How much would you pay?

[XCAdam89]

Looking at buying this S13 in the next few days and wanted to get an opinion on what you all thought it was worth beforehand. Here's the Ad:


1990 240sx, single overhead cam, this car is in good shape for its year, NO BODY OR FRAME RUST WHATSOEVER!!! sits real low on tien coilovers, has OBX headers installed, and gutted cat. has straight 2 inch piping to a 4 inch muffler. NO A/C! car otherwise is bone stock and running well, would be good to build a KA turbo or for an SR20 swap or daily driving. Tires are nearly BRAND NEW khumo tires all the way around. may need a clutch, but the car runs and drives as my daily everyday. leaving the area for 7 months and can't afford upkeep to have the car sit around. just installed a BRAND NEW alternator, barely has 150 miles on it, car has 145k original miles on it.
cash only!!! need to sell this car by this weekend so shoot me an offer but if need be i will put the car in storage as i do like it, please don't low ball me

And Pics he sent:

http://i553.photobucket.com/albums/jj389/XCAdam89/IMG_4820.jpg
http://i553.photobucket.com/albums/jj389/XCAdam89/IMG_2124.jpg
http://i553.photobucket.com/albums/jj389/XCAdam89/IMG_3891.jpg

The only issues he mentioned:
-Tear in Driver Seat
-Missing Shift Boot
-Needs Clutch

[240sxluver4life]

1500.

Msg length

[VHS13]

I would maybe go like $200 higher than that guy ^ if the coils are in good shape.

[XCAdam89]

He was asking $2500, but I've talked him down to $1800..still too high?? I've been in the honda scene for a while so I'm not sure what 240's are bringing these days.

[anthonygrud]

1800 is a good buy for that. If you can get it lower then awesome. But 1800 is a fair price.

[XCAdam89]

what are the major problem areas to check? I know these cars are known for timing chain guide issues, but what else?

[itz matthew xP]

RUST RUST RUST RUST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! depending where the car was at!

[itwillboost]

1800 is a good buy for that. If you can get it lower then awesome. But 1800 is a fair price.

To high, 1500 cash or tell him. :mephfawk:

[DJ-of-E]

To high, 1500 cash or tell him. :mephfawk:

eh, $1500 and also you need to pay a shop $200 to inspect before you buy. He had "mods" on his car. Changes are, just like Hondas, 1 good mod could also lead to 5 bad mods in the car.

[Highway Riding]

Whoa Zilvia! I'm totally surprised people aren't advising he give you the car for free! Or pay you to pick it up with a clean title! Times must be changing

[itwillboost]

eh, $1500 and also you need to pay a shop $200 to inspect before you buy. He had "mods" on his car. Changes are, just like Hondas, 1 good mod could also lead to 5 bad mods in the car.

This is true, but I would never pay a shop to inspect a car for me. If I don't know enough to make a purchase then I would buy from a dealer.

[DJ-of-E]

This is true, but I would never pay a shop to inspect a car for me. If I don't know enough to make a purchase then I would buy from a dealer.

That's only if you have a sound knowledge and experience when looking at problem areas in cars as well as known what is easy/cheap to fix and what leads to money pits.

Since the guy is asking for advised on the forum about "buying a used car," is it wrong for me to assume he's a "noob" in both experience and mechanically unsound? When I went car shopping the first time, I brought my dad with me.

[buentellomma]

This looks like a place in Hampton va not to far from me, where are you located? 2500 is kinda high

[fliprayzin240sx]

Check the frame rails, wheel well, hatch, windshield cowl for rust. Engine wise, check for compression. Minimum compression is around 150 psi.

[slammed04tsx]

not a bad deal for 1800

[Croustibat]

OBX header, dead cat, clutch nearly gone => not good.
dead cat usually means dead O² sensor.

tein coilover > unless they are new monoflex or better, they are crap (check tein website, they got a very good picture explaining where the products fits).

"absolutely no rust at all" > usually means "i hid it very well"

brand new tyres > i burned down the previous rubbers by drifting and never doing an alignment, so i put new tyres on it so you wont see it

i would not bother with that car, it just looks like a kiddo drift car that has been abused and is now going to cost at least its buying price to fix.

But it seems the OP has already settled into buying it...

[itsjustdaphne]

$2500?! that is some shit. i got a '93 for $900 earlier this year.

okay but really i would offer $1500 and when the worst he could say is no, say $1800.
anything higher is probably a waste of your time.

[XCAdam89]

Thanks for all the advice guys, I think I'm going to pass on this one.

I hope I don't come across as a total mechanical noob -- I've built/owned several 3-400whp civics and integra's -- Just trying to get out of the honda scene.

If any of you know of any decent S13s or S14s for sale along the East Coast I'd more than interested. What is the average selling price for an S13 these days and how hard is it to find a clean one with AC! I just want one for a fun daily driver at first to play with, then I'd like to RB swap it in the future.

[Croustibat]

It IS hard to find a decent one, really. You will quite surely end up rebuilding the car, so either buy one which has already been done (costs $$$), or get one with a good shell condition.

I think the best way is to already join a group of owners, and see for yourself what is good and what is not.

Basically these cars usually need bushes to be replaced everywhere, and thats a pain. They dont really handle well at first, and it becomes worse when dorifto kiddos add coilovers and slam them to the floor. They can make pretty good power when equipped with a turbo, but then become fragile if it was not made correctly (correctly means $$$$).

The best S13 you could find is a stock one, previously owned by an old man/woman, but these are quite hard to find :D

Engine wise, RB25/26 tends to make the car quite nose heavy, and it already has natural understeer. RB20 is not worth it. RB30... if you got enough money to build one, it could be fun, but still nose heavy. I believe these can output 1000+ quite reliably, but the cost... Aluminium V8s are another way to go and gives a better weight distribution, while being more reliable. turboed 4 pots are in between. Your choice :D

A lot of engines fit in there though. bmw V12s fit, viper V10 fits, and a friend of mine is working on fitting a turboed gallardo V10 in. You got a very large choice, as long as you know how to fabricate or have a fabricator. And the money of course.

[xh3nry]

1500, clutch jobs are annoying lol

[Te37]

You get what you pay for....1600 tell him to take it or walk

[OutlawLui]

$$$$$$$500$$$$$$$$$$$


or drift tax= $$$$$$$$$$$$$6000$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$


Stick to a HONDA

[JBrock78]

If everything checked out I'd pay 1000-1500 for it.. but if there were ANY major problems I'd probably pass on it....

[drpsnwbrdr]

In cali i was told by a non-enthuses that $1500 is the bottom dollar for any cars that pass smog, with that said, you are also on the east coast so maybe 0 rust is more important that smog (since smog is an easier fix than rust)?

I'd offer $1000-$1300 maybe the high end since its the nice grey I like but with a slipping clutch (IMHO clutch is an easier fix than paint/body) but if that paint is no bueno, $1000.

[ShadowDrifter]

2500 TOPS no more and that depends on the milage and whats done to the car whats new whats not and how long will it last you.

[Kuma]

If it was anything other than a 240sx, I'd say $1100 tops... But since these are overpriced, $1500-$1800 is fair if thats really all it needs is a clutch and not synchros or something.

[project-c2]

If A/C works. 2000.00

[nurvcom]

well when i got my 92 240sx vert no major body damage no leaks in top and all top works just few scratches and key mark on driver side and AC worked and all power stuff worked and had aftermarket deck and i payed 1600 delivered to my house :)

[garofalory]

$1800 seems fair...might want to try and squeeze a little more. I bought mine for $1500 and it had a LOT WRONG: electrical; autotragic (now 5spd); radio didn't work; alternator problems; crazy cancer paint; rust holes on the trunk; shitty tires; blown suspension...so you should be good.

[eek]

2K tops if the car has no major issues. With the cat and clutch issues, I would say $1200. $400 for clutch and flywheel resurface, then the rest for normal tune up stuff and hopefully you can find a used cat off another member for cheap. That's assuming you can do the work yourself and not have to pay a mechanic. Not to mention you can't even get the car to pass smog before you can even daily it. That's being generous for a SOHC. Shit for 3k you can get a s14 and if you add a lil more your looking at s13 that has a stock sr20 swap done.