PeriSoft

OK, so. I have a 2007 350Z Touring with a stick and 34k miles. Unmodified, stock everything, nearly flawless interior (has door handle and cubby button wear, slight pull-apart on the steering wheel stitching in one place, and the floor mat grommets came apart. Aside from that it's a time capsule). Only possible mechanical issue is a slight clunk from the rear on certain types of vertical bumps at certain temperatures. Drives flawlessly.

If BaT is anything to go by, people are starting to go a little batty for these cars, with average auctions for similar cars rising from 9k in 2017 to 14k US recently, but my car has two big demerits: One, it got clobbered *hard* in the left rear quarter panel and rebuilt in 2009, and two, my dad (the previous owner) left the poor thing out in the sun and the clear is effed up. It cleans up alright for a while with good wax, but hazes/spots rapidly and painfully after a while. It might be fixable with effort (cut/polish) but might well need a respray on the hood/roof/hatch. And it has faded trim pieces, a ding on the hood and some slight scuffs on the front clip - it's about a seven-foot car right now, not concours.

My question is, for you guys, how much would the previous accident affect value? Note that I am not trolling for positive numbers here. If anything, the more value potential it has, the harder it will be for me to justify keeping it. If a previous accident wipes 50% off the likely value of the car, I will be pleased! But I would like an honest appraisal from some people more familiar with these cars than I am. I don't want to get rid of it, but I would like to understand what its real value is, and because of the paint and the history combined with the other positives (unmolested manual Z), I feel like neither KBB nor BaT are good data points. Any advice?


In happier times...

MicVelo

First off, BaT is NOT a good indicator of the "value" of a 350Z. Most cars on BaT have some "special" merit to them and they do NOT accept just any car for sale. Rarely do you see a stock convertible Z on BaT. A Nismo or a race car, sure, but not run of the mill basic cars. KBB is also somewhat suspect as it was and still is to some extent, a dealer tool. Note they have the different values, dealer or "average joe buying one non-retail". Provides some insight and good starting point for sale or negotiating a sale. But best to determine value is what they are asking/going for in YOUR location. To obtain a "value", look at the listings in your area for a while.

Previous damage will hurt the value of the car, particularly if it was salvaged. And likely, such repairs will show up on a Carfax; so don't be douchy if/when you sell it. Reveal the damage even if Carfax doesn't then let the buyer decide on the quality of the repairs. Suggest you run your own Carfax (or whatever "intimate fact service" you want). This way you know exactly what others will see when they run a Carfax on it. If the car has a salvage title, figure on a 40% value drop compared to a undamaged, good condition car. Yet,some will buy it, title be damned.

How much is it worth? Have no clue with no actual hands on but the repair looks pretty clean (from what can be seen). But I note the comment about "happier times" so maybe this isn't what it looks like today? In any event, NO ONE can tell you a value without first hand inspection.

PeriSoft

Tried replying before but it didn't seem to post for some reason. Anyway, I did see a few stock street-focused Zs on BaT, pretty much like mine, so I figured the values weren't TOO out of line (any more than any BaT values, but whatever). I'd never try to whitewash the car's history. This car belonged to my dad and was the last car he drove (once) on track; if I sell it it will be to someone I feel like I can trust to treat it well.

The repair was done very well; essentially undetectably by a normal person. Not salvage. I'm mostly just trying to get a feel for whether just having that history *at all* is likely to cause a 25%, 30% hit to its value, or not - I just don't know how people would feel about it, given the unknowns and that it's obviously possible to buy a car that *wasn't* pranged. I've spent a while obsessively stalking browsing Z-car listing, local and national, but can't find enough similar cars to get a feel for it. Right now cars-dot-com has three 2007-2009 manual 350Zs with less than 60,000 miles, none under 40,000, in the whole country. There's one for 15k, one for 7500 with the whole side bashed in, and one NISMO with 40,000 for $43k (!!?!). Any ideas for a better place to get an idea of value?

jhc

I realize the car has sentimental value for you, put that aside. You need to realize you have a unicorn- NOT meaning highly sought after but still rare. Here's why-
The Good- Great low mileage.
The Bad- Been wrecked and repaired.
More Bad- Clear coat/paint problems.

And that's where the problem lies- no comparable sales prices to compare to. As said before, no website will give you a magic answer. You can take it to a CarMax and see what they'll offer you. You can also put on CL also put it in a parking lot on the affluent side of town with a FS sign. I'd do both. You can even take to your Nissan dealer and let them quote you.

No amount of browsing will give you a price, you're gonna have to market the car to find what it'll bring. And understand in advance the lowest you're willing to go so if that offer comes, you're ready.

PeriSoft

Makes sense. For what it's worth, this is what it looks like now - in the shade. In bright sun you can see the issues with the clear. The driver's side rear is the side that got clobbered back in 09.

travlee

iTrader: (8)

why are you so obsessed with its value.... they are not rare cars, they are as cheap (some even cheaper) than used honda civics

jdmfetish

iTrader: (3)

$5,000.00 to a dealer.
$7,500.00 private sale.

Give or take a bit either way.

PeriSoft

I wouldn't say I'm obsessed. Honestly? I've got this car. If it's mostly worthless, then I'll keep it and drive it and be happy. But if it's worth more than some amount, it gets to be irresponsible to have as a toy that I use 15 days a year rather than using that money for something else - just like if you've got a couple of hundred bucks and you buy yourself a new monitor, whatever, but if you have fifteen grand and you buy toys instead of, say, fixing your roof or paying down debt, that's not a good call. Except in this case I don't know how much "money" I have sitting here in car-form, and that's why I'm asking.

Luckily for me, it kinda looks like it's not going to cross the "I really ought to sell this and pay for other stuff" line, which is good!

jhc

I think JDMF is pretty close if that helps.