Increasing (theoretical) resale value.

[mikeb23ft]

Stamar - you make a good point about gas mileage and fuel prices in the next 5-10 years. Very difficult to predict what awaits us in 2017 as far as the price of a gallon of gas is concerned, but it will still be available for sale, so people will still want these cars. It's already an enthusiast car - very few people are buying E30s as non-enthusiast daily driver commuter cars. It would, as you say, be better to buy a Civic for those purposes. But an E30 is something special and will be more so in 5 years. I'm not really 'investing' in my little 88is as I never plan on selling it, but I don't want to get taken to the woodshed on it either if that situation arises.

[jasonbk]

Look at clean e24, e21, e9, e28s on the market and see how much they cost...then you have an answer.

Or look at how much clean supra, fairlady, corolla gts cost.

Also, I don't think gas prices will affect e30's sale because almost all pre-electric cars that are newer than e30 consume same sort of gas anyway.

[stamar]

no, not it is not. it's a simple depreciation curve with some market biases added in. it has no relevance on an E30.

but hell, I'll play devils advocate! $500 for a mint condition 325is with an S52 and coilovers? sign me up!

http://www.ehow.com/how-does_4671629_do-blue-book-values-determined_.html

the private party values are decided by the actual prices paid. Come back with some really good research on kbb values.

otherwise how would an 89 accord be worth more than an 89 325?

definitely a m3 or a supra is old and valuable. and a 3000gt is old and not worth a lot. Different examples of different things that arent a 325 is.
Theres no specific model to use if in theory a 2002 is worth a lot ( I just saw two go for under 800 on cl, rusty ones though) it doesnt matter its not the same situation.

theres millions of e30s. They arent rare. Just use r3vlimiteds forum as a best case scenario. How many 88 IS 325s sold for 3000$ or up, in the last 5 years do a search.
Dont count on selling an e30 here on the forum for 5000$ because its pimped out. I cant guarantee you wont, because you might but dont count on it.
Count on getting more than kbb because its essentially 0.

Think about it like this, in a few years are you going to spend 5000 on an e30? Is that in your plans ( probably not ). Its only going to get harder and more impossible to get that kind of money from a 25 year old car. Who is the 5000$ used car buyer here? theres probably about 20 5000$ e30s on the forum for every person with 5000$ looking to buy one. Theres only so many old car collecters that cant fix them up themselves with lots of money. They might fight for a 2002, but theres millions and millions of e30s.

Im not arguing with anyone, only goal was to provide some info for people to make a better educated opinion. I dont even care to offer you an opinion I think most educated people have the same opinion about investing in 1000$ of wheels on a car with 200k miles on it.

So theres two possible outcomes I guess. One is that your 88 325 is might be more valuable or the same. Its not too likely though.
Whoever is talking about the value of their 89 325 like they are sure its going to rise has some secret they havent let the rest of us in on. The other is its going to fall like most cars.

Make your investments based on your best educated guess.

I dont think I have any more points really Im pretty sure Im just repeating myself.

The last place you want to go when asking about the value of something is the club. Like the comic book club everyone likes to talk about the full retail of their whole collection all day.
Youre asking about is it smart to put a lot of money in an old car and you go to the club where people put lots of money in old cars??? Not gonna come back with an answer thats rooted in reality.

[pandaboo911]

I've flipped a couple cars. Most of them had shitty paint, some dents. I got them a full respray and cleaned up the interior, that's about it. Respray cost me $600 including body work. I still made >$700 on each car.

This is not something you want to do if you plan on keeping your car for the next 5 years. If you do, mods aren't always bad, they just have to be desirable. Something like aftermarket speakers.

Also on the point about expensive wheels adding to a cars value. I would never sell a car with expensive wheels on it. You can always make more money back by selling them separately.

[nando]

blah blah blah....

.

Okay - Ill be waiting around with cash for when a low miles, all original, perfect condition 325is shows up for $500 in the next 5 years.

but, I won't hold my breath either.

[stamar]

well in the next 5 years a low mileage car does become rarer. what about a high mileage one? Like most e30s will have higher mileage in 5 years.

mileage doesnt really mean anything but its plugged in to vehicle value in an open market.

I appreciate your opinion but come up with something to change my opinion. Anything. Why is your car going to be worth more in a year? two?

in 5 years there will be more 500$ e30s. probably abandoned because of a headgasket or whatever. Not collector cars.

heres a 318 im going to look at.

http://humboldt.craigslist.org/cto/2927419931.html

no longer worth buying a fuel pump for the owner. In a few years 325is the same way will be the same, only theres a lot more of them on the road than 318is. I dont doubt that for a moment.

And more importantly there wont be a lot of people with 500$ for them theyll be part of a huge expansion in junkyard volume.

[nando]

i never said anything about the "value" of my car. but it's hilarious that since you've found some beaters on cragislist for $500, then every E30 is a $500 beater.

think about this - even a wrecked E30 is worth more than $500 in parts.

clean E30 prices have been pretty much the same since I bought mine, 10 years ago.. only now it's way harder to find a clean, stock, unmolested one, and really easy to find a $500 peice of junk (sorta - can't say the last time I saw a running E30 for $500 within 500 miles of me).

[stamar]

the average value will be 500. the condition of all cars will be worse. the top line one will go for 5000$ and 18 others will go for 1000 or less. Average and beaters.
Not all will be cheap I see your point I never said otherwise. More will be cheap to create a low average.
The perfect car will still be expensive, however for the most part it wont sell or will take longer. It has a theoretical value like spider man #1, worth a lot but nobody wants to buy it.

different from the average person and their 325. The average 325 will go for under 1000 whether it has coilovers or not. which is all the op was asking. I didnt check but I just have a feeling he doesnt have a 325 locked in an airtight tomb somewhere.

all opinions but self evident in my opinion. Or let me say, much more likely than not.

[Cabriolet]

why dont you do a little math and stop running your mouth. the average e30 sells for $3500. non-running $500-$700, perfect $5000+

just bc you have mismatching panels/paint doesnt mean the rest are as poorly kept. yes beater sell for low prices but that doesn't mean anything.

1988 325is black 200k maintained $2,100
1989 325is white rear ended $1,600 missing tranny
1990 325ic swartz some maintainance $2,500
1987 325ic white 129k maintained $2,600 auto
1989 325is Bronzit 236k maintained $4,200 manual
1991 318is swartz 145k maintained $5,300 manual
1988 325is white mods, salvage $3,300 manual
1988 M3 white 132k maintained $19,988 manual
1987 325is red 280k some maintainance $2,200 manual
1985 325es 154k some maintainance $2,500 manual
1987 325 white 162k some maintainance $3,000 auto
1988 325ic white beat $1,250 manual
1986 325es white 262k beat, accident $3,000 manual
1988 325ic Bronzit 181k some maintainance $3,000 auto
1989 325ic glacier 90k not great $3,400 auto
1987 315i swartz 300k some maintainance $2,000 manual
1988 325is red 160k some maintainance $3,800 manual
1991 318ic red some maintainance $4,237 manual
1989 325ic white blown head $800 auto
1985 325e white 286k needs maintainance $1,700 manual
1986 325e $2,500
1987 325e blue needs maintainance $2,250 manual
1989 325i red 179k some maintainance $3,888 auto
1987 325ic blue needs maintainance $2,900 auto
1990 325is black 206k maintained $4,500 manual
1987 325is Bronzit 156k beat $3,650 auto
1989 325is Bronzit 180k some maintainance $2,950 auto
1987 325e swartz 200k beat $500 auto
1986 325e brown 172k some maintainance $1,900 manual
1986 325es black needs maintainance $3,000 manual
1986 325es black 256k needs maintainance $3,200 manual
1986 325e Bronzit 103k some maintainance $1,950 manual
1985 325e silver beat $700
1989 325i glacier 183k beat $2,795 auto
1988 M3 red 225k some maintainance $17,500 manual
1991 325ic white 180k salvage $3,500 auto
1987 325e Bronzit 213k mods, needs work $1,960 manual
1991 318ic red some maintainance $4,237 manual
1991 325i Bronzit needs maintainance $3,500 auto
1986 326es red 186k some maintainance $4,259 manual
1992 318ic blue 193k mods+hardtop $7,900 manual
1989 325i black 185k+ salvage $3,400 manual
1987 325e black 200k beat $1,900 manual
1987 315is red 164k beat $3,400 manual
1988 315is white needs maintainance $1,900 auto
1990 325is Bronzit 145k maintained $5,000 manual
1987 325is red 165k needs maintainance $3,400 manual
1987 325ic white 276k beat $1,900 manual
1987 325i Bronzit 213k maintained $3,000 manual
1987 325e white 162k needs maintainance $3,000 auto
1987 325es red 115k salvage $2,500 manual
1991 318is red 150k some maintainance $3,500 manual

[stamar]

are these asking prices? What sort of math? Ive done about all the research I need to do I just looked up kbb, showed some examples from where I live Id rather see someone else come up with some research. You come up with something to change my opinion.

send the 88 is for 2100 owner a message asking him to email back what his car sold for. that seems good.

Hes putting it up for 2000, probably going for 1500 probably not different than most. next year subtract.... 500? 250? from those numbers. That seems like pretty reasonable average. Good idea of what an 88 is should go for. thats what I would expect pretty much exactly.

would buying 1000$ in wheels make the car worth 3100$ asking and go for 2500 after waiting? Probably not. Thats what this thread is about.

If I repaint my car is it going for 1000$ more? Maybe but not if Im going to hold onto it for years. i estimate no but some of the dumber buyers are very impressed by paint so Ill admit it could.

[nando]

KBB = hahaha :|

[reelizmpro]

Let's look at the rust factor. Rust has been killing old cars for years, moreso in certain parts of the country. People used to just swap shells, now they are more likely to do restoration, y? Because clean cars are a premium now. Being in Cali we think nothing of this, but look at how many cars are bought by out of state buyers, some r sight unseen. People are paying 5 figures for nice looking e30s! I think you are missing the bigger picture. Sure in ca, some people just see it as an old car and want to get rid of it because they think no one wants an old car but there are people who do...enthusiasts who work on their own cars do. With the magazines constantly showing e30s love the following is getting stronger. People are selling their e36/e46 etc just to get a swapped e30 or m3. The e30 represents a time when things were simple and nit stuffed full of electronics and cheap parts. I been in the game a long time and this is what I've noticed.so either us enthusiasts are delusional or there are still some owners out there that don't know any better and selling cheap.

[Rustyduktape]

Who wants to pay 4500 for a car with diving boards?

I do! I do! I did


But, it was clean, stock and low miles, and an '87 is.

[rich4rdee]

the average value will be 500. the condition of all cars will be worse. the top line one will go for 5000$ and 18 others will go for 1000 or less. Average and beaters.
Not all will be cheap I see your point I never said otherwise. More will be cheap to create a low average.
The perfect car will still be expensive, however for the most part it wont sell or will take longer. It has a theoretical value like spider man #1, worth a lot but nobody wants to buy it.

different from the average person and their 325. The average 325 will go for under 1000 whether it has coilovers or not. which is all the op was asking. I didnt check but I just have a feeling he doesnt have a 325 locked in an airtight tomb somewhere.

all opinions but self evident in my opinion. Or let me say, much more likely than not.

i can't tell if you're trolling or not at this point. how many people do you need to have tell you that KBB DOESN'T MEAN ANYTHING ON CARS LIKE THIS?

[rich4rdee]

btw i bought my car 2 years ago well maintained with 126k in mountain view for 3k. i've been relatively strict on maintenance and am confident i could get 4k at this point.

the only thing IMO that you can do to increase value on your e30 is put it in storage for x years and hope for the best.