Need advise about buying a TC

I am considering the purchase of a 1989 TC with 68,000 miles on it. It is in good overall condition but it has a tear in the leather, a wiring problem with the lights (although the lights will work) and is missing the hard top. It has the turbocharged engine and an automatic transmission. I need help with 2 issues. The first is the value of the car as described. I can not find any listing on KBB or any other source. The second issue is the wiring problem. How different is the wiring system in this car then in a comparable 89 Chrysler product? I hope you can help a newbie out. Thanks in advance for your replies.

Go to Hagerty for value- they insure them. Ebay sold listing are another source.

Wiring is pretty much different but diagrams are in the manual.

Hardtops sell on Ebay for $50

I would be most worried about the leather.

Show us pictures!

Bob

What is the light problem, which lights and what are they doing? Could be as simple as a light switch or the connector that attaches to the light switch. Value of the TC is very dependent on the condition of the original leather and original paint, that is the major part of the car considered to be Maserati. Value of a nice TC with original leather and paint and about 80,000 miles is about $3500 unless it is one of the few original 5 speed transmission versions. Lots of recent mechanical work can take that up to $4500. Under 35,000 miles, verifiable, will not be valued in the same way as one with more miles. One of the common problems of TCs is a nonfunctional odometer so mileage must be verified by service records to be believed. Brake problems can easily cost upwards of $1000 for a repair though can sometimes be a simple repair for less than $100 if just a melted wire at the relays/fuses. Make sure the red brake light and the ABS light (yellow?) both light up with key turned on but car not started and go off when car is started (ABS light after a few seconds).

Remember that values go down in late fall to early spring like with any convertible, and it can take a long time to sell a TC so people needing a quick sale usually take far less than a patient seller. Certain parts of the country also have more TCs available to buy so the prices tend to be lower there than in locations with very few TCs. Hardtops start out in the $600 range with no buyers and eventually end up at the 50 to 100 dollar level if the seller doesn't want to keep them, there are two different types of hardtops, an 89 uses the one with paddle type latches behind the rear side windows.

I am considering the purchase of a 1989 TC with 68,000 miles on it. It is in good overall condition but it has a tear in the leather, a wiring problem with the lights (although the lights will work) and is missing the hard top. It has the turbocharged engine and an automatic transmission. I need help with 2 issues. The first is the value of the car as described. I can not find any listing on KBB or any other source. The second issue is the wiring problem. How different is the wiring system in this car then in a comparable 89 Chrysler product? I hope you can help a newbie out. Thanks in advance for your replies.

To your problem with the wiring, the TC does have different headlamps, parking, turn and cornering lamps, however the TC is just another FWD car like any other in the Chrysler lineup of that era and the wiring diagram in the shop manual is virtually the same as a LeBaron. After all, the unknowing all think a TC is just a cut down LeBaron because they look so much alike, to THEM.

If you give us a little more information about the specific problem, I'm sure we can help.