Selling/buying 205Gti Or 205Gti6

[dobboy 231 2 Cars]

I fear my white pride and joys' days are numbered..... maybe not, we'll see, it won't be going anywhere this year.

 

 

But I was wondering, what is most sellable or buyable?

 

There are a few on here who have done renovations and GTI6 conversions (and spent a lot of money on further mods/upgrades/uprating) at the same time, which undoubtedly in my mind makes these 205's a much quicker and better car.

 

 

However, I fear that potential buyers may be looking for originality, or is it just car collectors who are looking for originality?

 

 

What say ye?

[Anthony 1,003]

I would personally say that an original car will always be easier to sell than a modified one as you're appealing to a larger audience.

[dobboy 231 2 Cars]

I can see why you think that Anthony, but i'm not sure I agree, and by saying that i'm not disagreeing.

 

 

Is the larger audience Joe Public or the folks who have always been interested in/liked/owned 205's?

 

I think everyone wants them original looking, but does everyone want the original performance, or would they rather have it faster?

[allanallen 528 2 Cars]

I agree with Anthony.

 

If you think yours is worth more modified then sell it modified.

Edited May 19, 2016 by allanallen

[Anthony 1,003]

Is the larger audience Joe Public or the folks who have always been interested in/liked/owned 205's?

 

I think everyone wants them original looking, but does everyone want the original performance, or would they rather have it faster?

Larger audience as in people who are looking to buy a 205 - a standard car will unquestionably appeal to a larger percentage of those people than a modified one will. Even people looking to modify a car with a 16v conversion for example would sometimes prefer to start with a standard example rather than buy something ready done.

 

The problem with modified cars is that they're invariably modified to suit the owners taste and preference, which might be quite different to the buyers, and they're all done to distinctly variable standards. There's also a school of thought that a car that's had a more powerful engine, uprated suspension or whatever has probably led a harder life than one that hasn't.

 

I've viewed and bought numerous modified 205's over the years and I can honestly say that there's not a single one that I've ever been completely happy with and others that have bordered on being a death trap. Without fail, ever single one has had elements that I didn't like and wanted to change, whereas at least with a standard car you know what you're getting to a point - just a question of how much they've been bodged and neglected over the years.

 

I'm not denying that 205's can be improved upon with modification and certainly I think that a good 205 Mi16 is a thing of unadulterated joy but that doesn't equate to them being easier to sell or worth more money compared to a standard car - quite the opposite really.

 

The only exception to that rule I can see is proper logbooked competition cars and period cars like original Turbo Technics conversions, although even then they're all appealing to a much smaller audience.

[nomis 12]

When I was looking to buy two years ago, I was as close to standard as reasonable, ie only slightly lowered, minor engine / mechanical upgrades, no bodywork modifications.

I would have considered maybe going to a 16v conversion but anything standard definitely got more of a look.

 

 

Two reasons:

1) I wanted a 205 Gti - so to me that meant close to original spec

2) modifications are a real issue for insurance if you are used to only the mainstream market or have to keep it on the road in a not great postcode etc.

 

That said I could have been tempted by a really nicely done with all the paperwork GTi6

Edited May 19, 2016 by nomis

[dcc 855]

Depends on who is buying, generally a standard car is worth more, I'd never sell mine though I'd put it back standard to sell if it were to go.

 

Off topic slightly it made me chuckle you asking opinions and then disagreeing with them haha

[allanallen 528 2 Cars]

Depends on who is buying, generally a standard car is worth more, I'd never sell mine though I'd put it back standard to sell if it were to go.

 

Off topic slightly it made me chuckle you asking opinions and then disagreeing with them haha

You only have boy racer banger cars though dan

[dobboy 231 2 Cars]

Depends on who is buying, generally a standard car is worth more, I'd never sell mine though I'd put it back standard to sell if it were to go.

 

Off topic slightly it made me chuckle you asking opinions and then disagreeing with them haha

Hey I never disagreed with anybody! I said

 

"I can see why you think that Anthony, but i'm not sure I agree, and by saying that i'm not disagreeing."

 

The only opinion I have is that I think most want it looking standard (at least). One of my friends purposely went looking for an uprated and 16V'd 205, so there is also a market for standard looking non-standard cars..... and he paid good money for it at the time.

 

If/when mines is for sale, i'll prob do like you're suggesting and go back to standard........ more effin work to look forward to. Fortunately I've kept all my bits.

[Mac Crash 78 1 Cars]

Jack, defo worth more with the boat anchor in it, so your safe enough to sell me your old 8v...

 

Pretty sure that the reality is it will be worth more standard... just need to look at the recent 24k car...

[dobboy 231 2 Cars]

here's one.

 

Two identical cars for sale, same mileage, same number of owners, same condition, both looked after by enthusiasts etc.

 

Car 1 is box standard in every way and is £2k

Car 2 is box standard with the exception of a recent Quaife diff fitted and is for sale for £2.4k

 

 

what car do you buy?

[allanallen 528 2 Cars]

I'd buy the cheaper one, if I then wanted a quaife fitting I'd wait till one turns up for £300 and fit it myself. Saving myself £100 and being safe in the knowledge that it's A- fitted properly and not pissing oil out of the casing/shaft seals and B- that it's actually in the box and I'm not being mugged off by the seller.

 

This thread is pretty daft, are you selling your car??

[Anthony 1,003]

The standard car for £2k would be the easier to sell and would have the wider audience.

 

The people that would want a Quaife in a 205 are probably not the same group that would be buying an otherwise completely standard car. Quaife would be more desirable in a typical "fast-road" modified 205 or a track/competition car than it would a standard one.

 

From a financial view point, if you exclude your labour/time, it almost always works out better to sell off the gucci bits separately as in your example, the Quaife would probably only add £100-200 to the value of the complete car but would be worth £400-450 separately.

 

Edit: I See Allan's beaten me to it, and I completely agree with what he's said.

Edited May 20, 2016 by Anthony

[dobboy 231 2 Cars]

I'd buy the cheaper one, if I then wanted a quaife fitting I'd wait till one turns up for £300 and fit it myself. Saving myself £100 and being safe in the knowledge that it's A- fitted properly and not pissing oil out of the casing/shaft seals and B- that it's actually in the box and I'm not being mugged off by the seller.

 

This thread is pretty daft, are you selling your car??

 

You'd wait a while for a diff coming up for £300, it's easy to check for Gbox oil leaks, you can jack the car up and test if it's fitted, and also ask for the receipt...... but you know all that.

[Anthony 1,003]

Receipts don't actually mean that's something's fitted though and certainly not that it's been fitted properly.

 

Yes, in the case of a diff you can usually check that something is fitted, but no way of verifying exactly what without pulling the 'box apart - that's how the claimed "Quaife" I bought best part of a decade ago actually turned out to be an AP Suretrak!

 

Receipts are easily faked anyway or parts removed at a later point.

[JamPug 22]

Not going to lie I would buy the one with the Quaife, maybe I'm bad at buying cars.

[allanallen 528 2 Cars]

You'd wait a while for a diff coming up for £300, it's easy to check for Gbox oil leaks, you can jack the car up and test if it's fitted, and also ask for the receipt...... but you know all that.

You asked what car I'd buy, that's what car I'd buy and my reasoning. Sorry it's not the answer you wanted....

[tartanbloke 35 1 Cars]

The facts are simple, keep it standard and you are more likely to sell (or even purchase) or modify, thus reducing your target audience and making it more difficult to sell.

 

From a personal perspective, I avoid modified examples and do not trust those who claim to have had certain parts fitted that I cannot see with my eyes.

[Malc 45]

Just get the gti6 engine, xsara box and steering rack out, then switch the brakes over, a weekend job at the most. Then you have a mega clean and standard ph1.5 1.9 GTI which I would say would sell very easily at good money. Then you have plenty goodies to fit to a track 205 that you will more than likely buy, as you will miss the 205 and be bored of the mini.

[Mac Crash 78 1 Cars]

Sorry Jack, but I agree with Malc... and it's not a real mini anyway...

http://www.mini7.co.uk/miglia.php

[barneys66 122 1 Cars]

I went looking for a bone stock one but when I saw mine I could appreciate the work that had gone into it, the value of the bits versus the price, and that there were no irreversible mods.

 

Personally I see the benefits of upgraded bits in an otherwise standard looking car including, from a buyers perspective, the fact that this devalues it! But then we're not talking about five figure survivors here, more the drivers for enthusiasts.

 

Decide how much you want for it and advertise it as is - if it doesn't sell then return it to stock and try again, offsetting your time with what you'll sell the bits for.

 

Or, just keep it - you know it makes sense.