Sale pricing cars with engine swaps

[bmwpower]

How do you guys come up with the prices for the cars you've sold with swaps? Are you using some sort of formula or are you just adding up all that it has cost you + some profit = sale price?

I'm trying to get an idea of what these cars are worth. Obviously it will depend on the engine and condition, but does anyone have any insight?

Convertible with M50
Convertible with S50
Convertible with S52
etc.

Coupe with M50
Coupe with S50
Coupe with S52
I assume an "is" brings a little more money.
etc.

[browntown]

You'll never get back what you put in money wise. General rule of cars. Price the swap how you want. There's a ton of crack heads posting beat on eta's for 3-4k on craigslist these days. All the e30's I've looked at are overpriced. If some idiot is actually paying these prices, it might be worth your while to sell now. Seems like the popularity of the cars have gone up considerably. Vert's are for sale all over the place as high as 8k around here, without a swap. I think most high end s50 swap guys who did a clean install and have a nice chasis are getting between 5-8k for their cars.

[bmwpower]

You'll never get back what you put in money wise. General rule of cars. Price the swap how you want. There's a ton of crack heads posting beat on eta's for 3-4k on craigslist these days. All the e30's I've looked at are overpriced. If some idiot is actually paying these prices, it might be worth your while to sell now. Seems like the popularity of the cars have gone up considerably. Vert's are for sale all over the place as high as 8k around here, without a swap. I think most high end s50 swap guys who did a clean install and have a nice chasis are getting between 5-8k for their cars.

I guess it would be good to know what some sold for and price from there.

I can't see how you couldn't make some money doing this. As long as you don't buy parts from the dealer and replace everything, you should make some money, right? Maybe not for all the time, but at least get back what you put into it and some profit.

Old E30's can be found relatively cheap with blown M42/M20's. Shops seem to do it and people pay.

[Raxe]

I've noticed around here the swapped cars sell for around the same price as the non swapped, sometimes even less then a nice example stock car. Nicely preserved cabs can fetch around $12,000 here (though I think my dad was offered $17,000 for his), whereas a swapped coupe will only get around $7-8k (mind you I've only seen a few). I think a lot of people are hesitant to buy a car that's been modified so drastically because of the increased chances of something going wrong.

[SchnellerVert]

Market has been up and down on swapped cars and with more and more beig completed the prices tend to be in downward trend.

[bmwpower]

I've noticed around here the swapped cars sell for around the same price as the non swapped, sometimes even less then a nice example stock car. Nicely preserved cabs can fetch around $12,000 here (though I think my dad was offered $17,000 for his), whereas a swapped coupe will only get around $7-8k (mind you I've only seen a few). I think a lot of people are hesitant to buy a car that's been modified so drastically because of the increased chances of something going wrong.

$12k for a cab?? Christ. Maybe I shouldn't bastardize mine.

[mattdk318i]

Sale prices of swapped cars varies drastically because people sell them close to the price of the next car they want to buy. Its seems that most guys that swap S/M50s in their E30s loose interest soon therafter. Not because they are slow or crappy. But because thats about the limit. And theres only so much you can do appearance wise to these cars as well.
However, Ive noticed that alot of guys tracking their Swapped E30s hold on to them alot longer. So when i swap mine i plan on plenty of track days to get the playing out of my system

Im sure ill get flamed on certain parts of my OPINION, But thats all it is. My opinion.

[bmwpower]

Sale prices of swapped cars varies drastically because people sell them close to the price of the next car they want to buy. Its seems that most guys that swap S/M50s in their E30s loose interest soon therafter. Not because they are slow or crappy. But because thats about the limit. And theres only so much you can do appearance wise to these cars as well.
However, Ive noticed that alot of guys tracking their Swapped E30s hold on to them alot longer. So when i swap mine i plan on plenty of track days to get the playing out of my system

Im sure ill get flamed on certain parts of my OPINION, But thats all it is. My opinion.

I guess the thing in the back of my head is WTF if someone hits me? Insurance won't give me crap. That might be why they sell it.

Maybe swaps are like a "right of passage" and once you accomplish it, you have bragging rights and then move on. I can see that. I would like to do one. It sounds easy enough for someone skilled, but hard enough for most non-car people.

[StereoInstaller1]

To the OP:

It sound to me like you are looking to make a little side money buying, rebuilding/swapping and selling E30s.

I too have thought of that, but even in this tiny Oregon tweakertown, people get busted for "Dismantling". It is illegal to do that kind of work most anywhere, requiring a special license, thus a business, etc.

I think I could get away with doing 1 or 2 a year, but more than that would be bust-ola.

Luke

[bmwpower]

To the OP:

It sound to me like you are looking to make a little side money buying, rebuilding/swapping and selling E30s.

I too have thought of that, but even in this tiny Oregon tweakertown, people get busted for "Dismantling". It is illegal to do that kind of work most anywhere, requiring a special license, thus a business, etc.

I think I could get away with doing 1 or 2 a year, but more than that would be bust-ola.

Luke

I'm not looking to run a business. Sure, I'd like to make money on my investment like anyone else.

[Raxe]

Sale prices of swapped cars varies drastically because people sell them close to the price of the next car they want to buy. Its seems that most guys that swap S/M50s in their E30s loose interest soon therafter. Not because they are slow or crappy. But because thats about the limit. And theres only so much you can do appearance wise to these cars as well.
However, Ive noticed that alot of guys tracking their Swapped E30s hold on to them alot longer. So when i swap mine i plan on plenty of track days to get the playing out of my system

Im sure ill get flamed on certain parts of my OPINION, But thats all it is. My opinion.

I've seen this too, there was a supercharged S50 car around here a year ago, a few months after the build the guy put it up for sale for $23,000 because he lost interest in it. Don't think he actually got that price though..

[dmoney(AB)]

nope, he sold the supercharger and went GT35r lmao, its in the tuning stage somewhere in red deer i guess. should be done soon, I believe hes shooting for 500+whp. His name is matty21 on bfc.

[Van Westervelt]

Pricing all depends on the car, and the swap. I have had two offers on my car and they are rather high. But I am also into my car over 40k and there is still more I want to do.

Basic swaps are 5000-9000 in my opinion

Intensive swaps with a lot done are 12,000+

These are my opinions. I have seen two swapped cars in the last 18 months with less done to their car than mine. Both went for around 15k. All depends on the true fit and finish of your work. Mine is near factory appearance.

[moatilliatta]

i like when i see an e30 go for 10-15k makes me fell even better about them.

[Jscotty]

I can't see how you couldn't make some money doing this. As long as you don't buy parts from the dealer and replace everything, you should make some money, right?

You can and people certainly do, but that is not the reason why they do it. People who collect, maintain and or restore classic cars do what they do for the LOVE of it. And because their heart and passion goes into their car, that's what makes it attractive to other collectors and enthusiasts.

I was once watching that Boyd Coddington show on the Discovery channel (I cant think of the name of it right now) and he went to a car show where he offered this guy $47,000 for an old rusted 57 bel-air. Boyd had a hard time convincing the guy to sell it to him even though he kept upping the offer. But if the owner of the chevy advertised the car for sale, he would have never been given the offer.