, absolutely not. But it is hilarious, and he had a blast doing it.

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Red Dirt Diary

Bri and Bridget from Red Dirt Diary decided not one, but two budget builds would be the secret to success. A couple of Nissan Terrano’s got the nod for a total price of $4000 after some wheeling and dealing. The girls spent days modifying their car, swapping out parts and trips to Supercheap Auto, with one breakdown leaving them stranded on the side of the road after they pumped Unleaded Petrol in instead of Diesel. At least they’re good at driving hey?

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Shed Life

Easily the sexiest sounding of all the budget builds, TJ and Macca picked themselves up a V8 Jeep Grand Cherokee for just $3000. The cheap purchase price? Because it wouldn’t shift out of first gear. The boys figured out a $230 in a couple of sensors was all that was needed and they were off and running.

A couple of days on the grinder got the second hand mud tyres on. As did the front springs and rear spacers. All up, they came out with arguably the most capable and comfortable rig, all for the lowest price. Just $4380 is all it took to park this in their driveway.

The wrap up

Four days of jam packed action, saw all four cars driving home and showed viewers that you don’t need a $200,000 4X4 to get out and have an adventure. Coming home with the win was Built Not Bought, followed by The Explore Life, then Shed Life and in the final place was Team Red Dirt. The Built Not Bought team nominated Beyond Blue as their charity of choice to receive their $5000 prize money. A surprise announcement saw all teams’ charities also receive $1000 which included the Pink Ribbon Foundation, Ronald McDonald House Charity, and Down Syndrome Association.

Win your own budget build

If you’ve got FOMO after following the excitement of the budget build, you might want to try your luck at winning your very own. Built by the teams, you could win the ultimate all terrain Budget Build which is a 2001 Mitsubishi Challenger with:

– V6 Petrol

– Blackbear All Terrain Tyres

– ROH Vapour Wheels

Rhino Rack Pioneer Platform

Rhino Rack Awning

– MKIl Maxtrax

– Redarc 190W Solar Blanket

– XTM Rear Drawers

– GME 5W UHF Radio

– 7″ Spotlights

To enter, simply purchase The Budget Builds Tee.

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