Searched this but couldn't find any info. So here's the situation: I found a 93 240sx FB with 161K on the clock in SoCal. I ran the VIN on carfax and its clean, never failed smog, and has had only 1 reported owner. From the picture I was provided, it looks unmodified. The seller is asking for $4400. Blue book value says $2900 if in good condition (factoring in zip code and mileage), $2600 if in fair condition. I don't have cash. . . I'll be paying with an NFCU pre-approved draft (good as cash, though). I'm going to look at the car tonight.
My questions:From any of your experience (as buyer or seller. . .theories are welcome), why is the asking price so high?
Where should be my starting price for bargaining (is $2000 low-balling?) start assuming that the car is good to go?
How willing would you be (again from buyer/seller experience) to bargain with a buyer who has a bank approved draft vs. cash?
I appreciate the discussion and input. . .slopoke.
Buying a 240sx FB
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Kyo Kusanagi
- Posts: 164
- Joined: Thu Feb 03, 2005 8:28 pm
- Car: 1995 240SX SE
Re: Buying a 240sx FB (slopoke)
First, you gotta know if he takes cash or not. Some people like me will only take cash up front. In my experience when i was buying my 240, people read too much damn super street magazines and watching too much initial d to begin with. Just because a car can drift, doesn't mean squat. Thats why the price is so high also its because 240's are rare now.
I won't pay anymore than $3500 for that car.
I won't pay anymore than $3500 for that car.
to me it really depends on the condition
id pay 5k for bone stock with a perfect brand new looking body. i mean people pay 5-10k for s14s s13s to me are much better. the year increases its value. 2500-3500 is about right for a 91-93 fastback. if ur lucky in california 2k anything under 2k would only be 89-90 and tends to be coupe/not running/red.
well u cant just go up to the guy and say its too expensive 2k take it or leave it. with that style. you can put the #s aside then look interested check out the car here and there and when he askes for ur price you can low ball a little. and you can say 161k is like 40k over high miles etc. there are plenty of 240s around california though. look at recycler usually autotrader is higher priced i dunno why
240 is a good car but its getting old. lots of stuff will go wrong sooner or later. lots of rubber is gonna break, mafs gonna go nuts, o2 sensor gonna go nuts too, radiator is about to --- too, even though its a good car its costly to replace everything.
so we owners just drive it until something breaks then replace lol. it gets a little tedious like every month or 2 something little happens, a squeak or something goes. lol one day ill be able to restore the car to brand new ...
ignore blue book. its about trend haha. the 240 in like 89 was stickered at like 13-15k something like that so think about it. how can blue book price it at like 3-4k... for a 15 year old car? its not like its a limited edition ferrarri or something. the value wont go up.
id pay 5k for bone stock with a perfect brand new looking body. i mean people pay 5-10k for s14s s13s to me are much better. the year increases its value. 2500-3500 is about right for a 91-93 fastback. if ur lucky in california 2k anything under 2k would only be 89-90 and tends to be coupe/not running/red.
well u cant just go up to the guy and say its too expensive 2k take it or leave it. with that style. you can put the #s aside then look interested check out the car here and there and when he askes for ur price you can low ball a little. and you can say 161k is like 40k over high miles etc. there are plenty of 240s around california though. look at recycler usually autotrader is higher priced i dunno why
240 is a good car but its getting old. lots of stuff will go wrong sooner or later. lots of rubber is gonna break, mafs gonna go nuts, o2 sensor gonna go nuts too, radiator is about to --- too, even though its a good car its costly to replace everything.
so we owners just drive it until something breaks then replace lol. it gets a little tedious like every month or 2 something little happens, a squeak or something goes. lol one day ill be able to restore the car to brand new ...
ignore blue book. its about trend haha. the 240 in like 89 was stickered at like 13-15k something like that so think about it. how can blue book price it at like 3-4k... for a 15 year old car? its not like its a limited edition ferrarri or something. the value wont go up.
Update:Looked at the car not too long ago. Thing looks good to go. Original paint, no rust, frame straight, no accidents. No modifications except an Exedy clutch, Pioneer deck and infinity speakers. Purrs like a truck engine.
I actually showed up 30 mins early to our agreed time so that I would be able to see if the car was being prepped before I came and I overestimated traffic. Overall, I spent an hour and a half looking at the car and driving it. I think I was also able establish a good rapport with the seller. I had my bank draft ready to go in the event us coming to an agreement. But then of course there are my caveats:
Head gasket possibly blown. Before driving the car you could see what may have been oil that leaked from the area and trickled down and has been there. Smudgy. Owner admits to leak, but says that what he does is just add a quart of oil between oil changes to keep levels up.--->Possible he's been avoilding replacing the head gasket for awhile.
Power steering fluid leaking. I can't source the location of the leak because of time restraints, but the fluid is making its way down to the bottom. . .Yes, I checked. Leaking evident and is even present on the sway bar.
Drivers side lap belt won't return to retracted position and auto shoulder belt will not lock when pulled. (My remedy? 4 pt. racing harness anyway, so np)
Oil. Checked level and is decent, but needs change. . .like yesterday. All other fluids are up, but past the "full" marking. He seemed paranoid about breaking down (was his dd, hence no mods, etc). For noobs reading. . .beyond full is not better than at the full mark.
Integrity. What do I mean? I said I showed up 30 mins earlier, right? I saw where the car was parked in the carport (apartment complex) before he got home--I waited about 10-15 mins before he showed up. He brought the car out to the front of the complex. When I asked him about the leak, I also asked to see where the car was parked so I could see what droppings were left. He showed me a different spot. . .uncovered parking spot. Well intentioned because he may have parked in that uncovered spot regularly, but apparently the car was not there earlier and possibly the night before.
So I ask him how low he is willing to go on this car. Stated no lower than $4000. I said its unreasonable for me to purchase this car for $4000 and spend more on replacing parts and troubleshooting (who knows what else is lying under the smudge?). I showed him my print out of Blue Book value adjusted with mileage and zip code. Offered him $2500 as a starting point, but he seemed firm on $4000. His justification for the price of the car? Popularity and cult following. BS. . .that does not offset my caveats.
p.s. DAMN this ended up being long. . .sorry. good read though! (i think)
I actually showed up 30 mins early to our agreed time so that I would be able to see if the car was being prepped before I came and I overestimated traffic. Overall, I spent an hour and a half looking at the car and driving it. I think I was also able establish a good rapport with the seller. I had my bank draft ready to go in the event us coming to an agreement. But then of course there are my caveats:
Head gasket possibly blown. Before driving the car you could see what may have been oil that leaked from the area and trickled down and has been there. Smudgy. Owner admits to leak, but says that what he does is just add a quart of oil between oil changes to keep levels up.--->Possible he's been avoilding replacing the head gasket for awhile.
Power steering fluid leaking. I can't source the location of the leak because of time restraints, but the fluid is making its way down to the bottom. . .Yes, I checked. Leaking evident and is even present on the sway bar.
Drivers side lap belt won't return to retracted position and auto shoulder belt will not lock when pulled. (My remedy? 4 pt. racing harness anyway, so np)
Oil. Checked level and is decent, but needs change. . .like yesterday. All other fluids are up, but past the "full" marking. He seemed paranoid about breaking down (was his dd, hence no mods, etc). For noobs reading. . .beyond full is not better than at the full mark.
Integrity. What do I mean? I said I showed up 30 mins earlier, right? I saw where the car was parked in the carport (apartment complex) before he got home--I waited about 10-15 mins before he showed up. He brought the car out to the front of the complex. When I asked him about the leak, I also asked to see where the car was parked so I could see what droppings were left. He showed me a different spot. . .uncovered parking spot. Well intentioned because he may have parked in that uncovered spot regularly, but apparently the car was not there earlier and possibly the night before.
So I ask him how low he is willing to go on this car. Stated no lower than $4000. I said its unreasonable for me to purchase this car for $4000 and spend more on replacing parts and troubleshooting (who knows what else is lying under the smudge?). I showed him my print out of Blue Book value adjusted with mileage and zip code. Offered him $2500 as a starting point, but he seemed firm on $4000. His justification for the price of the car? Popularity and cult following. BS. . .that does not offset my caveats.
p.s. DAMN this ended up being long. . .sorry. good read though! (i think)
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streetspirit7
- Posts: 559
- Joined: Thu Mar 18, 2004 8:35 pm
- Car: '97 240sx
Wait for a good deal, I bought my 89 with an excellent interior and decent body for $500, just a bad transmission, and that was after the 240 became popular again. Also I bought my S14 for just $3000, perfect inside and out, but that was about four years ago before all the hype. My opinion let this guy take someone else for a sucker, and check the classifieds on here, you can deffinatly find a better deal there.