Tampa Hurricane

iTrader: (2)

I know that everybody hates it when someone posts asking for estimates of what their car is worth, but I'm still gonna do it.

I have a 1992 Pontiac Trans Am vert
color Jamaican Yellow

It has 117K mileson the body, but a new LB9 crate motor was installed approximately 17,500 miles ago.

On it now are a working ram air hood and aftermarket wheels; however, I still have the original hood and wheels that would be included in the sale.

There is no rust or dents on the car. Pictures are located at: http://www.cardomain.com/ride/3039235

I am needing to sell it as I have a second kid on the way and need to get rid of my toy in order to purchase a larger vehicle. Any help on the value would be greatly appreciated. I recently had it listed on eBay and received a high bid of $6,100 and had the reserve listed as $7,000 (lowered from my original reserve and didn't want to go all the way down to $6,100 based upon others comments about the $7,000 being reasonable to expect) .

online170

Check NADA values. They are usually close.

I would imagine its a valuable car.

Jaysz28

iTrader: (30)

Its a valuable car to those who know the numbers. Even if you tell them, it might be more than most people are willing to pay since you are edging in on LS1 territory price wise.

Not to mention the color isn't everyone's first choice. I personally love it, and even have my 'vert painted yellow. Mainly to be different but thats how it goes. I know more people would like it if it were red. My interior is gray, so I might change the exterior color later on down the road to a light or dark blue.

Your interior really doesn't allow that due to the yellow inserts.

I love your car, but if you need to sell it, 6k isn't a bad offer. I know of nicer cars selling for less, especially with the economy the way it is.

-jason

gcgarner

You're the one one Ebay with the black/yellow seats, right?

I'm the one that wrote and told you those weren't Recaro seats early in the auction.

I think you could actually get around $7-8k for that car right now if you were patient. If I were closer, I'd consider jerking it up. But if it were mine, I would get the interior re-covered ASAP and throw the orig. wheels & tail lights back on. What condition is the top in again?
.
I love the Ram Air II hood, although I don't think it adds much value to the car.

How are the vert-specific parts? They can really rack up in expense fast if they have to be replaced.


Unfortunately, right now our cars would actually be worth more parted out than they are together (don't get me wrong ... please don't part out that car!!). That's the sad truth. You could get upwards of $500 for those tail lights alone. Another $500-700 for the wheels, $400-500 for the RAII hood & air box, etc, etc.

Good luck with the sale. If you don't want to pay any more listing fees, you might want to post on this classified board and also post on craigslist. Ebay can be a waste of time with a car like that. I would give you $6,500 cash right now if it weren't 12 hrs. away and it checked out in person.

Tampa Hurricane

iTrader: (2)

I was thinking about getting the interior re-covered, but didn't want to put any additional money into the car that I didn't think I would be able to recover. I don't think that I would be able to receive my asking price plus the amount of the re-covering of the seats, just by having them recovered. The top is original, so it shows signs of wear, but there are no holes or leaks. Do you think that it would go for the $7-8K with the original wheels and taillights back on and me keeping the others (or should they be included to get that amount?) Also do you think that I should also install the original Trans Am hood for the sale and remove the Ram Air hood and air intake system?

Jaysz28

iTrader: (30)

Install all the original parts such as the hood, wheels and tail lights.

Then sell those aftermarket parts on craigslist or ebay. Even throw them in the classifieds here.

Wait a few weeks, then list the car. That way it will be in more original condition. Can't hurt and might get you more of an audience

good luck.

-jason

gcgarner

I guarantee that if you get those seats & door panels re-covered, put the orig. tail lights & wheels back on, you will have a better chance of selling it faster.

As far as the RAII hood, I'd leave it on for the sale, but include the original hood. That RAII is pretty freakin' sweet, and as long as the buyer knows they can put it back original if they want, that's a big selling point IMO.

It will cost you probably $600-700 or so to get the seats re-covered. If you do it yourself it would only be about $450. I don't know how much the door panels would be. I doubt you can reclaim those costs in the sale, but if you are in a hurry, it sure would help.

The old tail lights and wheels can be sold in classifieds pretty easy, I would think. My dad has an '86 T/A that he needs a new tail light center for, so he might be interested. If you decide to sell the RAII hood separately, I might be interested. Hell, if you will give me the car for $6,500 as-is plus the extra parts, I might just come pick it up.

okfoz

He has a point it may not behoove him to actually do the work he may make more money but chances are it will not offset the difference he shelled out in the first place.

I agree, put the car back to as original as you can, and either sell the parts seperately or when the person picks up the car offer them to them when they get it.

Customizing a car is a fine line, in some cases you can increase the value, other times it decreases it. It is safer to keep things as original as possible as peoples taste differ and modifying a car is a hit or miss... Typically Flamboiant {sp} changes do not go far if the entire car is not flamboiant {sp}. The concept has to be complete from start to finish...

With that said, good luck.

John

Tampa Hurricane

iTrader: (2)

Okfoz, don't give me the blame for the interior of the car. It was like that when I purchased it. I had been meaning to get the seats re-covered (I was thinking about keeping the door panels as they are if I could match the black color with the seat re-covering as it doesn't look as flashy in person as the pictures make it look), but other thinks came up and now I believe it would be best to sell the car. Besides not being able to re-coup the entire cost of re-covering, I also am trying to sell the car with the seats like they are because I don't know if I will be able to force myself to sell it after getting the interior finished.

The next time that I am at the location I am storing it at, I will switch out the wheels and taillights and take a lot of pictures.

Zepher

iTrader: (1)

I just looked at his cardomain page and it looks like he has the correct tail lights on the car, the 2 piece units.

If I had the cash, I grab that vert.

Tampa Hurricane

iTrader: (2)

I do have the correct taillights for it. I also have a set from a 1990 Trans Am that I keep on it for normal driving where I might have to park in a parking lot.

gcgarner

OK, so I talked to the wife ... $6,500 cash ... that's my offer. For car, parts & meet you 1/2 way to pick up (I live 10 hrs. away according to Google, so that mean's I'm really about 9 hrs.). Accept? If so, consider it sold.

TTOP350

iTrader: (8)

Dang it! That was going to be close to my offer !!!!

gcgarner

I think it's a fair offer. The car needs the TLC that any 16-yr.-old car needs, plus a new interior and probably a new top soon (Looking at around $1800 for that work). Plus it would be a good deal for Tampa because he wouldn't have to mess with trying to sell it any longer. Like I said earlier, Tampa ... you might get $7-$8k for it if you're patient, but that would include doing a lot of work to the car to get that price. The offer is on the table.

BTW, Kelley Blue Book says $5,125 for HIGH RETAIL in EXCELLENT CONDITION!! LOL! What a joke! Private Party was listed at $3.300. NADA says $6,100 high retail. This one is in what I would consider "good" condition for it's age, and KBB says nearly $3,000 even for that. Goes to show that it's worth what someone is willing to pay for it, not what KBB or NADA say.

I'm leaving work for the day now ... call me on my cell at (828) 443-2701 if you want to talk about it, Tampa.

okfoz

I was not saying it was out of taste by any means, I was trying to convey that modifications often have a negative effect in the long haul. Like IU was trying to say its all a matter of taste, and if you like it then great... Most people would rather modify a car to their liking and not start from where someone left off is all. It really has nothing to do with your car, it has to do with cars in general...

I appologize if I offended you it was not my intent.

John

JWKbride

I agree...go back to OEM as much as practical and sell the after market parts. Good Luck with it....it's a special car!

Tnxs,
John

gcgarner

jwkbride ... you're not helping me in my quest to acquire this car! You just want to be the only Jamaica Yellow at Ban One! LOL. I agree that Tampa's best move is to go OEM and sell aftermarket parts, but ... Tampa ... I still haven't heard a response to my offer. It's still on the table.

Tampa Hurricane

iTrader: (2)

There are two problems wrong with your offer.

1. The $6,500 is less than the minimum amount I stated I would accept of $7,000.

2. Even if I was to go slightly below my minimum (not likely due to fact other members are trying to come up with the money to purchase at 7), but I would not then spend a full day driving to meet you to sell the car.

If the couple of other users are not able to come up with the money, then I would much rather take the couple of minutes to switch taillights and wheels around, re-take some pictures and relist it before I sold it for $6,500.

RPM WOT L 98

iTrader: (3)

Curios to see how this turns out, unfortunately I am unable to buy it right now Tampa, but the only thing I can advise in favor of ggarner is that I have seen many a times that a nice 3rd Gen is on ebay and the reserve is not met, then it is relisted and the auction closes with a lower bid. And sometimes relisted for the 3rd time and yet again it closes with a lower bid. So even though we all know what the car is worth to the prospective buyer, and even though I think it will be more appealing and should bring more $$ with the stock hood and wheels on it, history indicates that it may not bring the same or more $$ if relisted.
Good luck though..

gcgarner

No problem, Tampa. Offer is still on the table (for now) if you change your mind. That is all I'd be willing to put into that car. And $6,500 is kinda pushing it. But somebody might want it more than me. And, hey, I always think a full-day's drive is lots of fun.

Good luck on the sell. Remember, ebay fees can add up quick. I can honestly say that you're probably not going to get $7k on ebay, so you might as well not waste your time. I bought my car for $5,500 (it's just like yours, only red and in a little better shape) after an ebay auction had ended. It only brought $4,800 on the auction and didn't come close to touching the guy's reserve of $5,900.

Again, good luck. Whoever gets that car will be happy with it, I'm sure.