http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2448459141&category=6212 106k miles, recent major service, usual wear & tear, small dent in body. I would assume a PPI on a car like would be essential, but assuming it checked out with no major issues (compression, synchros, etc). What would a car like this be worth? Aside from the major service, this seems to be the exact opposite of the kind of car most advise buying (high-mileage and body issues). If you could get it cheap enough, however, wouldn't it make a fine first F-car if you could fix the remaining issues or live with imperfection? Just looking for a few opinions, but I'd say $22k max based on the ad. TIA
It looks great, actually...! Really awesome that the owner actually drove it, too... Good luck if you purchase it, 22k sounds reasonable...
DES, I agree that for the mileage the interior looks pretty good. A few hundred dollars with Leatherique products would probably really freshen it up. Wheels and tires looked good, and the dent in the back could be repaired for a few hundred also. I just thought it was an interesting car, most for sale have less than half that mileage. At least if the new buyer drove the car say 30,000 miles in the next five years the value of the car wouldn't drop much further. Driving a 20,000 mile car to 50,000 would mean more depreciation, I would think.
My understanding is that mileage is only a problem if the car has not been cared for. Most Ferrari owners will agree that a high mileage car that has been maintained and driven steadily is better than a garage queen. Extremely low mileage cars tend to have more engine issues than high mileage ones. The car looks like it has been taken care of and I would certainly consider it for $22K. Birdman
Well I would say the car still has issues, according to this the car has a bad head gasket, and I don't see anywhere on this list showing that it has been replaced.
Having owned a few high milage F cars (Bought 308 new drove it 85K, bought TR new drove it 115K) I'd say the following. By the time you get to this milage even with service the whole car begins to feel soft. The shocks are worn, the steering rack is worn, the chassis is worn etc. At this point it takes a full resto to bring it back, which isn't something worth doing to this car. Driving a car that has worn shocks isn't much fun. A leaking head gasket may overheat and mean more problems. If you can do this work yourself and buy the car for 15K it might make sense. If you have to pay someone to do this work you can drop 20K easily to fix this car and you would still wind up with a car that could need wheel bearings, clutch, syncro's , brakes etc, etc. A pristine 308 at 35K is a better buy than this car at 20K. I def. wouldn't buy it without driving it. It won't drive like the car in your dreams...
Agree with Napolis. You could buy this for 22k and drive it for a couple years and dump it for a couple grand less. But you wouldn't want to put anything into it, cause you will never get it back. Let's see, needs: shocks ($700 just in parts for shocks and shock bushings) head gasket (?$$) A/C seals (maybe $200 or so) body repair ($900 for a quickie repair and blend) wheels refinished ($500) New seat skins (sorry, but they look pretty far gone...I think you might use up several bottles of "crack filler" to bring those back) ($1500 to $2k) I'm a little surprised at the owner that had all the work done, why he didn't just spend another $5k and get all the other stuff done to...I mean he's well beyond the point of no return anyway... BTW, did you see what he paid for the K&N filter??? Yikes! $39 on line... And look what he got hosed on those timing belts and accessory drive belts....gouge! I'm begining to think those spark plugs where the cheapest $2 NGK standard plugs, based on this pricing so far.
He is paying 120.00/hour in labor!!!!. Kind of nuts to spend 240.00 to have sway bar bushings changed. This car is a great spare to own for someone who plans on keeping their QV for a long time. Maybe a group QV owners buy . It is worth more if it is parted out.
Head gasket isn't cheap. Engine needs to come out unless it is the rear bank which is rarely is. Plus if the heads have never been off by 100K they need to be, seals, guides, etc. I wouldn't pay more than $20K for it. He wants $28,500.00 for it.
In the parts, what he paid for timing belts, bearings and distributor rotors, seem to be the biggest rip-offs! Isoran timing belts cost me about $27 for the pair, bearings were about $180 for 2, dist. rotors were about $35 ea. as I recall, and accessory belts were less than $20 for both. Everything was purchased from Ferrari, ceptin' the accessory belts. I'd say the shop is hosing the customer!
That engine will soon need a complete rebuilt. This is major $$$. I would not even pay the $ 20K for it. Not even close to that. Head gaskets are $ 3000 easy and all the other stuff you do when you do that (meaning while it is out have it rebuilt). If he thinks he can get high 20s for the car what can I ask for mine? $ 50K?
Martin makes a good point plus if the cam drive bearings haven't been done this would definately need to be addressed.
Not to mention that the shop violated Federal law by charging the system with R-12 when they knew that there was a leak in the system.(Not that I subscribe to the tree-hugging freon debate) Dave