Hey Bronco - Join the club?...absolutely. I did it the other way round and could have saved myself a lot of charging around.
Anyway back to your search. I have read intently the guys views and I agree with some and disagree with others. Why do you want the car? If it's to win concours competitions then no amount of original paintwork and low mileage barn find will make it. You'll need to build a new one and then tow it around on a trailer, never get it wet and then clean it once a week with a tooth pick to stand any chance...life's too short in my view, but each to their own.
I bought my black '87 Targa off ebay for £12k (the chap had it up for £14.5k and never had a bid). He had only had it a month, bought it to go track daying with and realised that he would kill it so bought a GT3 instead, but couldn't bring it home until he sold the 3.2. Hard life eh! Nice guy though. The previous owner had spent more on the car in a year than it was worth. All the bodywork done; full glass out re-spray; all new rubber; targa rebuilt etc. etc.
I take my car to shows and it looks great, but it's not perfect. There are things that always need doing, but that to me is the fun part of 3.2 ownership.
I organised a Dyno day the other weekend and it made 244.8bhp and my Steve Wong Chip is still to be fitted, not bad for an engine that's done 140k + miles.
Keep looking. Look everywhere and bargain hard. There are plenty out there and the price is what you are prepared to pay. I only ever made one offer and that bought me my car. The others I looked at were not good enough and didn't merit an offer. I told the owners the truth. Your cars too expensive because...and then I'd list the faults and the costs to put them right. The people who really want to sell their cars will bargain. However, there are a lot of people out there who don't really want to sell they are just playing at it to placate the other half. Ed was one of those guys in my view. They always throw in the phrase..."well if I don't sell it I'll keep it. I'll just have to buy an estate to fit the baby in."
My mother says her cats only eat Whiskers cat food...I say don't feed them for a week and they will eat a peanut butter sandwich! Harsh but true. Treat the sellers like the cats, wave the cash around you will be amazed the reaction it gets. January will be a good time when the post Christmas credit cards bills land on the door mat and the thing has been sitting in the garage for 4 months.
Play hard with the market and don't be afraid to make what appears to be a stupid offer... you never know. There are cars out there in good nick, within you budget. Don't give up. 3.2 ownership beckons and when you do find one for goodness sake drive it.
Steve
Anyway back to your search. I have read intently the guys views and I agree with some and disagree with others. Why do you want the car? If it's to win concours competitions then no amount of original paintwork and low mileage barn find will make it. You'll need to build a new one and then tow it around on a trailer, never get it wet and then clean it once a week with a tooth pick to stand any chance...life's too short in my view, but each to their own.
I bought my black '87 Targa off ebay for £12k (the chap had it up for £14.5k and never had a bid). He had only had it a month, bought it to go track daying with and realised that he would kill it so bought a GT3 instead, but couldn't bring it home until he sold the 3.2. Hard life eh! Nice guy though. The previous owner had spent more on the car in a year than it was worth. All the bodywork done; full glass out re-spray; all new rubber; targa rebuilt etc. etc.
I take my car to shows and it looks great, but it's not perfect. There are things that always need doing, but that to me is the fun part of 3.2 ownership.
I organised a Dyno day the other weekend and it made 244.8bhp and my Steve Wong Chip is still to be fitted, not bad for an engine that's done 140k + miles.
Keep looking. Look everywhere and bargain hard. There are plenty out there and the price is what you are prepared to pay. I only ever made one offer and that bought me my car. The others I looked at were not good enough and didn't merit an offer. I told the owners the truth. Your cars too expensive because...and then I'd list the faults and the costs to put them right. The people who really want to sell their cars will bargain. However, there are a lot of people out there who don't really want to sell they are just playing at it to placate the other half. Ed was one of those guys in my view. They always throw in the phrase..."well if I don't sell it I'll keep it. I'll just have to buy an estate to fit the baby in."
My mother says her cats only eat Whiskers cat food...I say don't feed them for a week and they will eat a peanut butter sandwich! Harsh but true. Treat the sellers like the cats, wave the cash around you will be amazed the reaction it gets. January will be a good time when the post Christmas credit cards bills land on the door mat and the thing has been sitting in the garage for 4 months.
Play hard with the market and don't be afraid to make what appears to be a stupid offer... you never know. There are cars out there in good nick, within you budget. Don't give up. 3.2 ownership beckons and when you do find one for goodness sake drive it.
Steve
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