When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
I have two SC4s, a 1993 that is a driver/tuner and a 1994 that is a parts car. The '93 has 130k miles and runs well, but has several of the usual problems. A/C doesn't blow cold, fan blows on high all the time. Needs motor mounts. Steering wheel position system needs fixing, power antenna doesn't work, headlights have condensation, etc. I've looked on these and other forums on how to fix all of these, but I'm ready to bail. What's a fair price for the pair? I'm in Seattle.
Im not sure what the prices are in Seattle but here in Tampa, FL a 93 with 130k would probably go for about 3-4k for a clean example without major issues. The AC is whats going to drag the price down for you. In florida it gets super hot so thats especially true but i know seattle is much milder on climate so you might lose a potential 900 to 1k for a non functioning ac. With that being said, the rest of the issues are very easy to fix and ive done most of them myself. If you like the car i would say keep it and fix it up. Motor mounts are easy to do in your garage. Headlights probably need to be rebaked with new sealant. its a bit of a pain to do but isn't crazy difficult. Just make sure the oven you use is electric and not a gas oven. When you say 'steering wheel position system' are you talking about the clock spring or alignment? either are easy to fix but alignment is more expensive. As for the power antenna. I unplugged that thing the second i bought my car. Even when lowered it has no problem picking up signal and i don't get the annoying noise from it going up and down every time i get in and out of the car. Not to mention my car doesnt look like someone is controlling it with a remote some distance away lol
Side note. Due to the current situation in the world and country, the used car market is kind of dead. Nobody wants to buy a car when they are barely driving. If you do decide to sell it and want to maximize the amount of money you get from it, wait for the virus to pass and then wait for the inevitable burst of sales to pass as well unless youre willing to compete with the prices. You can still list it, but don't get discouraged if it doesnt sell
I agree with all of the above, but ... I did just sell a vehicle (1 day) and a trailer (3 days) this week, in separate transactions. (Totaled nearly 50% of what I figure to make over the next year with pandemic losses, which is simultaneously encouraging and depressing.) So, people are buying if it's something desirable.
However, the OP's state of mind -- ready to bail -- is going to be impossible to ignore by prospective buyers. They're going to see a money pit of a car with a reputation for needing a lot of maintenance. Like V said, none of those problems are major issues, but the impression they give is bad. I suspect you'll get offers around $1k. And the parts car has no value to 99.9% of buyers. Honestly, it's negative value to most people. Few will want to take that off your hands. Better to find a junkyard that'll give you $100 for the scrap.
The options I see are: a) dump it for minimal return, b) fix it up and get full value, or c) fix it up and decide it's worth keeping at that point.
Thanks for responding to my angst. I recovered. I junked the '94, and will keep the '93 as a hobby. Fixed the headlights (and taillights) and the steering wheel mechanism. Turns out there's a Lexus tech bulletin for converting the AC to 134a, I'll have a shop do that. Then chip away at the other stuff. The car has more value to me as a fun driver and hobby than I could ever get by selling it.
Enjoy it! On a side note, my '17 Malibu hybrid daily driver was rear-ended about a month ago. I dropped it off at the body shop yesterday for the repair. Since I have the SC, I'm driving that instead of getting a rental.
So, as I was chipping away at my '93 SC4, a '92 showed up at a local dealer. 35k original miles. I pulled the string. This thing is pristine, lived in a garage, and passed a detailed inspection. Probably paid too much, but what the hell. Now what am I going to do with my time?
So, as I was chipping away at my '93 SC4, a '92 showed up at a local dealer. 35k original miles. I pulled the string. This thing is pristine, lived in a garage, and passed a detailed inspection. Probably paid too much, but what the hell. Now what am I going to do with my time?
--
What to do? Same as I do, since I like driving my current 3ISc so much, drive around for fun. I remember back 63 years ago with my first car. I just drove for fun--no where in particular--just drove around.