Miata dilemma, which one to keep
 

Disclaimer: if I ramble this morning it is due to a lack of coffee ;)
Further disclaimer: This thread is not meant as an advertisement of sale, I am just seeking advice and laying it all out there this am while sitting at my shop awaiting customers to come get their stuff.

So, I purchased a 91 Turbo Miata for my soon to be 20 year old son, never even gave thought to the fact that he might have issues shifting due to spinal surgery he had 4 years prior. Turns out while he can drive it, the use of his left leg extension for clutch duties does cause him discomfort.

Got a good deal on the car, but also spent some money to repair things that I found wrong (like the rear differential which is being rebuilt as I type this out :facepalm: ) or unacceptable in by design.....By the end of Memorial day weekend the car will be about as 100% as I can make it (remember, I was giving this to my son, so everything must be 100% safe and reliable)....All accept the installation of the new harddog double diagonal M1 rollbar (yeah, I procrastinate a lot when it comes to these :) ...

Now the dilemma, I also have a 97 Supercharged Miata, mostly track car (not a spec series though), hardtop only at the moment (picking up a soft top for it later today) that I am going to lightly detune for some street use..Just finished a rebuild of the mechanicals 2,000 mostly street miles ago, and it will need a repaint...Wife does not want either (she uses a 2000 Sebring convertible as her DD), which means one will have to go...

So again, one has to go, I've driven both and can't say I really like or dislike one over the other.....So, given that both cars are mechanically equal (in terms of rough HP/Trq, handling, and overall rust free condition), what other factors should I throw in to help me make my decision.....Which do you guys think would sell faster (I'm thinking, and have posted elsewhere an asking price of $6,500, and that was before I fixed the whining rear for the Turbo), maybe $7,500 for the 97 SC......


Any advice, pitfalls, etc, am I too high, too low, in the right ballpark? You guys know more about them than I do when it comes to this stuff....So what say you?


Thanks in advance,


Sincerely,


Bill S.

i need a new dad.

im 28, think he will still buy me stuff if I show him this thread?

If it's not obvious which one to keep you could list them both and keep whichever one doesn't sell first. This strategy can sometimes scare off potential buyers though, but sometimes it works.

If I had to choose between a 91 turbo that I'd just bought and a 97 sc'd that I'd owned and tracked, I would choose the 97. With used cars, I like to think of it as the evils we know are better than the evils we don't know. So if the 91 isn't pulling at my heart to keep it, I would sell it.

Now I know this might be blaspheme, but if he LIKES the car... convert it to auto maybe?

Just a thought.

I agree with this ^

That's a good idea. I suggest that the OP do some research because I seem to remember that the auto trans can cause interference with some downpipes. I've never owned an auto miata so don't take my word for it, but a quick search should help determine if the turbo system on the 91 can coexist with the auto trans.

Going into his 3rd year of school with a 3.85GPA, he earned it in my eyes.


I thought about this, even gave him that option, he chose the 2000 Subaru Legacy as he lives out in Altoona year round and the Miata would be in issue in the winter....Got to love it when he thinks logically like that, especially when I didn't (and I'm turning 48 soon :D )......

Again, I guess what I really need to ask myself is which one I'll get more use out of...Again a tough call.........Then again, I guess the only other question is, am I in the ballpark with the Turbo pricing? Given clean, rust free, one minor accident which caused the drivers fender to be replaced (in 1993) with all the goodies on it......Is $6,500 (with uninstalled rollbar, but rebuilt rear end) high, low, or on the money....I do want to sell it before the end of the summer at the very least.....

Thanks again for your candor.

Bill S.

Specs (cleaned) and pictures here (originally posted on a whim as a kneejerk reaction to my son taking the Subaru):

http://forum.miata.net/vb/showthread.php?t=420581

Mod's if the link is not allowed, please delete. Again this thread is not meant as a for sale thread, but now as a way of asking the Turbo experts if I am priced fairly or not. I know mustangs/shelbys/cobras/TR6's/MGB pricing, but not Turbo Miatas. I see plenty out there, with asking prices higher and lower, but have no idea what they are actually selling for.

Sincerely,

Bill S.

Bill -

As others have mentioned, if it's a wash to you which one stays & which goes, list them both, sale one, keep the other.

I'll let others devate your price point.

- L

Thanks, but I think since I have more emotions tied up with the SC, the Turbo may be the one to let go.Although it is a lot of fun to drive, and my employees think the blow off valve things is pretty cool (they are all in their early 20's) :rolleyes: .....


Bill S.

All things being equal, your personal history with the SC could be the trump card.

Wife and I went out for a good long ride today (top down, 80 degrees, sunny,what more could we ask for), all the while discussing this issue. She pretty much said the same thing "the 97 is yours, the 91 was "J...'s", just sell the 91"......I guess it really is that cut and dry.......Guess I'll post up once the car is back together.....Am I on the right track at $6,500 for it? Too high, too low,or dead on?


As always, appreciate your comments and thoughts.


Sincerely,

Bill S.

You've got your ad on miata.net already. Post one on Craigslist and Ebay Classifieds. Let it simmer for a week or 2 @ $6500 and see what happens. If it sells, you know you were in the ballpark. If you don't get any hits, decide if you want to lower the price or wait a couple more weeks.

From one of your previous posts it sounds like you found some comps around your price range. That should give you confidence that your price isn't too wacky.

I think you're a little bit on the high end. It is a good starting place though because you won't attract many really low offers but might get some offers in the 5k range. It looks like a pretty well put together car, but almost any member here would upgrade every single thing on it, its a very basic setup all the way around.

The previous owner spent a good amount of money on it, I spent a bit more to get it safe and reliable with just a little extra kick for my son to use as his daily driver.I did not tweak it to race, I tweaked it for the fun (being on the other side with the SC) while still allowing good gas mileage and safety..... Yes, most here are into the racing end (looks like mostly drag and autocross) and would do further upgrades, but respectfully, not everyone has that same mindset. Again I appreciate your thoughts and comments.


Sincerely,

Bill S.

paddle shifters?

:facepalm: ........................

Unless there is a lot of stuff done to it or it's got super low mileage I would think $6500 is a bit high. But, you can always come down... it's a little more difficult to go up when it's priced too low.

That link is dead. You sell the car?

You spoke, I listened (see below).


Nope,did not sell, but cleaned up the car, fixed the rear differential and dropped the price:

http://forum.miata.net/vb/showthread.php?t=422906


Bill S.