trashy 200s

[Dave Lawson <dlawson@ball.com>]

I've been on the hunt for a TQW to replace my 86 GT which has oficially
been totaled, the
estimate to repair was $8100. The other night I see a pearl 89 200 sedan
sitting in a small used 
car lot in Boulder, Co. A quick once over in the dark, shows its worth
coming back for a closer
look, 107k miles, grey sports, early VIN, etc. Windshield says $7988
with new timing belt and
h2o pump. Yesterday at lunch I go for a more detailed look, drivers
leather is cracked, wood trim
is fogged real bad in some places, almost yellow, some of the wheels
have been intimate with
kerbs on more than 1 occasion. I ask for the keys to look under the hood
and the guy starts
the car, lifter noise at startup and a searching idle. I try to keep the
car running by playing with
the throttle, but it stalls out. And won't start. He mentions something
about the gas being low, I 
tell him it is alot more than that, start with an intake air leak. Then
I list all the things wrong after
spending a minute under the hood, hose from WGFV to WG is ripped, blue
RTV used to seal
crankcase vent 3 armed octopus on valve cover, weird green hose
substituted for a hydraulic 
hose, boot on steering rack totally ripped in 2(shinny metal showing),
lots of gunk on top on 
tranny, and rack is trashed.  And I haven't even driven the car. I can't
believe cars like this are
for sale, it won't even run and they were asking $8k? I might think
about this car for $2500, but
didn't even get into it, I politely thanked them and walked out. Am I
expecting too much?

I have also checked out a 90 200QW at a local suby dealer. Awesome
looking car at 30ft, pearl,
black sports, pearl BBS, 54k miles, local CO car, etc. They are
marketing the car as mint, started
at $14.9k, now at 13.9k. But upon closer inspection, dogs have scratched
the rear seat leather, 
they pulled the speakers from the back doors,  behind the infinity
grills are door plastic, dented 
left front fender which also has clearcoat peeling off, needs front
struts, and I found hail damage
on the roof and hood. They were very put off when I wanted to talk in
the 9-10k range given the 
condition of the car. 

When other people have checked out cars, are they all over priced given
the real condition? Or 
am I just finding some winners. Anyway the search goes on, I have driven
a few other wagons, 
one looks like a good prospect, my wife and I will return on thursday so
she can drive it, 
hopefuly a reasonable price can be agreed upon.

All for now.
-
Dave Lawson