re. Help with valuation

[Ben Swann]

Mike,

I have two current price points for you, although I don’t know if that will help since
officially reported values are often a fraction of the real transaction value, and
reported cost is usually lowered to save on taxes – not that I’d do anything like that.
If they have 2 examples of  $3600 or about, that may actually be helping your case –
only us Audinuts realize these cars are worth so much more than reported values.

1. I am selling ’91 200Q20V  turbo quattro avant for $2500.  Car could be considered to
be drivable but needing work.  Car was originally purchased for $1500 and needed a lot
of work, and certainly would not pass inspection.  For $2500 still needs exhaust and
brakes all around and some other things, just to pass inspection.  I’d use the argument
that even a wrecked ’91 avant is worth a lot more due to its rarity, but they often
don’t car unless you have collector’s insurance.  Once car is inspected and on the road,
expect it then to be worth closer to $4500 – and it still is not a prime example of an
avant – all stock and nothing fancy.

2. I am buying a wrecked ’91 200Q20V sedan for $2700.  The engine is worth more than the
$2700 but needs to be pulled.  Once pulled this engine will be worth a lot more,
although most 3B engines are only worth around $2400.  I’ll of course be getting
additional parts from the car.  I don’t know if it will help telling them that the car
is worth more in parts – they may actually want to take advantage of that.  Of course
someone needs to pull the engine and that costs money/time too.  Too often junkyards
don’t know about the cars and won’t offer but a few hundred for it. This car will be
disposed of and the $2700 is basically salvage value.

If you can, use a baseline stock poor running condition and needing brakes and
suspension for around $2000 and then add up all expenses, modifications and repairs
within recent history.  If you put in say $20K and you can prove it, you may be able to
get back a prorated portion of the value on the car.  Often the aftermarket stuff does
not count for squat, but if you got improved aftermarket for the same or less than
dealer cost, then that is an expense you can count.  

I had spreadsheet for an ’87 avant totaling over $17K several years ago and got $7k from
insurance.  Of course this might only work if the other person is at fault.  Then there
insurance is liable to provide reasonable replacement costs with equal or newer vehicle.
Getting that is the battle, but I have found a serious threat of incurring their time
and expense with possible legal action has worked for me to get back a large portion of
the fair value, followed by a cheap buy back, so I could actually recoup some more of my
costs, but never really got my money back.  You just need to be insistant and perhaps
have the balls to follow through with repetitive phone calls, correspondence and if
necessary legal claim.  I only had to do legal action once when I had to prove a
construction contractor was liable for enableing an accident due to misplaced road
markers.

In any event – document everything.  Hopefully that job was already done, as it is
harder to put all this together after the fact.  Keep that folder full of receipts and
back up with a spreadsheet of costs on the car – it works, but most don’t do it and end
up losing when an accident happens, especially when the car was towed to the junkyard
with all the receipts stashed haphazardly in the glovebox.

I have seen plenty of 200 sedans in great shape going in the $5K price range, so don’t
expect to get a lot more than that.

Ben

[Date: Thu, 20 Mar 2008 13:12:54 -0600
From: "Mike Miller" <mikemilr at blackfoot.net>
Subject: Help with valuation
To: "200 20v List" <200q20v at audifans.com>
Message-ID: <004d01c88abe$66c98000$0600a8c0 at lcs2>
Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed; charset="iso-8859-1";
	reply-type=original

I'm still fighting with the insurance company over my accident last Nov. The car is a
definate total. The insurance co is using 2 recent sales of cars that are totally stock
with an average sales price of about $3600. I'm arguing with them that as mine had Euro
headlights, Eibach/Bilstein. 
upgraded stereo, and a Hoppen chip, it should be worth more. Not to mention the new
heater core/blower motor, PS pump, brakes, window motor/regulator, and 54.6 miles on new
snow tires, etc.

If anyone has sold a 200q20v in the last several months and wouldn't mind sharing the
details on the vehicle as well as the price it sold for, please contact me off list @
mikemilr at blackfoot.net What I am trying to do is to counter their arguement that the
upgrades add no actual value to the car.

thanks,
mike]