Unknown condition engine pricing

asillymick · Posted: Mon Apr 14, 2014 7:04 am Post subject: Unknown condition engine pricing

I was contacted to go and check out a huge collection of VW motors and trans and other parts that are being offered to me if interested. The owner is suffering with dementia and doesn't recall why he has what he had or the condition of said parts and I his wife is selling the stuff.
I don't want to be a prick to them but I also don't want to end up with a batch of paper weights, I told the wife to think of a price range and we could work from there. The reason I didn't just offer a price is I really have no way to know if the blocks are in good usable condition without pulling them out and torquing them together right? Just from a glance over this shed full of stuff it appears to be about 10 or 12 short blocks with various other bits. Most of the blocks (That I could read the numbers on) are 71 and later.
Should I just wait to see if she comes up with a price or just offer a blanket price and hope I don't offend her? Thanks all!

60ragtop

asillymick · Posted: Mon Apr 14, 2014 9:26 am Post subject:

I'm just sitting here spinning my wheels. I hope it is all good and I can pass the savings on to the local guys to keep the interest high. I guess I'll just have to wait and see but get the gut feeling because the stuff is Old she'll come back with so 10K offer and I'll just walk.

williamM · Posted: Mon Apr 14, 2014 10:04 am Post subject:

You might explain they are worth $200 retail after hot tank and align bore. That is only if they are case saved and decked already. I had 1 failed block in 7 for the last "bulk" deal I made.

Then- a few heli coils ($17.) ea.

All oil pumps/ 2 will have cracked crankshafts ring test)/ 2 will be cut as far as they can-both cases and cranks. (one of my cases cleaned up at .80)-so that is a hard sell.

So figure you need at least $700 for a long block.

You need to at least double your money - Do the math for her and tell her you want to steal them for as little as possible- BUT- you won't be bringing any back- or show up with a long list of complaints and her phone will not be ringing off the wall for months with obnoxious low ballers- so giving them to you for scrap prices is a really good idea. Rolling Eyes

Good luck- there are a bunch of surprises you will not believe in a pile of motors.

Here is one nice well taken care of motor- that crank is toast..

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.

Then there was the side step oil cooler that wasn't drilled by the factory

Then- there was the occasional cam that wasn't working right Rolling Eyes

Then one of my favorites- know what a matching T-4 head costs?

SO- as you can see there is a big gap in what owners think their 40 year old crap is worth and what it takes to add value to your pile.

So be careful what you wish for Brick wall

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crukab · Posted: Mon Apr 14, 2014 10:13 am Post subject:

I bought a big VW stash 5 years ago:

This ^^^^^^ was just some of the engines I had to buy to get the other good stuff, I scored 1 NOS engine, the rest were all seized up, I still have most of them... I was forced to pay $100 each on the engines to get the other stuff, so if it's just a bunch of dead engines, go low, it is a bunch of hard work hauling that stuff out. Did you get to look at everything ?? Any tools ect. ?? Any shed or Barn that may hold more ??

Link to my biggest find, so far.
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=372746&highlight=
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gt1953 · Posted: Mon Apr 14, 2014 10:33 am Post subject:

I have a similar situation here as well. I see value only if it is good. I have not gone back and the person has not recontacted me either.
I will make the next move and explain the cost involved to make the stuff usable. That would be my cost.
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asillymick · Posted: Mon Apr 14, 2014 12:09 pm Post subject:

Yeah I am leaning hard on countering with scrap prices if she hits me with something huge. Like I said I want a good deal but mainly because I don't want MY WIFE angry if the lot turns up as 1 good motor and a few good heads. If all the tins are German that may be a plus, I didn't notice any hot speed parts off hand.
I was really praying to show up and the guy was a hoarder of early vintage speed stuff but I didn't, I didn't even see any OE Empi items. Oh well.

60ragtop · Posted: Mon Apr 14, 2014 1:26 pm Post subject:

sometimes you just need to move on. I accumulate enough junk with out looking for more Wink

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Malokin Martin · Posted: Mon Apr 14, 2014 2:28 pm Post subject:

Keep in mind: You're taking 10-12 huge pieces of metal off her hands.

Make it sound as convenient for her as possible.

drscope · Posted: Mon Apr 14, 2014 3:58 pm Post subject:

Be patient and wait. She may come back and ask if you'll take $200 to haul the stuff away. You NEVER know what they are thinking until they tell you.

And it may be worth a gold mine, but is it worth it to you in your situation? If you live in an apartment getting a deal of $10 per engine isn't such a good deal if you have to haul 25 of them away to put in yur living room.

Take a mental inventory of what you saw, and then think real hard about what you would do with it all and what you are willing to give up to have it. Then wait for her to tell you what she wants.

She may come in low, or she may blow you out of the ball park.

I may not have always gotten the best deal, but I can tell you for sure, I never lost money on a deal I walked away from!
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Mother Nature is a Mean Evil Bitch!

vwracerdave · Posted: Mon Apr 14, 2014 4:54 pm Post subject:

The first question to ask is how long has all this stuff been sitting in the shed? The longer the less it's worth.

All you can offer is what you can seen. DO NOT expect any hidden treasures. $100 complete engines. $75 long blocks, $50 cases, $75 transaxles.

Make a reasonable offer based on everything being stock and needing rebuilt. If you later find some valuable stuff you can always be an honest human and go back and give her a little more money.
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djghia · Posted: Sun Apr 20, 2014 7:55 pm Post subject:

Two years ago I sold 1 complete running 1200 40hp, 6 short/long/blank blocks of same, a couple of rubbermaid totes full of cylinder heads and p/cs, couple of cranks and some miscellaneous engine tin for $100. It freed up some room in my shop and I was glad to see it all go. Can't imagine giving much more than that for an unknown collection. Good luck!

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