Dave B. Posted April 8, 2018 Share Posted April 8, 2018 (edited) $39,500 or near offer I’m listing this for a friend whose late husband ‘restored’ the car a few years ago. This is probably the first car she’s ever had to sell herself, so I’m trying to give her advice without being too pushy. I’m familiar with the car, having judged it at a local show several years ago. My opinion at the time was that it was in excellent condition, probably a 2+. The other judges agreed and it took home the ‘Best Imported Car’ trophy. She had it appraised and that’s where the $39,500 price comes from. I looked at Hagerty’s pricing guide and that’s in the range for a 2+ condition car. The first thing that I told her was that she needs more and better photographs, which are coming. That said, the car was NOT put back to original specifications. Her husband built it to his taste; which, depending on the potential buyer, may detract from its worth. Among the upgrades are a 1971 1600 cc motor with dual carburetors, a 12-volt electrical system, later model seats, and a modern radio. I’ve also advised her that, in my opinion, the only way she will realize the appraised price is to sell it at a ‘national’ level auction. She understands that and is considering it, but she wanted me to try listing it on a few ‘trusted’ sites. She also stated that if someone is really interested, she would consider reasonable offers. And, she understands that a serious buyer would want to do a personal inspection and test-drive the car, which she’s willing to do by appointment. So, if you’re interested or know someone who might be, I’m temporarily serving as the initial contact. I’m NOT selling the car, nor will I receive any commission, so I have ‘no horse in this race’. You may post a comment, PM me or email me direct at daveb9749@gmail.com Please excuse the poor photography, as these are the only photos that are currently available. Edited April 8, 2018 by Dave B. Correct spacing (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RansomEli Posted April 8, 2018 Share Posted April 8, 2018 Dave, Thanks for helping the widow out. In my opinion it's going to be tough to sell at that price. You might show her eBay's list of 'sold' Karmann-Ghia convertibles. The selling prices are significantly lower. If she wants to sell quickly, the price is too high. If the car is a nice restoration then it's worth waiting for the right buyer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John_S_in_Penna Posted April 8, 2018 Share Posted April 8, 2018 14 hours ago, Dave B. said: I’ve also advised her that, in my opinion, the only way she will realize the appraised price is to sell it at a ‘national’ level auction. She understands that... Dave, how nice of you to help a friend! The car community is a little bit stronger today because of what you are doing. Your friend should be careful of auction fees. I don't know Karmann Ghia values, but if I thought the car was worth $39,500, I would bid only $36,000 because of the likely 10% buyer's premium. Then, the auction company would take their additional 10%, giving your friend $32,400 for the $39,500 car. In essence, she's losing 20%. If you find a good private owner who pays reasonably in a private transaction, everyone will have saved money. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gunsmoke Posted April 8, 2018 Share Posted April 8, 2018 (edited) Appraisers often base their valuation for insurance purposes, on cost to replace with a car in similar condition, a very tricky methodology, since restored KG Convertibles are not too common, and a person may need to pay $3000 in shipping costs to find a comparable, not to mention when dealing with the insurance company's money a buyer is not prone to barter. The non-original aspects of this car (engine, seats, 12V) will make car less desireable for serious VW collectors who would want to restore to original specs at some expense. I agree auctioning is very risky, car may only draw a high bid of $20-$25K and then 10%-15% of that goes to company. My advice is if you want to help her out further, do some careful research on recent selling (not asking) prices for comparable cars. The VW clubs should be able to give you some comparables. Once you have some comparables, and a good idea of the prevailing market, she can set the price close to that for a fair sale, or somewhat lower for a quick sale. Like all old car deals, supply and demand set the price. A quick scan of eBay shows 1/2 dozen KG Convertibles, including a couple of very nice ones for $20K, top one at $35K, but remember, these are asking prices, and none may sell for asking price. I think your friend's car is a $15K-$20K car. Edited April 8, 2018 by Gunsmoke (see edit history) 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alsancle Posted April 9, 2018 Share Posted April 9, 2018 Wow, that is a nice looking car! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
intimeold Posted April 9, 2018 Share Posted April 9, 2018 Is that rust on the rear bumper? No it can't be. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C Carl Posted April 9, 2018 Share Posted April 9, 2018 Seems to be reflections of the trees behind the car. You can see reflections of the blue sky between the leaves. The position of the car and trees , and their respective angles to the camera support that theory. I hope the little car finds a happy new owner soon. It already is top down time in many parts of the country ! - Carl Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave B. Posted April 13, 2018 Author Share Posted April 13, 2018 Thanks for all the replies! Judy's not in any real hurry to sell the car. In fact, if she wasn't trying to simplify her life (and I'm guessing here - sell her beautiful home), I doubt that she'd consider selling the little Ghia. She also understands that she may have to take less for the car than she's hoping for, but that's a bridge we'll cross when we get there. She and I still haven't worked out a plan to take more photographs. I'm a fairly decent photographer, but we have a mutual friend who's a pro, so I'm hoping he'll step up and volunteer his time. C Carl is correct about the rear bumper. That is a reflection of nearby trees. Judy isn't an overly computer-oriented person; so when she couldn't locate any digital files, she used her cell phone to take snapshots of 'real' paper-backed photos! That's why these images appear to be slightly distorted or curved... Also, thanks to everyone for being understanding. This was my first post to 'test the waters'. I know that the members of this forum have a deep understanding of the hobby and the diversity of the people in it. I'll be sure to replace the photos when I have more and also update the thread with details if the car sells. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ohartmanno Posted May 6, 2018 Share Posted May 6, 2018 At a fair price I m possibly interested in the car, please contact me directly at: hartmann.zirkel@t— online.de thank you Oliver Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
60FlatTop Posted May 6, 2018 Share Posted May 6, 2018 I always liked this one: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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