How to determine a fair asking price 1995 850GLT?

Tryst · Post by **Tryst** » 16 Apr 2020, 12:21

Hi All, How do I determine a fair asking price for my daughter’s 1995 850GLT?
Now that I have all this extra time on my hand, I offered to assist her in listing it.

While it had been maintained in the past by a mechanic that specializes in Volvo’s and other European cars, she has not driven it recently.

Low mileage, she is the 2nd owner. The first was an older woman who did not drive it often. She has kept all her current past repair receipts, the interior is in immaculate condition. Super comfortable too bad they don’t make interiors like that any more.

The body is in great condition with no history of an accident , nor is there any rust.
However with That particular year and model, the exterior gloss finish peeled on the front hood.

And, most unfortunately, my daughter has let it sit in her driveway for the past
2 1/2 years without starting it. So due to that, the wheels are now seized and the battery is dead.

Prior to that it ran very well, started with no problem,.
When she bought it the odometer had stopped working at around the 50K.
She put on approx 25000 miles.

Any helpful thoughts would be most appreciated. I’m not sure where to begin... I believe in being totally transparent.
.

Post by **scot850** » 16 Apr 2020, 13:33

I would advertise it for about what the scrap value is. Local junkyards here may pay up to $400 for a car if you are lucky. With the age they often become less as the turn-around in used parts is often low.

The car not starting is exactly the same issue I had with my parents 96 850 wagon. It sat for a year and would then not re-start even with a good battery. I traced the possible issue down to the PnP switch (auto trans) going bad with sitting. I was only visiting them in the UK or a few days but did not have time to fix the issue. My parents both had their licences taken away so car eventually was scrapped.

Due to the low mileage it may have an interest to a home mechanic into Volvos, but there is no such thing as a cheap Volvo. To get the car physically moving will require the brake pads to be removed but then you have no brakes. You may be lucky the issue is just the pads have frozen on the rotors and putting the car in neutral and rocking the car back and forward might free them off.

Hate to say it, but it will take a fair amount of time and money to get the car going again. Parting it out may be a better plan as the engine may make a decent price, but as it doe not run people ma not be willing to buy it without seeing it run.

Neil

Post by **abscate** » 16 Apr 2020, 19:23

Swap in a battery from a running car and get it starting and driving.

Then you can list it for $1000 runner and sell it in one weekend, let the buyer drive it with your battery but make it clear they need their own

Otherwise, it’s scrap

Tryst · Post by **Tryst** » 18 Apr 2020, 06:55

abscate wrote: ↑16 Apr 2020, 19:23 Swap in a battery from a running car and get it starting and driving.

Then you can list it for $1000 runner

Hi Empty Nester, even with the wheels seized?

Tryst · Post by **Tryst** » 18 Apr 2020, 07:06

scot850 wrote: ↑16 Apr 2020, 13:33
You may be lucky the issue is just the pads have frozen on the rotors and putting the car in neutral and rocking the car back and forward might free them off.

Hi Scot850
Just tried that and this girls not moving unfortunately.

If I put a battery in it and got it running, would that change the scenario?

What are your thoughts?

Cheers

Tryst · Post by **Tryst** » 18 Apr 2020, 07:13

Apologies for the late replies I thought I had set notifications for contact and only this morning realized I hadn’t. That’s been fixed now.

Post by **volvolugnut** » 18 Apr 2020, 08:42

A running engine, even if not driving is worth more than a dead engine. If you can spare an older battery that will start it, advertise as runs not moving.

volvolugnut

Post by **abscate** » 18 Apr 2020, 09:17

Get it running and those wheels will break free. It might even be drivesble after a few trips up and down the road.

Post by **scot850** » 18 Apr 2020, 12:26

I agree with abscate. If you can get the car running you will get more money for it but not a huge mount. If someone can ask for $800 (way too much) locally here for an S70 with no compression but low mileage, then a good running engine would be good. Having said that, I bought a 2000 V70 a couple of years ago for $800 that was running and driving. In retrospect that was way too much!!

If you can beg/borrow/steal a suitable battery and get the car running then it will certainly make it more attractive to someone. Making it move, even if the brakes are stuck as abscate says, it may be enough to break them loose with the engine running, but be sure to take precautions and put a physical stop to stop the car rolling too far in case the brakes don't work!

Neil.

Post by **rspi** » 18 Apr 2020, 19:01

Value it on www.NADAGuides.com then back out any needed repairs and overdue maintenance. I told one guy that I would take the car if he threw in $700.