Would you pay more for a properly upgraded, low mileage '01.5 S4?

Fri Jul 2 09:04:08 PDT 2010

I'm trying to translate this to make some sense out of my current, ongoing
experience with a Jeep I'm trying to sell.

A friend recently replaced bought a 2005 Toyota Tundra Double Cab Limited to
replace his 2003 Jeep Wrangler X.  Since I'm not working and he was
considering consigning it to sell at a friend's dealership, he offered it to
me to sell so I could make some money instead of the dealership/salesperson.

I spent a good bit of time cleaning it up and put it on craigslist for
something near high book value almost 3 weeks ago.  We are now down to low
book as asking price and still getting no solid offers.

This thing has only 55660 miles and was never modified or taken off road.
It is (now) nearly spotless (my friends are not the most fastidious car
owners).  I've had several people come and look it over carefully and drive
it.  

The point is, this Jeep is in stock condition when 99% of the others on
craigslist are modified somehow.  Potential buyers have commented that they
prefer that to buying someone else's modifications.  But still no earnest
offers.

And last night, my friend is telling me "we" have to sell it this weekend,
but he needs no less than $10k.  

*sigh*

Ed

-----Original Message-----
From: quattro-bounces at audifans.com [mailto:quattro-bounces at audifans.com] On
Behalf Of Dan DiBiase
Sent: Friday, July 02, 2010 5:43 AM
To: John Cassidy; quattro at audifans.com
Subject: Re: Would you pay more for a properly upgraded, low mileage '01.5
S4?

John, yes, I'd consider them pretty extensive and (again, personally) such a
car - with performance mods like you mention - 
would turn me off to a purchase. Anyone could say 'Yes, everything was done
by such-and-such a tuner', and come up with documents that say that. That's
just me talking....

I didn't mention in my earlier note, but we purchased a '99 Subaru Impreza
2.5RS for my older son, with fairly extensive mods - newer engine, strut
tower braces, full exhaust with cat, 17" wheels and tires, WRX steering
wheel, cold air intake (which is actually properly plumbed to take in
outside air). The mods were all relatively tame, and properly done but have
caused some 
issues. The engine being a newer one has made it difficult to buy parts on
line, while all 4 of the rims have been bent at one 
time or another. The exhaust is starting to rattle, and the tower braces
have made the car so stiff that it really creaks on rough 
NJ roads, although it does handle amazingly well.....

 Dan D
'04 A4 1.8Tq MT-6
Central NJ USA

________________________________
From: John Cassidy <qforsail at yahoo.com>
To: Dan DiBiase <d_dibiase at yahoo.com>
Sent: Thu, July 1, 2010 5:56:36 PM
Subject: Re: Would you pay more for a properly upgraded, low mileage '01.5
S4?

Thanks Dan,

Would you consider my car to have extensive mods?  I'd stay away from one
with big turbos, intercoolers, piggys and the like (Stage II, Stage III).
The mods on this one are what attracted me...enhanced road machine, not a
track/strip monster.

Congrats on the Jetta!  Jetta's attract a younger, "ricer" crowd, I would
think. The S4's seem to attract the older, better financed buyer...

JC

--- On Thu, 7/1/10, Dan DiBiase <d_dibiase at yahoo.com> wrote:

>From: Dan DiBiase <d_dibiase at yahoo.com>
>Subject: Re: Would you pay more for a properly upgraded, low mileage 
>'01.5 S4?
>To: "John Cassidy" <qforsail at yahoo.com>, quattro at audifans.com
>Date: Thursday, July 1, 2010, 3:50 PM
>
>
> >
>I personally would not really consider a car with extensive mods. 
>Having just finished a search for a Mk IV Jetta for my younger son, 
>it's very difficult to find one with NO mods, so an exhaust (with cat 
>still on) and 'cold air intake' were really the extent of the 
>mechanical mods I was considering. Fortunately, I was able to find a 
>completely stock 2003 Jetta Wolfsburg Edition with the 1.8T and 5-speed 
>and every option and bought it from the original owner with 87k 
>miles.....!
>
> Dan D
>'04 A4 1.8Tq MT-6
>Central NJ USA
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
________________________________
 From: John Cassidy <qforsail at yahoo.com>
>To: quattro at audifans.com
>Sent: Thu, July 1, 2010 3:54:28 PM
>Subject: Would you pay more for a properly upgraded, low mileage '01.5 
>S4?
>
>Hey Fans!
> 
>Long time lurker, almost too many past and quattros owner here.  Here's 
>my question:
> 
>I've decided to sell my S4 Avant.  It's a near excellent condition 
>Tipper with some high end, what I would call Stage I mods including 
>Stasis Tracksport suspension, ASP Stage I chip, AWE dual exhaust, 710N
Diverters, Center Vent Boost guage, and AWE Drive Train Stabilizer.
Everything works, never raced or abused.  All installed by Chicago
Performance Tuning ~2 years ago.  All told, around $6,000 in mods.  Now I
don't  expect to get an extra penny vs. a stock car for the mods, but what
would the concensis be:
> 
>A.  I would pay more for a near perfect car with these mods (if so, how 
>much more?)
> 
>or
> 
>B. I would pay less for a the same car because of the mods (if so, how 
>much less)
> 
>The car in question is on one of those popular auctions sites with no 
>reserve, so Monday afternoon, we will all know what the market will bear!
> 
>Thanks in advance!
> 
>JC
>
>
>      
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> 
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