Hello Gang,

I would like your opinions on prepping a car for sale. The goal is fair market value and what should you do prepping the car to realize maximum fair value. I am not a professional car salesman so any help is appreciated.

I will soon be putting my street 914 up for sale. It is:

1976 2.0 Yellow on Black with the yellow and black plaid seat cushions. Bilsteins all around, Gas Burner wheels, BMW brake "upgrade" up front (P0 did this), NO Swaybars from the factory, bone stock motor with smog pump still working. 115k miles on the clock. I have receipts of work done to it by the 3 previous owners. I will add my receipts to the log.

The Good
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Car is original color and looks to have only one re-spray. The car passes emmissions in CA. Other than the BMW brake upgrade, the car is all original in appearance, everything is there. Does have a Momo steering wheel but I have the original. Appears to have never been in a fender bender. No rust in trunks or doors or longs. Interior in very good to excellent shape. Carpet clean, door panels and dash excellent. Transaxle shifts great. Rides very nice.

The Bad
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The battery tray is rusted. It will need to be replaced. The Hell Hole is fine, only surface rust. A few surface rust areas by the lower drivers side windshield. They have been handpainted. The seat material is original, ripped up and in need of being re-done. The dash has a coverlay over it, it is cracked underneath. And there are a few door dings, but no dents.

Why Selling?
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Grandpa (my dad), Father (me), Son (my soon to be 16 year old) family project. I hate to admit it, but stupid me bought the car thinking that the 1976 would roll to the 30 year smog exemption here in CA. The family team is planning to do a V8 conversion. My son wants us to do a Porsche 6 or Raby motor, but Grandpa and I like the "Hot Rod" thing! So we need a 75 or older. I'm in the minority since I like the 75/76 look of the bumbers.

The Plan
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Get fair market value. We don't need to hold out for the absolute highest $ offer and we don't give it away. The car is straight and everything is there. This car is nice. Lift up the trunk mat and NO RUST.

My questions are:

Would it pay in sale value to redo the seats in the plaid or black basketweave before selling it or just use seat covers? How about fixing the battery tray? Everything else about the car will sell itself, I'm not kidding when I say the car is clean.

The car is with Rich Bontempi at High Performance House this week. I am having him do a full PPI that I will include as part of the information. The car is being tuned up. I plan on full disclosure with pics of every part of the car good/bad.

So what is the collective opinion? Does recovering the seats (~$600 to $800) justify a return on the money spent? And the battery tray repair? Rich Bontempi figures ~$200 if he does it, or he will sell the tray to someone for ~$70 if they want to weld. Other than that, its all there. Blower motors work, everything.

Thanks in advance for the help!

Bill P.

Pics tell a thousand words--put some in depth pics on here of the car in general and some with good detail of the rust-prone areas---with these we can all help you out--J

I have a set of recovered seats (German Vynyl (sp?)) which I'd sell for like $450 or so., which were done by Bontempi.

(Actually I am probably going to go for a set of Corbeau Forzas with 914 rails - so if you could get a set cheaper then I'd go for a direct swap).

If you're going to re-cover the seats, stick with the original plaid, IMHO. Thats way cool. You probably wouldn't get the money out of it by re-covering them, though, so it's probably not worth it. Lets see some pics, I may have a friend that might be interested.

I'll post pics later in the week when I get the car back from HPH. That will help. But maybe there is an opinion on the seat upholstery?

Thanks! and keep it coming!

Bill P.

Thanks Fiid,

I may take you up on the direct purchase. For Corbeau Forza's you may want to talk with Felix (Neo914). He bought my race car which had the Forza's in the car on the stock rails. For his project, he may not want them.

Thanks,

Bill P.

If it's just the seat bottoms? I think Dr. Evil can get those done for under $100 each. Compleat seats done for $500 for the pair. How bad are they?

I agree. If I was keeping the car I would try to source the yellow plaid (I like the look for some odd reason). AA says they can still get it. They are looking into it for me.

I've tried several fabric sites and stores here in the bay area, but no luck yet with an exact match.

Bill P.

The drivers seat is bad. The passengers seat is okay...just 30 years old faded. I would redo the bolster and the cushions with new foam. That would be my preference. (If I were keeping her).

I'm thinking seat covers for the sale, but Fiid's offer sounds tempting....

Bill P.

Before bailing on the car....read the legislation...there is some language in there that talks about build date versus model year....all 76 914s were built in 75.... "I" would get a copy, read it, talk to DMV get their biased opinion in writing and then talk to your local legislator. The bill sucks, is written badly and has loopholes galore....

One hole is that the rolling 30 year is STILL in effect, the new law does not take effect until March or April....I have a friend that has a 76 930 in the same bind.

Thanks Mike!

Is the legislation on line? I looked on the DMV site and they have paraphrases....or do I go into DMV and ask for "expert" help?

Bill P.

QUOTE (nine14cats @ Feb 22 2005, 01:11 PM)

Thanks Mike! Is the legislation on line? I looked on the DMV site and they have paraphrases....or do I go into DMV and ask for "expert" help? Bill P.

I don't have the bill #, but if they reference a bill # on the DMV site or Cal Vehicle Code Section #...do a google on it....should get the whole legislation.

Short of that call your local State Senator or Assembly person...that's what our taxes pay for....I' don't know what Ahnold was thinking when he signed that bill....

BTW the author was some Birkenstock wearing liberal twit from Walnut Creek.

AB 2683 (Lieber)
http://www.assembly.ca.gov/acs/acsframeset2text.htm

Look it up here....

2003-2004 legislative year.

If you dont mind being a tad illegal... I have a 73 in a box...

Swap the vins and junk, and no smog!

Yes, I OWN 2 914's.. lol

QUOTE

may take you up on the direct purchase. For Corbeau Forza's you may want to talk with Felix (Neo914). He bought my race car which had the Forza's in the car on the stock rails. For his project, he may not want them.

Yep, I got a GT3 seat and have designed a fixed passenger seat version. Car is still sleepless in Seattle...

Bill, who's going to build your 8? Your son may want more of a "Neo914" with all my rice features (carbon fiber, turbos, stainless exhaust, DVD system)