I have a couple cars I could use an opinion on and sense everyone here knows more than I do about the P-Cars please chime in.

I am having issues with making a decision about a car but don't want to get into a vehicle with too many miles on the drive train. I have read the threads on the mileage issue and it sounds if everyone has a different opinion.
I know in Pete Z's book he mentions that most P-Cars (let's say SC's) can go 200k/100k without an engine/tranny rebuild and even further if properly cared for.

Ultimately everything will come out in the PPI and past documentation.

[B]Car #1 (82 SC) $15000 (SORRY NO PICTURES ON THIS ONE)[/B]

-Friend of a friends car
-Original owner
-Extremely well maintained and documented
-10k repaint job in dark metallic grey color, body was clean, Calif car
-New leather seats and head liner (Black Interior)
-Car has 200K miles and the owner claims he has never even had the clutch replaced, also said he may have had the car in 5th gear once or twice
-Tranny did feel as if it was going to need work soon, felt as if I had to work at getting the car in gear
-Owner really loves the car but has a 997 that gets most of his attention now

Car #2 (82 SC) $17000 Guard Red/Tan Int

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...#ht_955wt_1167

-3rd owner
-Well document with 89K miles
-Fairly new air box from the look of it
-Fuch need repaint
-Car could use a good detail job
-Interior seats worn but other than that inside is okay
-One pressure ding on the middle of the hood from the kids BBall but I think could be worked out
-Car drove nice and moved through the gears nicely
Guy is selling the car to pay for his sons college education

Car #3 (83 SC) $17000 Silver/Black Int

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1983-...item4cf015491f

-Another well maintained car with documentation 155K miles, 2nd owner
-Car was in great shape in and out, totally original minus the steering wheel
-One ding on the hood from someone trying to shut the hood on baggage in the trunk, I think it can be fixed though
(see photos below)

 

They look nice but for the high mileage cars I think more like $12K is appropriate. A transmission rebuild can be maybe $1-3K depending on what needs to be done so budget that too. Definitely get a leak-down as part of the PPI. I'd go after the 89K mile car, maybe at $13-14K. Good luck!

 

Ditto

 

Thanks TroyN.

Unfortunately when you live in Southern California everything has a mark-up (i.e. Gas at $3.29, Beer at $6-7 for a 12'er)

It is difficult to find any SC of this quality for less than $17K in So Cal. Maybe I need to shop elsewhere for a better deal.

 

I vote for the silver one.

 

It may be the lighting, but the silver one looks like the fender is darker than the doors. Paint work?

 

Red on tan is the most desirable color combo. In addition, 89k miles isn't that bad. However, 17k for an SC seems high--these are not G50 cars, and in my opinion sellers can only command these prices from previous 915 gearbox owners. I guess what I'm saying is it takes a special buyer to come along--I don't know if you are that person.

 

thats a strange steering wheel in the black interior - looks thicker and has hand holds

 

Looks like you found some pretty nice cars! The 200K mile claim about the clutch is bogus, but other than that it sounds pretty good. A transmission recondition at that mileage will set you back between $3,000 and $4,500. I can't comment on price, but the $12K cars that I've seen need a lot more work than these examples.

The problem with e-Bay is that sellers lie, and it's very difficult to set up a PPI so you won't know what you're getting until after you pay for it. It takes guts to ask $17K for an SC in today's market, so both might be nice cars, but... Are you able to review the actual repair receipts for either e-Bay car (ask to have every invoice with a bottom line of more than $500.00 faxed to you)?

I'm going to the respective sites now, be back later.

 

Red car: Where are the sunroof seals? Why are the injector lines badly bent? Old A/C that I'm positive doesn't work. No Carrera tensioner upgrade? Left shoulder harness needs replacement.

Silver car: Cracked dash top (two places). Funny paint color difference on front fender. No Carrera tensioner upgrade (at least I can't see aux. oil lines). Old A/C...

Both cars look good, but pictures don't always tell the whole story.

 

At first glance, these car look familiar to me. We have seen a bunch come thru the forum.
Peter, I am curious about the cam overlap thread. Waiting for an expert to chime in and thought about you and Steve W.

 

Pete,
I have seen all three cars and driven two of them (not the silver car). Also, all three cars are within 10 miles of my house and I keep in contact with the owners to check whether or not the cars are available. These cars are all in great shape with the red car needing some detail and interior work.

I am hesitant about anything on EBAY that is why I choose these vehicles close to my house.

I can take a look at the paper work whenever I like, I have discussed this already with the sellers, I just have been too busy to do so. The PPI's should not be a problem either, we talked about this too.

Justin,
You maybe right about me being that special person but I am also not going to get ripped off, that is why I am checking in with you guys, the masters!
Also, the wife has to approve the final deal so I better have my ducks in a row!

Does anyone agree with the cost of doing business in So Cal? Everything is more expensive here. Sure I can find a 12K-14K car but it is going to have more miles and some pretty crazy color combo's.

 

That has been my experience.

To calibrate you (from TX) I purchased the Targa in my sig last year for $14k.
It is all original with 78k miles and most service history. It had a few typical minor issues that have been resolved for less than $1,000 over the past 9 months.

The car has been great and runs like a champ.

Doing a lot of DIY helps keep running costs low. If I couldn't do it, I couldn't afford to own the car and pay for maintenance work.

 

A definite factor regarding SoCal/CA prices is that there is a fair chance that your money (more at purchase) will buy a better car. When you put a car from the rust belt up on a hoist, next to a CA car, the difference can be astounding. The RB car can have unrecognizable (rusted) hardware on brake components, exhaust systems, etc., while the CA car will look like the factory assembled the car a few months earlier. Many parts on the under side of a CA car will never need replacement, while the RB car probably will (heat exchangers, etc.). Many people talk about suspension bushings, and how they're "junk" in 100K miles or less. That is usually not the case on CA cars (my '82 SC is at 204K miles and the bushings are still perfect), so perhaps bushings wear differently in other parts of the country.

From personal experience an $11K car in CA is probably an $8K car elsewhere. A $14K CA car is probably an $11K car elsewhere. And so on. An $11/12K CA car is not usually a pretty picture, with color changes, butchered stereos, pitted chrome alloys, dents, faded paint, torn headliners, cracked dashboards, expired tires and leaking Boge shocks being the order of the day. It is difficult to know this unless you've lived it.

 

The other side of the coin is that there are more cars in SoCal to choose from than most places. You can always wait until the right one comes along. As Pete said, the guy who said no clutch at 200K is probably lying. Or, if indeed this could possibly be true, what else has he NOT done. Also, I'm not sure saying "I've only had it in 5th year twice" is a selling feature?

Take this one off your list.