1997 550 whats it worth

too much

 

If you were to offer that car to the dealer he would probably top out at 83-87K. If the car were ultra-clean and it had a fresh major (you don't say exactly what the dealer means by "serviced"), a private sale would go for about 92-100K, depending upon how motivated the seller was. So 111K from the dealer is not really that unreasonable, if the car has a full history and really is close to or in pristine condition.

If the car doesn't have a full history or is in less than perfect condition I'd discount considerably and, if the dealer is unwilling to come down, keep looking.

The other thing to look at is to make sure that all of the updates have been done. In addition to the wheel swap-out, hose replacement, etc, ask if the engine mounts and actuators have been replaced. Also, check closely with respect to the gasoline in the back, where you fill the tank. Open the trunk and also get under the passenger side of the car in the back and see if you can smell or see ANY trace of a liquid or the smell of gas. Email me for more details if interested.

 

A ten year old garage queen will become a month to month problem if...IF you start putting real miles on it. If you're gonna bag it and look at it cause its pretty than go shopping at an art gallery instead and let someone else own a problem.

Fully serviced? The car will need more than cam seals, belts and hoses. It will need brake lines and fluid change, bushings, PS res....etc. Wait until one of the ECU's goes out! Make sure you see the punch list.

99K MAX!

 

For any 10 year old car, seals, hoses, belts, etc. need to be looked at closely but Darth's point is well taken. Nevertheless, it depends on how the car was driven and how those miles were put on. For example, my 10 year old car is driven regularly, at least once a week except for 2-5 weeks/year and at least for 30 or so miles on the highway into work. So, while it's a garage queen with less than 11000, the hoses, seals, etc are in good shape with no leaks, drips or hardening past what one would expect with normal aging. Yearly maintenance on these cars is a must! It is hard to see how a car with only ~500 miles/year could be driven regularly, such as 1 time/week, which you'd like to see to lubricate everything, drive the moisture out, etc. I don't like letting the car sit more than 2 weeks without driving it.

It would be important to see if the car was truly well sorted out- barely enough miles for that to happen so it's doubly important to be cautious. A detailed PPI would be a must, whether it's in a dealer's hands or a private sale.

 

Cool! You're a driver!

Remember the recalls too. Motor mounts are a big one. Even if they aren't broken they sag and when they sag the oil pan gets lower. A good whack from a speed bump can mean trouble. If the car is local to the dealer there, see if the service manager can shed some light about the car's driving history (that teachdna was referring to) cause they know better than the salesmen.

Use all this doomsday stuff to grind 10K off the deal!

Good luck!

 

I had 37k on my 550 when i sold it and it was never a big problem Routine maintenance was no worse than a V8 but I might have been lucky. Main thing is to find a car with a good history AND a look and feel that you can't resist. That to me is important. When I look back on cars that I have owned I don't remember what I paid for them but I do remember if I fricking loved them. Test drive lots of cars so you have some benchmarks. Good luck on your search!

 

The price of $100K seems right for a well sorted 97. Maybe even $95K for one with a few more miles. Based on your description and very few options we all seemed to have the same thought that $95-$100K would be a good buy. All of the comments on maintenance and miles are key. I personally would always look for something with over 15K on the clock; get my own service done so that I know everything is done to my taste.

1. Motor mounts
2. Clutch (should not be an issue)
3. Brakes/rotors
4. All fluids (ALL) changed
5. Belts
6. Update all hoses
7. Filters
8. Seals (ALL) changed
9. Tires
10. A/C compressor-check
11. Steering rack-check


But, that may be for more anal guys like my self who plan to put 5-7K miles a year on the car. My 98 has 52K on it now, and my 99 has 28K with a few more trips to Tahoe this summer it will be over 30k miles in no time. The more time and miles I put on these cars the better they react. A low mileage car is great if you plan to keep it that way, it is not how these cars were meant to be driven or cared for...

My older cars have very few miles on them but they also are not as mechanical nor have all of the electronics. Not sure if it helps but once you drive the 550 you will be writing at check very quickly. Or checks

 

Ben, make sure the car comes with the RED MASTER KEY FOB.

Ours came without it... that was bad news.