Value of my 325is

[hexagone]

here it is.

http://www.r3vlimited.com/board/showthread.php?t=300512

[naplesE30]

You can never go wrong with factory original... All original matching vins outperform mods at auction in general. Its only original once as the saying goes. Anytime you have a super clean car that demands a premium over its ragged out beat up peers it is going to take longer to sell. Doesn't mean it wont or its not worth asking price its just catering to a specific and smaller market.

Very rarely are you going to get out what you put into a car with mods unless you are a professional who gets steep discounts or very rare parts that you bought from someone who didn't know what they were selling, even so you would still net more by selling parts to your desired crowd. MtechII kits for example. I don't think they add $2k to the value of any car but I venture a full kit with clips would sell here fairly quickly for $2000.

[butters]

I don't even look for CL ads that use e30 in them

Ha I do this too. I get all excited when I find one where the owner doesn't use the term E30.

[marshallnoise]

The argument is that not everyone wants them, so you might be outpricing the market with such additions. If you want to get the most value, itemize them like you just did and give details of the GC setup. For example I personally don't know that the wheels go for that much, and my $5-6k number would be the same with weaves.

Perhaps offer the car with and without the wheels and MT2 wheel, since those are easily swapped out and sold separately. I would venture to say that parting out big ticket items, even the coilovers, will usually net more value. Looking at an even bigger picture, many suggest that modifications (though I personally would say yours are tasteful) de-value the car because of the idea that the owner was the modding/racing type and the car is no longer "original" in those aspects. If you don't want to do the part-out work, be clear on what/when/how much.

I am in that boat. When I see a modded car, I automatically think that the car was driven hard and ragged out. If I had the cash to spend, I would have to REALLY think long and hard about taking a car that was modded like that.

I don't even look for CL ads that use e30 in them because that tells me that the owner immediately has an over-inflated sense of value and there will always be a premium a la the drift tax.

I also think you can sell the car easier with basketweaves and stock suspension. An enthusiast will then see his own vision for the relatively stock car that is presented.

[Stanley Rockafella]

I suggest parting it out

you'll get at least fourteenkay!

[ak-]

Removing the GC setup for standard Bilsteins and H&R's and putting Euroweaves or something stock looking would still net you the same price in my book.

You just eventually get capped when selling clean examples of this car.

[M-technik-3]

I suggest Ebay if you can't decide on a price.

[butters]

So you're saying with $1800 in suspension, $1800 in wheels, a $400 MT steering wheel, and I should start it at 6500 and hope to get a good offer?

I don't see how any of these things don't add to the value of the car, which by the logic above makes this $2-3k car to begin with.

The argument is that not everyone wants them, so you might be outpricing the market with such additions. If you want to get the most value, itemize them like you just did and give details of the GC setup. For example I personally don't know that the wheels go for that much, and my $5-6k number would be the same with weaves.

Perhaps offer the car with and without the wheels and MT2 wheel, since those are easily swapped out and sold separately. I would venture to say that parting out big ticket items, even the coilovers, will usually net more value. Looking at an even bigger picture, many suggest that modifications (though I personally would say yours are tasteful) de-value the car because of the idea that the owner was the modding/racing type and the car is no longer "original" in those aspects. If you don't want to do the part-out work, be clear on what/when/how much.

[hexagone]

You all should listen to this guy. He has been around for awhile.

I agree with him I would start at 6500 and see what happens.

So you're saying with $1800 in suspension, $1800 in wheels, a $400 MT steering wheel, and I should start it at 6500 and hope to get a good offer?

I don't see how any of these things don't add to the value of the car, which by the logic above makes this $2-3k car to begin with.

[butters]

I think the mistake we make is that we pile money into 20+ year old cars and think that it adds value to them but it really does not. The market just doesn't work that way.

In general I would agree, but I do think that maintenance dollars can be value added to a clean car, E30 or otherwise. Doing every suspension bushing and mount is a fair bit of work, and cost, that can be avoided if you know they have already been done recently enough. Same goes for just about every wear item, and there are many.

Personally I find myself always saying that miles don't matter, especially on cars past 10 years old.

- Every single record fully documented since the day it was bought new, including receipts. (suspension, clutch, head gasket, valve adjustments, alternator, timing belt, hoses, services, etc. it's all there)
- All original VINs, straight and glossy with no accidents. It's extremely clean.

In my opinion, imagining myself as an interested party, the value depends mainly on these items. Those records would be important in knowing what the car will need and what it won't. I'd say that an awesome shell, wheels and interior with <180k miles puts it at a start point of $5-6k or maybe a bit more since it is a white 2-door 325is 5-speed. From there an upward adjustment could be justified based on the details of its maintenance history.

[getouth]

Car looks clean well sorted and cared for 7-8k for sure.

[Sirotto]

$5-6,000

You all should listen to this guy. He has been around for awhile.

I agree with him I would start at 6500 and see what happens.

[goldenbb]

I think the mistake we make is that we pile money into 20+ year old cars and think that it adds value to them but it really does not. The market just doesn't work that way. I can get a much newer 3-series than the one I bought, with potentially fewer issues, for just a wee bit more than I paid for my E30. Not everyone wants an E30, they just want a "BMW" that runs and doesn't need high dollar repairs that they cannot provide. I've seen several E46s for like $3K that have no rust but need engine work--typically a new head due to an overheat caused by failed cooling system.

BTW, that Alpine is sweet looking! It's sorted to where I'm trying to get mine! I have a long road ahead of me and I already started off by paying about $1K too much.

I checked CL this morning--I see at least 15 E30s for sale in and around where in live in MN. I don't know if that is normal or not, I suspect not. Most of them need a ton of work, a few are real bargains, in my opinion. I haven't gone to look at any of them because I have no more room for extra cars at the moment. Some of these people are practically just giving these cars away out of desperation, it seems to me. Buyers market...

[ZM Blue Devil]

8-10k easy

[blunttech]

I have a potential buyer for you pending price ... If you contact me Ill get you his info. hes an older guy who wants a nice E30 in Minnesota here
Sales@blunttech.com