Should I run from this car, or might it have potential?

[TheDeacon]

Yesterday I saw a local posting for an '88 928 (presumably S4, although the listing didn't mention it), for $3000. I've owned a 924 in the past, currently have a 951S, and the 928s have always caught my interest. So I contacted the guy, and here was his response:

---

I am listing this for my father inlaw. He asked me cause he needs the money. Car has about 120,000 miles on it and has sat for nearly 12 years in storage. While in storage an employee moved the car with a forklift causing damage to the radiator and exhaust manifold. Car needs breaks bleed, radiator leaks, no a/c. Car is an automatic black exterior, kinda a tan leather interior. Needs a tail light. I will try to get some pictures for you.

---

Now, 12 years is a LONG time to sit. And radiators aren't cheap! I'm thinking I'll at least go have a look at it over the weekend. Any words of wisdom, or does it already sound like a basket case? If it's on the fence, what (in your opinion) should I look for that would push it one way or the other?

[Linderpat]

lifting the car by a forklift would kill the deal for me. Most everything can be fixed, but if the unibody is bent, good luck! These cars can't be just lifted up - they must be lifted by their precise lift points, or there may be serious damage. For $3000, tho, might be good for parts. Worth a look on that basis I suppose.

[N2O-SHARK]

$3K for an S4. You'll get that if you strip the car for parts. Assuming the engine is not froze up or has bent valves.

[Danglerb]

No point in assuming anything, especially that the motor is good.

OTOH if it was local to me I would look at it immediately with cash in hand. Gotta figure about every town has someone that would do the same. $3k for an S4, even a auto, the usual caveats, but without obvious trouble its a flip for $8k or so.

[artikulieren]

I would go with cash in hand and a tow-truck and bargain hard to get the car for $1500, you may have to settle in between and pay 2000, sounds like it needs in excess of 3k in repair, thus putting it in the territory of a non-ruined 88 S4. I recently noticed an S4 in rather decent shape for $5k down south. This one you've found being in storage for 12 years eh, that's interesting with that high of miles, wonder what the story was... Now if it had sub-50k miles it would be a no brainer to SNAP up.

[Danglerb]

If its the car I think it is, wild shark chase, first listed as a 88, actually an 81.

[TheDeacon]

Just to update everyone, I went and checked on it. Danglerb is correct ... it actually turned out to be an '81. I'm not terribly interested in a pre-'87 928 unless it's a manual and in decent shape. Besides, I've already got one money pit.

When we got out there it looked basically like a junkyard. I mean, weeds 3 feet high around the car, the car itself was covered in about a year's worth of dust, several other junkers (rx7, couple of pickups, some farm gear) set "out to pasture" next to it. We stopped for a minute then I decided to just keep driving. Maybe, *maybe* if he'd take $1500 for it I would be interested, but that thing was screaming "unloved and unmaintained". Sad for an $80k car, but ... I'm not that desperate.

[artikulieren]

3 grand for a ruined 81 is insanity! I guess the guy must not need money too terribly as that ship will never come in.

[Danglerb]

If I was already there, I figure no car is too crazy to take a look at, but sitting 12 years outside doesn't leave much of any value to an 81. Paint and interior likely toast, so at best its a parts car, and an 81 has almost nothing of value in parts without a decent interior.

Other than maybe the wheels which might sell for $100, mirrors maybe another $75, what else is going to be worth the time and trouble of removing it?

[TheDeacon]

Originally Posted by Danglerb

If I was already there, I figure no car is too crazy to take a look at, but sitting 12 years outside doesn't leave much of any value to an 81. Paint and interior likely toast, so at best its a parts car, and an 81 has almost nothing of value in parts without a decent interior.

Other than maybe the wheels which might sell for $100, mirrors maybe another $75, what else is going to be worth the time and trouble of removing it?

Agreed. Had I been out there alone I might have stopped, but my wife was with me, and she's already not thrilled about the financial and garage-space implications of my current P-car.

So, I emailed him back to politely inform him that I'm not interested. He immediately dropped the price to $1500 and sent a couple of pictures. Now I'm even less interested. However, if anyone else out there wants it (and they're near Marsing, Idaho -- hehe), I'll bet it could be had for under $1K -- maybe you could even get him to throw in the microwave! I'm told it moves under its own power ... so it might have a decent block and drivetrain bits.

[Danglerb]

About $300, unless you really need something it has that is known to be good. Coolant goes bad after a couple years, so things like heads, head gaskets, radiators, could be shot or ready to fail in a just a few hundred miles or a few heat cycles. An open window is really BAD news.

Towed to a wrecking yard you might not even get $100 for it.

[artikulieren]

That car is an utter piece of garbage and appears to be compromised in almost every way. I would be offended the jerk owner had the nerve to ask 3 grand for that mess. This is sad as it looks as though it was a full leather car and once was someone's very expensive pride and joy. The microwave in the passenger seat sums up the car's potential well, toasted.

[surfdog4]

Originally Posted by Danglerb

an 81 has almost nothing of value in parts without a decent interior.

Man,
Danglerb you keep dissin' my ride!! I'm starting to get a complex