Your Thoughts & Advice on Purchasing This '86 TR

Are you looking specifically for a single Mirror? With what this car need from your description I think it will easily be in the 80K range and maybe 90 if you do nothing yourself. I think for that king of money you should be able to find a car that is ready to go with engine out done and a nice exterior.

For a single Mirror the offered cars are not common but for the 87-91 there are more.

 

Welcome to F Chat. Tht's my kind of car. An honest car, and a blaster. Buy it and never look back. Life is too short to not start enjoying it.

This car appears to be a far cry from the $40K, or even $30K "beaters" out there.

Yes, it will cast money. Yes, it will put a wide grin on your face.

BTW Please share a bit about yourself if you are so inclined, by filling out your profile.

 

Wow, 65k firm for a TR with 43k miles,cosmetic issues and in need of a belt service? Prices are Definitely going up!

 

My advise....at that price, move on. The price for a windshield varies from $5,000 to $1,500 plus install depending on OEM, antenna, etc. A cracked windshield doesn't fixed itself. You WILL need one.

Engine out....look at records. How has car been maintained in the past. Last service? Records? What has been done in recent years 1-3? Lambo of Houston has nice used cars....is that good enough for you? Not me...

Having said all that, if you can drop a 930, a TR is way more work and time but you should not have a problem. Low ball it....

 

A friend of mine just passed on a better car than this. A good TR needs nothing but a service is a 20-25K on top of the buy price.

This car is simply gonna put you upside down and sideways ups. Guestimate is 50 to 80K if you want the perfect car.

Also remember the TR needs several mandatory upgrades to make it a reliable driver (learned this here): the axle - 10K, the fuse box ...

For a car that was made at 7000 units, it is not worst to spend $150K+ when all done not including any "surprises".
this is not a Boxer.

If you are bent to get a TR at $130K+, you certainly can get a top notch car, all serviced up with the upgrades... but wait until 2016, by then the environment should make exotics affordable again.

 

This is your money and will be your car. If this car fill your needs and you can get it at the price you want go for it and enjoy the fun of owning a testarossa.

 

Welcome over here slow! Lots of good Intel just like over in the Turbo section of pelican. My advice is to take your time and find the car you want. If you look at multiple cars you will see a wide range of condition. Look at as many as you are able.

Peter

 

Agree with Pete. Look at as many as possible, drive as many as possible. You will have a good understanding of good, bad and gain an understanding of what you want and expect from the car. I think patience is the key in finding a nice car and they are out there.

Be prepared to spend money on the search - travel to other parts of the country if necessary. The rise in prices has brought many cars to market in excellent condition. Spend up front if you can.

Good luck and enjoy the process, you will be rewarded in the end.

 

Why do you say it needs a belt service, when was it last done? Read, read, read, here.I know the flat 12 market is a little crazy right now, but make sure this is the car you want. I almost pulled the trigger on a flying mirror car, but decided I really wanted both mirrors, due to my style of driving. The car was definitely a great car with little or no $ to be spent on it, but I passed. Read about doing an engine out, make sure that's what you want to tackle right off the bat. You said it had the transaxle out, all they did was fix a leak, no diff replacement? In a more stable $ market, I would pass, today , who knows. Have you actually driven the car?
With these cars, local is not a reason to buy (unless you get lucky), I had to go to Maryland to inspect/purchase my car. That was after many phone calls and photos and a good faith deposit being sent to hold the car. Patience is a virtue, and know what you are getting into, with both eyes open. God luck and keep us posted.

 

Greetings and hope all is well. All TR's will always have some issues/flaws. Etc. what bothers me is that a mechanic has the balls to tell you that the previous owner did not scrimp meanwhile she needs a service, a windshield, a polish/detail, dents and paint cracks not addressed. I'm not condemning the car. I just find the conversation you had with the guy from sphere a joke. It would be a good car for the right price. I would pass on this one. God knows why the interior needed refurb. I don't get the impression that this car was well cared for. The complete opposite actually.

R

 

For what it's worth, it took me three years to find my TR. As my mother used to say to my sisters, "you have to kiss a lot of frogs before you find a prince."

 

Whether this is the car for you or not, try and drive it, just to get a feel for the TR. This section is filled with horror stories about rear diff failures, though statistically, it is a semi-rare failure (he says while putting on his nomex fire suit), it is a very well documented problem, with a well documented fix. Unless they drove an awful lot of miles in the last three years, your timing belt should still have some life left. I agree with the Chairman, you got the sales spin put on this car, but they really all come with some sort of current or pending issue. You might have to spend a few more bucks in today's market, but try and find a relatively issue free car.

 

A grey market early TR with TRX wheels and needs a service. I can also see from the underhood pictures it has been getting serviced by people not too up to speed on TR's.


Pass, lots of better cars out there. This car is low on the desirability list and high on the needs list with a poor service history. Also we really don't know the true mileage. Odometer has been changed.

 

Brian, good call on the wheels. Tires are virtually impossible to find for these wheels.

 

This has been the reality of several TRs I have looked at over the past two years. PO had fun with the car, neglected it, and wants to pass on the service to me. Keep looking your car is out there.

 

I know it has been said here before....The cheapest TR will be the most expensive TR when the smoke clears. Buying a really nice example and paying fairly for it will end up being the cheapest car in the long run. Just my two cents Good Luck with your search

 

I think some of you are going to be hard pressed to find a car where someone has done major work to upkeep the car and then sell it to you for market value or wholesale.

I for one have serious money in my car after 15 yrs, and if decided to sell and these were the comments, I can assure you, I will drive it like a $2 w***e with my new diff and then sell it to you for 35k so you can all high five each other on the great find as opposed to selling at 65 grand.

Be careful on what people on the Intent may constitute a good car, single mirror cars are not a dime a dozen if that's the one car you want..... You have to expect these cars at nearly 30 yrs old getting ready for symapathic restorations.

I can tell you , at a FCA event yesterday , there were 3 Testarossa's in a field of 70 cars , and my single mirror had many owners swing by to look closely at that mirror and knock off wheels over the 1990 cars with tubi loud noisey exhausts.

These are becoming a little more unique at events.

Buy what you love, life is too short.

 

Just wondering how you know? Are there telltale signs?

 

EXACTLY !!!
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I agree, single mirror cars are higher up the rarity scale. Red, which wheels do you have on your car?