To fix or not to fix issues prior to sale - 1972 911T targa

[coldstart]

I am likely going to put my 1972 911T targa up for sale shortly. I have owned it for 13-14 years now. While I still love and drive the car, I am likely moving soon and this would be an personal ideal time to sell.

I have collected a number of parts over the years and I want to know if I should incur the expense of repairing a number of issues prior to sale. My time is somewhat limited due to the likely move from Toronto to California. The issues:

1. The interior has some worn/wavy vinyl pieces (door tops, rear door pockets, rear parcel shelf and some miscellaneous pieces). The dashboard vinyl pieces that run horizontally across the car have shrunk and also likely need replacing. It looks okay as it sits but is not matching the condition of the rest of the car. I have been quoted $500 for all the work and pieces to recover the above parts in matching German vinyl.

2. The original radio does not work. I had installed a vintage looking radio with an iPhone connection that I recently took out to reinstall the original radio only to find the original did not work (it worked fine as of five years ago). I think repairing the original radio will be expensive and I may just reinstall the vintage look radio.

3. There is no heat. I disconnected the flapper boxes springs as hot air was coming into the car during the summer months when I use the car. I have new SSI heat exchangers, studs and nuts, etc. ready for install. I would only likely need to buy new hoses and some miscellaneous parts. I have been quoted $800 for the work. The other alternative is to just sell the car as-is and resell the SSIs and parts for $1,600;

4. There is no interior fan and the trunk is disassembled. I took out the electric fan five years ago and bought a replacement fan but never installed it. Again, I would likely buy all new hoses. This will likely take me several hours to install.

5. The paint is original/poor inside the oil door and gas door. For some inexplicable reason, the painter did not paint the inside areas in the gas and oil door. It looks okay and is only noticeable with the gas or oil door open. It does not really bother me. I have been quoted $300 to fix this issue which I think is way too high.


Otherwise, the car is in excellent fairly original condition. I would likely ask as a selling price: (1) approximately $55,000 as she sits; or (2) $65,000 once all of the above repairs are completed. Let me know your thoughts on the prices and which repairs are necessary to optimally sell the car.

I asked the collective for an insurance valuation 2.5 years ago here:

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/porsche-marketplace-discussion/828188-value-schwarz-1972-911t-targa-2.html

Details about the car:

-1972 911T targa
-matching numbers including 5 Fuchs wheels, original condition
-bare metal repaint 4 years ago
-98,000 miles on odometer
-S trim, original sport seats
-no known rust, pans are solid with original paint
-engine runs strong with few performance mods (Carrera tensioners, MSD, Webers, Dansk muffler)
-most original parts included (AC parts, Blaupunkt Frankfurt radio, muffler, etc.)

[SalParadise]

Awesome car. Thanks for the great photos.

Sell it as-is. Any Porsche of this vintage would need this stuff done, and most of the stuff you talk about wouldn't bother anybody - and they are small jobs that can be tackled by the next owner.

Don't waste your time doing this stuff now. Moving is crazy. Moving is very time consuming. Moving always takes twice the time you think when you are packing. I've been there many, many times.

Time is valuable to you now. Let someone else worry about it.

[Mehoff]

Originally Posted by SalParadise

Awesome car. Thanks for the great photos.

Sell it as-is. Any Porsche of this vintage would need this stuff done, and most of the stuff you talk about wouldn't bother anybody - and they are small jobs that can be tackled by the next owner.

Don't waste your time doing this stuff now. Moving is crazy. Moving is very time consuming. Moving always takes twice the time you think when you are packing. I've been there many, many times.

Time is valuable to you now. Let someone else worry about it.

^^Totally agree. I think your ask is dead on (leaves room to negotiate), but if the car is in Canada you will need to be prepared to take less. If US car in Canada just a bit less, if originally Canadian car probably even less. Nothing insane though; if it's numbers matching and no rust you'll never let it go for less than $50k.

[JordanPryce]

If you have the time and want to achieve the maximum return, fix everything but the paint. In place of repairing the paint I would get a full professional color correction and detail as a last step before selling.

[wayner]

If I was going to do just one thing it would be the interior

Everything else has less value

In fact, Id leave the original non functioning radio. I think that has MORE value

[Catorce]

Sell it as is.

Only three kinds of cars out there:

1. brand new
2. Full concours restoration
3. The rest

Most used cars fall into the third category, and buyers of the first two don't often get down into #3 anyways.

[coldstart]

Thanks guys. I appreciate the comments.

The car is a Canadian car but is in miles. There is little/no differentiation between Canadian cars and US cars except the front and rear light covers and the VIN.

Do you think I would get more for the vehicle if I sold it in southern California versus Canada? Are most buyers from the US or are there lots of European buyers?

[wayner]

If you bring it to the US make sure that you import it properly otherwise when you sell it, it will have to go back to the border to get processed

Here are three scenarios:

1) If you sell it to an American from canada, they can import it themselves personally pretty easily (given the exemptions for the cars age and their intended personal use of it)

2)if you stay in canada and export to the US, the Americans will insist that you use a broker

3)if you move to the US and are bringining it with you you may be able to import it yourself as in case #1 but worst case it will be #2

Importing a car of this age into the US is as simple as it gets

Likely if you advertise it on auto trader or eBay it will end up going to Europe though

[Mike K.]

Don't bother to fix anything, sell it as it is. And you will not be able to bring it to the US yourself easily, so sell from Canada. I have sold several cars from Canada to the US, and a lot of people are freaked out by the prospect of importing a car, but it is VERY easy. Just a form to sign at the border and a duty of I think around 2%.

Sadly, the brutal exchange rate will keep most Canadians out of the running, although a motivated buyer will realize hat he will save shipping costs and the 6.1% duty and brokerage fees if he buys from you. Are you a member of SOLHA?

Mike
1964 356C coupe - original
1974 Targa - 3.2 hotrod

[coldstart]

I used to be a member of SOLHA. I have been out for a few runs with them years ago. Great guys and fantastic cars!

Any comments on current value? I had posted the car on the PCA site a week ago and locally as of yesterday. I have received a few preliminary offers between $45K and $55K USD. I will post it on Pelican and the Early 911S registry in the next few weeks as I am out of town for the next couple weeks.

My car is obviously worth what someone is willing to pay for it but if the price isn't right, I really love owning the car. With the disparity between the Canadian and US dollars, the price should be right.

[Mehoff]

Originally Posted by coldstart

I used to be a member of SOLHA. I have been out for a few runs with them years ago. Great guys and fantastic cars!

Any comments on current value? I had posted the car on the PCA site a week ago and locally as of yesterday. I have received a few preliminary offers between $45K and $55K USD. I will post it on Pelican and the Early 911S registry in the next few weeks as I am out of town for the next couple weeks.

My car is obviously worth what someone is willing to pay for it but if the price isn't right, I really love owning the car. With the disparity between the Canadian and US dollars, the price should be right.

If you got a legitimate offer for $55k, take it immediately and run giggling to the bank

[coldstart]

I actually have two offers over $50K USD and one near $50K in the first week I posted the car for sale subject to a PPI.

I can take that money and buy a 2008 911 and have $10K for future repairs. Or I can add an additional $30K and buy a new Panamera base model. Which sounds like a better buy and which would you rather own (sarcasm intended). My point is that longhood prices are not 'giggly' as some might think. There is serious inflation in the Porsche car market.

[Sunroof]

All are right here.................sell it as it is, which is a decent running car with minor fixes. I have the same situation with my 1973.5T, which I am considering selling. A whole bunch of minor stuff to fix (headliner, seat tears, decals, door strap, etc, etc), but to the buyer might be a a weekend in the garage to address. Anyways, they can or cannot be negotiating points in the sale. The offers for your car sound reasonable. Sell it and get the car you desire. The Porsche evolutionary process!

Bob
73.5T

[drauz]

The car's spec is already appealing. Do nothing to the ext / int... leave it honest & up to the next owner. Fix things that make it drive like a 72 911 did. That'll sell it to a committed enthusiast.