[Hanan]

I recently looked at buying a 1971 Ford Mustang Mach 1. The guy was asking $1500 for it. Now i like the car and I think I would enjoy it. But as with any classic car for $1500 it has issues. He claims the car runs. The battery was missing so I couldn't test it. The engine looked intact and the body was not rusted out. It actually looked good though it was primer red in color. The floor board on the driver side was rotted out with rust. I assume the other areas of the floor board may be the same. My question is this. Is there a website that allows you to put in certain damages to a vehicle to truly and accurately assess the value of the car. I mean if the car is truly worth $1500 then I would gladly pay it, but if it is not then I would like to go into this with information on my side. Any information would be appreciated.

 

[avsalom]

I would be wary. I would request that he find a battery and start it up for you, otherwise he could just be blowing smoke. I did a local car search in my area, and there were only 2 1971 Mustangs, one for $3000 that was... well, I didn't even see wheels on it. Then another for $18,500, but this one claimed to be completely restored.

I would suggest you look at the Nada or Kelley Blue Book--these are used car pricing guides that are the industry standard. I believe that there are "Classic car" Nada guides that take into account the level of restoration the car has/needs. If the floor is rusted out, and you find that the car doesn't run, then you can claim that the Mustang is a "project car" and get it priced appropriately. I really don't know how much it's worth, but you can perhaps, find some classic car clubs in your area, and ask one of the senior members what he thinks of the vehicle (My husband belongs to a classic Chevy truck club here in Utah, and those boys can spot a deal a mile away or tell you that the restoration needed is far more money than the car is worth).

Hope that helps, and good luck!

 

[Carmi]

There are no web sites that will evaluate rust or body damage or mechanical issues in relation to value. The main concern should be whether the car is actually driveable and capable of being licensed and meeting state safety and emission requiremen You can't expect too much for a$1500.

 

[Eairrdsidh]

the question you have to ask yourself is this car worth $1500 to me if it is buy it if not pass