I need to get some advise on the pricing for a 1995 Impreza Coupe L, 1.8, 5 speed, 81K . Somewhat rare I guess. Nice condition overall. Only some clearcoat damage on the top surfaces.

   This is a Texas car and is rust free...never in salt, or wrecked. BONE STOCK, unmolested in any way. I have the car in PA and used it summers only for the last few years. There are really none of these left it seems that are not rusted out in the northeast. 

 From a driver car perspective, it's great! Well maintained. BUT the "value" in this car is that it's a "coupe", it's RUST FREE and it's in PA. Swappers are beating the door down with it advertised for $5500. Some say it's priced to low. People are NOT looking at this car for what it IS, but for what it could become. What should fair pricing be for this?

 

the fact it is a 5spd manual is what is hindering sale here... seems no one but us "old timers" know how to drive them.
KBB ranks this car in the $1700-3250 range for price in "very good" condition for "private party" sale in PA (picking a random PA zipcode and using basic options)
my 2004 Forester was for sale for a while @ $2200 - had many lookers until they realized it was a manual, not an automatic.. and I picked it up for $2000 in cash (in north-central WI) due to it being due for a timing job, and some other minor issues.

Most used car buyers are not interested in how special or rare a car may be.. that is a very small group of buyers, and they are few and far between.
If you really are set on selling it as something to be coveted for what it is, raise the price to $6500 and advertise it as "rare".. see what happens.

 Everybody that has been interested is mainly wanting to SWAP WRX /RS/22C stuff on to it. The rust free TX body and being a coupe is the interest. I have had 35 people in less than 2 days!

No squabbles on price either it seems. Since I'm not a swapper, I thought I'd reach out to you all for some feedback.

 

    

15 hours ago, SUBARU3 said:

Swappers are beating the door down with it advertised for $5500. Some say it's priced too low. What should fair pricing be for this?

For a seller, "fair pricing" is the highest price the market will bear.  It's morally wrong to deny someone the right to overpay you for it.

Maybe NASIOC would be a good place to list it. Some WRX swappers there I'm sure.

Tells me it’s a keeper. Your sentiments and their turning your baby into a parts nightmare bothering you. Just consider it one of your classics. Or put it on BAT and THEN let the NAUSIAC community know about it. 

For me being a coupe would be a hinderance, I'd love to find a Subaru of that vintage with a 5 speed manual. I had the 1.8L in a 1985 GL wagon. That particular car ended up having a situation with I believe frequent low oil pressure, I believe it had an oil gauge, like my 20 year old truck.

I wonder if the 1.8L engine has the same good reputation overall as the 2.2L? If I was in the market I'd buy the car for what it is - a coupe wouldn't be a show stopper because it's such a rarity with the 5 speed manual, and IMO a good looking era. I wouldn't modify it in any way, except for the radio. But I've never been mainstream, and probably around the same age as the interested buyer's parents.

I would be asking $10k. 

These are rare and someone will be wanting to turn it into a 22B clone. They will pay for the privilege of the chassis. You are looking for someone that's wanting to spend $50k building their dream. Price their canvas accordingly. 

Consider what it would cost in fuel alone to transport a rust free example from the west coast - not to mention your time to track one down. 

You have to pay to play. This isn't a vehicle you are selling based on it's value as a medium of transportation. This is a rare unmolested canvas upon which dreams will be painted. Price it accordingly. 

GD

Edited October 25, 20223 yr by GeneralDisorder

 I assume that this car has all places to swap the entire drivetrain into? I spoke with one person and he said that they invest 25K plus and can sell for 45K plus. (Especially abroad). I am amazed that coupes were so rare in the marketplace.

It all basically bolts together, yes. The 02 to 05 WRX platform cars and the 04 STi are the usual donors. Subaru made these in turbo variants in other countries so it's just a matter of acquiring the parts to put it together. It's quite easy really. 

GD

This is how rare a vehicle like that is - in Australia we only got them in the WRX trim for a short number of years, there’s very few of these WRX model around here!! So to have a base model impreza coupe that’s a great body to build from is something special, even I can see that from here! 

As GD said, it’s a blank canvas for someone else’s dream. Go have a look at what factory WRX coupes are pulling now, then you’ll understand why all the interest in your base model coupe! 

Aim high, as a seller you can always negotiate down but NEVER UP!! 

With the title of this thread I thought the 81k meant $81,000 - not realising it was a base model coupe I thought “that seems about right”  

All the best with the sale!

Cheers 

Bennie

Aww Todd now you’re faced with a huge dilemma. 
 

It’s not wether to sell or build your dream. 
 

Its where are we going to celebrate this sale. Haha

Enjoy ! 

 

 

  Thanks everybody for the input!!!

 

Would Bring a Trailer be the best place for this? It's now back in TX.

 

 

 

  

Probably fewer folks , generally, in Texas interested in restoring older soobs. maybe different around Austin , say, vs Amarillo, Houston, Texarkana, etc.

maybe craigslist ?

Who cares? It's a sexy machine, even from the vague description.

 

"I have a lot of interested people, what is it worth to you?! The last guy offered me X, I might sell to him"....

 

I'd start there and after a couple few weeks the car will be sold, if you want it to. And for a price you like!

I picked up a clean Colorado Rust Free Impreza 2 door today.  A couple of minor dings.  Interior is clean, tan.  Crank up windows.  Great running 2.2 and auto trans.  I'd be happy to drive it anywhere.  If the swappers did not want the engine and trans, I'd keep them.

Did you ever sell yours Subaru3?

In Colorado Springs 80919.  I'd deliver for the costs of the trip.

GD you have a customer out in Portland looking for one?

Larry

115K on the Impreza.  It runs great.  I drove it down from Denver today.  

Heat and A/C work great.  I'll get it cleaned up and start a new thread in For Sale.