I got the car like 15+ years ago, turboed it and built the engine in 2003, then again in 2015. There was a build thread and everything. Got XIDA GS, was daily driving the car for a while. Yay.

Long story short, we had a baby, we moved, etc. The wife is making ultimatums, car basically has to go. I obviously am not happy about this, but I realistically haven't had time or permission to work on the thing in over a year so yeah. It is what it is.

Anyway, I was wondering whether I should part the car out at all or try to sell it as is. I don't realistically expect to get back 15+ years worth of blood, sweat, tears and money, but I'd like to maximize the cash value I get out of it. Advice is welcome.

Car is a 97 with dark blue body, black top, tan interior.

Bad stuff:
Car needs new front main seal (everything else is perfect and not leaking). I will probably do this before I sell it since it's only a few hours work.
Car has working AC with no leaks but the compressor just died.
Car has a salvage title from before I owned it.
Black rota slips (15x6.5) with heavily heat cycled kuhmo summer tires. I was going to upgrade to 6ULs but nevermind I guess.
Car has a five speed.
Car doesn't have complete ducting for radiator. Ran into difficulties before I could finish that project. Car doesn't overheat or anything, just throwing that out there.

Good stuff:
Car full interior, a/c, stereo, original leather seats, etc. It's a street car that can handle speed bumps, potholes, etc.
Car has a 96-97 Link ECU (the kind FM sold a million years ago), forged rods and pistons (pauter/wiseco), 99 head, flattop, log manifold with t3/t04E .50, 3" exhaust to rear bumper, BE oil pump, double heavy valve springs, etc. I've been running it at 18 psi forever.
XIDA GS with FM front bar.
Stock brakes with XP10/XP8.
FM2 clutch (the good one) with new master/slave cylinders and lines.
Car has an thermostat/oil cooler which is currently sitting on a shelf. I took it out because it was preventing the oil from getting up to good temperatures on daily drive duty.

I guess I'm wondering what I should sell it for, tips to avoid getting ripped off, whether or not I should bother getting the AC fixed before I sell it, etc.

 

 

What a horribly tragic situation.

 

No rust. Car was a CA car then a garage car. The front bumper paint needs work but that's it.

And yeah, I was basically never planning on selling this.

 

Pee on wife to establish dominance and keep car?

 

@AlwaysBroken, those of us who have been in this hobby for long enough have faced this challenge.

I'm going to predict that, realistically, you could probably sell the car for around $3k, unless you really hold out for that unicorn teenager whose parents are footing the bill and have no common sense. Modified cars are really difficult to sell, doubly so when they're 20 years old and not a Porsche.

You could more than likely part the car out and get more than this. From what I'm gathering, you are in a situation in which the value of your time may likely exceed the added profit which is this is likely to produce. Of the parts you've named off (I have not read your build thread), the XIDAs are the only part I'd expect to fetch any significant money, and of course once you take those off, then you have assigned the whole chassis a value of zero. (Basically, most scrap companies will come and haul it away for free, but nothing more.)

 

id say thats a bit harsh.

a decent looking and working built engine turbo miata with xidas should be able to fetch at least $4-5k.

im not sure what you mean that without xidas the chassis is worth zero? its a running turbo miata. even without xidas it should fetch about 4k

 

Suspension is super easy to swap, so I'd pull the Xidas, sell separately, and put in stock springs and shocks. I'd also get the A/C working and replace the main seal.

In my AO that would leave you with a 4-5k car, plus whatever you can sell the Xidas for. Full part out would likely net more cash, but at the cost of time (which sounds like the more valuable resource for you at the moment).

 

Speaking from personal experience, "should" and "will" are different things. About seven years ago I went through the same situating, selling a very clean, perfectly rust-free turbo car. After six months of nothing happening I finally let it go for about $3k just because the registration was about to expire and I needed to be rid of it.

Maybe the OP here will be luckier. I'd certainly ask $5k, but be prepared to take quite a lot less.


I'm talking about a part-out scenario. If the Xidas are removed, then the rest of the car will be sitting on the ground unable to move. Most people will not pay for a car in this condition.

 

I haven't sold the old FM suspension yet. I could swap that back in. Would be a bit of a pain but doable.

Wife is gonna have a fit about me working on the car again, but such is life. Just can't win.

 

If you make the wife happy, you win.

 

Jesus your wife sounds like a piece of work (No offense). Is there no level of compromise here?

Realistically, the LINK and salvage title is going to be a big detractor for someone looking for a sorted clean car. As tends to be the case with situations like this, you'll come out way, way far ahead parting out.

A lot of what you'll get for something like this depends a lot on where you live and where you are advertising for sale. Good luck trying to get any reasonable price selling in a Facebook Miata group. Though in Florida, an ODB2 vehicle with a salvage title is far less of an issue than in a place like New York.

Assuming no rust, good tune, I'd probably put it at 4.5-5k. Maybe even 5.5-6 here in NY if it was well put together. This is of course - to the right person. You'd have to be lucky or be willing to wait for the right buyer. And not suck at selling stuff because holy **** some people are bad at this.

 

Salvage title. Not worth a dime as a complete vehicle. Hard to even insure in some places. Full part out for maximum return.

 

So as to not make any assumptions, let me ask a few clarifying questions regarding the dynamic in your household. Do you permit your wife to take part in any hobbies and interests outside of your presence or do you require her to tend to the needs of you and your child constantly? Perhaps if you gave her a few minutes rest from her chores on occasion she would not be so needy of your presence and approval. If I have learned anything, it is that a woman needs a benevolent husband who allows her the opportunity to rest and entertain her musings on occasion. As wives submit and give respect to their husbands so also husbands should love their wives and care for their needs. We are wired differently, men and women. Men need respect both within and from outside of their household. Women need to feel loved and have affection shown to them. Perhaps she is not feeling affection in the same way as before the child due to weight gain and hormonal imbalances. It is a difficult situation. She may for these reasons be needy and insecure and jealous of your desire for your automobile. For some women the Adoration of a suckling infant is not enough.

 

You mentioned salvage title. Is it still salvage or rebuilt title?

salvage needs to pass a state inspection and be issued a rebuilt title. Otherwise cant be registered and plated.

rebuilt title means it had passed the salvage inspection and now can be registered/insured like any other car.

which one you have makes a huge difference on the ability to sell the car.

 

either one drives the value into the toilet.

 

The title issues are devastating to the value. I assume the log manifold is a DIY or eBay item, not brand name, which drags down the value of the rest of the system. The ECU is worth pennies on the dollar. Unfortunately the only things of real value on the used market are the motor package ($2500 with the squaretop) and the shocks ($1500).

List it at 5k. It will generate lots of interest and few serious buyers. Sell it to the first person who offers 4k for it. You might be able to get an extra $1-1.5k if you part it out, but you have to decide what your time is worth.

 

And what the amount of aggravation you'll get from the spousal unit is worth compared to the amount of time you'll need to spend parting it out, both from a stripping the car perspective and a dealing with Craigslist and Facebook tire-kickers perspective.

 

What if you parked it offsite for awhile to focus on the family?

See what she thinks. It will be worth the same now as it will be properly stored for a year.

I've parked mine twice for a year or more for the same reason. Kept family life in balance, Dad gets to keep the "race" car.

 

I would be interested in the xidas if you part with them.