Is a 99 OBW Worth Parting Out?

[JT95]

I picked up a 99 Outback wagon a couple years ago that had a crapped out engine and transmission. I got tired of fooling with it and don't really have time to continue the project, so I want to get the car out of the way and hopefully recapture a little of the cash I paid for it. I live in KY and there aren't really a lot of guys who wrench on project Subarus. The car is in the country, so a somewhat local salvage yard might offer me $100 for it. The title is good but is a "floating" title as I could never transfer it in my name because it wouldn't run to pass a state inspection required for title transfer.

 

I'd like to get $300 to 400 back out of the thing. Do you think I would have better luck parting it out or trying to sell it whole as a parts car? Are there enough people looking for used parts off a 99 OBW to make stripping it worth the effort? I've never tried parting a car out before, but in the area this car is parked, I can't see someone hauling it away whole for more than scrap metal price.

 

Just looking for some input for what would be better to do...

[Fairtax4me]

Put an ad in the for sale section for parts. There is probably plenty of good stuff still there. Whether you get $300 out of it depends. Most parts are worth more if they're known to be good at the time of sale. That's hard to do with engine parts on an engine that doesn't run, but you can strip all the various sensors off and try selling them. Things like the MAF, MAP, knock sensor, coil pack, etc.

 

Cylinder heads could be sold for a decent price if you take them off and have them pressure checked to be sure there are no cracks/bent valves.

 

Interior or body parts if in good condition can usually get a fair amount, all just depends on who's looking for what at the time.

[SubieDaddy80]

It also comes down to how long are you willing to have the car sit around in the yard or drive. I have parted out a few cars but thankfully I have plenty of property to just put them in the back corner and they are not an eye sore. You have to remember, it could take 2 weeks or 2 months to part a car out.

Just some food for thought!

[JT95]

Yeah, I don't want this to be a year-long process of taking parts off. I assume the shipping fees would prevent people from buying anything like the hood and hatch, etc. I have nothing but the rear end to sell as far as drivetrain. The 2.5 block was dealership replaced with a new Subaru block (but later issues with a head and crapped trans is what put the car for sale) so I am keeping the block and putting 2.2 heads on it for a torquer engine.

 

I guess I will advertise it for sale on the classifides and if there are no takers, strip some stuff off and have the junk man haul it away. My parents have a farm, so it is stored there, but I need to get rid of it. Obviously stuff like headlights and grille and tail lights are standard stuff to strip and sell.

 

 

I need to find someone wanting to make their Legacy into an Outback clone for cheap....lol.

 

Anyway, thanks for the feedback.

Edited July 27, 2010 by JT95

[Rooster2]

Yes, I have to agree with you, that you will be fortunate to get $100 from a wrecking yard. The yard will know that they will have trouble themselves parting out the car that is not in hot demand. Most likely you will only get scrap metal value.

 

When it comes to parting it out yourself, you have to think of yourself as a one man wrecking yard, that has only one car to part out. Yes, this can be done, but it is time consuming, as others have said, you will need to get some publicity to tell people what you have. List what you got on Craig's list under car parts, or on e-bay, or here at the USMB forum on the section listing cars and car parts for sale.

 

You may also want to consider donating the car to a charity organization like Goodwill Industries, that conducts car auctions to resell donated cars. You will only be able to get a charitable federal tax deduction in the amount that the car sold for at their car auction.

[johnceggleston]

99 was an odd duck year as far as an auto trans goes. basically it was a 00 - 04 auto trans which is different from 95 - 98. if the trans code number starts with TZ102Z2..... then it will take a 96 - 98 trans, not many 99 did.

 

but having said that, your best, easiest solution is to find someone who has wrecked, rolled over, their 99 outback and sell them the whole thing for $300. then you're done.

[nipper]

Put it in thr psrtd drcyion snd thr vultures will start circling.

 

 

BTW how are the seats?

[Fairtax4me]

Put it in thr psrtd drcyion snd thr vultures will start circling.

 

 

Do what now?!?

[nipper]

Do what now?!?

 

Put the car in the parts for sale section. Man i really have to stop practicing my touch typing.

 

The vultures will circle quickly.

[john in KY]

I live 40 miles from you and could be interested in the whole car if you can send me some photos.

[nipper]

I live 40 miles from you and could be interested in the whole car if you can send me some photos.

 

Told ya so

[JT95]

BTW how are the seats?

Cloth seats. Were in good shape from memory. (I think this car sat a couple years before I picked it up two years ago, so it hasn't been driven/used for some time.) If I part it out instead of sell whole, somebody can have the seats for free if picked up.

 

 

I live 40 miles from you and could be interested in the whole car if you can send me some photos.

 

I will get some photos this weekend. I thought I already had some, but can't locate them. The car is at my parents' place, which is near Russell Springs, KY.

 

The body is in good shape for pull parts. No collision damage, so all straight. Here's the stuff that is incomplete about it:

-The rear quarter glass on the driver's side is busted out. All other glass is good

-The engine and trans in it now will not be sold w/ the car, as they aren't OBW and will serve as spares for my daily driver OBS

-the factory alloy wheels were snagged by me to refinish and use as a spare set, but the car has the steel blah wheels on it

-the overhead map light/glasses compartment was snagged by me to install on my OBS

-the title goes w/ the car, but like I said, it's a floating title

 

 

My dad needed his garage space back, so the OBW went into the field. Cars sitting in fields deteriorate quickly, so I want to do something with this thing before fall.

Edited July 27, 2010 by JT95

[john in KY]

Car is located way too far from me to fool with. But you should have no problem selling it if listed on Craigslist. Nashville, Knoxville and Chattanooga are the 3 cities I would use.

[Qman]

I would be interested in a couple of electrical parts. Let me know by pm if you decide to part it please.