How do YOU value a car/your car?

-
ledman

ledman

'74 Duster 360
Joined
Jun 4, 2014
Messages
317
Reaction score
86
Location
Las Vegas NV
Hey all, a little long, so read on if you like, if not, well thats ok too:coffee2:

First, I want to say, I have learned ALLOT since I have joined this forum about old MOPAR's, so thank you to all of you for your wealth of knowledge!:prayer:

I have learned how to look for rust on the floor pans, trunk pan, A pillars, frame rails, and how to decode a VIN# and read a fender tag, without you guys and this forum, I would have gone out and bought some POS that I would have lost my a$$ on!

Before, a halfway decent paint joB and a cool sounding exhaust would have sold me lol, but not anymore!

So, I am saving to buy a classic MOPAR. A body, B body, whatever I can find that is in decent shape, and once I have the money saved, that is in my price range. 5-10K, once I Hit 5k I am going to start seriously shopping, but keep saving at the same time.

I am learning to have patience, and not jump on THE first thing I see that may be in my price range.

I do not have the know how to rebuild engines/trannys, or the space/tools to do so even if I did.
Simple things, like some trim work, interior work, minor engine work,(water pump replacement, alternator, simple brake job etc LOL) I can handle.

I am partial to any year Darts/Valiants/Scamps, Dusters/Demon, Dart Sports, 67-69 barracuda's and I love the 1966-67 Coronet B bodies.

Anyone can have a Charger/Challenger, or a RR/GTX, and I would love to have one too, but I like to be different, lol plus the last cars I mentioned usually have really high price tags, even if they are a basket case, they are still 10K for a non running car, like locally, I found a 73 Cuda H code 340 car, not running, needs full resto, car is pretty complete and solid, for 12K. Love to have it, but it's not for me.

I have looked on Nadaguides, KBB, Hagerty, you know, all those sites that you can get and average value of a car, BUT, it really doesn't take into account for modifications, newer engine upgrade, suspension, interior redone, etc.

So how do YOU, if your looking for a used MOPAR to buy, put a real value on your car or one your looking to buy?
Just as an example, and no offense to anyone intended!

I mean, if it was originally a /6 car like a '68 Dart or Valiant, and you upgraded from the /6 to a mildly built 318 or a 360 or even a BB, upgraded the brakes, and such, how do you value it, as in, how do I know, what I should pay for a car?

I know, I know, whatever it is worth to me, but seriously, is there a real way to actually determine a value on something like this?

I have been looking at every possible sight I can find, looking at classic MOPAR's for sale, ebay, craigslist, auto trader classic, etc,
and comparing prices, some good deals out there, some not so good deals, some real hack jobs out there too...and some really, really nice out of my price range restored classics that are just beautiful. THOSE, I can understand the high price tags, for frame of resto's and such.

As you all know all to well, some think there 1974 /6 car that has 30K original miles is worth 30k, and to someone it might be, (craigs list come to mind, or ebay?)but not me:finga:

Again, not picking on /6 cars, they just seem to be worth less $ than the V8 cars in my searches, in most cases.

Some sellers, try to get every dollar back that they have put into their car, and we all know, unless it is a rare car or something really unique, that is not going to happen most likely.

In the end, I seem to see the best deals right here on forabodiesonly and the other associated forums.

Thanks for reading guys, any replies and advice are truly appreciated, and have a great night!:burnout:

Mike
 
If you value your life as much as I value my car, Don't f*ck with it.....
 
krazykuda said:
That was a popular sticker from the 70's.
Click to expand...
Gas, grass, or ***, NOBODY RIDES FOR FREE!

So was that one.

SO kk, care to enlighten me? How do YOU value a car you may be looking at to buy?
Without getting into a fight with the seller lol:violent1:

For example. here is a 71 Swinger on Craigslist, with a 340, it's not an original 340 car as I don't think they put the 340 in these cars??, was probably a 318 car?
So is it actually worth 11K? Or more like 8-9K?
It LOOKS really nice and clean, but seeing it in person would tell the truth.
http://bakersfield.craigslist.org/cto/4608613820.html
 
Personally, I will research a car for months. As much as a lot of folks tend to rag on eBay, it is one of the tools I use. Generally I will look seriously at the cars that people are bidding on. Anybody can put a 50K price tag on their vehicle but that doesn't mean a thing unless it sells.

Prices fluctuate. So there are several factors that need to be considered. I've noticed that cars that come from sparsely populated areas of the country (like Nebraska - where I'm from) tend to sell cheaper. I assume it's because the majority of prospective buyers want to inspect a car in person before making a purchase or entering a bid. There are more prospective buyers where the population is densest. So the location will affect the price.

Everyone's heard stories about people having friends drive up the bids on their cars on eBay. - So when I am using eBay cars as a guide I look very carefully at things like bid history to try to ascertain if the bids seem legit.

Seller feedback on eBay also helps to establish credibility. eBay is constantly screwing with the people's ability to track info. I know they say it's to protect privacy but it's getting harder to figure out who the legitimate vendors are.

Anyway when all is said and done I'm looking for trends. If I see that there are a lot of people (that seem legit) bidding on '64 Valiants with slant sixes it tells me that there is an interest out there in them. The average actual SELLING price is what I figure the average car is worth - taking into consideration condition. I usually figure an Arizona car will bring more due to expectation that the environment will crap out the interiors but leave the bodies relatively rust free. Cars around the great lakes I tend to avoid because I figure most are likely to have been salted out and patched up.

I am always skeptical of online car buying but realize that the majority of the car market is not in my back yard. It's rare that I don't have to travel to get an older car I want.
 
When I started shopping for an A Body I researched auto trader, craigslist etc. I knew I'd like to have a Demon. Personally I preferred the 71 over the 72. Primarily due to the differences in the grille and the flush mount marker lights. I called on a couple of adds. The first one was a big block car (440). Honestly I wanted to plug a BB into one, just something I've always wanted to do. Any way guy didn't call back. So I found another that already had most sheet metal done. Floors, trunk , extensions, and quarters. Had already had the front converts to disc, suspension rebuilt, bucket seats, SS springs w/ relocate to frame and rallye dash. Called made an appt. About a three hour drive one way. Took cash and trailer. Upon getting there car looked good. 8 3/4 no center section. Long story short made a cash offer. No engine or trans. H code car. Already mini tubbed frame tied. Bought it. On way home guy calls about first car. Month late. Told him I just bought one. What I guess I'm getting at is be patient. The right one will come along. I had researched the value of the replacement sheet metal and knew going in what was already invested. Honestly I feel I got lucky and found someone's project that they wanted out of for what ever reason. It had been listed for a good while. Do your homework and keep an eye out for what you want. Don't jump on the first thing that comes along. Have an idea of your goals with it and what you want to do with it. But also be realistic. Don't know where your at in life but maybe find a driver and work as you go. Helps keep the interest. Plus other things come along that get in the way of toys.
 
ledman said:
Gas, grass, or ***, NOBODY RIDES FOR FREE!

So was that one.

SO kk, care to enlighten me? How do YOU value a car you may be looking at to buy?
Without getting into a fight with the seller lol:violent1:

For example. here is a 71 Swinger on Craigslist, with a 340, it's not an original 340 car as I don't think they put the 340 in these cars??, was probably a 318 car?
So is it actually worth 11K? Or more like 8-9K?
It LOOKS really nice and clean, but seeing it in person would tell the truth.
http://bakersfield.craigslist.org/cto/4608613820.html
Click to expand...
that one actually looks like a very good deal!!! especially if it is solid and a stroker
 
ledman said:
SO kk, care to enlighten me? How do YOU value a car you may be looking at to buy?
Without getting into a fight with the seller lol:violent1:

For example. here is a 71 Swinger on Craigslist, with a 340, it's not an original 340 car as I don't think they put the 340 in these cars??, was probably a 318 car?
So is it actually worth 11K? Or more like 8-9K?
Click to expand...


First figure out what you want.

then look at as many for sale ads that you can to get an idea of what they go for in different conditions.

Look at as many as you can to get a feel for how they are in the "real world" not just pictures on the internet. Pictures can make them look better than they really are in person. You also have to be able to drive it to see if the engine runs, how good it runs, how does the trans shift, what does the interior look like, undercarriage, etc.

If they have made any upgrades to the car, it does not mean that it brings as much money as one that was built that way from the factory, and don't feel bad about offering them less. It's worth the most in factory condition, most upgrades are nice, but don't necessarily ad value to the car (or at least the insurance agent will tell you that on a claim - and they are the bottom line if it gets wrecked).

You have the upper hand, because you don't have to buy their car. You just want it.

Once you find all of the things that you like and don't like about the car, go over them in your head and figure out what you think a reasonable price is. Then offer the seller that or just a little under for bargaining purposes.
 
Post #8 by 1967 'cuda is right on the mark, i couldn't have said it better myself.
Another thing to consider, is to go to car shows and really look at the cars you are interested in, go over them top to bottom, and really look beyond the paint and chrome that might distract you. Look at some genuine low mileage ''survivor'' type cars. Look at 4 doors, beaters, ''supposedly restored'' cars, and originals. Any time you see one in a parking lot, look at it. Go to the junk yards and look at the cars at their worst.
After you have seen and thouroughly gone over a hundred cars or so in various conditions and state of repair or disrepair, it will be easier for you to make a decision on what's good about the particular car you are seeking and what's bad. You will know what to look for.
I see you are from California where the cars there typically have low or no rust, you are lucky in that way.
But rusty cars have a wealth of information on how these cars will end up at their worst. They will show you where these cars start to corrode and the problem areas to look for on a car with a little bit of rust starting to appear and how the rust will take hold and rot the car from the inside out.
Do a lot of research, and the right car at the right price will happen when it's time.
Be patient. But be realistic.
My 2 cents,
Tom.
 

A car's only worth is what someone is willing to pay. For me, I don't count my labor as it's what I enjoy & some may not put the same price on my work as I do, so I'm not going to debate that. But cars like we're talking about here really don't wear out & are generally popular with gear head so I base my car's value on its parts, the overall market (f^&* B-J!) and condition. Fortunately for me most of my experience with Mopars have been with Hemi/A-body cars so it's alot of fun. But I certainly don't try to rape individuals as others have done.........
 
I stay away from cars where the owner can't spell (just a personal rule) as it conveys a lack of time spent on the ads, and I feel that if they can't spell correctly in an ad where they want 10,000 for a car then they probably didn't take the time to do the car right either. (Not always the case, but frequently)

Don't talk yourself out of looking over here in AZ.
we are only 5 hours or so from LA on I10 and there are some pretty nice drivable cars and some nice projects for sale here.
We have a fair number of members in the Phoenix area that I'm sure would be willing to look some over for you if needed.
Our member 805Moparkid (Edd) has a 73 Dart for sale right now, and it looks like a pretty nice little car.
 
TrailBeast said:
I stay away from cars where the owner can't spell (just a personal rule) as it conveys a lack of time spent on the ads, and I feel that if they can't spell correctly in an ad where they want 10,000 for a car then they probably didn't take the time to do the car right either. (Not always the case, but frequently)
Click to expand...


But if you saw someone advertising a "HEMEY" Cuda for 10 grand in decent shape, you'd be over there in a second.... #-o
 
I have bought two Barracuda's off Craigs and a Valiant off the bay. It really helps to know what car you want and in what condition. There are great deals on Craigslist sometimes due to peoples life circumstances. I do not limit my search to local when looking and have paid people to go assess cars that are out of my area. Pictures and owners can be very deceiving so its money well spent. Anal car owner's are typically the best as they don't slap crap together and don't settle on good enough.Search everyday because good deals that come up will get jumped on and you have to be ready to pounce. Good deals don't sit around for months, weeks or even days. Contact the seller immediately and get first dibs, I have even given earnest $$$ to prevent a good deal from going bye bye while we work out the particulars. That money will be burning a hole in your pocket once you have it saved so don't shoot your wad on the first car you see. Probably a good idea to go look at some for sale even if you don't have the money yet, it will train your reactions and you will learn the difference between junk and quality.
 
The best advice I ever received on this topic happened last year. Being from Canada I was searching all over the US as cars are much less expensive even with transport and customs.

Anyway, last Spring I met a truck driver that works for a large vehicle transportation company. They specialize in transporting exotics and rare cars all over US and Canada. He gave me some amazing advice based in his travels.

He told that there are regions of the US that were hit much harder than other parts of the nation by the economy. He also told me that there are regions in the US that are " no delivery zones" for transport companies as they need to bring something in in order to take something out or it is not worth their time. Apparently the sellers in those regions with nice cars or cars that have a lot of money in them are not selling due to the fact that the locals to do have the money to buy them because of the bad economy. They also have trouble selling out of state or region because the buyers can't get proper transport to go pick them up.

He gave a me a list of these areas and said to look for a transport company willing to go in and look for cars also in the same place. I found a transport company willing to work with me.

He was bang on. I got an amazing car that the seller had $27K in and I got it for $8500. He was asking $15K.

The nice thing for you......a lot of those areas are in CA!!

You will get a nice car for the money if you take your time.

Good luck.

And sorry....but no.....I can't find the original list the driver gave me. I just remember CA and the Virginia's where I found my car.
 
Thanks for the responses guys, it really helps!
I am going to the Pomona swap meet and car show tomorrow to do just that. To look at cars for sale, parts, etc. To get an idea of cars conditions, upgrades and pricing.

Believe me, I look at cars everywhere I go. Ask my wife, it drives her nuts lol:protest:

I saw this one out while on my route one day, lol, took it for a test drive too, best day at work ever!






70 Plymouth RR with a 383 4spd pistol grip air grabber hood.
Numbers matching car, they were asking 30K, and none of the gauges worked, AND i MEAN ABSOLUTELY NONE, heater, beep beep horn missing, radio didn't work, and it was missing the reverse lights.
It ran good, sounded good, but way out of my price range, I mean, who turns down a chance when asked to drive a 383 4 spd RR? It was at a Infiniti dealership of all places, I had made a delivery next door and I saw it on there back lot, and went to look at it.

I am partial to 64-72 Darts/Valiants/Swingers etc, but really, wouldn't' mind any old MOPAR that is a 2 door with a V8 that is not a HUGE tank of a car...fast and light is what I want!

So I will open this can of worms...
273 VS 318 VS 340 VS 383 VS 440...
I know there is no replacement for displacement, but can a 318 or 273 be as fast as any of those other motors?
I am sure the answer is yes in some cases, so now I will sit back and listen:happy1:
 
The problem I have with using BJ as a price indicator is that the cars are usually over-restored. The prices therefore do not correlate well with what I see on CL, Cars.Com, or eBay. Looking at comparable cars can be difficult, too. As others have pointed out, a car in WI is not the same as in FL. PA rust does not equal CA rust.

Here are some objective questions that may be of assistance to you as you look for at a particular car.

  • Will a clear title be conveyed with the purchase?
  • Has the body been involved in a major accident? What was damaged? Has it been repaired? Properly?
  • Is there any rust perforation? If so, where? Are reproduction parts available to correct problem?
  • Is the car 100% complete? If no, what is missing?
  • Is the car licensed and legally drivable in its current domicile? Will it pass all regulatory requirements to be licensed in yours?
  • Has the vehicle been modified? What modifications do you intend to keep? Which modifications will need to be changed?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
-

Similar threads

davescuda
Recommendations on a car cover
Replies
6
Views
346
harrisonm
harrisonm
VSTwister
What do you do for restoration on unpainted parts?
Replies
16
Views
619
Icetech
Icetech
carfreak6970
Child Car Seats
Replies
10
Views
425
Muad'Dib15
Muad'Dib15
1WildRT
Who's the A body fender tag deciphering guru? Question about a car in the"For Sale" area...
2 3
Replies
61
Views
2K
72bluNblu
72bluNblu
Ronnie K
70 Dart value
Replies
16
Views
733
Dartswinger70
Dartswinger70
Back
Top Bottom