Man explains how he turned $200 into $42,000 by flipping just 14 used cars

Published on Jun 14, 2025 at 1:34 AM (UTC+4)
by Jason Fan

Last updated on Jun 13, 2025 at 1:34 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by Emma Matthews

Flipping used cars might sound like a side hustle reserved for seasoned mechanics, but YouTuber JohnnyGetsCash is proving otherwise.

In his series Chop To The Top, he explained how he turned just $200 into $42,000 by flipping only 14 vehicles.

Each car had its own episode, showing every step of the process, from purchase to profit.

His goal? To trade his way all the way up to a supercar.

VISIT SBX CARS – View live supercar auctions powered by Supercar Blondie

Johnny is not the only YouTuber around with this idea.

For example, another content creator from Utah recently made big bucks flipping a bunch of junk vehicles nobody else wanted.

However, Johnny differentiates himself by starting his challenge with a really small budget.

His journey began with a 2003 Toyota RAV4, which he got for £150 ($200).

The car had a bunch of problems: it needed a new catalytic converter, had a damaged rear bumper, and was just filthy in general, among other issues.

Undeterred, Johnny began fixing it up.

After spending £474 ($642) on sprucing up the car, he managed to sell it for £1,300 ($1,762), netting him a healthy profit.

Up next was a 2007 Peugeot 207 CC, which came with faded headlights, rusty exhaust tips, and damaged tires.

Well, considering he only paid £750 ($1,017), this is to be expected.

The Peugeot didn’t take nearly as much work – or money – to restore, and he managed to net a cool £1,600 ($2,169) after selling the car, having only spent £97 ($131).

This went on for a while, with the YouTuber buying problematic cars for pennies on the dollar, and giving them makeovers for profit.

Some of the notable cars he restored included a 2006 Nissan 350Z Convertible (purchased for around $6,230) and a 2012 Range Rover Sport Autobiography (bought for around $7,200).

He netted an average of £2,000 ($2,710) each for the two used cars, after deducting costs, so it’s really heating up.

The final car he fixed up was a 2001 Rover 75 V6, which he bought for almost £2,100 ($2,846).

While it didn’t look that bad from the outside, it has its fair share of issues.

The driver’s door didn’t latch properly, the passenger-side electric window was broken, and the rear door wouldn’t open at all.

Nevertheless, Johnny didn’t seem too bothered, and he attacked the task with the same gusto he did for the previous 13 vehicles.

He ended up selling this one for £3,250 ($4,400), but given that he spent a whopping £795 ($1,077) on repairs, the profit wasn’t nearly as good as some of the other cars he fixed.

Johnny’s ultimate goal was to acquire a supercar using this method, but given that he has already netted around $42,000 after flipping 14 used cars, he’s getting really close.

In fact, once you start buying more exotic cars, it likely becomes easier to flip for a profit.

Just ask this man from Georgia, who made a massive profit in just two hours flipping a Lamborghini Murciélago.

Remember, if you don’t make money selling your used car, it might be the dealer instead who’s making a huge amount of money flipping your car.

DISCOVER SBX CARS: The global premium car auction platform powered by Supercar Blondie

user

Jason Fan is an experienced content creator who graduated from Nanyang Technological University in Singapore with a degree in communications. He then relocated to Australia during a millennial mid-life crisis. A fan of luxury travel and high-performance machines, he politely thanks chatbots just in case the AI apocalypse ever arrives. Jason covers a wide variety of topics, with a special focus on technology, planes and luxury.