78Delta

Being sold for a friend, clear title 1984 Delta 88, Olds 307 V8, AOD Trans, White, Tucson Rust Free car. Current asking price 3500.00, can ship most USA approx 500.00 for shipping. Car is a driver survivor can be driven and can be seen at local lot in Benson AZ. This is fully loaded with good interior. Excellent paint and body, new tires, has the wire spoke hub caps, all original - fully loaded.

78Delta

This is a very nice car, I am surprised there has been zero interest. Is the price too high, is this model just unwanted? Is something wrong with the listing?

Oldsmaniac

I would pay that depending on mileage, cool car but shipping would add an extra 1000 to the price for me and that may be a problem for some. Saw a similar car at a swap last week priced about the same which I thought was fair. I dont think this car is high on anyone's want list. It should sell though.

J-(Chicago)

I'd love to buy it, but nobody wants to buy any of my cool stuff that's up for sale either..... so I don't have the side money.

jaunty75

A few comments:

1. You've had the car listed here for only about 2.5 weeks. It'll probably take a while before someone who wants one of these and has the money happens along. For all its popularity, the total amount of Oldsmobile enthusiasts who frequent this site is probably very small compared to the total number of possible buyers. I hope you're advertising this in more places than just here. Hemmings? Journey With Olds? Craigslist?

2. The price seems fair, but you have not mentioned the mileage. If it's a 50,000 mile car, $3500 is a good price. If it's a 150,000 mile car, maybe not so much.

3. This era of Oldsmobile is not highly sought after at the moment and maybe never will be compared to the '50s and '60s cars. But I do see the late '70s/early '80s full-size cars at Oldsmobile shows, so there is interest in them however minimal it might be.

4. I think your ad is fine, but perhaps limited. How about some photos of the engine, trunk, and interior? You do have one of the interior through the window. That's weak. How about rolling the window down, opening the doors, and taking a few photos? We suspect it's nice. But we still want to see it. How about a photo of the entire car? All of your photos are close-ups. People like to see the entire thing, too, front and back.

5. Your car is in Benson, Arizona, which is in the middle of nowhere. As noted, that adds to the cost for most anyone interested in the car because of transportation costs back home. To ship the car any distance will probably be in the $1000 range, so that makes a $3500 car a $4500 car. You have to hope someone who doesn't live that far away and could possibly come and just drive it home will be interested, but that further restricts the potential market. The plus side of this is that it's an Arizona car, and that should speak well for it as far as any rust issues, which should be minimal to zero.


Patience is in order. Advertise it widely. Someone will buy it.


P.S. I've been to Benson and the Benson Donut Shop. Best donuts on the planet!

78Delta

I thank all for the comments.

I did get more pictures, mileage and VIN; I will post the pictures when I get to the house later. The VIN is 1G3BY37YFY327986, and the miles are: 102582.

The car is drivable, I can drive it and take the AmTrack home or I can bring it on trailer or flatbed.

My friend that owns the dealership purchased the car at auction, ...just didn't want to see it crushed which happens a lot. He put tires on it and had it detailed plus took care of some minor maintenance issues. I could buy it for my self but already have 2 and restoring a 70 Salon, plus 3 firebirds, and soon to pick up 87 Cutlass.

The car has zero rust, runs smooth, and for an ECC Q-Jet Carb, starts right up. On scale 1 - 10, 10 being best, the car is about an 8.

jaunty75

You should definitely play this up strongly as that can lower the buyer's cost to get it back home. Does it have A/C, and does it work?

Amtrak? How quaint. What if you're driving it to, say, Boston or Miami? You can hop on a plane and be home in a few hours. By train it would take you 3 or 4 days.

chrismcgurk

that's a $1200 car

best to try ebay,put a $2800 BIN and throw a phone # in the listing,see if you get a bite

or have your friend take it back to the auction and try to make a couple hundred
flipping it there.

DeltaDevil88

In no way is that a $1200 car you might as well slapped him in the face with that quote, these are very nice cars and I think the $3500 asking price is fair, will he get that very doubtful, but if the car has a engine and a tranny in it no way its a $1200 car

Some people just don't appreciate these Delta 88's

chrismcgurk

i meant no disrespect

it's a a very clean car,but let's be realistic

it's a 30 year old boat with 100k on the clock

dont take what i said wrong,take it as good advice

your"friend" is trying to hit a lick on a car he bought at an auction.

that's great,more power to him

but you dont see anybody falling all over this car at this price,and you won't.

list it on ebay,and see if you can get a bite

coming out of the gate with some outrageous price isn't going to sell this car

jaunty75

I don't think you were disrespectful.

People come on this site all the time and ask what others think a car is worth. They should realize that they might get an opinion that is different from their own, and they shouldn't take it personally. If they don't want frank opinions, they shouldn't be asking in the first place.

DeltaDevil88

100k for a 30 year old car is not bad......the 307 in that thing could very well see another 100k no problem (I sure hope mine does ) I don't consider $3500 a "outradeous price" like I said I doubt he gets $3500 but something in the $2500-$3000 would seem about right to me.

chrismcgurk

sure,100k for a 30 year old car isnt bad,unless it sits for 10 years under a carport and everything is dry rotted,and i am sure it is on this car.

if it is such a great deal,you buy it

put your money where your mouth is,so to speak.

DeltaDevil88

I already have a 85 Oldsmobile Delta 88 Coupe that I paid more then $3500 for btw, I never said it was a great deal I just don't like to low ball people's cars like others I guess.

PS, How do you know the car is dry rotted??? Have you actually gone and looked at the car????

aliensatemybuick

Didn't you know? Baddd_Andy knows EVERYTHING. So to speak.

DeltaDevil88

Apparently he does just from this very thread he has found out so much about this exact car, he should be a private investigator.


- The car is overpriced
- Its been sitting for 10 years under a carport and is dry rotted
- It came from a auction

78Delta

Thanks for all the comments, yes the A/C works. The car is an 8 of possible 10 if it wasn't I would have said so. The issues it has are minor. As far as under a carport or etc... I don't know. I do know Arizona and what the sun out here does to cars. I wouldn't be surprised if this car spent most of its time in the garage.

78Delta

Interior pictures of the 84 Delta 88 price lowered to 3,000

DeltaDevil88

Same exact color interior my delta 88 has

Nice car hope its sells fast for you.

ReallyWildStuff

Hello -

Was the VIN # below transcribed accurately?

That VIN won't decode here:
http://www.v8cars.hu/oldsvin/decode.php

Also can't make it work here:
http://service.gm.com/dealerworld/vi.../vincard84.pdf

jaunty75

You are correct in that there is an error in what he posted. By 1984, VINs had 17 characters, and the posted VIN has only 16, so he left something out. He also has a couple of mistakes that actually suggest that this is really a 1985 model!


We can try decoding it, though, as if it were an '84:

1G3BY37YFY327986

1 = U.S built (if Canadian built, this would be a 2)

G = General Motors

3 = make (Oldsmobile)

B = mistake here. The 4th character can only be an A and refers to the restraint system ("non-passive manual belts").

Y = series (Delta 88 Royale Brougham)

37 = body style (2-door coupe)

Y = Engine (5.0 liter V-8 with 4-bbl carb)

1 = Check Digit. This is what's missing. There should be a "1" between the second Y and the F if this is a 1984 model.

F = mistake. Should be an "E" and refers to the model year (E = 1984). Unless this is actually a 1985 model, in which case F is correct.

Y = assembly plant (Wilmington, Delaware)

327986 = production sequence number



Now, let's decode this thing as if it were a 1985 model. Again, it's still missing a character.

1 = U.S. built

G = General Motors

3 = Oldsmobile

BY = "carline/series" (Delta 88 Royale Brougham)

37 = "body style/restraint system" (coupe)

Y = engine (5.0-liter V-8 4-bbl)

0 = check digit (missing and should be a zero for 1985)

F = model year (1985)

Y = assembly plant (Wilmington, Delaware)

327986 = production sequence number



The posted VIN actually makes more sense if this is a 1985 Delta 88, not an '84. The OP/seller should verify the VIN.

ReallyWildStuff

it has an '85 grille and '85 full-width reverse lamps/reflectors as well

jaunty75

I'll bet it's an '85.

ThePackRat

It is indeed an 85.

In addition to the 85 grill & reverse lamps ... it has the 85 style velour.

78Delta

Just FYI, car sold last week.

jaunty75

Did you sell it as an '84 or an '85?

Was it a local buyer, or did someone come in from out of town? I'm curious to know, if you know, if the buyer is just going to use it as a daily driver or if he/she planned to treat it as a collector car.

78Delta

Jaunty75;

It went to a local person, not sure of their driving intent. It did sell as an '85 as I was told it was an 84, vin check showed otherwise. I wasn't in all the details of the sale. I only listed it for a friend, hoping it could go to someone on this forum that appreciates these cars. Final sale price was about 3000.

E

jaunty75

Thanks. Sounds like it sold for a fair price. Glad it found a new home.