What to do??

[rage]

I`m currently in a bit of a dilema.

For reasons know only to me (at the moment), i`m currently selling my beloved c900 T16s

Its advertised on a uk based saab site for the time being and i`m having a bit of trouble. The car is superb, its got lots of goodies on it such as 16" aeros, whaletail, JT exhaust, 212bhp, it drives really well and looks amazing. Until, that is upon closer inspection where some of the clear coat lacquer has started to peel from the doors and rear 3/4 panels. I`ve owned this car for over 6 years and those bits don`t really bother me, it does however bother prospective buyers it seems. I had it up for £1250 and had quite a lot of interest, had a viewing and the guy was put off by these bits. I posted some pics of the offending peeling and no interest after that. It seems that for £1000-£1250 people want a brand new car

I`ve been to a local paintshop and it seems its not worth my while doing it up, cos the money i`d spend on it i wouldn`t get back. If i was keeping it then i would probably get it done.

I really don`t wanna rip the car apart and sell the good bits, but how many other options do i have short of letting her go for silly money?

[rage]

If anyone can`t find the thread on the other site please PM me and i`ll point you in the right direction.

More pics









It really is a shame, as anyone who`s seen her in the flesh will confirm. And she got the performance and noises to back up the looks.

[Jezzadee]

I've got a similar problem. The car handles like a dream, new gearbox, 190 bhp and pulls like a train, and a ruddy great hole in the wheelarch . A bodyshop here quoted me £400 to fix it, which I just can't justify. I was thinking when I sell it of asking about a grand but realistically I reckon a few hundred. Gutted, because I know in parts alone it's worth more than that.

Spot the difference:

[Chris 9-5]

You could both advertise your cars on here



Oh, you have already

[TheRedBaron]

rage - that cannot be the factory paint - is it?!?

[Si]

Jez, you could buy yourself a mig welder for half what they quoted you!

You could select a spot where the laquer is peeling, maybe a small pannel, then as gently as possible remove the peeling edge, mask of the whole pannel and use spray can laquer to relay it. If you can get your hands on a halogen heater you can use it to dry the laquer and get a flatter finish.

Cost £5-10, if it does'nt work you hav'nt really lost out.

[rage]

Originally Posted by TheRedBaron

rage - that cannot be the factory paint - is it?!?

Unfortunately it is.

Looks like this one is destined for ebay, or worse

[TheRedBaron]

Originally Posted by rage

Unfortunately it is.

Looks like this one is destined for ebay, or worse

Golly, I've only seen saab paint do that on an ng, never on a classic...

[honungsbi]

bummer you have to let it go. or do you really? seems you've made the decision... there was another on here that sold a car lately and the new owner parted it out and I'm sure is making good money on that. they were both on here talking about it actually.

[djtaylor]

You could always get out a tin of Hammerite and you wouldn't be the first one to do a nice brush finish!!

I know what you mean about the finish though. I sold my previous 9000. Good interior carpets and seat wise, engine was sound, drove really well but only sold for 500 quid and by the time i'd paid for the stuff to get it through its MOT, I made about 200 quid on the ebay sale.

The only reason I sold it was because it was taking up drive space, I would have been quite happy for it to sit there as a spare car for those moments when one of the main ones throws a wobbly and breaks something.

David.

[ragtopcav]

Originally Posted by rage

Looks like this one is destined for ebay, or worse

Most of my V6 went in bits via ebay.

I raised a lot of cash that solved some other problems; why sell a runner for peanuts? It could raise a lot more [though it will be a sad event for yourself, trust me on that] I got 2 more cars for less than I broke the V6 up for and I took the new suspension and tricked out brakes aside for its replacement. Now listing is at a pause [I'll try not to romote listings on the board with any active] have a look at how to present car parts...

Finished listing

Not bad for 14 year old car parts that have had a bit a fettling done in the past, then re-cleaned for the listing is it?

[Orca]

Jez - Just fix it and stop whining 400 quid ... honestly

Rage - Difficult one indeed, but I don't see any point in you spending money remedying the paint work for a potential buyer. Your buyer should do that. I don't think a grand is too much to ask, but you do need to sell it right. It's a 1500 quid car that you're letting go for a grand, leaving them the 500 quid to remedy the paintwork.

Why not strip the good bits, replace with common parts and let it go for 500 quid? Sell off the good bits to make up the rest. I know it's a shame, but if needs must?

[Matthew]

Jez - £400 now, leave it longer and it'll be more! Stitch in time and all that

[ragtopcav]

At the end of the day they are little more than rusty/manky cars coming to the end of their lives. They will always be structurally comprimised [eating into the otherwise good safety record] so they must go surely?

The demise of the rough diamonds will allow the finest examples to shine much brighter for sure.

Guaging value; recently a T16 5 door was for sale close to me, a late example [cannot recall reg. Very late 80's ?] the car was a manual and physically spotless black bodywork, all features functional but no leather - asking price £1250. Great price for an old shed with no rust or blemishes.

[Orca]

You don't like C900s, do you Raggy?

When it's all said and done, the C900 is worth about a grand ... that's about it, really. Some are worth more, but they do need to be spotless and faultless. Some of these that go for several thousand pounds, you have to think. Still, beauty is in the eye of the beholder and, really, one, two or three grand for an '80s classic is still a good purchase when a new car loses that every month, or so. Which reminds me ... I really do like those new Sportwagons

[VikingSpirit]

Attention Jezz and Rage.

I see you are both East Anglians, I myself will be back in Norfolk over easter and apparantly I'm quite good at bodywork repair:

http://www.saabcentral.com/forums/showpost.php?p=910164&postcount=110

If you take the initiative to buy a couple of rattle cans of Lemans blue (Jezz) and a couple of cans of clear laquer (both Jezz and Rage) I will happily volunteer to fix your bodywork maladies time and weather allowing. (will have to arrange a meeting place)

This is a charitable mission, you don't have to pay me anything, I enjoy it!

If you are interested PM me. Can I recommend purchasing the paints from www.paints4u.com or Autopaint international (NOT halfords their paints are rubbish!), the paint will be between £8-£10 a can.

Rage, don't sell the 900, what are thinking!?

[TheRedBaron]

Originally Posted by Orca

the C900 is worth about a grand

Not on saabnet!

[ragtopcav]

Originally Posted by Orca

You don't like C900s, do you Raggy?

That's not the angle I was coming from [I wouldn't say dislike, a phrase like I consider them over rated is accurate].
The reason the V6 went in pieces was nothing to do with its engine failing [easy swap and peanuts to buy] and everything to do with the body condition, it is this perspective I believe we need to maintain when considering the fate of an old car we have.
When you think about it, the primary plaudits of the old one is its handling, styling and safety [in that order]; once the body starts to crumble handling starts to fail as the alignment under load is affected, styling means nought if it looks rough and weak shells with poor chassis hard points knocks safety off the ball park completely. I've not seen Rage's car close up and it could be entirely cosmetic [I'd DIY repair that paintjob TBH] but if it goes beyond skin deep

No matter what, if you've had fun and good times with a motor car they can be difficult to part with, it's like the iron has a memory.

[Orca]

Originally Posted by ragtopcav

That's not the angle I was coming from [I wouldn't say dislike, a phrase like I consider them over rated is accurate].

I know ... I was having a laugh while I typed

I can understand where you come from, but for me, the C900 is my absolute dream, ideal car. More than a Porsche, more than a Ferrari, more than a Lambo - it's quite retarded, I know, but seeing that white bodykitted thing come burbling by when I was a teenager, I just knew that was the car for me. I own my dream car - how lucky am I? I've spent a silly amount of money on my car and yes, there have been better examples to do up and better cars I could have bought. I have always justified it by the loss I've made on every car I've owned - until my first C900, I had new cars every time ... and lost thousands and thousands ... my C900s have been nothing but joy - even when they run like lame moose

I'm sure when I come to sell 'Orca', I'll be passing a legacy of love and probably only get a grand, or so, but as our French cousins say, c'est la vie. I hope I don't have to sell before I'm ready, which seems to be where Rage is ... let's hope they take our friend Theo up on his offer of cosmetic surgery on both his and Jezza's cars; both seem to be fairly straight-forward - just need the right skills.

[pda]

Jezza your car has had that nasty wheel arch ever since you owned it remember me telling you about years ago

YOU LOVE YOUR X-LPT so just fix it there are plenty of body shops that will do & make it look like new, at the end of the day its only money!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Paul, don't sell it just keep it. its a very nice example of a T16S


thats my 2p


Paul

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Overkill is consistently more fun........................................