halbsure

hey everyone,

I have a 2001 c4 with a reconstructed title. Currently we have the engine and tranny out to fix a couple oil leaks but now we are thinking because it has a reconstructed title it will never be worth putting money into it. now the plan is to find another mk1 996 that has a clean title but has a blown engine and put the engine we have in it. Then just part the c4 we have now.

thoughts? finding it a little difficult finding a 996 roller. any leads to a mk1 996 with a blown engine?

Slakker

How many miles? I just went through this mental exercise bidding on an ebay car that had a salvage title. It only had ~45k. Minus the aero kit I was figuring I could get 15-16k on a part out without too much effort. If the engine doesn't have too many miles, and it's in a car that is perfectly operational and can have a PPI done on it, then I think it would be fairly easy to sell for 8-10k. I also think it's easier to find people looking for an engine than people willing to sell as a roller.

5CHN3LL

I guess it depends on if you are looking to flip a running 996 or if you need a car to drive.

If you just need a running car, stuff the engine back into the car and drive it while you wait for a clean roller to come along.

Sitting around waiting with the engine and transmission out would probably put me in the position of overpaying for a roller when one comes along because I want/need a running car; keeping the car operational would make me less likely to jump on the first roller that comes along and wind up overspending.

Neither car is going to bring top dollar, but I think you're right that a roller with a used motor is going to bring more money than a salvage vehicle will yield...

gnat

Do you know what it has the salvage title? Have you had it looked over well and made sure the repairs are solid and frame is straight? How many miles have been put on it since it acquired the designation?

You're correct it will be a hard sell for you to pass on when you are done with it, but that doesn't mean it will be bad or even problematic car.

Assuming that everything is solid and you got it for a good price, that puts you in the enviable position of being able to drive the hell out of it with out much of the stress that you see everyone else suffer from.

Slakker

Yes but a salvage roller is going to take the price hit as a salvage runner. I don't see how you actually gain any financial ground going that route. If you have a $14k salvage runner and put the motor in an $8k roller, you now have a $17k roller and a $5k salvage roller.

A car with a motor recently replaced with a used engine is still going to take a price hit from the market over an original engine or a full rebuild.

ZuffenZeus

Question is... what did you pay for the C4 salvaged 996? That would help us in the forum if you desire practical advice.

halbsure

@slakker – the engine has 75k on it…not original

@5chn3ll - im not looking to flip the car but I don’t really feel right putting money into a car with a reconstructed title.

@gnat – salvage title is “reconstructed” it’s currently in a shop they verified its straight and the damage was done in the drivers side fender. How many miles have I put on it? None. I bought it with the interior completely removed (its all together now). It was some guys project car, he took it all apart and was unable to put it back together.

The car is black on black with a full leather interior which is in really good condition

Macster

Occasionally 996's with blown engines show up. There was a guy posting here a few weeks ago I think elected to sell his 996 with its blown motor as a "roller". (Either sell it or donate it.)

If you want a roller 996 you just have to be patient.

Or you could just keep the car with the reconstructed title and drive it.

The car will likely never have good resale value but for a keeper car it could be a, well, a keeper.

The car with reconstructed title could be a keeper if you are sure the car was properly repaired, the tub/chassis straight, the alignment is good without all the adjustment being used up just to get the front and rear wheels close to being in line.

Not sure about insurance for a car with a reconstructed title. You'd have to consult with your insurance agent.

If you elect to keep the car in this case the only money I'd put into it would be just regular servicing and addressing any issues that came up. IOWs, just spend money to keep the car on the road and in good running condition.

You'll never get your money out of the car by selling it but you can get your money's worth out of the car by just using it.

docmirror

Your roller C4 is worth a few bucks over scrap. The failure items on the chassis are not worth keeping the whole car to part out. Wear items on your car, will be wear items on other cars.

The value commodity is of course the engine. When you sell that, the roller becomes an albatross. If you have space, if you have time, if you have labor to nickel and dime it along, go for it. You will not get rich, but some lucky guy will get an engine, and that's the key.

5CHN3LL

So really the question is just where to find a roller. Waiting around here for someone to have a crappy day and checking with your local independent mechanics who service 996's are your best bets.

ZuffenZeus

How much did you pay for this car?

Slakker

I figure the cars worth about 15k as is. If you put 50k miles on it, it will be worth about 13k. I don't get why you just don't keep it and enjoy it if you aren't looking to monetize it. Just make sure any mods you do are reversible and you can sell them separately when it's time to part ways.

Granted, as Schnelly pointed out, you didn't ask us what to do, you asked where to find a roller. But this is the 996 forum where if it weren't for unsolicited opinions half of us wouldn't have anything to post about.

But to answer your question, Jake helped me find my roller. While I don't think he's as motivated for non-customers, he might(or may not) be interested in yours when you finish the swap.

jaetee

Seems the car in question is best suited for someone who cares more about the car's overall condition and driveablity rather than its provenance. The value in this car is all in driving it and keeping it long-term. If you keep the car long enough, it may eventually reach the point where the salvage title won't hurt the value so dramatically, but as of now there are plenty of "good ones" available.

Why was the car salvaged? Flood victim, accident, or theft recovery? That could have a bearing on pricing as well, as long as you have paperwork (or photos) to back up the reason for the salvage title...

I laid eyes on a 70k mile 2004 C4S (cabrio/tiptronic arctic silver/black int.) yesterday that was a theft victim. Someone stole all of the carbon fiber interior bits out of the car, door jambs and even ripped off the spare/tools. Otherwise, the car was fantastic... They want $17k for it, as is. Figure $2k to replace the missing parts to make the car look whole again (not with CF, though) and you'd be less than 20k into a car worth around 30k. This was at a p-car dismantler shop and they are considering parting the car completely as they'll likely make more money on the car that way...

ZuffenZeus

Ok, so since I haven't gotten an answer to my original question, I presume the OP paid too much for the salvaged C4 and it's obvious there is a sense of reluctance (maybe a little buyer remorse?) to continue down this path. Dumping lots of money and time into a potential white elephant can be emotionally exhausting and when things go belly up, the realization that the original purchase was a mistake is a hard pill to swallow. If this is true, should you add to the mistake? Nobody likes to shoot both of their feet.

When I was searching for a 996, I came across many salvaged and reconstructed titled cars for a fraction of the price, but after reading and hearing about all the horror stories, I decided to be patient and find one in good condition even it if meant paying more money. From the people I've talked to that have gone down this road, dealing with all the mechanical and electrical problems associated with salvaged vehicles can be worse than a car that was in an accident. Not just from a repair standpoint, but how it significantly devalues the vehicle if you had to sell it or trade it in. Maybe you don't care to sell it anytime soon as you say, but why would you try surmount your current feelings by dumping more money into this venture by purchasing a rolling chassis?

Repair the current car and go out and enjoy it. Don't add insult to injury by dumping more money into this project. IMHO.

Cheers!

ZuffenZeus

Actually, he asked for our "thoughts" in the original post. Had he not, I wouldn't have anything to add to the roller inquiry. But your advice to contact Jake is a good one. The man networks with tons of people, but you know that.