What's my car worth?

[AKnowles]

Just for my two cents worth, I puleld up a KBB of about 15K. KBB does not include all the modifications, and as a buyer (when I purcahse a vehicle as I recently did), it wouldn't matter to me. To a delaer, it wouldn't matter at all (most of them anyway). I mean you often hear about various modification, new tires, etc., but these are all upgrades to required components. For example, a car without tires will not sell at the sticker price. You'd have to drop the price significantly or put new tires on it prior to the sale. After all how many car purchasers will buy at car at the top dollar asking price with bad tires knowing they will have to sink the money in it before they can even drive it?

The same goes for most of the suspension modifications, radio/navigation modifications, and the like. As an owner, you tricked out the car the way you like it. But to a buyer it rarely matters. If you want to sell it to a buyer that will appreciate the modifications and pay the extra $$$ then you have seriously limited the number of potential buyers for your car. That means more time amswering phone calls - for those that call, more time putting up with questions for a lower price since they don't care/appreciate the mods, etc.

If you want to get any $$$ for the modifications, it would be best to restore it to stock condition and sell the mods seperately. Of course, that too is a lot of hassle and may not be worth your time/effort. It's call you'll have to make.

PS: I sunk $8000 in my Ford Escape for a new (brand new with 3 year factory warrenty) engine and another $1300 for an AC unit because I really liked the car and it had no issues for 7 years aside from basic maintnenace (about $200 a year). I got over 140,000 miles on the stock brake pads & rotors for example. I plan to keep the car until it dies. To no one else - including a dealer - does the repalcement engine have any value at all other than the fact the car moves when you press the gas petal. It's not even a major selling point or trade in consideration.

[thstone]

Originally Posted by AKnowles

Just for my two cents worth, I puleld up a KBB of about 15K.

Originally Posted by Porsche Chick

Yes, just pull it up on kbb.com.

Its important to remember that KBB online does not provide a listing of all of the available factory options (e.g. M030 suspension, Litronics, PSM, heated seats, etc, etc). Thus, KBB online should only be used a general guide. To get a more accurate valuation, take the KBB online value and add on the unaccounted factory options.