Now that the SCM Duetto has moved on to a new home, the thinning of the herd continues.
The next two cars that will go are the two-owner 1972 Mercedes 250C and the 1982 Corvette C3 Collector’s Edition.
That brings up an interesting question. Just how much do you “fix” before you list a car for sale online?
The speedometer recently failed in the 250C. It’s an analog speedo driven by a cable, so we assume it’s a simple repair. And we’re having the heater core replaced in the C3 as it has a leak.
As I replaced the 3.69:1 rear end in the 250C with one from a 300D (3.46:1) to facilitate more relaxed high-speed cruising, the speedometer already read about 8 mph slow.
I have thought about trying to source a speedo from a 300D (I am told that would solve my problem) or just put a note in the auction description, “speed reads 8 mph slow.” Bradley has told me he has solved the issue by using a speedometer app on his phone and putting the phone in the cupholder. (“Dad, I got to 81 mph on the last trip to the beach!”)
As I read through descriptions of cars being sold, I often see things like, “a/c not blowing cold” and driver’s side power window not working” or “cracks in dash top cover.”
How important do you think it is to fix everything that is wrong with a car you have for sale?
On the 250C, should I simply say, “speedometer not working” and leave it at that? Or repair it and note that it reads slow? Or try to source the speedo from a 300D so it reads accurately?
Let me know what you think.
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Keith. You should get an estimate cost for the needed repair , because you are selling a car with a safety repair issue . Then deduct that from your sale price for the buyer’s credit. If it was a cosmetic issue then it’s negotiable . In this case , it’s a “ safety issue”. Therefore , YOUR responsibility .
As a Good Samaritan , you should FIX it before you sell it anytime there is a safety issue. Speedo cables are easily replaced and speedos with a little patience can be found. Be a Good Samaritan !
Any good speedo shop can repair the speedo
Probably a bad odometer drive gear, common on these VDO gauges and calibrate it to correct the speedo error
I think that if you list a “known” problem with the car and don’t fix it before the auction, buyers might think what
“other issues does the car have that the owner is not up front about listing”? It could make the proposed new owner think about what other issues does the car have and not bid on the car.
Definitely fix it! If you don’t make this relatively simple fix potential bidders will question the overall maintenance of the car.
As you are someone of notable fame in automotive circles I would suggest securing the correct parts and getting it looked after prior to selling. I would think the last thing you would want is for some buyer not having knowledge, technicians nearby or skills to fix this and grousing about it on social
media. You have an impeccable reputation to preserve and are (perhaps unfortunately) held to a higher standard than the rest of us schmucks!
Fix the speedo and you fix the immediate first impression of the mildly giddy new buyer upon their first mile driven.
PAY FOR THE REPAIRS YOU’RE GOING TO ENJOY.
We can talk all we want about “no longer meets my needs” but at some level, we sell cars because we’re tired of fixing them.
When you start fixing things on a car you’re going to sell, oftentimes, you start decreasing your return. If I buy a car with a bad speedo and pay to fix it before driving, the repair cost gets rolled into the cost of the car and years of use. On the other hand, if I spend that money after I have stopped driving, chances are, I won’t get back dollar-for-dollar the amount of additional expenditure. Sure, it enhances the car, but not for the seller. Disclose every tiny thing. Let the new owner decide what to fix and what to live with. Of course there are exceptions- a running car is worth a lot more than a car that “might” run. But does a $1000 dent repair ( which you’ll have to disclose) increase the value of the car by $1000? A $1000 set of tires is likely to enhance your car by about $500. Find other ways to document your meticulousness. Save your money.
I recommend fixing it, especially, as others have noted, this is a potential safety issue, given that the speedo, if not fixed correctly, would read 8 MPH slower than actual. In addition, since you were the one that changed out the rear end ratio it is incumbent upon you to return the vehicle to an accurate speedometer reading status. Finally, as a world renowned automotive personality, why potentially damage your reputation over such a minor repair. Happy Selling!
I think you should do what ever the hell you feel like with it, there is no right or wrong. I would lean to selling it as is and let the next owner make their own repair. The car doesn’t need to be perfect to sell it. Many people in the online auction sites seem to lose sight of the fact that these are used cars. Often very nice used cars, but used cars none the less, flaws and all. I recently saw a Ferrari auction on BaT where a bidder asked the owner what kind of a warranty he personally was prepared offer on the work of a shop he had used! It seems many these days forget the fact that it’s a used car, you don’t like it don’t buy it. If a relatively minor flaw of a bad speedo keeps someone from buying the whole rest of the car, perhaps the car is not for them.
You should fix the issues. We are not speaking of a restoration. When I see a car with known issues I always believe that there are more lurking. To buy a car in good condition without issues I still expect to spend $3-5,000 to get the car into the condition I would want. If you spend less then count your blessings. When I see a car with known described issues I tend to want to run quickly away.
Fix the speedo on the Benz as well as the heater core on the Corvette!
Both are fairly inexpensive repairs and something that I would expect to be addressed if I was the buyer purchasing a vehicle from Keith Martin!
As a loyal subscriber of SCM I admire the effort you make to address the issues in your vehicles! I would be very comfortable in purchasing a vehicle from you!
Wow – I’m surprised that you’re selling the Mercedes – it’s such a nice car. Since you modified the rear gearing, you should probably fix the speedo – it might be as simple as replacing the speedo drive gear at the end of the cable.
I’m not so sure that the Vette heater core is a “fairly inexpensive repair” – many other parts might fall apart while performing the disassembly.
Most of us with old cars expect that we’re starting with a repair bill. The issue for me, with seven “classics” under my belt is that small deferred maintenance makes me wonder what else was deferred. Sellers usually want best dollar even for a car with needs. But if you put off fixing the door locks, or the radio antenna or the sunroof repair (yeah on a Mercedes that one can get spendy), what else got deferred? Most of my classics are $30k or less. In the best case, i want to spend less than 20% in the first year.
If you’re selling a nice driver, disclose what you know, tell the seller what the cost of the repair likely is, and let them decide. If you’ve got very clean car (eg, what sellers like WOB and Dean_Laumbach bring to BaT), and are seeking top dollar, fix it.