LUCKe27

Car mechanically running like it should ... minor gearbox noise on decel ... they don't think this is any serious problem. Some very small issues with weatherstripping, small cracks in the door pockets, etc. Says the CV joint boots are slightly torn and dirty ... cleaning and re-packing boots with grease would be $400; new axles instead would be around $1,100. Top is original but could last several more years with no problem. Rear shocks look fairly new.

The biggest thing from my perspective is that he was not super impressed with the paint, mostly because someone along the way has done a lot of touching up small nick spots all over the car. You guys are the experts on this stuff. How concerned should I be, if at all, to pay low $23kish for a '89 cab like this one or what additional questions should I pose to the mechanic? Many thanks, Kevin

theiceman

The paint is a personal choice . If you can live with it or not . personally I think 23K is high for a car with paint issues, but who knows, these cars are getting good money these days.

if you payed a P mech to do the inspection you might have a hard time telling him what to check, it might come off somewhat insulting. I think you should read Petes PPi post in one of the stickies, it might give you a better idea.

LUCKe27

So, what to you think a fair price would be, understanding it's your opinion and I don't have an ever lovin' clue how much it would cost to paint it someday and how much not having original paint might affect the value? '89 cab, 67k miles, mechanically sound

theiceman

Well actually i just read some of the other threads around yours that might give a good idea. A really nice 88 guards went for 21.5 for example. Painting it will be expensive, and if you do it can be viewed as being worth less.
For me it is not so much about what it is worth , but what can I live with. You may get a nice one at that price with really nice paint. Point out the paint issues and offer him 20 . and leave your number. If he calls back you have yourself a car. If you can live with the paint at that price then go for it.

I dodn't pay a huge amount for my car but i has decent paint. I would not buy a car that did not have decent paint. I can fix everything except the paint and it would drive me crazy.

Amber Gramps

My '88 cab with 54,000 now 66,000 was $20,000. it had/has issues in the following areas: no parking brake, non-working air, lots of paint touch up. on the plus side it had a tranny rebuild and new clutch, new rag top, new oil lines. I'm guessing the two cars were in about the same shape over all. I bet that if the air works, the clutch works, and it has an electric top it would be worth the extra money. the CV boots are a pain, but do-able. Over all I'd say $23,000 is a resonable price. Now remember it's your money not mine so I'd still go see it in person...

LUCKe27

In fairness, the car is actually priced at $22k, but I'm a finance guy ... SO, I'm factoring in the fact that I either have to go to NJ and get it or ship it ... and it looks like I need to get the CV joints fixed (oh, and of course pay for the PPI). That's how I came up with $23k number; more of an immediate cash outlay figure.

Hey, Doug. Well, apparently the clutch works fine and it has an electric top. Positives, I guess, although some people say having an electric top is a bad thing.

Amber Gramps

then to factor that in I'm at $2,000 at Performance Products, $200 at Steve Weiner, $50 at Precision motion, $200 at Cover King, and $100 at pep Boys. Not to mention the $2,000+ for the new shed to park her in.....

LUCKe27

This is the point in the process that I usually get way too cheap for my own good. It doesn't help me that I drove that local Targa the other day with very nice paint -- at least at dusk it looked great. Don't let me be my own worst enemy.

Peter Zimmermann

Paint is so subjective that I used to let the buyer evaluate it per his own criteria. Long distance purchases are different, and you should try to establish if the PPI tech was viewing the car from a show car perspective, or from a daily driver perspective. Can you get the seller to take a few hi-res pictures of some of the trouble spots, and e-mail them to you? FYI: In today's world a good re-paint will cost between $6-8K, but you can spend even more... Perhaps you can negotiate part of the cost of a repaint, as ice suggested...?

Hopefully you have received the written report by fax or e-mail by now, so you can make up your mind about any other items that might be of concern.

LUCKe27

He said he would rate the paint a 7.5 with 8.0 being a very nice "driver"; 10 being perfect, of course. His biggest concern was mutliple spots that had been touched up, but, overall, he said it was a shiny black car.

Amber Gramps

It's time to go for a drive. really, I'd get in the car and drive up there and look at it myself. Even if you then turn around and go home without it and it takes four days, I still couldn't do the deal without seeing it myself.

g-50cab

It's almost a 19 year old car too - keep that in mind. I think 22K is very resonable for a 1989 cabriolet. Wait till the spring and I bet he'll sell it quickly for $22K.

CV joints - minor - my top is original and I plan on getting alot more years out of it - and you have 2 years on me.

Amber Gramps

My last post didn't sound posative now that I look at it. I am thrilled that you are getting this close. The car sounds like a keeper and you should continue with it. Do you have pictures? I don't remember how far back you posted them. It was black on black on black right?

SKM

Black is a difficult color in that everything shows. However, my experience is that poor touch up work on nicks can be removed carefully with lacquer thinner and then redone more carefully to become pretty much invisible - keeping in mind that with black paint it is hard to hide imperfections. However, an excellent detail shop can do alot to make the finishes on an old car look great. As advised, it is time to see the car in person. Just keep in mind that a good detail shop can minimize many paint imperfections.

Jaws911

if I might , sounds like a little paralyis by analysis - if there was a 'perfect' car out there , could you afford it? would you pay for it? If not, then any car you buy will, by definition, have imperfections, or issues.

Mine has lots of things that'll drive me nuts if I think about it, or look real hard at it. But when I'm cruising the hiway or in the twisties, they seem rather unimportant.

just my $.02

'86 triple black cab