My last third gen. was sold 13 years ago. I got the bug to find one like my third, last and favorite, 1987 IROC 350 - t tops and blue and fairly low miles. I wanted a nice original car that hadn't been modified. I soon found after watching ebay and auto trader that this wasn't going to be an easy find especially for the money I had to spend. A few days ago I found one close to what I wanted in a local for sale ad. The guy sent me 9 photos and it looks great. Not the color I wanted but everything else will work. Being away from these cars for so long there is a lot that I have forgot. One of the pictures he sent me was of the original window sticker and I have a few questions. On the options part of the sticker it lists a code, ISC - IROC option package #3. How does this package rate, best - worst? It also has leather seats which I guess helps offset wrong color. The car has 62000 miles and that is right where mine was when I sold it 13 years ago. The grey interior looks great. Is there anything a little rare about a 350/ ttops/leather? What do you guys think a really nice clean car like this is worth? I don't want to get taken just because I can't wait to get a IROC back in my garage. Thanks.

 

1SC is the 3rd package out of 4, with the 4th package (1SD) being the highest.

 

Actually, on the IROC-Z, 1SC is the highest option package. Adding leather, 350 and TTops pretty much makes the car fully loaded.

 

Thanks for the input guys. I'm so excited about this I can't wait for morning to get here. If I can recall 20 years ago correctly.....
Does $9000 seem in line for this thing? This thing is nicer than most 2000 and newer Ram Airs that I have looked at.

edited for content. Language and the insinuation used was unnecessary and not allowed on TGO!

Sorry.

 

Nowadays I wouldn't pay more than $4k. If I really wanted the car, $4500.

 

do have pictures you can share. 9000 doesnt seem bad for 62k car now a days.

 

$9,000 is TOP dollar. I've got a 87 Iroc 5.7L ttops metallic blue with 60K on the odometer that I had for sale for $6,000. No one was interested so we decided not to sell it.

 

$9000 just seems outrageous. I can buy a late model f-body with good miles for that price.

Hell I got mine with 54k on the clock for $5500. Course it was a steal (he needed money bad), it's really worth about $7,000 with these miles and it's options.

 

I bought mine with 54,000 miles for $2500 (in a small rural community).

JamesC

 

If it's an all original, mint, loaded, documented, 87 350 IROC-Z T-Top with that mileage, I find that price not too lousy but slightly high because that's kinda what I would expect for a car with about 40,000 miles or less on it. A car like this in mint shape is rare these days and is only gonna get rarer.They're usually showcars and weekend cruisers now. The only way I would pay a price that high though was if the car was absolutely perfect and was exactly what you wanted. Sometimes it's worth it to pay more to get what you want, and if you have the money and don't wanna wait until who knows when for another like it to come along, why not?

I searched for the exact car I wanted for 4 1/2 years, which happens to be the same model you want. I got the car in my sig almost 2 years ago for about $1,500 less than what he wants with 67,000 miles on it. (I had to pay shipping on top of it, doh!) I highly suggest you go over the car carefully, maybe even take someone else along that is good with mechanics. Watch for leaking seals, especially around the intake manifold. Drive it and watch for everything.

 

Wow! You would have easily sold it for that here.

 

Well I looked at it and it was nearly everything he said. He will take a little less as I found a few minor things. All in all, this car is original. I took a guy along that builds race/show cars for a liveing and he feels this car is legit.
I was ready to buy but I asked the guy to let me have till monday to make up my mind. Now I get home and read all these, I got mine for $XXX's and that's too highs and I'm wondering? Where are all these nice IROCs at for sale at a reasonable price? I personally don't see any on the roads, in the papers or sitting on a lot that isn't just a pile of junk. After all the web searching for this car I have found either $5000 and under cars that aren't nice enough for what i want it for or $10000 plus for the low mileage clean original car. I know this isn't the 10K car but it lies somewhere in between and I can tell you it's towards the top of the middle than the bottom of the middle. I'm almost confused enough to forget the whole thing and go buy a new Ram Air, at least there I know exactly what they're worth.

 

If that car is mint and original try to get him down a thousand or so. Anyone that says they bought a mint, low mile, documented, high option L98 IROC-Z (with T-Tops too) for $4,500-$6,000 in the last year or two either got a break from someone that didn't know how to price it or the car was not as mint as they claim.

Years from now these prices will seem cheap. A nice top model Third is a more desired car than a 4th Gen which won't attract near as much attention or be as cool, believe me.

 

What some people consider "mint" would boggle your mind.

That being said, when James bought his car (it's been a few years, right?), the value of 40-50k mile thirdgens was substantially lower, so you should certainly expect to pay much more than $2500 for a nice thirdgen these days.

 

Very true, thirds are going to be going up in prices - the top models will become expensive in good condition. However there are always deals, I was planning on buying an '89 L98 car with 70k on the clock for $3800 awhile back. Couldn't swing the loan or I'd be driving it right now

I just like having a newer car with a good powerplant already built in. They do attract attention though. EVERYONE stared/commented/drooled at my 25th anni. T/A.

If you really want the car, then get it. Just make sure you REALLY want it, and you're going to keep it for a long time.

Or keep searching if you're not willing to pay the coin.

 

Right now the values are down, way down. If you aren't even looking you can find running driving original unmolested (but well worn) TPI cars for a couple hundred dollars. Granted they need full restoration, but honesty so do most of the cars that have over 50,000 miles.

The value of a true mint condition car is very very high, but the seller isn't likely to sell it at that value, at least not quickly. When most of the potential buyers are kids with no money and no understanding of what's really involved in restoring these cars, an Iroc with a $9,000 price tag is going to sit for years before someone is going to buy it. The majority of the market (kids) will lean towards the $300 crapwagon that they will never be able to restore. Even then if a person buys that mint condition car for that money, can they really feel comfortable about using it?

To protect the investment the mileage can't be driven up much if at all. It has to be stored in climate controlled storage. Regular maintenance needs to be done to keep everything in optimal condition. Things will still fail and go bad, maybe even more so then if they were used regularly. Modifications and hard driving are pretty much out. It's not really all that much fun. The only reward is the occasional drive in piece of history, or an afternoon at a carshow letting other people enjoy your work.

If you've got $9,000 to spend on a mint condition Iroc you've got the upper hand. There are no shortage of sellers that would love to have your money. Shop around and find exactly what you want and pay what you feel comfortable with spending. As to what its worth... $9,000 is a lot of money. Without seeing the car, and reading what you've posted here I'd say its not worth that much. For $9,000 it had better be perfect in every way, fully documented with receipts showing regular maintenance. Everything should jive in his story and there should be no doubt about the cars history. The paint should be flawless, interior spotless, every power accessory should work, A/C should blow cold, weatherstripping should seal and not be cracked, tires should be perfect, undercarraige should be rust free, etc.

 

No offense Drew, but I disagree with your pricing. My car, being an 87 with the 350 and ttops like he mentioned is in what I would call "mint condition". The car is not perfect in any way, being almost 20 years old, and I believe there is nobody that thinks they have a chance at buying my car for $9k.

I do agree that as the cars don't get driven, things fail. I have had many small items go and most recently, the car won't start at all! The value is set by what others are willing to pay. Like IROCZ, he bought what he wanted and is happy with the car. I have seen posts on the appearance board that state how mint a car is when the seats are dirty, carpet is dirty and body is showing wear. A mint car is one that shows almost no wear at all, is very clean, and is well worth the asking price!

 

Well I paid $10,000 for my 89 Iroc. It already had all the aftermarket parts on it that I would have gotten for it anyway. It was exactly what I wanted. Looks mint to me, and has low mi. I would rather have an 02 WS6 but the ones that were "Mint" with low milage were going for around $24,000. Im only 19 so where the hell am I going to get that kind of cash...

 

Any update?

 

I made an offer but he didn't take it. He came down a little more and I feel the car is worth what he's asking but I still didn't bite. I have the cheap version of the carfax but was thinking about getting the better one before pulling the trigger. I still have no clue what to do.

 

I decided to live a little, I just got off the phone and it's going to be mine tomarrow. I came to the conclusion I don't care if it's a little to high, I WANT IT. Now all I have to do is buy a shop in town so I don't have to drive it on the 7 miles of gravel roads to get to my house. That will be in the works tomarrow morning.

 

Congrats

 

Oh my $10,000? Well, as long as you're happy.

 

Yeah I know. I think it was worth it though. Its good enough for now, or until i can afford a ws6 or ss car.

check out the car domain page if you get a chance. I looked everywhere and couldnt find another one in this kind of shape for sale.

 

Congrats on the purchase plowboy. I expect to see some pics

 

My daily driver 1987 IROC looks close to "mint"..has 262,000 orig miles and runs like a dream. AND YES...the Red Iroc (in good condition)...will get a LOT of attention...even more then the run of the mill 4rth gens.

 

Cool! Post pictures of it when you get a chance.

 

I don't like the wheels but that is an easy fix. I will post more when I get it cleaned up and original wheels back on it. Oh ya, and the bra off.

 

i really like the interior, any way you can get a bigger picture of that?

 

Did you click the picture?

Anyway, the car looks great. Once you get that bra off and get the stock wheels on the car, it'll look very good.

 

It's almost like sm's car! All it needs is Bose and 50,000 less miles.

 

Well, it has the bose but it's missing the rear deck speakers, unfortunately I can't do anything about the miles. lol

 

oh hahah didn't notice it was a link

 

Need a little more help. I am looking around local (within 100 miles) junkyards for IROC wheels. I found a nice set reasonabely priced but they have gold paint inside rather than the silver. The guy at the salvage yard said some of the dark red cars came with the gold wheels. What color, gold or silver would look correct or better on the car in your guys opinion. Thanks

Well I guess I should have looked better. I'm sure now that I would want silver but would the gold look like h e double L ?

 

Will the RPO codes for your car provide a wheel paint color and in so doing indicate what color your car was equipped with? Regardless, you might consider polishing and, if necessary, repainting the wheels you have in mind.

JamesC

 

Your rims were originally dark grey metallic in the spokes. I didn't know it had the Bose too!