Hello, I'm not really into cars so I don't know where or what to look for but...
My grandfather bought a 1988 Chrysler LeBaron Convertible new and never really drove it. He mainly kept it in the garage and would drive it once in awhile. He has since passed and my grandmother doesn't know what is the possible worth of the car if she were to want to sell it. The car has had only the one owner (my grandparents bought it new from the dealer) and has not had any major work on it. All bills for work done on the car has been kept. All original parts and the car has around 16,000 miles only. No major damage to the car... may be a couple of small scrathes here and there but nothing major (no dents or huge/deep scratches). She drives it at least once a week just to make sure it keeps running properly. Any idea what a car in this type of condition is worth? Any place on the net to find out?
I would suggest checking eBay.com or Autotrader.com to see what others are selling for. You can also check Edmunds.com. Unless a car becomes a classic or collectable grade, the prices usually reach a bottom and stay there.
Generally once a car is over 20 years old those sites stop listing value for them. Within the last 4-5 years the car values go to about $500.
Steve, if you sold this, the LeBaron would probably fetch about $1000-$1500 max. Which would be terrible since it probably has at least 100,000 miles left in it. If you have any interest at all in this car, you ought to buy it from your grandmother and just drive it. If your worried about paying your grandmother for fair value for it, then the best way to really find out what the market will pay is to list it for sale at $400 above blue-book and see if anyone calls.
I agree with what the other posters are saying about the value of your car. We have a fully restored '86 LeBaron Convertible. What's it really worth? What ever someone is willing to pay. I would ask $6,500 if I was selling it today. The interior and exterior are in showroom condition and everything is original except for the top which was replaced several years ago.
The engine has been rebuilt and runs very nicely. This will be one of my retirement cars or for my son when he's of age to drive and be mature ;-)
Some cars become old and "classic" and are desired by many collectors. Some cars just become old... Unfortunately there is nothing special about an '88 Le Baron to make a collector seek it out.
Looking at KBB they show that car at $2100 with the current mileage and in excellent condition (if it is the premium version). Were it mine I would price it at $2900 just to see what happens... probably won't sell at that price but you can bargain from there. I also agree with another poster who said to buy it and drive it if you need a car. If you don't then see if someone in the family does.
I guess a car collector was inquiring about the car which is why my grandmother is wondering what the value of the car would be. The collector did have an interest in the car due to it being in such great condition and the extremely low milage. How do you value a car if someone has an interest in it? I don't want her to get "undercut" or ask for too much and push a potential buyer away.
Ask the collector to make an offer. If it's over $1000 then call a car appraiser, have him make an appraisal. If the appraisal comes in lower then the offer, then you might counter for a couple hundred bucks more and see what happens. If the appraisal comes in higher, then give the appraisal to the collector and tell him "here's what it is going to cost" and dicker from that point. That way the collector knows your serious about selling it. Keep in mind you will never be able to sell a car for exactly what it's appraised at, but you can get fairly close.
Be aware that if you come back with an appraisal that is scads higher than the offer, the collector will probably realize he didn't want it that badly. But, if your not willing to drop down, then you probably didn't want to sell it that badly either.
If the collector offers under $1000 then tell him "If I was going to sell it for that I'd drive it myself" and see if he hangs up or gets serious.
There's a big difference between a collector that is serious about buying a car because he thinks it's going to appreciate, and a collector that just happens to like the look of the car, and really isn't serious about buying it, unless he can make a rediculously low offer and have the seller go for it.
There is also a big difference between a seller that is interested in selling a car only if some idiot offers a rediculous amount of money more than what the car is worth, and a seller that is interested in selling a car for
market price, whatever that may be. If you are the first kind of seller, and the collector is the second kind of buyer, then both of you are wasting each other's time. You cannot change the buyer from a opportunistic buyer to a serious buyer, but you do need to make the decision to be a motivated seller before even talking prices with the collector.
I have an '85 Lebaron 'woody' convertible which is one of the few K cars or Lebarons that would have a little collector value. Maybe that Maserati one they made but it was a big flop and looked too much like a Lebaron. And perhaps a later Lebaron that was really suped up with the
6 cyl> I guess a car collector was inquiring about the car which is why my
Hemmings magazine (not the Motor News, but rather the collector mag) listed the 'twenty most desireable' convertibles that are collectible, or perhaps have future collector value. The 1987 through 1995 LeBaron convertible is mentioned. They caution that you won't retire off a resale anytime soon, but they indeed have a following, and would certainity increase in value someday. They also mentioned that you would be surprised at how pleasurable a LeBaron is to drive and own.
I suggest buying the car for yourself to drive, maintain, and enjoy. Well cared for LeBarons are a bargian to enjoy; neglicted ones are a nightmare of repairs.
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