Repair-It

In my opinion, giving way less than asking/value because you know he has to sell could be considered taking advantage of the situation.
In my situation with the tractor, I probably paid a little less than value, but I feel like I didn't take advantage because I didn't ask to pay a penny less than his asking price because I tried to respect the situation and it would have been unfair to push to pay less than he was asking. I wasn't going to offer more than asking, because that seemed like going above and beyond.

In this case, he seems to need to sell. I would pay the absolute minimum that it is worth. What could you easily turn around and sell it for tomorrow? If the value is 2K - 3500, and there is some (very little) rust anywhere, or any other random small things, offer 2K. I probably wouldn't pay much less though. It isn't the Impala SS. 2K for one of those clean would be taking advantage. Are these Roadmasters really sought out? In G-Body speak, these to me are like the Cutlass. A G-body, but not the GN or Monte SS... Cutlass values even with a V8 are still substantially lower.

That being said, value seems to be somewhere between 1K on the low junk side and 4,500 on the high side. I think the mileage gives you some leverage as I am not sure this car will get high side money with 182K miles. It is 21 years old. No normal person just looking for a car is paying more than 2K for this if they are even looking at all, which based on his lack of people interested kind of shows the market a little.

billgiacheri wrote:In my opinion, giving way less than asking/value because you know he has to sell could be considered taking advantage of the situation.
In my situation with the tractor, I probably paid a little less than value, but I feel like I didn't take advantage because I didn't ask to pay a penny less than his asking price because I tried to respect the situation and it would have been unfair to push to pay less than he was asking. I wasn't going to offer more than asking, because that seemed like going above and beyond.

You are only 50% of the transaction. You say that "giving way less than asking" is a moral dilemma. Yet, he would have absolutely refused any offer below $2k. He had just as much power as you did in that transaction.

billgiacheri wrote:That being said, value seems to be somewhere between 1K on the low junk side and 4,500 on the high side. I think the mileage gives you some leverage as I am not sure this car will get high side money with 182K miles. It is 21 years old. No normal person just looking for a car is paying more than 2K for this if they are even looking at all, which based on his lack of people interested kind of shows the market a little.

The value is nowhere near $4500 because this car has 182k. Anything even close to $4500 has like half the miles.

I think the real reason you don't want another B-body is you are holding out for one of these:
https://boston.craigslist.org/gbs/cto/d ... 91257.html
https://boston.craigslist.org/nos/cto/d ... 09146.html
https://southcoast.craigslist.org/cto/d ... 45926.html
https://boston.craigslist.org/nos/cto/d ... 09468.html
https://newlondon.craigslist.org/cto/d/ ... 31713.html
https://hartford.craigslist.org/cto/d/2 ... 63578.html

I'm not gonna say I don't like the W211 E55...although none of what you posted is that.

I am worried that I have no solid plan for turning the RMS into the kind of hotrod I always wanted the Caprice to be. And I really have no solid need for a stock RMS in my driveway. And by solid plan, I mean executable (time/labor/skill). The funds are the least of my concern, and those aren't exactly burning a hole in my wallet.

EDIT: That said, let's be honest. A completely free B-body has no greater chance of being LS swapped (by me) than a $2,000 RMS does.

I think the whole reason for trying to get a good deal is to hedge against not actually doing the project. If I do the project, I agree, $2k, or $3k or whatever doesn't much matter compared with the end result.

There is also the factor of me simply being attracted to a high mileage, well taken care of, clean, and cheap anything. Which is the answer of why I am looking at this if I am not sure if I am really going to undertake an engine swap project.

Right now, I don't really want the car. If I bought it, I think it would be more like "I don't want this now, but when my Caprice is done, I would very much be looking for something like this." To be clear, there is really no B/D-body deal I can concoct that I'd be really interested in at this exact moment. I'm not talking myself out of this RMS - I'm talking myself out of a 6th car, as "temporary" as it is supposed to be.

Which goes back to Bill suggesting that I just part out the Caprice now (or when it mechanically or rust-wise fails) and scrap it. Then take my time buying a replacement. I mean that is certainly an option.

I say we talk Bill into getting it.

I already have a truck, two cars on the road, and two projects not on the road.

I could use a backup/cool car. Unfortunately this isn't really my thing. I am not super into the full sized sedans. I know that is blasphemy on this forum...

Also I am really pushing for a Gen 5 Camaro, and getting a car before that will definitely impact getting the Camaro...

I would be looking at a small to mid sized RWD that could be modified to be fast if it isn't already. Like Gen 3 Camaro, Gen 4 Monte SS/Regal, Stuff that will never be affordable like the mid 90's RX-7, I could see a LS4 Fiero, but probably not... A manual might be cool since the Gen 5 Camaro will likely be auto...

When the When the Saturn Sky gets cheap, that would be awesome to LS swap...

I looked at it. 40 pics here:
https://1drv.ms/f/s!An5lt1BKvFKdpOxcT-OVIHGl-3nfLg

What do you think?

He just lowered the price again to $2500. I'd say there's a very good chance he'd take $2000. The question is, do I want it?

There is some rust but all of it looks like I could catch it and treat it.

The car drove really well. Trans shifts perfectly. Engine seems to run right. Monroe SS shocks work well. Climate control works. He'd done a ton of maintenance.

He bought it in 2005 with 19k on it from the first owner. That's definitely something.

Here's a crazy factoid: the rear windows roll all the way down. Is that a 96 thing???? I had no idea. Pretty awesome.

Jamie also liked the car and was leaning toward me buying it. I am still not sure.

It needs some small things:
- Pass front door panel missing one or two of those push pins. I'd assume the panel itself actually broke where the pins go but maybe not
- Windshield washer fluid pump dead and he says he's done quite a few. I think once he went to the AZ replacements the life was short
- Needs a new driver's seat buckle. The spring thing inside broke and the belt won't latch. He uses the middle seat buckle which seems to work fine. I'd hope this would be a junkyard part or maybe other sources? Not a big deal to change (big Torx bolt and an electrical plug)
- He said he has on rare occasion received a CE light for the MAF. It will probably need a MAF someday but this is hardly a big deal. Ed's needed a MAF, too. It drove very well for me.

As for the good, just about everything was good. Mechanically this car seems to be in very good shape. I wouldn't have to spend 5 weekends doing all the deferred maintenance, which is a bonus. The brakes don't pulsate, at all, for example. I may have heard a very slight exhaust leak but it was very faint.

I'll post more thoughts later. Need to get dinner for everyone now.

Also he was a really nice guy. He let Ian use his bathroom. He is a retired Chem Engineer. Worked for Ocean Spray. Retiring to NC, and I don't think he knew he was going to do that until fairly recently, which is why he maintained the car so well. If it makes anyone feel better, he clearly isn't selling the car because he needs 2 grand right now or something. We kind of talked about that earlier...

Aside from the CL post, here is what I remember him saying from memory:
- Rear brake lines done
- Brakes serviced recently
- Did have a WP and the opti was done due to an oil leak and the mechanic explained it was a good time to change it
- Alternator original I think
- Coolant was recently flushed
- He said he upgraded to the bigger ball joints...I wonder if that is the bigger 96 9C1 lower ball joints. I thought you needed to do the lower control arm or at least the spindle. He knows the lower control arms were not replaced.
- All of the steering system has been done, including the steering box (per CL)
- Trans fluid was probably changed 5 times he thinks. He knew to do that.
- I guess the car was painted maybe 7 years ago and after that the B-pillar repair was done.
- The rear 1/4 panels were repaired properly with real metal. They looked and felt great.

He said the car was owned by some GM factory guy (like he used to work at the Framingham plant back in the day) and he bought this for his wife. He said the build date was like August 1996, which is quite late. He explained how the guy was particular to order FE2 and V92 towing. I love these stories.

I wound out 1st and I think I got to the top of 2nd. Trans shifted very positively both shifts. Really the trans felt like it had 80k on it. The car felt great out on the road. Hence Roadmaster.

The UOA was from Blackstone and he reported good results, obviously.

This is a lot of car for 2 grand and actually a pretty damn good example overall. The rusty areas are holding me back I think.