What is it worth?

[Iain Mannix]

Hi all - recent changes in my life have me considering selling my
86 5kcsq.  Considering; I know I'm going to take a hit on it
no matter what, but I cannot figure out for the life of me
what I should ask for it, or if I should even bother asking.

So, let's play The Price Is Right (to the buyer, I'm guessing;).

Details:

86 5kcsq sedan.  White with tan interior.  165000 miles.

Exterior is solid - no huge dents, no big accidents.  It was driven
into something in its life, the sheetmetal under the grille/behind
the bumper is not perfect - but I don't think it was ever straightened,
nor do I think it needed it.

A few door dings, one softball sized dent on the rear panel, driver's
side, only visible when it is dirty, as one side of the dent fills
with sludge - I suspect I could push it out from inside the trunk.
The p-side headlight has a 6mm hole in the lens.

The interior is fair - both front seats have some failing seams.
One crack on the dash.  Windows were tinted at some point, the
rear window tint is bubbling.  Not noticeable(to me) while driving.

Sunroof does not work.  Rear defogger works, but the switch gets
really hot - I've not explored that one.  AC does not work - the
condensor(? Radiator looking thing that sits in front of the
radiator) is gone.  No idea where it went.  Stock radio, Pioneer
front(dash) speakers, Sony rears.  Sounds OK, not terrible, but
86 vintage stereo.  Tape deck works.  All dash lights work,
difflocks work, power seats work, seat heaters do not.  Trip
computer works.

Mechanically, the car is largely good - in the past year and a
half, I've replaced:

Waterpump/timing belt, front main seal.
PS pump(reman, no leaks).  Does not leak Pentosin.
Clutch master and slave.
Rear calipers, all 4 rotors and all new pads.
Injectors.
Air/fuel filters.
Cap/rotor/plugs/wires(last week)
Radiator fan is fused.
Radiator.
Miscellaneous vacuum lines.
Heater blower motor.
Spring on the door under the dash/behind the glove box.
Front control arms/bushings/balljoints(as a unit).
Radiator overflow bottle.
Windshield washer pump.
Throttle cable.
Belts.
Fuel pump.
P-side outer CV boot, joints repacked.
D-side doorhandle(~4 weeks ago)
New rear antenna.
New exhaust hangers.
New motormounts.
New turbo/afterrun coolant pump.
Various hoses.
New boot from the CIS plate to the metal hose.
O2 sensor.

Mechanically, the car is well sorted.  No Pentosin leaks, not sure
if stuff was replaced before me, but it uses virtually no Pentosin;
I have to add 1/4" every 6 months or so(ok, so it leaks _somewhere_,
but not enough to tell where:).

Supposedly, the clutch was replaced about 2.5 years ago - I bought
the car from a shop, who had done a clutch on it, the owner never
picked the car up - long story, incarceration, title nightmare, car
is mine.  Title is clean.

I do believe the clutch was replaced, although I do not have
records for it(I trust the shop, and proably could get the
records).  The windshield was replaced before I bought it - it had
a crack in it, and in order to get the vin inspection done, it had
to have new glass.

The _bad_.  Second gear grinds.  It will not do it when COLD, but as
it warms up, third will grind, then it moves to second.  Weird.
I've been driving it like this for over a year - no ill effects,
but it is annoying.  You cannot double-clutch around it.  I either
SHORT shift into second or skip second altogether.

I bought the car fairly inexpensively because of the grind, basically.
I kinda figured the laundry list above would become reality, but it
was to replace my tired 87 wagon - ah ha, good 5sp tranny.  The master
plan was to replace the gearbox, but that has not happened.

I need a more reliable car, basically.  Problem is, this one is
not unreliable - it is fast, comfortable, and RIGHT NOW, it is
quite solid.  Thing is, my girlfriend is driving it more than me,
and, well, it is a Type $$.  It is going to break again.  We all
know that.  We all know it _can_ be a very reliable car, but
I'm not comfortable with her driving it every day, so we're looking
at 325IXs and newer Audis - AWD of some sort is required(it's main
duty is a ski car).

I _could_ put the tranny into it.  The black wagon is still "around,"
but frankly, I'm not really in a position to get the car on a lift
anymore - things have changed, I don't have easy access to lifts
anymore.  Putting the good tranny in is kinda nightmarish.

I could get the 5sp, possibly, and sell it with the car.

Or I can sell it, at a (great?) loss, move along.

Or, I can hang onto it, drive it a couple of times a week, I own it,
add a _______ to the stable, be done with it.


Thoughts?

A couple of pictures, taken this summer.  The rack would not go
with it, and it has stock 5k wheels on it now:

http://mannix.rmsolo.org/audi/audirear.jpg
http://mannix.rmsolo.org/audi/audifront.jpg

Bah, I don't know.  I don't _want_ to sell it, but I don't want
to keep fighting with it, either - it should be good now,
but who knows what'll go next; do I sell it now, as is, for
$xxxx, or after a hose blows, the rack starts leaking, etc,
for $50?  Sigh....decisions.



Iain