'85 Cougar 3.8L - Needs a home

Topic: '85 Cougar 3.8L - Needs a home (Read 470 times) previous topic - next topic

'85 Cougar 3.8L - Needs a home

July 13, 2008, 03:15:03 PM

Hello all!
I have an '85 Cougar 3.8L that needs a good home. It has been sitting on the side of my house for a few years now, but we now need the space. It's a Canyon Red 3.8L, the interior is spotless (black-grey cloth seats, electronic instrument cluster, all trim in great condition), and the outside isn't too bad either. There are some spots of rust on the hood and trunk, but the doors are almost perfect (the bottom of the doors have some rust but it isn't eating at the metal) and the roof and rest of the panels are pretty good. I would say only the trunk has bad rust issues (where the metal is rolled to make the end of the trunk above the rear lights and license plate).
The engine bay looks good, no rust at all! We sprayed grease all over the engine bay before we stored it, and it protected it real well. I have to clean the car and make sure it runs before i start posting pictures. It was stored correctly, battery taken out, emptied the gas tank, replaced the oil before letting it sit etc.

SO, I was interested in your guys expert opinions about what the worth of the old cat would be? The tires are not looking too good, so I am pretty sure it would have to be towed from here (Staten Island, NY), but it should be in excellent working mechanical condition.

Hopefully I can sell it to one of you guys because I don't want it getting destroyed! Sometime next weekend I'll get a new battery and get it running so I can see how many miles is on the odo. (digital odometer). I would say a good estimate would be 67,000 miles.

Thanks and I hope our cougar finds a good home!

'85 Cougar 3.8L - Needs a home

Reply #1 – July 24, 2008, 08:57:47 PM

BUMP!
Still needs a home!

'85 Cougar 3.8L - Needs a home

Reply #2 – July 24, 2008, 10:30:35 PM

First thing you need to do is find out if it runs, then you need to get photos up of all of it.... interior, dash, outside.... etc.

No one can really give you an estimate of worth without picts and knowing if it runs.

I did a quick search on Kelly Blue Book, but the earliest I could go back was to an '88. However, using it as a base, the prices it came up with were

Excellent Condition
$1,310

* Looks new, is in excellent mechanical condition and needs no reconditioning.
* Never had any paint or body work and is free of rust.
* Clean title history and will pass a smog and safety inspection.
* Engine compartment is clean, with no fluid leaks and is free of any wear or visible defects.
* Complete and verifiable service records.

Less than 5% of all used vehicles fall into this category.

Good Condition
$1,135

* Free of any major defects.
* Clean title history, the paints, body, and interior have only minor (if any) blemishes, and there are no major mechanical problems.
* Little or no rust on this vehicle.
* Tires match and have substantial tread wear left.
* A "good" vehicle will need some reconditioning to be sold at retail.

Most consumer owned vehicles fall into this category.

Fair Condition
$850

* Some mechanical or cosmetic defects and needs servicing but is still in reasonable running condition.
* Clean title history, the paint, body and/or interior need work performed by a professional.
* Tires may need to be replaced.
* There may be some repairable rust damage.

'85 Cougar 3.8L - Needs a home

Reply #3 – July 26, 2008, 06:57:04 PM

Quote from: LittleAngel1198;228929

Excellent Condition
$1,310

Good Condition
$1,135

Fair Condition
$850

that is if you can weed out the ----wow, i only wish i had that much to pay for one------

unfortunately with gas prices as high as they are now, it almost costs more to go get the cars than the cars themselves are worth.... gone are the days when you gould drive 1000 miles with a trailer to get a car and spend less than $100 on gas..... that my friend has really ruined the "kinda-collector" car market (those cars who's popularity is not broad).....
makes me sad to see some of these cars being sold just 500 miles away and knowing i can't afford the gas to get them

'85 Cougar 3.8L - Needs a home

Reply #4 – July 26, 2008, 08:15:05 PM

Quote from: mywifeskitty;229232

unfortunately with gas prices as high as they are now, it almost costs more to go get the cars than the cars themselves are worth

You are exactly right! Plus, with the price of s so high, our cars are getting to be worth more in junk than they are if we try to sell them. I just took a 92 Crown Vic in (I know, it's bigger than a Fox body) with no motor and no tranny and got $400 for it. How many of us have bought Fox bird drivers for less than $400? Heck, we bought an 88 5.0 bird at an auction for $90 and my son drove it 100 miles home. We could've turned around and junked it out for four times that amount. Kind of sad really....

'85 Cougar 3.8L - Needs a home

Reply #5 – July 27, 2008, 03:17:35 PM

Thanks for the info, guys.
Wow, that is kinda sad. I don't want to send it to the junk heap, but it looks like that might happen :(.
It would probably be worth somewhere in the lower end of the spectrum (probably like 200-400 then, maybe lower since there doesn't seem to be any demand for it.. , a PS3 is more expensive).
I haven't gotten around to taking pictures, but I'll do that asap.
Thanks again.

'85 Cougar 3.8L - Needs a home

Reply #6 – July 27, 2008, 07:46:48 PM

Quote from: ZilverZilvia;229339

I don't want to send it to the junk heap, but it looks like that might happen.

Don't give up hope yet. You live in a populated area, so your chances of finding "the right butt for the seat" are a lot better than some of us who live in the middle of nowhere. Good luck!!