WOW Tst Drive

Hautions11 · 07:48 PM

Just got back from a very nice 1988 930 test drive. I need some help and opinions on a couple of area's. The goods: Car was spectacular shape inside and out, 72k miles, mechanically outstanding. The Bad's: Salvage rebuilt title due to a fire in the trunk area. Repaint replaced fuel tank, wiring lights etc. Flawless job and no sign of any issues. lot's of before and after pictures. Salvage titles hurt the resale value. I personally don't care as I am a no loan kind of guy for toys like this, but I can't help taking a couple of thou off the asking price due to that issue.

One other odd thing is the car has 225 rear tires and looks skinny in the back. Nice Michelin tires, I almost wonder if someone swapped the 9's for 8's. I could have sworn there were spacers on the rear wheels. Fuchs by the way.

I am trying to formulate an offer based on the goods and bads. I talked to Jerry on the board that just sold his immaculate 86 930 for $28.5. ( In the for sale section here)
My head is saying 26-27k for this nice car. My heart is telling me to pay more. Thoughts?

9dreizig · 06-02-2008, 08:13 PM

First of all we want pics.. Secondly that's a bit high IMHO for a salvage titled car.. but a smokin deal for a 88 in great shape..
I don't think there are spacers on 88s in back, they were made thicker after 80 but am not 100% . but the 225s belong in front ( even skinny there in my mind)..

Hautions11 · 08:42 PM

Here is one

Hautions11 · 06-02-2008, 08:44 PM

Hautions11 · 06-02-2008, 08:49 PM

boostfix · 06-02-2008, 10:20 PM

My Porsche Turbo Specifications book has the following info regarding wheels:
Front: 205/50VR16 on 8Jx16 rims
Rear: 225/50VR16 on 8Jx16 rims (pre 86)
Rear: 245/45VR16 on 9Jx16 rims (since 1986)
Nothing in the book on spacers but a quick in the garage has my 88 wearing a set of spacers behind the stock Fuchs.

boostfix · 06-02-2008, 10:23 PM

Did you check out this thread?

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/showthread.php?t=408961

Hautions11 · 06-03-2008, 04:03 AM

Thanks Dan, for the spacer info. I will have seller check, but it may be that someone put 225's on the 9 inch rims. I read the what did you pay for your 930 post. I am not sure what the title condition devalues the car. I am still in the mid 20's after sleeping on it.

WPOZZZ · 06-03-2008, 06:04 AM

Salvage title really devalues the car. Call your insurance agent and find out what you will get if the car is totalled or stolen. Most likely, it is @ 1/2 the value of a clean title 930 of similar year/mileage/condition.

WPOZZZ · 06-03-2008, 06:14 AM

It's really hard to tell if those are 8s or 9s in the rear as they look alike. Here's my car with 245s on 9s and stock rear spacers. It's hard to tell, but I think that car is running 9s. One reason for the 225s is 245 tires are getting hard to find. That is why lots of people have moved up to 17" or 18", along with aesthetics.

sand_man · 06-03-2008, 06:19 AM

Hi and welcome!

Please don't misunderstand, I'm not trying to be an azz here - just gonna speak my peace, and that ain't worth a whole helluva a lot! A salvage title for me is a deal breaker. From the description, the car sounds excellent. I just don't like baggage. I don't like "stories"...that's just me. If I feel this way, others do too, and if I were ever put into a position of having to sell, I don't want that sword hanging over my head.

If it were an '89 model with the five speed tranny priced in the $20s, I might feel differently. If you've got time, the right one is out there. The search is part of the journey! I think when a car comes with a story, you need to remove your heart from the equation.

If I were building a track car, or had plans to do a 934 or 935 conversion, I'd consider a salvage car, but not for something I intended to keep stock. I just don't think there is a shortage of good cars, yet, to consider this an option.

Best of luck, and again, it is not my intention to sound abrasive,
Jeff

PS: who knows, maybe this one is right for you...

57_300SL · 06-03-2008, 07:12 AM

I have to totally agree with sand-man. You also should check with your insurance company to see if they will even insure it. Post Katrina, there has been a reluctance to insure Salvage titled cars because of flooded cars coming out of the Gulf states. For me, I would only buy a Salvage car if I was going to use it as a race/track (non-titled) car. Bottom line is that it will be harder to sell when you want to let it go and it will never be worth near as much as a car with a clean title. My guess is somewhere around 2/3's the market value (and that may even be high).

Todd

Hautions11 · 06-03-2008, 07:30 AM

Thanks for the input guys. I agree with the de-value of the title status. I do have time and agree with you Sand Man. Not abbrasive at all. That is why I am asking the question. In the mid-west it is a little harder to find a selection of good cars. I have seen several decent 79's in the mid to low $20's but I like the newer ones for the AC etc, as this will be driven a lot in the summer. I believe waiting is worth it in this case. I don't think this car will fly off the market. As I said earlier I talked to Jerry last night with an 86 for sale on this board and it was a clean Very Stock example 64k miles for 28.5. That is a good bench mark that this car should be de-valued from. 2/3 of 30 is still only $20k. I doubt it will go that low but the market will tell. Thanks again.

sand_man · 06-03-2008, 07:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hautions11

I have seen several decent 79's in the mid to low $20's but I like the newer ones for the AC etc, as this will be driven a lot in the summer.

Just FYI, even the AC in the "newer" 930s is not very good. Don't get me wrong, these cars *can* have cold AC, but usually involves aftermarket solutions. The AC in my '87 was "cold" for two weeks...then it made me sweat! So I've ditched it! As I like to say, I have AC in the winter and heat in the summer! So I wouldn't let AC keep me from looking into an "early" car. You could always upfit with AC componets that work!

onboost · 06-03-2008, 07:40 AM

Ahhhhhh... ok, here's my 02 cents,

First, are you buying the car to enjoy or for re-sale?

You state that with the salvage title you "can't help taking a couple of thou off the asking price due to that issue". If that makes the deal sweeter, and you want the car, and it checks out as it should.. then it just comes down to how offensive the salvage title is to you and what issues (if any) it may present down the road.

A lot of car are issued salvage titles based on a formula of value vs. cost of repair for the Ins co. In many cases the car has minimal damage, the parts estimates are based at retail prices, and the vehicle is more than 10yrs old.. they will try to salvage.

In a situation such as stated on this car, it was written off because the Ins Co had no way of calculating, unseen post fire damage and/or what the cost of wiring repair would be. You state that the repair is well documented with pics etc.. that's a plus.

In some states, you can get a salvaged titled cleared upon the next registration and positive vehicle inspection. In other states the car will have to be inspected, and the new title in your name may be branded rebuilt.

I don't think I would alert my insurance company that I'm going to buy a vehicle with a salvaged title. This car has documentation of both the damage and the repair which should go a long way in the event of a loss while in your possession and or the event that you decide to sell.

For me, as a perspective purchaser, based on the disclosure of the previous damage.. my biggest concern now would be at what price point do we arrive at to make me feel comfortable with the purchase.

Not a sermon, just a thought...

Paul

sand_man · 06-03-2008, 07:48 AM

Paul makes some good points. I should mention, that I know very little about "salvage value" and the process for declaring one. Just when I see it, I run the other way...

mede8er · mede8er's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by WPOZZZ

Salvage title really devalues the car. Call your insurance agent and find out what you will get if the car is totalled or stolen. Most likely, it is @ 1/2 the value of a clean title 930 of similar year/mileage/condition.

+1

Either wait this seller out for a much lower price or move on...it's a buyers market...

onboost · 06-03-2008, 08:03 AM

Sand_Man..

Your points well taken also!

I've actually dealt with several cars that have had the salvage title issue.. minimal damage, but the insurance company didn't have enough experience with that particular type of damage. In other cases the adjuster that wrote the claim was new to the game, insured was a high roller with the means to create issues with/for the company.. etc.

The age of the vehicle plays a big part, and if the owner is not a real enthusiast or doesn't really care, then they will total/salvage the car.

This whole "scary salvage title" thing really came about with the advent of places like Car-Fax.. which was primarily geared to catch all the crappy Jap cars that were being spliced back together and sold as low mileage cream-puffs. Most of the high end stuff that got smacked was usually broken for parts as they were worth more that way!

Don't get me wrong though... there is a fine line there and one can get burned on a salvaged car also.. I think you just have to look at each one separate and apart from the next.

That is except for one category.... cars that have been in the water!! Forget about it, they're parts cars only in my opinion! Damn, I think I've been at this too long.

P-

javadog · 11:25 AM

For what it's worth, the car should have 28mm spacers on the rear. 9" wheels are easy to spot, as the lug nuts are recessed into the wheel about a half inch. Can't tell from the photos you posted exactly what's on there.

JR

JFairman · 06-03-2008, 09:51 AM

930's came with 28mm spacers on the rear. I just measured that.
You can use 21mm spacers if you want to move the wheels inboard a little bit.
There's lots of room for wider wheels and tires in the back.

I think the 21's were on the rear of some 944's, and possibly on the fronts of very early 930's which had different hubs and rotors than the mid 80's cars..