I am looking at a 1965 f85 on ebay and it is a beautiful car. It is in really great shape torquise paint white interior and its a 330 and a 4 speed. The owner says its original, but i just wanted to clarify if any regular non-442 cars came with bucket seats and a 4 speed. And here is the kicker. He has a buy it now of 10k. Is that a good price or is it not worth that much? Thanks a lot for any help!

 

This is the car, I presume:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Oldsm...a89e4d&vxp=mtr


His buy-it-now of $10,000 does seem high for a car that he himself describes as "could use a paint job." In showroom condition, it's worth that much, perhaps a grand or two more. Otherwise, in its current condition, maybe $7,000 to $8,000. I notice that his starting bid is set at $8,000. That wouldn't be an unreasonable price to pay at the end of the day.

 

I'm not an expert, but I would think that you could have ordered most any option combination you wanted, regardless of whether or not it was an actual 442. Others will know for sure.

 

I believe it was a upgrade option to get automatic and buckets were a upgrade as well

I would check rear quarters and trunk very well this is where the usual rust area is and back window

 

With older cars book value is a guide, not a hardfast rule. Value is really based on what it's worth to you. The 4 speed is a nice option and relatively rare as most of these cars were automatics. These cars are not bringing premium pricing compared to other more desirable "A" bodies so comparably a good value for the dollar.

IMHO you might try and get it for less as a paint job will ad to the cost of ownership dramatically, not to mention any other repairs it may need like front end, body bushings, remaining interior, etc...

 

If that is what you want, I would go $8075 and let it ride because if you plan on painting it you will exceed the value it will ever reach.
Its been painted before and who knows whats under that paint job, plus the dash needs detailed.
Also suspension,? My "good suspension" and someone else is way different, I have to have new shocks and brakes right off the git go.
I guess the easiest way to put it is, price is determined by are you going to sell it one day so you have to buy lower or if your going to keep it then it doesn't matter the price or what you dump in it.
I always look at the car and price as 1: flipper price or 2: keeper price, and after 85 cars and trucks Im still at the flipper price!!!

 

Thanks guys! You all were a big help

 

I notice that you are in Philadelphia and the car is in Missouri. If you decide to go for it, will you be able to inspect the car before bidding or at least have someone look at it for you? Or would you go "sight-unseen?"

 

I was looking at that car on ebay. Note that there are no bids at the starting price, so that tells me he's not going to get close to $10K for it. Buckets were an available option with or without a floor shifter. That shifter does not appear to be stock anyway, as the boot is aftermarket Hurst. Obviously a repaint already, with weird stuff going on under the paint. The misaligned trim on the passenger side fender also points to potential prior damage or rust. Be very careful to look for rust repairs under that paint job. In my experience, most sellers who claim "no rust" frequently mean "no rust visible at the moment". Buyer beware.

 

Its only about 15 hours away so i would probably drive with my uncle and if it wasnt as i expected i would probably just go home

 

Google maps puts the distance at about 900 miles. The car is in the St. Louis area. You might think about flying out. If you buy it, drive it back. If not, fly back. I did this once buying a car in Florida when I lived in Ohio. Bought a round-trip ticket, but I only used the outbound half as I ended up buying the car. I figured eating the cost of the return trip was small in comparison to the convenience.

But if you drive out with your uncle, it sounds like a fun trip. Let us know how this turns out if you do end up going to look at it.

 

I looked at the auction again just now, and I noticed this Q and A at the bottom:

Q: I was looking at your car and noticed the scratch and not sure of possible rust bubbles. Where are these bubbles and scratched located? I live in Washington Mo,and was wondering if I could come by and look at the car and possibly drive it.I am very interested in your car. How many miles on engine and tranny since being rebuilt? Let me know as soon as you can.

A: Scratch is on trunk lid, it has a couple of bubbles on the front of the hood not rust, paint prep issue. Car has no rust. Not sure about miles on engine but I'm certain it is less than a few thousand as motor was already rebuilt when I bought it. Transmission rebuilt has less than a thousand miles. I will not let anybody drive the car but will be happy to give you a ride.


That last line caught my eye. He won't let anyone drive the car? What a bunch of bullshit. Anyone interested in buying the car ought to be able to get behind the wheel and go for a spin. It's one of the most expected things the in the car-selling business. He can go along with you if he wants, but he's not going to have much luck, I wouldn't think, if he won't let a potential buyer get behind the wheel.

 

I think this car should be left for someone who lives closer by so they can inspect it in person.
I see real issues and disappointment to who ever buys it sight unseen.

 

I agree, but this topic came up on another automotive forum recently and I was surprised that the responses were split about 50-50. Apparently there are a lot of sellers who don't think they need to let potential buyers drive a high-dollar car before buying it. One reasonable solution was that the seller held the cash, so that if the potential buyer damaged the car during the test drive, he already owned it.

 

Telling someone who is interested in buying your car that they can't get behind the wheel and take it for a test drive is like telling someone who is interested in buying your house that, while they're more than welcome to look at it from the outside, they can't look at the inside.

This is what you have insurance for.

 

I agree to a point, but if some tire kicker comes up and reeves the crap out of it to red line what would you do or if he had a screw driver in his pocket and put a huge rip in your seat ?
I agree one would want to drive before buying but cash in my had for insurance is a safe bet

 

How are you going to prevent this? Make him empty his pockets before he gets in the car?

When you go to sell a car, you have to be prepared to open up yourself and your car a little more publicly than you're used to. It's often not that difficult to tell if the guy looking at the car is serious or not or is a lunkhead or not. Besides, if you go WITH him in the car when he takes it for a test drive, you can keep an eye on what he's doing.

 

Like I said,I agree to a point ,but a true buyer with cash in hand is different from some one tire kicking and I believe that you wouldn't let just any one drive your car. But then again I have major trust issues

 

So you would make a potential buyer actually show you the cash before you would let them take a test drive?

When I go look at a car, if it's in my area, I don't generally carry the purchase price with me. I don't usually expect to buy the car on the first visit. I think expecting people to have thousands or even tens of thousands of dollars in cash in their pocket when they're looking at your car or any car for the first time is expecting a bit too much.

As you say, you have trust issues. You shouldn't be selling a car.

 

Not to get to far off topic here, but yes I would and we can thank The Lord that I am not selling my car!!! I just simply understand both sides of it and put my input it to the thread here on this wonderful sight

Have a great day

 

As a buyer, this would make me nervous. As I said above, I don't necessarily have thousands of dollars with me when I go look at a car for the first time. Even if I did, I would be just as nervous about leaving it with a stranger as that stranger apparently would be in trusting me to drive his car. The trust issue is not in one direction only.

As I said, I think the best compromise is to recognize that a potential buyer is going to want to test-drive the car, and that's a perfectly reasonable thing for him to want to do. You as the seller go along with him on the test drive.

 

I won't let just anyone drive my cars when I'm selling either. I will let a serious cash in fist buyer drive.

 

I dont think its unreasonable to not let someone drive your car...maybe no insurance for driver, person wanting to take the test drive could be like the guy in movie used cars that smashed up the chevy

 

Just my opinion but if you look at the pics the seller has posted looking up the side of the car from the rear,it seems as if he does not want to show the lower quarters, rocker panels or lower fenders in close up detail. All areas of concern for rust repair.