i've been talking back and forth with a guy about an 89.  now he doesn't really have an idea what to ask, nor do i to offer.  so i thought i could maybe get some ideas to start with on here.

here's his writeup on the car with details:

147,500 for miles, but the engine was redone at 132,000 I believe was the mileage...turbo was rebuilt in January of '06 I believe...it was rebuilt immediately after the engine work. Heads are ported, polished gasket matched, decked .010", just replaced everything to my liking. No rust. The hood is flaking, but on the 19th or 26th of March, whichever day I can get off work, I am having the lower valance, hood, and trunk lid repainted...the trunk lid was off a different prix, one that had a spoiler...I still have the stock trunk lid in good shape, and I am going to have that repainted also. Brand new tires, Firehawk Indy 500's, were put on last March, but I was having problems with it (which I later found out all my headache was a bad coil pack), so she sat for 7 or 8 months. As stated I had problems with it, all of which was mearly a bad coil. In the process of repairing the car, I gained so much mechanical know-how. I knew NOTHING before getting this car, and found out everything I did during the tune up, was not the problem, not necessary, but also not a bad idea. I spent close to $1500+ on the tune up, and spaced it out over 8 months. When I took it to this electrical "Rain Man", he figured it out immediately and I felt dumb. Since then she has ran great, better than ever. That's the history lol, more upon request.

I completely agree with you on the black one, but I've always been a sucker for a redhead lol.

I have given this car a complete tune up, and replaced everything...new Invasion1 performance chip, which is tuned out to the max...Kenny (TGPilot) crossover...FFP upper motor mounts...I spare no expense with my cars.

i did get to look over a few pics and evrything looks good from what i see.

I'd say $2k - $2,500.  The mileage is high, but all the work done to it more than makes up the dollar value for that IMO, provided the engine was rebuilt right (I'm always leary of rebuilds).  If everything else is in good shape like he says, I'd say it's worth at least $2k.  How are the brakes/ABS system?

I was thinking  3k simply because of the new paint, chip, crossover, motor mounts and all the motor work done including the rescent tune up done to it.  It sounds like he replaced alot. 

I'd offer somewhere around 3k and see what he says. 

I know who's TGP it is! :laugh:  I would offer him about $2,500- $3,000 for it. 

he kindly declined my offer of 2500.  still looking.

Quote from: bake82 on March 09, 2007, 03:22:01 PM
I was thinking  3k simply because of the new paint, chip, crossover, motor mounts and all the motor work done including the rescent tune up done to it.  It sounds like he replaced alot.

This is not a house, it's a car.  You don't get reimbursed/add to the car's price for maintenance work/things to get the car looking or running properly like new paint, motor mounts, tune up, etc.  All those things have to be done just so you can get the average value for the car.  This is why automobiles are such a bad investment.  In most cases, you will loose your ass on them when it comes time to sell them.  As for the custom motor work and such, that comes down to personal taste/preference as to whether that makes the car appeal more, or less to you.  Some people consider things like to be molesting the car, and therefore, devalue it in their eyes.  Others say "great!  That's what I would have done, and it's already done for me", so it's worth a bit more to them.

$2,500 was more than a fair starting offer, IMO.  If that wasn't even close to what he's looking for (I'm guessing so since he didn't negotiate/provide a counter-offer), then I think you made the right decision moving on. 

Quote from: RareGMFan on March 10, 2007, 08:31:07 PM

Quote from: bake82 on March 09, 2007, 03:22:01 PM
I was thinking  3k simply because of the new paint, chip, crossover, motor mounts and all the motor work done including the rescent tune up done to it.  It sounds like he replaced alot.

This is not a house, it's a car.  You don't get reimbursed/add to the car's price for maintenance work/things to get the car looking or running properly like new paint, motor mounts, tune up, etc.  All those things have to be done just so you can get the average value for the car.  This is why automobiles are such a bad investment.  In most cases, you will loose your ass on them when it comes time to sell them.  As for the custom motor work and such, that comes down to personal taste/preference as to whether that makes the car appeal more, or less to you.  Some people consider things like to be molesting the car, and therefore, devalue it in their eyes.  Others say "great!  That's what I would have done, and it's already done for me", so it's worth a bit more to them.

$2,500 was more than a fair starting offer, IMO.  If that wasn't even close to what he's looking for (I'm guessing so since he didn't negotiate/provide a counter-offer), then I think you made the right decision moving on. 

Good point.  I'm just saying that in my eyes it adds a little bit of value because then I know I won't need to do that because as I've learnt, the best thing to do to these cars is replace all sensors, plugs wires and give it a full tune up. Knowing that that has all been done, saves me that money.  I'm not saying it adds $1500 to the price, but I think it surely adds a little bit. IMO ofcourse.