What's it worth? 79 Project
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 38
Likes: 0
From: Rochester Michigan
What's it worth? 79 Project
The full story of why I am asking about this car is here https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...install-5.html
So my question is, in its current state, what is it worth? To be clear, I have no interest in doing anything further. I'd like to just sell it and get some of the money back for my parents. It starts and runs for a few seconds, then dies. Could be old gas, who knows. It has 49k miles, was stored most of its life, though it clearly spent some time outside last year. It was in far worse shape than I remember the car in 2 years ago.
So my question is, in its current state, what is it worth? To be clear, I have no interest in doing anything further. I'd like to just sell it and get some of the money back for my parents. It starts and runs for a few seconds, then dies. Could be old gas, who knows. It has 49k miles, was stored most of its life, though it clearly spent some time outside last year. It was in far worse shape than I remember the car in 2 years ago.
Drifting
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 1,697
Likes: 139
From: Syracuse NY
In my neck of the woods, older cars command high prices. (I live in the salt belt, cars usually dont make it past 20 years old) That being said...
A car like that in my area would sell for about 5 grand. The body damage is going to cost you a small fortune (easily 2K in repair and paint) and Id give that underbody a serious look.....I see surface rust....how deep does it go?
If you are looking for a quick sale, Id put it out for 5K and negotiate from there.
Just my opinion, and it often stinks.
A car like that in my area would sell for about 5 grand. The body damage is going to cost you a small fortune (easily 2K in repair and paint) and Id give that underbody a serious look.....I see surface rust....how deep does it go?
If you are looking for a quick sale, Id put it out for 5K and negotiate from there.
Just my opinion, and it often stinks.
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 38
Likes: 0
From: Rochester Michigan
In my neck of the woods, older cars command high prices. (I live in the salt belt, cars usually dont make it past 20 years old) That being said...
A car like that in my area would sell for about 5 grand. The body damage is going to cost you a small fortune (easily 2K in repair and paint) and Id give that underbody a serious look.....I see surface rust....how deep does it go?
If you are looking for a quick sale, Id put it out for 5K and negotiate from there.
Just my opinion, and it often stinks.
A car like that in my area would sell for about 5 grand. The body damage is going to cost you a small fortune (easily 2K in repair and paint) and Id give that underbody a serious look.....I see surface rust....how deep does it go?
If you are looking for a quick sale, Id put it out for 5K and negotiate from there.
Just my opinion, and it often stinks.
Burning Brakes
Joined: May 2013
Posts: 789
Likes: 129
From: Los Banos CA
My 79 was in about the same shape as this when I bought it last year (except my interior was in far worse shape, and the dash was totally disassembled). It had paint issues, bad brakes, bad tires, door latch issues - but the engine ran good. I gave $1600 for it, and dumped around $4K into it to get it to 'nice reliable driver' status (doing all the mechanical and body/paint work myself). I'd like to think that I just got a 'steal of a deal', but for something that couldn't be driven, it was probably only a moderately good deal.
But definitely start at your high end, and if/when you come down in price, the buyer will be more likely to think he's really getting a deal!
But definitely start at your high end, and if/when you come down in price, the buyer will be more likely to think he's really getting a deal!
Drifting
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 1,697
Likes: 139
From: Syracuse NY
My 79 was in about the same shape as this when I bought it last year (except my interior was in far worse shape, and the dash was totally disassembled). It had paint issues, bad brakes, bad tires, door latch issues - but the engine ran good. I gave $1600 for it, and dumped around $4K into it to get it to 'nice reliable driver' status (doing all the mechanical and body/paint work myself). I'd like to think that I just got a 'steal of a deal', but for something that couldn't be driven, it was probably only a moderately good deal.
But definitely start at your high end, and if/when you come down in price, the buyer will be more likely to think he's really getting a deal!
But definitely start at your high end, and if/when you come down in price, the buyer will be more likely to think he's really getting a deal!
I wouldnt go ANY lower than 3500.
Good thing Im not trying to sell a car in California!
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Burning Brakes
Joined: May 2013
Posts: 789
Likes: 129
From: Los Banos CA
Thats what I mean about 'in my neck of the woods'....Ive seen fairly gutted, non running Corvettes with GOOD frames go for 4-5 grand here. People pay a premium for a rust free car. In California, rust free is the norm and I would expect you would put a premium on a car with no sun damage maybe?
I wouldnt go ANY lower than 3500.
Good thing Im not trying to sell a car in California!
I wouldnt go ANY lower than 3500.
Good thing Im not trying to sell a car in California!
BTW - part of the problem with selling 76-82 C3's in California are the smog requirements. If it were a 75 or older car, the prices automatically double (or more) in price, as they are smog exempt, and can be modified pretty freely....I paid almost $7K for my 69 Firebird project that was in about the same shape as the 79 Vette...
Safety Car
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 4,652
Likes: 80
From: Lakeland Florida
If you plan on doing a quick resale of it, you have to think about what you will put into it to get it running for more than a few seconds.
So what ever you think or hear it is worth, for example $4k, then that is what other people looking at the car will also think it is worth before buying it. That means in order to make any type of profit, you have to buy it for less than $4k in order to make any type of profit. So you have to offer $2k - $3k in order to make a profit after selling for $4k.
And by the way, when you register it, do you have to pay sales tax? For a $3k purchase at 10% that is $300. So you have to think about ALL of the costs and expenses in this before trying to do a quick resale.
kdf
So what ever you think or hear it is worth, for example $4k, then that is what other people looking at the car will also think it is worth before buying it. That means in order to make any type of profit, you have to buy it for less than $4k in order to make any type of profit. So you have to offer $2k - $3k in order to make a profit after selling for $4k.
And by the way, when you register it, do you have to pay sales tax? For a $3k purchase at 10% that is $300. So you have to think about ALL of the costs and expenses in this before trying to do a quick resale.
kdf
Team Owner
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 138,701
Likes: 177
From: Poor pathetic little excuse for a boy
If you plan on doing a quick resale of it, you have to think about what you will put into it to get it running for more than a few seconds.
So what ever you think or hear it is worth, for example $4k, then that is what other people looking at the car will also think it is worth before buying it. That means in order to make any type of profit, you have to buy it for less than $4k in order to make any type of profit. So you have to offer $2k - $3k in order to make a profit after selling for $4k.
And by the way, when you register it, do you have to pay sales tax? For a $3k purchase at 10% that is $300. So you have to think about ALL of the costs and expenses in this before trying to do a quick resale.
kdf
So what ever you think or hear it is worth, for example $4k, then that is what other people looking at the car will also think it is worth before buying it. That means in order to make any type of profit, you have to buy it for less than $4k in order to make any type of profit. So you have to offer $2k - $3k in order to make a profit after selling for $4k.
And by the way, when you register it, do you have to pay sales tax? For a $3k purchase at 10% that is $300. So you have to think about ALL of the costs and expenses in this before trying to do a quick resale.
kdf
I do agree though, in general terms it will pay off to get it running for more than a few seconds.