Does anyone else....

Find cars for sale in non-running condition that the seller wants way too much for some stupid reason?

This seems to be a common occurrence with me when I find a car I'm interested in.

For example:

While working one day, I saw E30 coupe sitting infront of a garage in the alley I was working in. 6 months later I noticed the car was sitting in the same spot with flat tires and the front wheels still cocked in the same position. I happened to see the owner outside and asked about the car. He said his brother had given it to him as payment for something and he was going to fix it up and sell it again, but had been really busy.

After talking to him, I got from him that he drove it only a couple times and it stopped running, he didn't know what was wrong and didn't have the money to take it to a mechanic. It had been sitting for almost 2 years. I asked how much he would sell it for and he replied $2200. I told him that it was too much for a non-running vehicle. I asked why so much, if there was anything special and he said because it was a BMW, that they hold their value well running or not. I wanted to laugh but kept my composure.

I gave him my number and said if he didn't sell it in 6 months to give me a call, I would be interested.

So yesterday I get a call from the guy, it's been almost a year. He says he still has it and he really needs to get rid of it. I ask him how much. He says $2000. I almost fell out of my chair. He's been trying to sell it for over a year, hasn't been able to sell it, and only takes $200 off the price? I asked if he got it running and he says no, that he still hasn't touched it. He says that he knows it's steep for a car not running, but its a collector car and people want these cars bad (Not that bad apparently) I just told him thanks for the call back, but it's still too expensive for me. I didn't even want to give him an offer.

This isn't the first time for this to happen to me and it seems like it's always non-runners that I'm interested in.

Anyone else?

Yep. Ive seen all sorts of weird prices on stuff. I dont understand why people ask mid teens for 80's Corvettes around here.

It could be that they don't really want to sell it, but some other outside force is demanding they sell it. So they price it through the moon and when it doesn't sell they can say they tried. Repeat cycle adnaseum until the relationship fails, the car gets towed or they actually get it running. If it does sell, then they'll have made enough money to buy one that runs, etc.

Many times, when dealing with those types of folks, you can either place fresh $100 bills on the hood in the amount that you're willing to pay and see if they'll take it, or just laugh and walk away. It sucks as you hate to see a car rot, but you can't argue with an idiot and they usually have to figure it out on their own.

Yeah had someone want$ 4000 for a non running 73 duster

Around here, it's 3rd Gen F-bodies. There's some good deals out there, but most guys around here want $3K for the $600 POS they parked under a shed six years ago when they got married & had a kid.

I wonder What the percentage of cars that sit for, say 5 years without running are ever fixed?

Joey

There's a percentage of people who would just as soon see a car rot into the ground than sell if for significantly less than what they think it's worth. Go ahead, tell me I'm wrong.

Had a 56 Thunderbird and a 67 Shelby that I spotted in 1977. Talked to the man and was told that the Shelby was a good car but his son had used the battery for his car. T-bird had a bad starter. He would sell as he could not drive a standard but his price was nearly double book value and I drove away. Over the next 21 years I checked often, but he was just stupid on his prices. He told me that he had at least 20 folks a year ask, but no one ever even got close. The price went up every time I checked! I watched as the tires went flat, the windows got shot out by BB guns, weeds and trees grew up around them and stuff got stacked on them. Interiors got shredded and moss was growing on them but he then discovered that they were "collector" cars and raised his price to about 80% of a perfect car. 1998.I went by and they were mowed around and they were moving stuff from the house...the man had died and the son had sold them to a fellow for $500!!! The Shelby was removed in 3 big parts and LOTS of little parts...virtually nothing remained below 3 inches into the doors, the hood had been removed years ago and the engine was a rusted lump. T-bird fared a little better as someone had stacked some plastic panels on top and it sat on a concrete pad.

I should have paid the $5000 for both in 1977.

Bruce

I don't think anyone is going to tell you you're wrong, idiots are endemic to every environment.

About two years ago I came across a BMW 318TI with an blown engine but the car was nice looking over all guy wanted $8000 (yes Eight Thousand ) car sat for about six weeks or so then went missing. Went to the local pick and pull later that week and what was sitting there the same 318TI !! At best they gave him $200 at the time.

GRRrrrrrrrr

Paul B

"I know what my junk is worth!"

John Brown wrote: "I know what my junk is worth!"

You know what it's worth to you, but if you're looking to sell it you should post on a different forum.

Donebrokeit wrote: About two years ago I came across a BMW 318TI with an blown engine but the car was nice looking over all guy wanted $8000 (yes Eight Thousand ) car sat for about six weeks or so then went missing. Went to the local pick and pull later that week and what was sitting there the same 318TI !! At best they gave him $200 at the time. GRRrrrrrrrr Paul B

I've seen that happen a dozen times.

Guy asks too much, won't budge on price, then scraps it because it won't sell.

My family keeps trying to sell off my stuff for me. I give them the "make me sell it" price, which is usually absurd. I'm not interested in selling but if someone wants it more than me then I have a price. It would take probably $1,000 to get me to let go of my '88 Mirage, not because it is worth that much, but because I like and and I wanted it.

Donebrokeit wrote: About two years ago I came across a BMW 318TI with an blown engine but the car was nice looking over all guy wanted $8000 (yes Eight Thousand ) car sat for about six weeks or so then went missing. Went to the local pick and pull later that week and what was sitting there the same 318TI !! At best they gave him $200 at the time. GRRrrrrrrrr Paul B

I would leave my number, and say if you have not sold it and you are calling a tow truck for it, give me a call. Worked out really well twice.

lady with a probe gt here was wanting 1500 for months for a car with blown head gaskets..... sent to scrap.... 92 sho with shot clutch 2200? ummmm what? i told him 1200 and he laughed at me. ok good luck.

KATYB wrote: lady with a probe gt here was wanting 1500 for months for a car with blown head gaskets..... sent to scrap.... 92 sho with shot clutch 2200? ummmm what? i told him 1200 and he laughed at me. ok good luck.

If it was clean, i'd pay that... for either car, really.

Her stepdad makes me laugh like that, actually...

Buddy and i replaced a motor in his stepson's SC2, because he had ragged the E36 M3 out of it and the rings had failed in a big way.

I'll be damned if he didn't blow the rings in the new motor less than 2 weeks later. Needs an alignment, brakes, tires, motor runs like crap, throwout bearing is on it's way out. He's going to trade it back to his stepdad.

She asked the stepdad how much he'd be wanting for the Saturn, figuring $500 max considering it's one step away from the junkyard, and it would make a decent beater/lemons/rallycross/idgaf car for us.

"More than you guys will pay."

My guess is that he'll be asking $3000-$3500 for it.

the probe maybe but the sho.... no..... he wants more than book for a car that no drives.

KATYB wrote: the probe maybe but the sho.... no..... he wants more than book for a car that no drives.

True.... but i can't remember the last time i saw a SHO actually go for book value locally.

If the clutch was the only thing preventing it from driving, and it was really clean, i'd have no problems paying $2200.

I'd rather pay $2200 for an SVT Contour, though.

I once found a rotted out fiat 124 spider, with a ripped top and worse interior.. $2400.

Same argument as the OP.. it's a classic car. It was recycling wait to happen

KATYB wrote: lady with a probe gt here was wanting 1500 for months for a car with blown head gaskets..... sent to scrap.... 92 sho with shot clutch 2200? ummmm what? i told him 1200 and he laughed at me. ok good luck.

I bought a '90 Probe last month for a friend for $1 (had back registration due, which in CA is pricey)...he can hit the junkyard and find all kinds of goodies for it for that remaining $1499. ;)

last one i saw sell here went for 1100 and drove.

mad_machine wrote: I once found a rotted out fiat 124 spider, with a ripped top and worse interior.. $2400. Same argument as the OP.. it's a classic car. It was recycling wait to happen

I remember about 6 years ago my buddy found a solid 124 with bad paint but no rust, dried out rubber bits and a new top. The guy sold it to my friend for $450... Kinda the other side of the equation.

Joey

My 96 Impala SS is like that for me. Its worth $6000, but I would consider selling it for $25,000