Seriously?

[Othen]

Originally Posted by Wagon Sailor

I'm sure we've all had cars at that crunch point: should I cut my losses or chuck good money after bad or keep until the memory's less painful?

I've been guilty of the fourth alternative, which is to test the market. Ask silly money: if you get it, fine; if not, hang on to the car.

You are right, that has happened from time to time. However as I remember, by the time I have got to that stage I’m honest about it and advertise it as a fire sale so someone else can have a reasonable go at it.

Sometimes it is hard to even give away useful car stuff. Just recently I came across a few unused Land Rover spares (an instrument binnacle, a new water pump and oil filter) and put then on eBay for 99p auctions - I’d have been happy to give them away to a good home but eBay won’t allow that. That was weeks ago - no interest whatsoever; perhaps Disco owners have plenty of money?

[Othen]

Originally Posted by Othen

... well, all we can know is that car (the time capsule one) failed to make £1,650 (that single bid being a shill one) - which is sort of in line with my thoughts, I notice the owner has re-advertised it with a starting price of £1,450 and a buy-it-now of £2050. I suppose he thinks it might be worth about 2 grand, but has learned a lesson regarding putting the starting price too high (and I hope about shill bidding as well).

The time capsule looks like a nice enough car that with a week's fiddling around and perhaps £700 (a re-silvered headlamp, a bit of treatment for the rust under the tailgate, a new radio, some sorting out of the interior and a bit of paint) could be improved quite a bit. It is no spring chicken though, its 30 years old and has 200,000 miles - I'd have thought £1,500ish would be fair and reasonable.

:-)

The ‘time capsule’ (ie pretty worn out 30 year old) estate attracted just one bid at £1,450 - i hope that wasn’t another shill bid by the seller. I think that puts things in perspective: cars don’t attract a classic premium just because they are a little bit old and look crappy.

[Laird Scooby]

Originally Posted by Othen

You are right, that has happened from time to time. However as I remember, by the time I have got to that stage I’m honest about it and advertise it as a fire sale so someone else can have a reasonable go at it.

Sometimes it is hard to even give away useful car stuff. Just recently I came across a few unused Land Rover spares (an instrument binnacle, a new water pump and oil filter) and put then on eBay for 99p auctions - I’d have been happy to give them away to a good home but eBay won’t allow that. That was weeks ago - no interest whatsoever; perhaps Disco owners have plenty of money?

Are you on a Disco forum Alan? If so you could probably put them on there, free to collector or postage at cost and someone will likely have them.
Alternatively, what model Disco are they from? Some parts cross over onto other models, depending on the year so i may be able to suggest another forum to offer them on.

Most Disco owners are generally broke keeping up with the constant breakdowns and oil leaks so i'm sure they'll be grateful!

[Othen]

Originally Posted by Laird Scooby

Are you on a Disco forum Alan? If so you could probably put them on there, free to collector or postage at cost and someone will likely have them.
Alternatively, what model Disco are they from? Some parts cross over onto other models, depending on the year so i may be able to suggest another forum to offer them on.

Most Disco owners are generally broke keeping up with the constant breakdowns and oil leaks so i'm sure they'll be grateful!

I think the parts are from a Disco 2 Dave. I found them whilst clearing a mate's garage for a trip to the dump (having a 3/4t trailer often makes one popular). They are all too good to throw away, left over from a vehicle owned some years ago but still in packaging. I don't know much about Discos, but here are some links to the items:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/184753642073

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/184753627571

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/184753646884

If you know anyone with a Disco by all means pass this info on, I'm just looking for a good home for them.

Alan

[Laird Scooby]

Originally Posted by Othen

I think the parts are from a Disco 2 Dave. I found them whilst clearing a mate's garage for a trip to the dump (having a 3/4t trailer often makes one popular). They are all too good to throw away, left over from a vehicle owned some years ago but still in packaging. I don't know much about Discos, but here are some links to the items:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/184753642073

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/184753627571

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/184753646884

If you know anyone with a Disco by all means pass this info on, I'm just looking for a good home for them.

Alan

The filter fits almost all Land-Rover, Range-Rover and Rover models from a certain era Alan :

https://bearmach.com/product/oil-fil...filter-err3340

There are other applications as well i suspect and it's the right thread to fit your Volvo but potentially too long.

Not sure on the water pump, is there a part number on it at all?

The instrument cluster is going to be a hard sell as they rarely if ever fail. They are basically the same as the 800 series instruments but obviously with different scales on the tacho and speedo. If i hear of anyone i'll certainly point them in your direction.

[Othen]

This has to be the the ultimate 'seriously':

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/rover-75-...53.m1438.l2649

... over £10k for a Rover 75! - I know, it has a hard luck story attached - it would probably be better to put it in to the next Mathewson's auction :-(

[Laird Scooby]

Originally Posted by Othen

This has to be the the ultimate 'seriously':

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/rover-75-...53.m1438.l2649

... over £10k for a Rover 75! - I know, it has a hard luck story attached - it would probably be better to put it in to the next Mathewson's auction :-(

I've seen a few 75s with low mileage make that kind of money before Alan, not a Chinese one though. The front end got a bit of a redesign when SHAC bought MG-Rover from the Phoenix Four and parts are tricky to get hold of, particularly body panels as a result of the redesign. Not that they should be needed on that one given the condition but you never know.

I see Steve McQueen gets everywhere again! "Bullit proof engine" - hmmmmmmmmmmmm!

I wonder if he got "auction fever" and paid over the odds for it and has been given grief by SWMBO and told to sell it on. A bit strange he's not driven it because he knew he couldn't keep it.

[Othen]

Originally Posted by Laird Scooby

I've seen a few 75s with low mileage make that kind of money before Alan, not a Chinese one though. The front end got a bit of a redesign when SHAC bought MG-Rover from the Phoenix Four and parts are tricky to get hold of, particularly body panels as a result of the redesign. Not that they should be needed on that one given the condition but you never know.

I see Steve McQueen gets everywhere again! "Bullit proof engine" - hmmmmmmmmmmmm!

I wonder if he got "auction fever" and paid over the odds for it and has been given grief by SWMBO and told to sell it on. A bit strange he's not driven it because he knew he couldn't keep it.

Well Dave this time it is your turn, you've earned the "Big Hammer of the Week Award" for hitting the nail well and truly on the head there! Exactly as you say: 'he got "auction fever" and paid over the odds for it and has been given grief by SWMBO and told to sell it on'.

It will be a nice enough car (I always liked the 75, but never owned one), the question would be what to do with it at £10k. If one treated it like a normal car and drove it 10,000 miles/year it would almost instantly depreciate to £2,500 where most nice, well looked after 75s sit now. If one garaged it, cleaned and serviced it regularly plus restricted the mileage to 200/year (as it has done so far) then in another 20 years its value might have appreciated a bit (hard to say with 75s, they aren't rare), but that would have huge associated costs.

So, whilst it might be nice, I can't really see where the market lies (well, not at over £10,000). I suppose there might be someone who wants it for nostalgia, but it is only a 16 year old motor car.

The best solution would be to keep the car and enjoy it for a few decades, but I think you are right: the situation that changed was SWMBO throwing a fit that the new kitchen fund has been spent on a whim of a 16 year old car.

:-(

PS. For comparison, this is another low mileage (33,000), good condition car for sale at £2,500 - that would be the price of the £10,000 car if someone drove it as a normal car for a year or two:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2005-ROVE...AAAOSwmflfYExE

... I know, it is not a diesel, but that would hardly matter.

[Othen]

Originally Posted by Laird Scooby

The filter fits almost all Land-Rover, Range-Rover and Rover models from a certain era Alan :

https://bearmach.com/product/oil-fil...filter-err3340

There are other applications as well i suspect and it's the right thread to fit your Volvo but potentially too long.

Not sure on the water pump, is there a part number on it at all?

The instrument cluster is going to be a hard sell as they rarely if ever fail. They are basically the same as the 800 series instruments but obviously with different scales on the tacho and speedo. If i hear of anyone i'll certainly point them in your direction.

Many thanks Dave. I'll let the eBay ads run as they don't cost me anything.

[Laird Scooby]

Originally Posted by Othen

Well Dave this time it is your turn, you've earned the "Big Hammer of the Week Award" for hitting the nail well and truly on the head there! Exactly as you say: 'he got "auction fever" and paid over the odds for it and has been given grief by SWMBO and told to sell it on'.

It will be a nice enough car (I always liked the 75, but never owned one), the question would be what to do with it at £10k. If one treated it like a normal car and drove it 10,000 miles/year it would almost instantly depreciate to £2,500 where most nice, well looked after 75s sit now. If one garaged it, cleaned and serviced it regularly plus restricted the mileage to 200/year (as it has done so far) then in another 20 years its value might have appreciated a bit (hard to say with 75s, they aren't rare), but that would have huge associated costs.

So, whilst it might be nice, I can't really see where the market lies (well, not at over £10,000). I suppose there might be someone who wants it for nostalgia, but it is only a 16 year old motor car.

The best solution would be to keep the car and enjoy it for a few decades, but I think you are right: the situation that changed was SWMBO throwing a fit that the new kitchen fund has been spent on a whim of a 16 year old car.

:-(

PS. For comparison, this is another low mileage (33,000), good condition car for sale at £2,500 - that would be the price of the £10,000 car if someone drove it as a normal car for a year or two:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2005-ROVE...AAAOSwmflfYExE

... I know, it is not a diesel, but that would hardly matter.

The PS is the interesting bit Alan, another SHAC model and not being diesel is in its favour. That said the 1.8 16v engine in it is fragile but not as fragile as the earlier ones. Thankfully not turbo'd so likely to stay together longer without turning the head into a banana.
Probably a little steep on the money but that is reflected by the low mileage so in or around the ballpark. That said, being the dreaded "K"ettle engine, it could be low mileage because it's spent most of its time in the garage.

If not and it gets to 50k without HGF then it's probably going to be a good one.

Originally Posted by Othen

Many thanks Dave. I'll let the eBay ads run as they don't cost me anything.

While browsing ebay i discovered your water pump is most likely to fit the 300TDi engine as fitted to various Land/Range Rover models. I did find a few listings that quoted it as fitting anything and everything but i know from bitter experience (personal and that of others) that often the compatibility guides on fleabay are compiled by the seller who hasn't actually got a clue what's under the bonnet.

On the Rover forum i've fielded many questions by 827 owners who have bought a new alternator for £36 only to find it looks nothing like the Nippon-Denso factory fitted unit and can't work out how to fit it.

When i explain it's impossible because a) it doesn't have the right bracket arrangement, b) it doesn't have the right connectors to plug in, c) the lack of correct connectors means it can't function as Mr Honda intended it to and lastly d) the pulley is completely wrong and they can't be swapped.
Also fielded a few the other way round from people wanting to fit 827 alternators to 820 and had to explain the opposite.

That's just one example of sellers listing things as fitting the whole range, steering racks are another (827 racks are unique to the 827) but you get the idea.

That said, i wonder if adding the probability of what vehcles those parts will fit would increase the chances of shifting them. Most buyers are lazy and won't do their own part number checking so adding that information might just bring about a sale.