Found, '93Q45 for sale, worth it?

[miteymax86]

Bored, and perusing the local paper, found a '93Q45, black, 159K on the clock, $5K. Worth it? Is my insurance company gonna rape me on it? Aaaaaaaaaaand, since it's a V8 what kind of mileage can I expect/can I get turbos for it? (Yeah, I know I could've found most of this stuff by searching, and will, but I thought I'd do an all inclusive thread)

[Q45tech]

Before spending $5,000 on a 10 year old car with 159k you have to determine, what condition it really is in!Buying a machine that has been abused and not maintained to a higher than dealer standard from day one will be much much more expensive in that most of the subsystems have exceeded their useful life.

Michigan is not the usual place to buy a high mileage used car [due to salt damage]. Most people look to California, Arizona across to the SouthEast as places to buy used!

Spending $5,000 [to purchase] is just the opportunity to spend $5,000-$15,000 more soon..........the question is how soon.

Without a working engine a 1996Q is only worth $1500 same with all previous years! If valve covers have not been resealed they will need to be, if plenum hoses and knock sensors have not been changed they will need to be, if injectors have not been changes Some will need to be........all in all engine R&R might be $2000-$3,000 if internally it is in good shape [and this might not be true].A 159k transmission is working on a prayer, same with drive shaft and AC system.

Shocks, suspension, brakes, driveshaft, AC, cooling

Create a spread sheet listing the know replacements and costs.

The worst prebuy inspection we did resulted in a needed $9,000 for repairs to bring ride/performance back to CLOSE TO new but these were OLD Q but in the 120k range.

TEN years old and 159k is not an easy combo but then again it is better than 13 years old............but the Michigan enviroment SCARES me as I know what the BENIGN Atlanta area does to them.

We are currently working on a 92Q [128k] to bring it back [for an owner [who bought it new] who wants to give it to daughter as a college car????]Three days and $3900 plus a list of another $2200 that will be need and hopefully the car will make it till summer break......the owner had spent liberally at the dealer with ac and coolant system work...............but the transmission is black.

[Q45tech]

Trade-in Private Party Dealer Retail Base Price $4,505 $5,514 $7,195 Optional Equipment $47 $58 $87 Color Adjustment $-3 $-4 $-5 Regional Adjustment $18 $22 $29 Mileage Adjustment $-1,917 $-1,917 $-1,917 Condition Adjustment $-605 $-727 $-921 Total $2,045 $2,946 $4,468

Edmunds says this car might be worth $3,000 in Atlanta note the $2,000 deduction for high miles.............the dealer would give $2,000 as a trade in real [real not inflated to make a new sale]

THE SAME PARAMETERS FOR A 1995 Q:Trade-in Private Party Dealer Retail Base Price $8,016 $9,297 $11,431 Optional Equipment $68 $80 $111 Color Adjustment $-12 $-14 $-17 Regional Adjustment $23 $27 $33 Mileage Adjustment $-2,345 $-2,345 $-2,345 Condition Adjustment $-803 $-913 $-1,090 Total $4,947 $6,132 $8,123

[Q45tech]

Always remember the rule: Each 3 years halves the new MSRP assuming 12,000 miles per year $45k MSRP, $22k [3], $11k [6], $5.5k[9years]. So the 93 [probably made late 92 or very very early 93 is 10 years old so somewhere less than $5.5k and more than the $2750 a 12 year old car would bring......dividing the difference says $4600 less the mileage!

AND each mile beyond the norm deducts 7 cents per mile!Multiply this 7 x 52k [above 108k] tells you the car needs $3700 of work at minimum. {the industry average assumes average cost but Q cost twice as much due to parts labor cost].

If it was me I would asssume 15 cents per mile over 12k/yr as that has proved to be the Q specific average HISTORICAL R&R costs.......that would reduce the endmunds price in each colum by a net of $2,000.

The problem is the car is worth $1000-$1500 as a junker for parts$3,000 seems a good compromise for buyer and seller!

People pay more than they should for a car 99% of the time how else could there be a $3,000 difference between trade in and retail.

By the way the condition adjustment is the dealers cost to repair simple cosmetic things to sell the car as is! Detailing, a new battery, new cheapo tires, leather cleaning, touch up paint and labor..........they won't buy them with body damage or one that needs much work to flip.

The 2nd and 3rd tier used and " buy here pay here lots" get the junk to palm off on some poor unsuspecting person.