1985 Black Grand Marquis for Sale in Toledo, OH

[mackcreative]

Looking for a good home for the beauty in my driveway. $2000
Literally my grandmas car, inherited by me. Beautiful black cruiser with lots of shiny chrome! Interior is grey cloth.
Condition: Great condition overall, clean inside & out. Needs new tires and a jump start. Was involved in a minor accident a couple years ago.
Spent $1500 to straighten frame but there is still a little cosmetic damage on rear of passenger side.
No rust on car, extraordinarily well maintained!

[mackcreative]

If I am totally off in pricing, could someone please let me know? I'm not a car gal, and chose the price based on sentimental attachment. Really need this gone quickly though, so any help (or offers) would be appreciated!

[86VickyLX]

Well first, where is the car?

[mackcreative]

Toledo, Ohio

[BerniniCaCO3]

You'd need more info, like mileage, maintenance history maybe, is it state inspected.
Does the a/c work? Do all window motors and power locks work? Does the antenna go up and down?
Has it been to a shop recently, and is the suspension firm, nothing loose and in need of repair?

You've already said that it will at least need tires, so whoever buys it will immediately need to put $500 into it.

There are lots of newer cars to be had for $2000. A get-er-gone kindof price might be $800? I don't know your local market, hech, I don't know my own market all that well.
That said, I did pay $1800 for my own 1990 grand marquis. I may have overpaid however.
In considering a parts car last year, I turned down a $500 1989 grand marquis wagon, I wanted to pay $300. Mostly because I don't have a rural backyard to leave it, partly $500 was $500 and money was tight, and also, it had 200,000 miles on it with a newish transmission, with no documented proof thereof, as the only bonus going for it. So that was an example of a $500 car, it did sell after a month though.

[1987cp]

Bernini, Toledo is very close to Michigan. We have cars 5-10 years old here that are thoroughly rusted. Northern Indiana, also very close by, is the same way.

No idea if most of Ohio has inspections of any sort ... I seem to recall that, as with Indiana, there are one or two counties that do emissions testing, but that's all I've heard of.

Any 26 year old vehicle will need some attention, but if the car's really straight and rust-free, that's surely worth something (speaking as the owner of any amount of rust and one or two frames I suspect to be tweaked). And there seem to be a growing group of folks who like keeping their '80s stuff bone stock, so if it's mostly original that'd be worth something to them, even though someone like me would see it as a problem. Long story short, what it's worth will be down to what someone will pay for it, but I doubt $2k is a totally unreasonable asking price.

[mackcreative]

The car is actually from Cleveland, OH where there is emission testing, and it passed, amazingly! Since up until I got it (2 years ago) it was garaged & she (Grandma) had some sort of clear coat applied annually, it does not have any rust. Thanks for the advice all!

[johnunit]

do yourself a favour and get it running. "needs a jumpstart" will make people leary that it needs more than a jumpstart.

That said, if it really does just need tires and maybe a battery, and the minor-looking bodywork right in front of the rear bumper, I think your pricing is reasonable, though I'd expect to get offers considerably lower. You could probably wait out and get the 2 grand, but 1200-1500 should come relatively quickly. All a matter of how much you want it gone.

[sly]

new battery would definitely help grease the "I like it, I'll buy it" wheels. A set of decent used tires shouldn't run more than about $150 at a local tire shop and may help get up to that 2G price as well.

[mackcreative]

I appreciate the advice, I'm just very hesitant to put any more money in. Having spent $1500 to straighten the frame already, if I go ahead and get used tires, a new battery, change all the fluids and bring this thing up to full functionality I will be surely subsidizing the sale and have no wiggle room for the haggling which will certainly ensue. I'm really just looking to get back the $1500.

[BerniniCaCO3]

oh, I agree-- you won't get back anything of whatever you put into it. Maybe the battery.

[sly]

I mentioned getting the battery for sure... and the tires may help. The rest is superfluous. Anyone that buys a used car should have the fluids checked/changed after purchase. Having the car start without issue (even if it runs a little rough) will always make a better impression. you might spend $60 on a battery and sell it for 1800 with a 2000 obo on the car. The final decision is obviously up to you. It's your car.

[84GrandMarquis]

Without a good battery you'll be getting people low balling you with ridiculous offers like $400 because it dosen't start without a jump. A battery makes a big difference.