aaronxs400 Posted December 20, 2010 Share Posted December 20, 2010 The car has 39k on it. All original> I need to do some slight bondo work on the rocker panels and rear fender wheels. I am a person who cant leave anything stock. I love the fact that this car has such low mileage and will probably last me 15 years. Because of the low mileage im unsure if i want to tinker with it (like round headlight conversion, manual tranny/awd swap, etc.) so that being said...if i get the body work done and get this car to a 9 out of 10, what would it be worth? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idosubaru Posted December 20, 2010 Share Posted December 20, 2010 with those kinds of details no one will buy it and it's not worth more than scrap prices. i can infer some things by your comments but year, auto, manual, FWD, AWD, EA81, EA82, turbo, non turbo.... if this is one of the models with only 5 digits, how do they verify that it's only actually 39,000 miles and not 139,000 or more? i've wondered that because you see them all the time listed with low mileage....but i know all of them don't actually have that low of mileage. saw one for sale today actually, a 1983 GL10. a really nice 1983 Turbo GL10 wagon automatic was just listed on here for $2,500 and sold very quickly so I'm assuming the final price was close to that. You could find that thread to see. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heartless Posted December 20, 2010 Share Posted December 20, 2010 honestly - car values are dependant on location, desirabilty, condition and finding the right person to buy that car. around me, that car wouldnt be worth much more than scrap price, nobody wants an old Subaru around here...not even a low mileage one (with the exceptions being myself & my other half LOL but we are they type to seek out the cheap ones - never paid more than $300 for any of our Subarus, drivers or parts cars, and there have been a few that have passed thru here) on the rare occasion I see a Subaru in a used car lot around here, usually an Outback, the price is often way more than it should be for this area and the car will sit there for months. so, "value" is completely subjective - might be worth a lot to you, but not so much to the next person... FWIW - the rockers are a structural part of these car - if they are showing rust, i dont know as I would mess around w/bondo - they should really have the rust cut completely out and new metal put back in...:-\ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
987687 Posted December 20, 2010 Share Posted December 20, 2010 Most places you won't pass inspection with bondo'd rockers. If I had the car, I'd just drive it. Take it for what it is. If you want a manual, swap it, if you want 4wd, swap it. As a 4wd 5speed it would probably be worth more than an automatic anyway. These old autos kinda suck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aaronxs400 Posted December 20, 2010 Author Share Posted December 20, 2010 the rust that is on the rockers is paint only, it is NOT through holes or anything of the sort. i would say its right at that stage where another hard winter of salt would start producing through holes. I am ok with fixing the rust that is on it without welding in new rockers...I just came from owning 3 escorts...have you ever seen how one of those rusts out? i live in rural ohio...whats an inspection? no echeck, no inspection, nothing here. If you look at the car you can tell it only has 35k on it, or someone has taken really good care of it. The rust is simply due to rough ohio winters, the amount of rust on it would indicate maybe 10 years of ohio winter driving. not 27. it is a 1983, automatic, ea81, FWD. i hate the tranny already, other then that i love it. the interior is a 9/10. the paint (beside the rust) is in great condition. when you pop the hood, besides a little bit of grime, it looks fantastic. If i had any indication that it was a 6 digit car i pry wouldnt of bought it. It is one of the best running care I have ever drove. That being said...I didnt think the value of these was really all that high. They are not common around here at all. In fact up until this car I have never seen any subaru around here older then a first generation outback or impreza. Welll I will continue on with my plan of doing the body work and getting the exterior sorted out. If I decide to modify the car come spring time maybe ill throw some pictures up and see if you guys think it is in too good of condition to mess with or if i should whip out the tube bender and tig welder and go crazy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aaronxs400 Posted December 20, 2010 Author Share Posted December 20, 2010 you guys tell me.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aaronxs400 Posted December 20, 2010 Author Share Posted December 20, 2010 see that spot of rust on the rear wheel well? thats about how bad it is on the rockers. not spungy...just no paint. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idosubaru Posted December 20, 2010 Share Posted December 20, 2010 looks like a legit 37k. i was asking how to tell because i did see one listed yesterday - actually it was in Ohio ironically enough with low mileage. in general it's not hard to find a buyer for $1,000 for any car that runs without major issues. the more you want to get out of it the longer you'll probably have to wait to find the right buyer looking for one. the FWD and auto won't help as as value is concerned. i would think it'd be much easier to get $2,000 without the auto. * But - There is a very unpredictable market for low mileage cars. If I were wanting to make something I'd probably try Subaru forums really quick and then give ebay a try. There's some real novelty loving people out there that will pay for low mileage, it's a small market but they'll pay high dollar for low mileage stuff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aaronxs400 Posted December 20, 2010 Author Share Posted December 20, 2010 where did you see the low mile car in ohio at? what site? i guess it boils down to this... is it worth more to me to get this car in as good as condition as i can and sell it for a max value of maybe $2k and buy a higher mileage older subaru or am i better off keeping it and putting 250,000 miles on it myself. i know this thing will last forever if I keep the maintence up. That being said...I will have close to $800 in it i imagine when its all said and done. I got it for $500 plus 2 scrap escorts ,they were literally going to the scrap yard, but i had $0 in them. I am replacing some small maintence stuff like plug wires, distributer parts, and it looks like an alternator as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idosubaru Posted December 20, 2010 Share Posted December 20, 2010 MU HAAAA HAAA!!!!! Actually it's your car! I didn't really pay much attention when I was plugging around before, just recalled seeing it amongst the many others I looked at and I'm not familiar with those older ones so I glance over them. I'll be traveling to that area Wednesday, Massillon, OH. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turbone Posted December 20, 2010 Share Posted December 20, 2010 where did you see the low mile car in ohio at? what site? i guess it boils down to this... is it worth more to me to get this car in as good as condition as i can and sell it for a max value of maybe $2k and buy a higher mileage older subaru or am i better off keeping it and putting 250,000 miles on it myself. i know this thing will last forever if I keep the maintence up. That being said...I will have close to $800 in it i imagine when its all said and done. I got it for $500 plus 2 scrap escorts ,they were literally going to the scrap yard, but i had $0 in them. I am replacing some small maintence stuff like plug wires, distributer parts, and it looks like an alternator as well. Do yourself a BIG favor and replace the alternator with a NEW one, not refurbished. I say this because of the digidash in your car. Any spike or bad fluctuation in voltage will fry the regulator in the dash and render it useless. Finding another one that works is impossible and even repairing the original is extremely difficult. Your car is worth what the market will bear. If its sold on the east coast, it will go for more as there arent to many in that good of shape there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flowmastered87GL Posted December 21, 2010 Share Posted December 21, 2010 being that its 2WD and auto... I honestly would not pay more than $1000 for it. Especially since its NOT rust free (yes I know no holes, but I am on the west coast) I could care less about the miles as its kind of a mid low.... its not 4 digits so its not super low. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aaronxs400 Posted December 21, 2010 Author Share Posted December 21, 2010 I have looked closer at my car and the body is slightly rougher then I though..not to far gone but it is gonna take just a little bit more work. That being said...i now feel comfortable doing modifications to this car. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bheinen74 Posted December 22, 2010 Share Posted December 22, 2010 hard to say a value if rust thru rot exists on the frame a good possiblity due to where this car was driven that would not make it very valuable. Ido see some rot on the rear quarter, that will become a huge hole once sanded/grinded the rust away. The bad rust is usually under these cars. Definitely, if you have a fully working digi dash that might be worth a little. most of these died long years back on the digi function. only 2wd, not gonna get a whole premium, but someone who wanted a good 30mpg grocery getter would probably pay between 1500 and 2250 for one assuming new tires, new belts, new hoses. That stuff rots after that many years. You could easily put as much into this as its worth. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Idasho Posted December 22, 2010 Share Posted December 22, 2010 looks like a legit 37k. Possibly. but I really doubt it. My '84 is damn near the same car, but cleaner, and it has 130k By the way, what designates it as a GL-10? Besides the badge of course. Mine has the digital dash as well, but it is just a GL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aaronxs400 Posted December 22, 2010 Author Share Posted December 22, 2010 what do you want me to do...scan all the service records that came with the car? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aaronxs400 Posted December 22, 2010 Author Share Posted December 22, 2010 And Ive read where Idaho uses gravel not salt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moosens Posted December 25, 2010 Share Posted December 25, 2010 Don't sweat the crappy opinions. I've owned a couple true to life "old lady" cars. What you will find now still showing up are just that. Typically FWD automatic 1.8 anywhere from the mid 70's thru the 80's. Same situation here. One of our cars had only 32K when we bought it around 2000/2001 but it had the typical rust/rot where Subaru used foam strips at the underside of the fender tops against the upper supports. Also had one minor hole on the passenger side front wheel arch. But it was a legit. 32K car. No doubt that old lady had to use it occassionally in the winter. Maybe was parked outside for the last 10+ years too. All sorts of probabilities that'd make it look like the other guy's wagon with 130k who lives in a different climate than you and I do. Good luck. It's pretty tempting , for my wife's ride , not mine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Idasho Posted December 25, 2010 Share Posted December 25, 2010 My post was not to challenge, or to stir thing up. I was simply showing an example how mileage doesnt always tell the whole story. As for mileage accuracy, with an old car like this, unless it REALLY looks the part of a super low mileage car, Id venture to guess it isnt. Stupid simple things happen that can effect the accuracy of the mileage. Speedo cable gets disconnected/breaks, cluster is replaced due to failure.... etc. Im not saying that any of this is the case, but it is always possible. And having records certainly helps. And Ive read where Idaho uses gravel not salt. My car was not from Idaho. It came from WA. They use everything. Salt, de-icer, cinders, etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moosens Posted December 25, 2010 Share Posted December 25, 2010 Realx kid , don't take my comment personally , and WA just started using the crap recently accoring to about several thousand people here. aaron , does the driver's side door panel still have the warning sticker on it? Show us the pedals and carpet around it. Some signs of low mileage are very obvious. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aaronxs400 Posted December 25, 2010 Author Share Posted December 25, 2010 yes, it does it have the warning sticker! i will try to get some pics up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moosens Posted December 25, 2010 Share Posted December 25, 2010 yes, it does it have the warning sticker! Bingo! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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