1992 Fly Yellow spider with 10,212 original miles

3764 Views 19 Replies 9 Participants Last post by Chizel, Apr 15, 2015

Chizel

Discussion Starter · Apr 7, 2015 (Edited)

I went and looked at this yellow spider with 10,212 miles on the clock. From the paperwork and looking at it. It seems legit. He bought the car from a estate sale. The car had been sitting in dirt. I could not see or feel rust bubbles on rocker arms. He said it had two pieces of carpet laid on top of hood and trunk. It was on there so long that it completly took paint off in those areas. Looks like surface rust now where paint used to be. It has a few dings here and there. Nothing to major. It was also covered as well. The engine bay has a little rust here and there. Specifically on the seams. He had new tires installed on it and fixed the brakes. I assume he flushed old gas out of system. He started it and sounded good. Although he says it has a gas leak by the fuel pump. The motor mounts are sagging enough that it is rubbing on sway arm. The soft top and interior are in pretty good shape. A good cleaning and it would **** near look new. The panels were a little warped. I offered him 5k for it. He declined. He says he's got about $5500 in it. I'll upload a pic right now and some more later. What do you think this thing is worth from my description and pics? I've always wanted a yellow one. I told him if i didnt buy it. I would let people know about it.

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vf31rhill

· #2 · Apr 7, 2015 (Edited)

Will anything other than the hood and trunk need repainting? You need to get an estimate on repainting the hood and trunk lid from a good body shop. Factor that into your buying decision. If it is as nice as you say, you and he are in very close barganing range from each other. I think your offer is reasonable considering the required repainting needing to be done. Let the seller know what the repainting repairs are going to cost. I expect it will be higher than either of you are currently thinking. That might make him be more willing to compromise.

Chizel

Discussion Starter · #3 · Apr 7, 2015

This iphone only lets me upload 1 pic at a time. It replaces previous pic if i upload additional.

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Chizel

Discussion Starter · #4 · Apr 7, 2015

Heres another

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Chizel

Discussion Starter · #5 · Apr 7, 2015

More

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Chizel

Discussion Starter · #6 · Apr 7, 2015

Last one. Here is his number if anyone wants to save this car. His name is billy. #210-971-0008. He said he would do 7k if bought before this friday. Hope someone here finds it a home.

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Uaglio

· #7 · Apr 7, 2015 (Edited)

Strange rust pattern there looks like something caustic must have been on it to strip away the paint so cleanly. I would have guessed engine fire or severe overheat did that to the hood but engine looks relatively ok and paint on underhood looks intact. Plus there is a matching paint removal with rust on the trunk lid. I'd be a little suspicious of that mileage readout. With mileage that low, you'd think it would have been taken care of better. Also don't know what's up with the chrome ring around the instrument pod. I think that's after market.

Uaglio

· #8 · Apr 7, 2015

Also, the "Spider Veloce" badge is on the wrong side, it should be on the driver side rear, "Alfa Romeo" script should be on the right (passenger side). That suggests the car had been painted (badges removed and reapplied backwards). Might also account for the odd paint failure and missing Alfa logo badge on the trunk lid.

Chizel

Discussion Starter · #9 · Apr 8, 2015

Uaglio said:
Strange rust pattern there looks like something caustic must have been on it to strip away the paint so cleanly. I would have guessed engine fire or severe overheat did that to the hood but engine looks relatively ok and paint on underhood looks intact. Plus there is a matching paint removal with rust on the trunk lid. I'd be a little suspicious of that mileage readout. With mileage that low, you'd think it would have been taken care of better. Also don't know what's up with the chrome ring around the instrument pod. I think that's after market.

Thats the glare making it look like it has a chrome bezel. Heres another pic.

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Chizel

Discussion Starter · #10 · Apr 8, 2015

Uaglio said:
Also, the "Spider Veloce" badge is on the wrong side, it should be on the driver side rear, "Alfa Romeo" script should be on the right (passenger side). That suggests the car had been painted (badges removed and reapplied backwards). Might also account for the odd paint failure and missing Alfa logo badge on the trunk lid.

It didnt look like a repaint from looking at it. But you never know. I'll look on my girls 91 and my 91 and see what side the badges are on. The rims on it looked brand new as well.

RandallM

· #11 · Apr 8, 2015 (Edited)

Here's the way I see it:

Every piece of rubber needs to be replaced on that car.

Front sway bar end links
A-arm bushings
every hose & belt (engine bay and fuel line)
possible calipers rebuilt
possible brake booster
possible fuel pump
sway bar bushings
trailing arm bushings
front / rear crank seals, pinion seal
possible entire exhaust system
radiator core may be weak too.

If the car is in San Antonio than the rust should be minimal.

I believe you shot him a very good price. You're looking at weeks of works and a grand plus to get the rubber parts sorted out and paint on top of that.

If you sent it to out to get sorted out and painted you could sink another five grand in it.

Get on the web and see if this car showed up somewhere. Could still be listed on an estate sale post. You may be able to find out what he paid for it.

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GV27

· #12 · Apr 8, 2015 (Edited)

Chizel said:
Last one. Here is his number if anyone wants to save this car. His name is billy. #210-971-0008. He said he would do 7k if bought before this friday. Hope someone here finds it a home.

What happens to it after Friday?

If he just thinks the price will go up after that, just keep after him. I bet you can get it for $5k. He's going to have a hard time getting $7 for it I think. Not that he won't but the car doesn't show well with all the rust and dingy engine compartment. I'm not sure the low miles is that big of a plus after sitting for so long and looking so ratty. Good chance you'll need vacuum hoses as well if it's just been sitting. I would think they've become a bit brittle....

nealric

· #13 · Apr 8, 2015

GV27 said:
What happens to it after Friday?

If he just thinks the price will go up after that, just keep after him. I bet you can get it for $5k. He's going to have a hard time getting $7 for it I think. Not that he won't but the car doesn't show well with all the rust and dingy engine compartment. I'm not sure the low miles is that big of a plus after sitting for so long and looking so ratty. Good chance you'll need vacuum hoses as well if it's just been sitting. I would think they've become a bit brittle....

I agree. To me, super low miles on a car older than 5-6 years are actually a negative. It virtually guarantees the car has sat for a long time and not maintained. I'm not sure I would even pay $5k for it.

Cheburashka

· #14 · Apr 8, 2015

"I have $5500 into it, thus I expect to get more than $5500 out of it."

Uhhh. . . .Non parlo Alfa Romeo? :laugh2:

Let me ask those of you who have sold an Alfa recently--how many of you would have settled for 90% of what you had into it?

Chizel

Discussion Starter · #15 · Apr 9, 2015

I agree exactly what you guys are saying. 5k is as high as i was going to go. This is the alfa i have always dreamed of. I remember going to the dealership car show at the san diego convention center. They had this exact fly yellow version there.

cabrachian

· #16 · Apr 13, 2015

At least it's got new tires. I have been going through my 92 lately and have spent well over $1,200 in parts (ignitiion, brakes, hoses, alternator, clutch hydraulics, etc.). And that's just to keep a great running car running great. All the things this car will need to be dependable and to get back on top of the neglect is going to be expensive. The paintwork is going to cost some money too. That does not look like trapped water to me. It looks like vermin were living in boxes on top of the car. That would explain the new ignition wires too.

At $5k, it's not a good deal. But whoever buys it will need to budget about $4k over the first twelve months. So maybe it's not a bad deal either but it's a gamble for sure. I'd rather spend that money on one with higher miles that hasn't been sitting on dirt for 15 years. Sad, really.

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101/105guy

· #17 · Apr 13, 2015 (Edited)

Well, actually.....

Cheburashka said:
"I have $5500 into it, thus I expect to get more than $5500 out of it."

Uhhh. . . .Non parlo Alfa Romeo? :laugh2:

Let me ask those of you who have sold an Alfa recently--how many of you would have settled for 90% of what you had into it?

a lot of what has been said might not be so.....

The car has to be evaluated with a critical eye, but it doesn't have to need all new rubber or be a money pit. The '92 model is sought after and once sorted can command good money.

My example would be the 1970 Giulia Sedan I bought for 9,000 euro.
56,000 kms, all original, unrestored.
Put on tires, ball joints, brake parts, center muffler. Drove like a new car. No oil leaks, no smoke, all rubber excellent. Took "Best Alfa" at the Concourso Italiano in '06.
Sold in '12 for just under $25,000.

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GV27

· #18 · Apr 13, 2015

Oh most definitely. Just whoever buys it just needs to go in with their eyes open. People typically associate low mileage with a lack of problems and we're just pointing out that probably isn't the case here. If you want to talk about it as an investment, if you pay too much up front for it you'll never recoup you money.

Plus we're putting together a list that the OP can hammer the seller with....

cabrachian

· #19 · Apr 13, 2015

Exactly, it's not a run-as-fast-as-you-can-in-the-other-direction car; they didn't make too many mello yellow S4s. If it's straight and not too rusty, it could be a fun driver. But with rust in the engine compartment already, and the fact it's been sitting for so long, it's smart to compare to what you could buy that's not a pig in a poke.

I don't understand sellers like this guy though. Why doesn't he have the hood and trunk lid painted. Hell, shoot it flat black and call it a rally tribute. If all it truly needs is surface prep and paint, the cost will be far less than the difference between 5500 and 7000. He's never going to get close to 7k with the car looking like that. Too many potential buyers have wives who are not going to look beyond that hood.

I agree that your $5k offer will start looking good to the seller in a few weeks.

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Chizel

Discussion Starter · #20 · Apr 15, 2015

cabrachian said:
Exactly, it's not a run-as-fast-as-you-can-in-the-other-direction car; they didn't make too many mello yellow S4s. If it's straight and not too rusty, it could be a fun driver. But with rust in the engine compartment already, and the fact it's been sitting for so long, it's smart to compare to what you could buy that's not a pig in a poke.

I don't understand sellers like this guy though. Why doesn't he have the hood and trunk lid painted. Hell, shoot it flat black and call it a rally tribute. If all it truly needs is surface prep and paint, the cost will be far less than the difference between 5500 and 7000. He's never going to get close to 7k with the car looking like that. Too many potential buyers have wives who are not going to look beyond that hood.

I agree that your $5k offer will start looking good to the seller in a few weeks.

I hope so. Already selling a few things to raise cash. Just in case.

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