[quote=bsrsharma]Can someone clarify if those imports that were destroyed were really worth less than $3500-$4500. I looked around and found Volvos with more than $100K routinely sell above $3000-$4000. Another amazing thing is people selling Volvos & Saabs with 200K, 300K and even 400K miles on them! Most US engineered cars would reach old age by 100K and surely die before 200K. I think this is a true testament to good European engineering. They should collect all this disablement videos and advertise as “Look, Our cars are indestructible. Even U.S. Government designed procedure can’t kill it fast”. That would surely have an impact on geeks like me.[/quote]
What happens a lot is that while on paper the car might be worth more than $4500, there might be a repair that makes it worth considerably less.
For example, let’s suppose that the S80/t-60 required a timing belt change + had a slipping transmission (..Transmission problems were common on the earlier S80/t-60…ironically, Volvo sourced transmission from GM… I believe a “GM Hydra-Matic” that was problematic ). Well a remanufactured transmission would probably run around $3k installed + a timing belt change+tensioner+roller+waterpump service probably also sets you back about $1000-$1500 for something european…Added up, it could run over $4500…It happened to my relative’s e46 convertible. The top broke which cost $3k to fix. Then her torque converter broke, which cost another $3k to fix…Then there wasa a full brake job, WR rated tires,etc..Another $1k… Stuff adds up…
That said, had the car been disassembled and sold for parts, it would have easily fetched over $5000…The S80/t-60 engine alone probably could have fetched $1500 alone..Each body panel, probably $300, the seats, the interior trim, parts of the transmission, exhaust, ECU,etc….
That’s actually the best way to sell a used car, if you have the time and space. Your used car is worth more “parted out” than sold as whole….(Don’t try this in Carmel Valley though. Neighbors don’t like to see a jalopy in pieces in your garage. :)) And don’t laugh. The used parts business is a extremely lucrative business. I had a high school friend who’s dad ran three large european scrap yards in L.A….The family was extremely wealthy from it.
Like I said, if you plan on buying european, better have deep pockets add/or be extremely handy and know where to source your parts and/or be prepared to put up with malfunctioning minor electrical shit that doesn’t affect the overall “driveability of the car” (busted computer displays/etc)….
That S80/t60 twin turbo engine would have been a fun thing to have on a project car too….So sad… I guess some people don’t get it. But I have a hard time seeing perfectly functioning things going to waste like this. For me it’s like watching people execute your pet and laughing about it all the way.
BTW: the idiots that disabled the Volvo had such a hard time because it appears they didn’t drain the oil completelly. That whining you hear sounds like the squealing of a seizing turbo gasping to spin (most likely). The engine finally blew.
