What to offer for a all original 61 bug

Derek Cobb · Annoying Joined: March 11, 2004 Posts: 2565

I have just found an all original 1961 beetle in an old mans garage. It was parked there over twenty years ago in perfect running condition, covered with a light car cover and left in the dry, clean garage until I finally noticed it and asked about it.
He's willing to sell it, but he's a little OCD and refuses to uncover it until i am ready to make an offer. I did get to peek under the cover and the paint is perfect as is the chrome. The view from the floor is clean and rust free and complete.
I have no idea what to offer him for the car, and he won't give me the slightest idea what he wants. He's perfectly willing to leave the car there for all eternity and I don't want to piss him off by low-balling, but I don't have cash falling out of my ass either.
Any suggestions for acceptable offers?

scottvw · Posted: Mon Apr 13, 2009 5:55 pm Post subject:

If he won't show you, I would tell him what you expect for what you offer. You can give him a reasonable offer for the condition you expect and a lower one for issues.

Basically if everything is there, no rust, engine will turnover....offer X.

If there's rust, missing parts....seized motor offer Y.

You can also tell him that you are going to have to invest some money to re do all of the brakes and get it road worthy....new tires...etc.

Good luck....keep us posted.

Derek Cobb · Annoying Joined: March 11, 2004 Posts: 2565

Thanks for the response, but I need an idea what X and Y should be. I've had awesome luck with these hidden jewels before (got a 21 window for $600 some years ago) but I just don't want to screw this one up.

Sky Hye · Posted: Mon Apr 13, 2009 6:33 pm Post subject:

Well, dont know if thie helps you or not I got my 61, which needed some paint, a new carpet and just a little shining up for $5000. It was all original and ran perfect.

dont know the extent of your experience on bugs but make sure you take a flashlight and look underneath for rust, around the hinge, paint bubbling, rust under the spare, and take a thourough look at the engine.

gt1953 · Posted: Mon Apr 13, 2009 6:41 pm Post subject:

Derek Cobb do tell us the part of the world you are in?
No I am not gonna run out and spoil it for you.
You have to ask him what he would like to sell it for.
Then get a look good look at it go over the vehicle spent some time with it.
discover what it is gonna need...horse hair dries out and sheds on the floor.
What is it worth to you..If you get it Please keep it stock!!!
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Numbers Matching VW's are getting harder to find. Source out the most Stock vehicle and keep that way. You will be glad you did.

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delliott101 · Posted: Mon Apr 13, 2009 9:59 pm Post subject:

Just be up front and honest with him... you are being asked to give a price without even LOOKING at the car? Let alone DRIVING it???

You REALLY need to think about this... there's a reason it's been sitting for 20 years... it could be something as simple as the shift couple needs to be replaced to a blown engine.

What I would do is let him know what you can comfortably afford... THEN also tell him how much you will love the Bug and take care of it and how it will be a part of your life.

Folks DO get attached to their VWs... he may be the original owner and it may have some very sentimental memories attached to it.

I bought my '59 and reassured the PO that I would take good care of it and really cherish it. I bought it for $300.00 less than what he was asking and he previously declined many offers previously, probably waiting for the right person to come along. But be frank with him and ask him why it has been sitting for so long. I bet you anything once you get on that certain wavelength, he will not only tell you about the car, but you will also develop a rapport with him and he just may sell it to you for what you can pay for it...

Does any of this make sense?

Keep up updated!
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Sky Hye · Posted: Mon Apr 13, 2009 11:21 pm Post subject:

Derek Cobb · Annoying Joined: March 11, 2004 Posts: 2565

I'm in Rhode Island, and I'm not at all worried about anyone else finding this gem.
The guy also has a 72 bug in the driveway covered under two car covers and a tarp. It's up on blocks and hasn't moved in the same 20 years. The damp air has gotten to this one, though, and my peek under the body shows some really deep rust on the backing plates and suspension and some pop-rivets in the floor. he refuses to uncover that one as well.
I just found out that he had sold an old 47 chevy pickup stored the same way for $2000, and the new owner already got it running.
I think I'll offer him the same $2K for the 61 and cross my fingers. The tough part of this whole deal is the gamble. he just refuses to allow any real inspection because he can't stand to have the covers disturbed in any way. It took him quite a few minutes to tuck in the covers 'perfectly' after I disturbed them the first time.

gt1953 · Posted: Tue Apr 14, 2009 6:28 am Post subject:

You re going to have to take your time to crack the case open to get to the see the car.
Take him for a drive in your VW. Get like someone else said on the same wave length.
_________________
Volkswagen: We tune what we drive.
Numbers Matching VW's are getting harder to find. Source out the most Stock vehicle and keep that way. You will be glad you did.

72 type 1
72 Squareback
({59 Euro bug, 62, 63, 67, 68, 69, 73 type ones 68 & 69 type two, 68 Ghia all sold})

djkeev · Posted: Tue Apr 14, 2009 7:48 am Post subject:

Hi,

The odds of this being "all original" are actually quite slim. Until you can look at it and see what he's got there is no way of attaching a price to it.

If it is showroom perfect, it's worth a lot of money. If the rockers are falling off, the nose has been crunched in 1967, cheap repo fenders put on when they fixed it, the motor blew in 1971 and they replaced it with one out of a 57, etc. Sunroof? Convertible? Upholstery excellent? carpet, rubber mats, uncut dash, etc, etc, etc.

It COULD be worth $200 as a rusted parts car, It could be worth $5000 as a pristine piece of VW history, could be higher, could be anywhere in between.
Unlike recent model cars, there is no "blue book" value for an old bug. It is condition and what the market will bear. Only you alone can determine what it is worth. Look in the classifieds here on thesamba and see what various cars of that vintage are going for.

I know you want a better answer, sadly, there isn't one.

Dave
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jmw1982 · Posted: Tue Apr 14, 2009 8:51 pm Post subject:

Its obviously tough to say without seeing the car, but if the floors look relatively solid I'd say its worth 2500-3000 + Being in the northeast a solid VW is worth a lot more here than in the south or west coast. To give u an idea i bought my 60 from western mass in running condition, but needed floor and heat channel repair and a few other odds and ends for 2200 and i feel i paid a reasonable price for it. I'd say offer the 2500 and go from there. Hope this helps...
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Derek Cobb · Annoying Joined: March 11, 2004 Posts: 2565

FRACK!!!
I went back with a solid offer and the old nut case WON'T UNCOVER EITHER CAR!!!!
He wanted me to make him a solid offer, sight unseen. I offered to help him recover the cars after the inspection and he became really nervous and said that he just couldn't take the covers off.
He then told me the 61 wasn't for sale anymore because his son was interested in it.
IT HASN'T MOVED IN TWENTY YEARS!!!! If his son wanted it, he would have taken it by now.

I guess I'll just have to wait for him to die of old age.

Freakin' old whack job.....

delliott101 · Posted: Wed May 06, 2009 5:59 pm Post subject:

Oh well... that's life and it's his car... time to move on.
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Transplanted Jersey Boy living in Idaho by way of Northern California!

We don't own old VWs, we just take care of them for the next driver

Jeckler · Posted: Wed May 06, 2009 7:31 pm Post subject:

The entire state of Rhode Island is almost 6 times smaller the the county I live in. I smell a roadtrip. Laughing

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tasb · Posted: Wed May 06, 2009 7:53 pm Post subject:

Actually I can understand some of this guys hesitation with you. I'm not too far behind him in age myself Shocked

You are being impatient with him. How do I know?

"Freakin' old whack job..."

I'm sure the words you used or you body language probably turned the guy off.

sometimes extracting these things from looong time owners is like doing surgery. if you have no patients...

He's searching for 'just the right new owner." Doesn't look like that is you this time around.
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KTPhil · Posted: Wed May 06, 2009 8:06 pm Post subject:

gt1953 · Posted: Wed May 06, 2009 8:38 pm Post subject:

He is waiting for the correct older buyer I am not sure of your age however I bought a car from a couple 10 years ago and they would not sell it to any one under a certain age. Lucky for me I am over that certain age.
_________________
Volkswagen: We tune what we drive.
Numbers Matching VW's are getting harder to find. Source out the most Stock vehicle and keep that way. You will be glad you did.

72 type 1
72 Squareback
({59 Euro bug, 62, 63, 67, 68, 69, 73 type ones 68 & 69 type two, 68 Ghia all sold})

MLTIGGER2 · Posted: Wed May 06, 2009 8:44 pm Post subject:

Well, make sure he has your phone number and let him know you'll talk to him if he changes his mind.
Keep in mind any car that has been sitting for 20 years will need:
New tires, new braking system, new fuel lines, possibly a new or rebuilt carb, battery etc it's not like you can start it up and take it for a test drive.

BUGTHUG · Posted: Wed May 06, 2009 10:25 pm Post subject:

I've dealt with people like this in the past, and most of the time they are just lonely people who look forward to talking with telemarketers.
Sometimes the best way ,IF you are serious is just take your time with him. Its appearent its not going anywhere fast. You might stop by and just talk with him once in awhile and not even mention about the car unless he brings it up. It may take a couple of months, or years. In the mean time he might turn out to be a interesting person, and maybe even a new friend.
If he gets the feeling you are hoovering around like a buzzard, I sure he won't sell it to nobody as long as he is alive. Just chill out and be patient, and if its meant to be it will.
Like someone mentioned that its his car, and he might not been in the mood to mess with it that day. If you don't have the time to invest with the wack job, then you probably have to move on to the other people that have signs in the cars FOR SALE. Man thats beautiful Very Happy

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delliott101 · Posted: Wed May 06, 2009 10:53 pm Post subject:

Bugthug brings up a good point... but it sounds like befriending someone may not be your game...

no offense... but the guy already knows you want the Bug. He may be standoffish and if he sensed that you were upset with the whole thing, it may be a dead issue on his end.

It sounds like (correct me if I'm wrong) you found out he has this VW... you want it and probably asked him if he would sell it to you. He probably thought at the moment that he would. It sounds like he never really wanted to sell it.

If someone came up to me and said they wanted to buy MY Bug after it was sitting for 20 years I would tell them to take a flying leap. It was the last project my Dad and I worked on together before he died. You don't know what this car means to this guy. That could be the reason why he doesn't want to uncover it... he's too attached to it. Does that make him a whack job?

Bottom line... he does not want to sell it. That's HIS Bug and if he turns around and sells it to someone else or gives it to someone else, that's his right.

KTPhil: Shame on you! I lost a bit of respect for you on that last comment you made...
_________________
Transplanted Jersey Boy living in Idaho by way of Northern California!

We don't own old VWs, we just take care of them for the next driver


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