Selling used Subarus

[ThosL]

How do others figure what to list their cars at on Craigslist or other online site?  My 99 Outback with the blown head gaskets probably is not worth that much though most of the vehicle is sound even with 300K miles on it.  I figure a mechanic spending 12 or so hours on it with the new head gaskets and a few other used parts could have a $2K vehicle or so.  How do people here price problem vehicles?

[jp98]

For a problem vehicle I would figure out what it is worth without the problem and then start deducting for the problems. 

 

Blown head gaskets can be fairly inexpensive to take care of if you do it yourself or expensive if you have a garage or dealer take care of them. 

 

So if you figure that your vehicle is worth $2K with everything working you might be able to get $500-$1000 out of it if everything else is good.

 

If you are planning on selling it put the price high and then see what others are offering you.  You may have to drop the price some to sell it.

Edited March 31, 2016 by jp98

[ThosL]

Thanks for the advice; many people get discouraged by dire diagnostics from repair shops, that it will cost so much it is not worth fixing, etc.. I was offered $300 the other day by a guy who stopped by with his hispanic mechanic.  Junkyards are offering $100 for metal value generally.

[Numbchux]

Paying a shop to do Head Gaskets can easily get to $2k, especially if it needs ANYTHING else (head work, timing components/covers, power steering something....there's a lot of things that could come up with the engine out).

 

With the Head Gaskets blown, it can't be test driven. So from a buyer's perspective, there's no way to know that it's got a good transmission, suspension, brakes, bearings, etc. etc. And it will have to be picked up with a trailer.

 

So now your talking about a maybe $2k car that needs at least $2k. So it's value is probably similar to scrap. A few hundred bucks.

 

 

Now, I see your in New England...I've been lead to believe that you guys have some serious rust issues on cars. So, if it's a solid shell, that could drive it's value up, regardless of the miles. But it could still potentially be a money pit.

[idosubaru]

look what things are selling for on ebay, craigslist, autotrader.  if you come in just below those prices - it'll usually sell quick. 

 

300k cars with blown headgaskets are worth little more than scrap.  even in superb condition with leather and immaculate i'd be surprised to get $500 for it unless you just get really lucky with a 17 year old salivating over his first Subaru. 

 

i just searched a local site and found a blown 2000 EJ25 for $500 (after I typed that last sentence).   but it is a 2000 and newer generation so they're easier to sell. more than likely they'd take less than $500 and it doesn't have 300k on it though it didn't say. 

$650, 100,000 less miles, and doesn't need an engine in western MA:   https://westernmass.craigslist.org/cto/5494531564.html

$499 and it runs and drives:  https://westernmass.craigslist.org/pts/5502604192.html

 

if you're trying to get lucky and get a huge price tag on what is a low valued car - plan on listing it for a long time and hoping to find that sucker willing to pay more than the average person.  so in some ways it's waiting for someone who is desperate and wants a really bad deal.  most people will know better or maaaaybe you'll get lucky finding a Subaru loving retired guy bored and just wanting a cheap Subaru down the street.  in that case sometimes selling local is better - people shopping on craigslist, ebay are genearlly a little more savy with pricing and seeing what everything else is selling for (like listings above and hundreds more like them). 

[ThosL]

Paying a shop to do Head Gaskets can easily get to $2k, especially if it needs ANYTHING else (head work, timing components/covers, power steering something....there's a lot of things that could come up with the engine out).

 

With the Head Gaskets blown, it can't be test driven. So from a buyer's perspective, there's no way to know that it's got a good transmission, suspension, brakes, bearings, etc. etc. And it will have to be picked up with a trailer.

 

So now your talking about a maybe $2k car that needs at least $2k. So it's value is probably similar to scrap. A few hundred bucks.

 

 

Now, I see your in New England...I've been lead to believe that you guys have some serious rust issues on cars. So, if it's a solid shell, that could drive it's value up, regardless of the miles. But it could still potentially be a money pit.

 

Actually it has EJ22 engine, hard to know if head gaskets would make it whole, but probably would be good for 50K plus more.  It is driveable for 20 plus miles or so, slow leak.  I listed it at $595 OBO.

Edited March 31, 2016 by ThosL

[golucky66]

Just so you know, I live here in NW corner of CT and I sold (4 years ago) a very clean well cared for 98' Outback (same engine) that had no HG issues for $1600. I was asking 2k for it. So agreed with a few posters, unfortunately, for a non-subaru person who can't work on the car themselves, it's a very hard sell because they won't be able to tell what else is wrong with it because they can't drive it. Unless the buyer is knowledgeable about cars, they will rarely buy a non derivable car. And for those who are, typically don't buy non running cars either(but are more likely to because they might be able to fix it themselves). The situation you're in it sounds like your ideal buyer is a forum member, or a random person who is very knowledgeable with subaru's. 

 

Where in NE are you located anyways?

Edited March 31, 2016 by golucky66

[lmdew]

With the high mileage if you get $500 for it, take it.

 

Think, if the person who buy is puts a 2.2 in it and takes care of everything else that it needs (Shocks, Brakes, Struts...) and then try's to sell it what would you pay for a 99 with 300K on it?  If they get $2500 they would be lucky.  If they put $1000 in parts into it and their time they are about breaking even.

 

I use to pay up to $1200 for a 97-99 Outback in otherwise good condition.  Now I'm not picking them up unless they are in the $500-600 range.

 

I love working on Subaru's but have to at least break even at $20 an hour for labor.

[ThosL]

Heck, if I had any competence in mechanics, I would fix it up and sell it.  I'm around Norwalk a friend in Old Lyme would let me work on it there, but I am not qualified, I would have a basketcase.  Maybe a film company could use it in a scene where it gets to be part of a demolition mayhem scene, or drive it over a cliff; I'm not sure if they use Subarus for that though.