I'm probably going to be selling my excellent condition, 39k miles, original engine, original owner, 1994 RX-7 R2 (Red, no wild body kits, major performance upgrades, etc. etc.)

I had a couple questions for those who have been in a similar situation of selling a high-performance car and asking top-dollar (compared to blue-book).

1) Many banks won't approve loans over blue book (I'm probably going to be asking for low 20's). I don't want to waste anyone's time so is there something I should ask from perspective buyer's to show/prove that they can actually afford the car?

2) As many of your know, a modified FD can turn into a handful for an unfamiliar driver (i.e., perspective buyer taking a test drive). Any suggestions on avoiding dangerous joy rides but still letting perspective buyers know that the car performs at a very high level? Should I give them the performance drive and then let them drive it but lay down some ground rules regarding pushing the car? If I put myself in the buyer's shoes, I might not be willing to buy a performance car without a "performance test drive" of my own.

Thanks for any info.

 

Hey your not too far from Yakima!

 

if you are asking over blue book... odds are, the only people that will be REALLY TRUELY interested in the car are going to be real rotory enthusiast that have an idea of how it should handle anyways. when i went for my test drive, there were a few really sharp corners i was allowed to take, but speed had to be kept down. 5ft radius 90 degree corners at about 25. i'd let them wind it out a little bit, but keep a limit on rpms too also, explain to them on the phone, that they can either a) have the car warmed up before tehy get there or b) wait till it warms up to drive it

its your baby still, if the guy buying it can't understand that, do you really wanna sell it them?

 

When the buyer wants to test the performance of the car, make sure that it is on a straight, dry road. Do not allow the buyer to perform an "extended" performance test. Do not allow the the buyer to drive the car without you.

I don't know what you can do to prevent unqualified buyers from driving your car. You will have to make a judgement call for each individual.

 

that's where I'm from.

I would definetly be in the passenger seat regardless of what the buyer thinks, on any test drive whatsoever because in the end its still in your name, and you will still be the one they return the keys to damaged or not.

1) Selling cars is taking chances, as for having to hassle with people, but its something you cannot avoid. It would really be difficult to prove if someone can really afford the price, if they have a handful of cash, or if they want you to meet with them for financing, thats about all it comes down to.

2)I would not deal with any kids 18 and under, as I have had bad experiences with them, it seems most just want to joyride it and are just a waste of time for me. Just be up front with them about the car, you should not hide the performance and high maintenance of the vehicle as it may come back to haunt you, that being said the most serious people are going to be the ones who know a bit about the car to begin with.

 

Well, you are likely to have two types of buyers. The "kids", which include those who want the car 'cause it's fast and furious, dude, and I know I can make it sing with my wickind mad qwik shifts, yo. Driftizzin rools!!

And those who are seeking a correctly modified, unique performance car, with some understanding of what's entailed with these specific beasts.

Thus, some pretty telling questions can be asked of prospective buyers. Do they have a rotary shop in mind for the maintenence? Are they "familiar" with the single turbo RX-7? The answers to these will IMMEDIATELY give you a feel for the level of buyer you are dealing with. ("Ummm... yeah, Hayes? Oh, and I definately think the single was faster, like in the race version, right? Cool..." OR "Well, I prefer to do my own, but -insert GOOD shop here- takes care of me when I'm out of my depth. Now, did you mean A single, versus the stock sequentials, or what, exactly?") (sorry for the dig at HR)

The former, YOU drive them on I-90, to show them what it can do. Then let them tool around town, to get the feel of the car. Turn down the boost when they drive it. Only cash accepted, thanks. No, the preice really DOES reflect the level of car. Sorry, have a nice day...

The latter will wish to engage you in the finer points of whichever turbo you chose, the debate over FMIC and SMIC, and whether you can REALLY vouch for no overheating with attendant seal failure imminent. THOSE you can let drive I-90, with boost at mid level.

Just my advice. But then I'm known to be a ********...

 

When I bought my RX7, the seller was using a service to pre-screen buyers. This place was based in Indy, but you might look for something similar in your area.

Here is the web site:
http://www.autofreefinders.com/

I think they testdrive each of the cars, have the basic info, and then once they determine if the buyer is serious, they pass along the contact info for the seller.

--Lee

 

One idea to make sure nobody hurts the car on a test drive (other than obviously, riding with them) is to make them put down a deposit for the test drive. Tell them that if they are serious, and want to test drive it, then they have to put down 200-500 dollars before hand. Afterward, if they don't want the car, you give them their money back. If they do want the car, then that money can go towards the purchase. If they hit something, hopefully, that will cover it.

 

I like the deposit idea. Perhaps it should be enough to cover your insurance deductible.

 

On the test drive thing.

If it's a driver you don't trust from the looks/sound then start the car, let them see it idle, go over the car with them, then take them for a nice drive. Them in the passanger seat. I believe you should be able to sell the car like that if someone is HONESTLY interested.. Only thing you can possibly do different that they can't experiance for themselves is shifting, and on a car that low in mileage with a nice drive around the block they should be able to see it has no problems shifting.

If you really really trust the person and it is an older/more mature person then I would let them drive but stay in the passanger seat. Even then I'd still almost vote for not letting them drive it until they buy it..


I just sold my talon TSI a little while ago and took a test drive with a the buyer, me being in the passanger seat he "grinded" the 2nd gear synchro by not having the clutch in all the way and proceded to "cut the car down" do to his poor driving skills and other things he "tried" to say were wrong. If I sold my FD, no way the buyer is driving it til they own it.. Just IMO though.

 

not too bad of an idea.

Another way of telling if they are interested is by how far they are driving to come see the car. i was 18 when i bought my car over a year ago. I drove 12 hours just to check the car out. First rx7 i have ever taken a ride in or drove. He asked me if i had ever driven one and i told him i havent even sat in one. So he drove first, when he felt like he showed me what the car could do, he let me drive. I fell in love with it from the moment i hit the gas. Gave him 1k down payment and came back with the rest 2 weeks later.

 

Can i ask why your selling it btw?

 

Thanks for all the input guys...very helpful. As many mentioned, I need to weedout the "kids" and use my gut to make the call on buyers that seem geniunely interested. There's only a select few who've even driven my car in the past, so there's no way I won't be in the car if it's driven by some stranger.

Regarding the reason I'm considering selling. Well, I'm now married with a second kid on the way...and I recently bought a 2004 Acura TL. I'm a little spoiled by the luxury and all the cool gadgets in the car...I really enjoy driving it.

My 7 does not get driven at all...maybe once a month (at best) and that's turned into a bit of a chore for me.

Unfortunately, it's gotten to the point where I absolutely love looking at the car but I don't actually enjoy driving it all that much any more. It's personally a bit depressing for me, but also the reality that I'm starting to accept (bye-bye youth and freedom!)

 

So Scorpio, what makes it a chore to drive? I'm curious, as I've often wondered if driving highly modified FDs can be difficult, and if so, why? Clutch grabbiness, weird brakes, narrow powerband, nowhere to really let it go, not used to driving on the edge anymore,high temps making one feel nervous, lack of ameneties that were stripped to gain weight advantage... any of these?

 

I thought it was stock or close to it from the sound of the original post. Am I reading the "(Red, no wild body kits, major performance upgrades, etc. etc.)" part wrong?
like no wild body kit, NO major performance upgrades, NO etc (gps navigation maybe), NO etc (power heated seats or something).
I too would like the deposit idea, and cash only that would definetly keep the joyriders (notice I did not say kids) away and make it enough to cover your deductable.
Sorry ta hear ya have to part with it though..give it a good home.
Bob

 

Sig says 308 rwhp @12 psi, non sequential.

Definitely not stock.

 

Personnaly, I have had really weird experiences with the cars I have tried to sell. I always tell people to take it on the street and have fun with it, rev her up to redline (after warming her up) as well as to perhaps have some fun in a large parking lot but all they ever do is drive it around the parking lot slowly shifting into each gear and then they they just offer me money. I try to get them to take it on the street to show them that it really does perform like how I suggested and that they might not want the car because if might not perform like they would think and that they should test it out for themselves but they never take up the offer. hehe perhaps its because my prices are always under bluebook and the cars are in good condition that they just know that its a deal or perhaps its my attitude that I have nothing to hide and that they can do whatever they want. I always just go over how much the car cost me and what mods did to the car and how much they cost.

Oh well, good luck selling your car to someone, I'm sure someone will appreciate it. Hopefully you dont get lowballed or anythign like that.

P.S. I would not let some one street drift your FD although I think parking lot drifting is ok if the parking lot is big enuf and without any pillars/barriers.

 

Yes, you applied the "no" from "no wild body kits" to the next item, "major performance upgrades" ...the comma serperate them so the "no" does not apply to that item...thus, there are major performance upgrades.

http://www.micromanx.com/goble/rx7
(a bit dated)

Mainly just that other things in my life are more important than cars these days (my wife, my new daughter, my new business, my new TL The TL has spoiled me because I find the RX-7 very uncomfortable now. And, I'm just not as into performance driving as I used to be...sure I can pull a g in the sweepers and accelerate to 130mph in "no time flat" ...but I never do anymore.

I'm probably just getting old...
-Scorpio

 

Well you're just going to stand there and watch "youth and freedom" barrel down into the drain of stable, commited, and well.. "i cut my ***** off too." Don't buy into this "slow down" bullshit.

Why is it no longer enjoyable to drive the car? Do you take it to a road course for driving events?

 

Yeah how did I miss that?

 

Good idea. Lance at Lamotorcars.com here in the Dallas area does that. Lance is very knowledgeable about selling these cars, and he may be a buyer for you as well.
Also funding is available no questions asked at capitalone.com (I think) used to be peoplefirst.com. All you need is good credit to quality.

To add to my unfinished comment about Lance. You just about have to sign the purchase papers to drive one of his cars. He sells a ton of them. Anyway check him out on the web and he's open Saturdays or forwards his phone.

Good luck. Sounds like a great car.

 

wow, i really never thought about how I would go about selling and test drives and all that. i barely want to drive my car much less let a stranger drive it...I think IF I ever had to sell my FD (Never going to happen) I would be to another enthusiast like me...