My friend found a 10AE in mint condition. Not sure about mileage. Approximately 30-40k. Assume no problems. It's practically new, has been babied, and garage kept.

Also, can anyone tell me what the difference is between a normal turbo II and the 10AE? If this is a good buy, how much should he expect to pay?

Everyone's wisdom is greatly appreciated.

 

Mint ones are worth quite a bit. Be prepared to shell out over $5000.

 

yeah mint, (with no mods!!!!!) with that few miles seem to be running around $4-5k in CA right now.

But if he swaped out the wheels, seats, smog equippment/exhaust or done other "tuner things" that value jumps back down the same as any other T2 or even less depending on the changes.

 

And that would be because the car has lost its authenticity, right?

 

IMO: Most mods are done to drive faster and depending on who does them can just hack a car up.

For example a couple of month back I was arguing with someone on another FC board, that he had a 10AE that he had done exhaust mods as well as a few other changes that caused the car to blow though a couple of ECUs and other issues until the problem was fixed.

And there were other issues as well, like adding things so that the stock electronics didn't work right anymore, but what he had really done was that he had proven the mods he had made compromised the reliabilty of the car. When you mod a car and the engine blows or a 'puter blows, you moded the car incorrectly.

To top that off the interior leather was not maintained, and other cosmetic issues.

Then it gets back too why he made the mods... was he racing the car??? If he was the average under 25 owner, chances are he was street racing. I know I was at that age. How many curbs have been bumped, or pot holes ripped through at speeds too fast???

Yet he figured that the car was worth $5k, because he had made the mods. I figured the car was worth half that because of what he did to it. He had made it the same as any other S4 T2... even if it had monocromatic white paint.

Yet a collector that was thinking about buying the car to restore or store for 5-10 years then show or sell at a profit, would never be intrested in the non-stock wheels, or the overboost that the engine may have been exposed too.

But what makes the car special??? What makes it a collector car??? is how it came from the factory.

Now if you just want a fast car then that's fine. Buy it and drive it. I have nothing against that. It is a car after all.

But if you want something special; that someday will really be a collectors item; then it needs to be kept as stock as possible.

That is something the owner must decide.