911 SC Valuation

[DonNewton]

NOT INTERESTED IN SELLING! For insurance issues, need a ballpark estimate of worth and who better to ask than the guys on this forum. The particulars:
1983 SC with 133,080 mi on the clock.
Chiffon over brown.
Meticulously maintained.
Disclosure: After returning from Desert Storm, I popped head studs at ~74K. Upper end with upgraded valve seats and head studs was rebuilt here in San Diego. The car spent just over 8 years in the DC area, but always garaged, never driven in the snow/salt conditions for which they're noted. The car has been maintained fairly stock with the exception of the wheels, 7x16 on the front and 8x16 on the rear. Here's a couple of pix. Any thoughts, and thanks in advance.

[GothingNC]

A similar 82 SC with 75,000 miles sold on BAT sold for $56 K

[NYNick]

Nope. 131K and 75K are not similar. If you can get $56K for your 83 SC, even if you're not selling, take the money and run. That's strong 3.2 money.

Your car is worth less than $40k. That's probably a good number for insurance, IMHO.

[JMS935]

If it’s just for stated value, I agree with NYNick, go with 40k and you’ll be covered. I also agree it’s worth less than that, maybe 35k.

[bhmkv]

I have a 82 Chiffon SC with around 89k on it. Was offered 40k last year for it. Market is pretty good for these cars right now. I thought the 40 was a good offer, but wasn't ready to give it up yet.

[NYNick]

Originally Posted by bhmkv

I have a 82 Chiffon SC with around 89k on it. Was offered 40k last year for it. Market is pretty good for these cars right now. I thought the 40 was a good offer, but wasn't ready to give it up yet.

It was a good offer. Your car had 89K on it at the time, not 134K.

[Patrick3000]

Don you have a nice looking car.

I turned down one offer at 39k last year and two other offers in 2016 when I was considering selling both at 35k for my 79 Euro with 130k miles.



Your car is probably around 45k to the right buyer.

[specialtyoneinc]

$40k is a good insurance valuation.

[DonNewton]

Thank you so much guys. Considering I paid (in 1983 money) 34K and drove it off the showroom and have used it as I thought it should, I'm happy with a current 35 - 40K. I have often said that I'd be buried in this car and with my creeping age, I'm not going to say that again. Someone might take me up on it!

[911SauCy]

My '78 Targa is insured for $41.5k.

They call it an "agreed value" for a reason. They cover you for what you feel the car is worth and you pay the correlating rate.

As the values would have it, mine is likely over insured, I'd have it no other way.

[1979-930]

I would insure it for $50k so I could find a nice replacement without issue. Another $10k in coverage is not going to cost that much.

[davewadd]

A friend of mine recently sold his '83 Chiffon white car, in similar condition, for $38k, so I'm with the consensus that it's a $38-$40 car. But if you're doing some sort of "agreed value" then I'd insure it as $45k car. That will leave you room if prices continue to go up.

[SalParadise]

Originally Posted by davewadd

A friend of mine recently sold his '83 Chiffon white car, in similar condition, for $38k, so I'm with the consensus that it's a $38-$40 car. But if you're doing some sort of "agreed value" then I'd insure it as $45k car. That will leave you room if prices continue to go up.

This is an interesting trend. Cars that really are not good at all that need a tremendous amount of work sell regularly for $32-$35K. Then cars like this that are obviously clean and well maintained sell for $38-$40K.

Amazing to me that people want to save $3 to $7K on one of these cars do so just to "save it" and not buy the better car. After working on them for so long it baffles me to the utmost that people put such good money down on a crappy car when cars like this white one can be had for $38K-$40K.

I paid pretty much nothing for my car back in 2012. It has and will take $40K to get it to where Dons car is.

[Matt Monson]

Originally Posted by 1979-930

I would insure it for $50k so I could find a nice replacement without issue. Another $10k in coverage is not going to cost that much.

That's how I think, but was going to say insure it for $45k if they will let you. I over-insure any time I can because I know just how much repairs cost if they are actually needed.

[DonNewton]

Matt:

I think my opening argument will be $45K on the valuation, then show them all the "BS" price lines you can find on the internet, and I might even reference this thread. I just need to get an accurate (+/-) valuation on it so I can drive more. . . As the moral touchstone for my generation used to say and a descriptor I've used for myself: "What a maroon!" (Bugs Bunny, ca 1965).

[Macroni]

Interesting.... I always try to minimize what I pay for insurance....


Now watch.... I will need it. (knocking on wood)

[1979-930]

Originally Posted by Matt Monson

That's how I think, but was going to say insure it for $45k if they will let you. I over-insure any time I can because I know just how much repairs cost if they are actually needed.

Yep. We are enthusiasts that have over maintained our cars. Just because the market says my car is a $80-90k car. The suspension, brake, fuel line, transmisson and... restoration that has been done to my car will not have been done on the replacement car. So I want that extra money to make the $90k car drive as nice as mine.

Don the $40k car may or may not be maintained as well as your high mile car. Low miles does not = a better car. Put some extra $$ in there for that work.

[MrBonus]

Originally Posted by SalParadise

This is an interesting trend. Cars that really are not good at all that need a tremendous amount of work sell regularly for $32-$35K. Then cars like this that are obviously clean and well maintained sell for $38-$40K.

Amazing to me that people want to save $3 to $7K on one of these cars do so just to "save it" and not buy the better car. After working on them for so long it baffles me to the utmost that people put such good money down on a crappy car when cars like this white one can be had for $38K-$40K.

I paid pretty much nothing for my car back in 2012. It has and will take $40K to get it to where Dons car is.

I agree with you.

People approach financial transactions with this attitude on a myriad of issues. "I'll fix it later" is a fool's approach but it's common with everything from retirement planning to hiring lowest-cost professionals.

[NYNick]

The difference is insured value versus worth. The OP asked for worth for insurance purposes. This muddies the waters.

Certainly I would insure my car for more than it's worth because it would be so hard to replace. That doesn't mean it's worth the insurance value. It just means it's hard FOR ME to replace it for what I THINK IT'S WORTH, not necessarily what the market would pay.

Insure it for what you think it would take to replace. Value be damned. It's your car. It's worth more to you than anyone.

[DonNewton]

Thanks, NY Nick, BTW, I used to keep a small sailboat at that small marina just south of the Tappen Zee Bridge. That was 1979, so it probably is a condo complex now. Your personalization of this process is going to make this negotiation difficult in my mind. I've had this car since new, it's driven cross-country a couple of times and as I was tooling around Newport, RI as a young Lieutenant in it, that whole persona that was projected ensured a constant full social schedule. Until I met my wife. Ah, good times! Anyways, thanks to all of you who took the time to respond; your insight and honesty are greatly appreciated.