'74- how much should I pay?

[Flormat]

I'm looking at this '74 914 2.0. It has had the same owner since 1978. Body is good and so is interior. It has been in storage for the last 10+ years. It was not prepared for storage. It runs but smokes. I am guessing the fuel tank and lines need to be cleaned of the old gas and the engine needs a rebuild- seems like it could use new seals. Also could use a little exhaust work. What do you think it's worth, what should I should offer?

[Paul_Heery]

Engines can always be rebuilt. Gas tanks can be reconditioned. However, a chassis that is on the downside of the rust curve turns a car into an organ donor.

What is the rust situation on the car?

[Flormat]

Rust is very minimal- of course there is a little in the usual areas. He won't give me an asking price. All he will says is that he's not going to just give it away. I don't want to offer more than what he wants for it, and I'm not too sure what this car would be worth. This would be my first 914 so any advice in this area would be greatly appreciated.

[JWest]

I would offer $1000. That should not be too low to insult him and tick him off (unless he has unrealistic ideas of what it is worth) and he can always ask you for more if he thinks it's too low.

I would not think it should go for more than about $3000 considering the long time sitting - and that is if it is really solid and nice.

James Adams

[guards73/2.0]

He needs to come up with a price. A car without a price is not for sale. I usually ask " What would it take to buy it?" He owns the car, and if he is really dealing in earnest, ( eg actually WANTS to sell it) he should set the price and you can buy it or walk. If he just WON'T (I know, I hate guys like this, too) you have moral justification to lowball an offer. Once you get a number, you're on the right track. You can't jump inside his mind and find out what he'd take for the car, so if he won't tell you, you'll just have to figure out what you'd pay and offer it, being fully prepared to walk away if he wants 16K or something because he saw a 914 sell for that on Ebay once. RUST, btw, is the huge, looming issue with buying these cars, and layers of paint and undercoater, etc, often hides grave damage under the battery box, even if ( possibly ESPECIALLY IF) the battery has been relocated. You'll find many posts on this, but water from rain, carwash, anything washes through the middle hood.grille and slowly elutes battery acid directly onto main structural chassis members, potentially creating a partscar of of an otherwise nice, clean looker. It's a "pay now, pay later" deal. Get a good deal on a good car
and read the 914 FAQ, do you homework really look ant that car before you make your offer. Good Luck

[norustscott]

It has been my experience that any knucklehead that won't give you a selling price is not serious about selling. I second the Rust issue. Is it really for sale, or up for appraisal?

[jabb]

""Rust is very minimal- of course there is a little in the usual areas. ""

This is what you are trying to get away from sitting for 10 years is not the best situation. I would walk away and keep looking.
Especially the no price thing....... Do not waste your time.

[jurhip]

I bought my 74 1.8 l for $3400 which runs very well and very solid body. I would keep looking if this does not run well and has been sitting for so long...It will be cheaper to find a better one than fix everything that you "know" is wrong...and you will most likely find a better seller to deal with.

[SummerSledSix]

There is at least one theory of negotiation that says the first side to quote a number will be the underdog. Your seller may be a nucklehead or maybe he's a player checking to see whether you're 914 savvy or "ripe for pickin". So give him a number, and then it will be his turn. I'm with the other guys, I'd start around $1K. If he huff's and puff's, he owes you his "number" of what he THINKS the car is worth. Before you go, though, decide in your own mind what your upper limit will be, and be prepared to just walk away.

"Rust in the usual places" does not warrant a premium price; neither does stored for 10 years, especially if it wasn't prepared; smoke could be from cobwebs or from something that put the car in the garage 10 years ago in the first place. You just don't know, and that's risk, and risk lowers prices. Your seller has no justification for big numbers.

[Paul_Heery]

I'm with the others on this one. Not having seen the car, or knowing a lot of the details, I would open the negotiations with an offer of $973. It's an odd number, but it's intended to be.

If you were to say, "I'll give you $1,000", the guy (already expecting a lowball) is going to react negatively. (He would probably react negatively if you said "I'll give you $3,000".) But, the $973 will catch him off guard and he will most likely want to know how you came up with your offer. You can then explain that an excellent '74 has a market value of $X. However, any car that has been sitting for a decade will need $Y in repairs. And, that's how you came up with your offer. This opening gambit will help lower his defenses and put him in a position where he will at least listen.

Then, give him the opportunity to tell you his number. You have already given him the justification for your number. Let him explain his.

[rich]

I'd offer 100.00. If the guy comes back and says
" You can't be serious! it's worth atleast 1000.00!" atleast you haven't offered more than his hidden price. You can always play dumb and say "how would I know, I asked you for a price and you wouldn't give me one. geeez" at that point you can start talking about the cost of repairs vs the true market value. He'll see the light. You can always go up. And he will always go down.

[anthony]

Being a 2L car, it sounds like it's a $1.5K-2K car. Note that a complete running engine alone is usually worth about $1K probably more if you part out every fuel injection component and then sell the long block.

Still, decide what you are going to do with the car. If you plan was to restore the car then I'd say it would be a foolish purchase. When you add up a rebuilt engine, body work, paint, and refreshing the interior and other soft/rubber/vinyl pieces you will have spent $10K+. Good running nicer 2L 914 starts at about $5K and goes up from there based on condition. When you add things up you see that buying a nice car up front is the way to go.

Still, this could be a great parts car (you can probably strip it and get about $3K+ for the parts alone) or a great daily driver after you've put a bunch of elbow grease into it. Be sure to check the rust under the rocker panels. You'll have to unscrew them from the bottom to check.

[Flormat]

Thanks for all the information, keep it coming! I'm going back to check all this stuff out Fri. evening.
I'm looking for one that can ultimately be a daily driver, I intend on putting some work into it to get it there(not rust repair though.)

[SummerSledSix]

It's absolutely worth the wait and a potentially higher price to find a rust free chassis. Just ask yourself how much your time is worth, and then ask yourself how much time it will take to sand / weld / paint the rust you see on your latest potential purchase, double it for the rust you can't see, and compare the numbers.

[Kevin Powers]

if there's a little rust in the usual places chances are there will be lots of rust in unusual places.new motor? plan on a minimum of $1500,iffy trany?another grand ,might as well replace the clutch at the same time.since its been sitting so long probably new
bearings and brakes.old tires?figure another $250 to $300.lets see with the short list you are going to possibly dump $3200 or more after tax dollars plus the cost of the car. i forgot the rust repair. i'm not being negative, i'm being a realist. put your money in the bank until you have enough for a sorted out car. but if you're a glutton for punishment buy that car immediately.

kevin

[oil slick]

I would say if it is in excellent shape $5k-$7K

Gary