Parts Car

[Guest steveskyhawk]

I've been thinking about a parts car lately. One popped up on craigs list and was wondering how much a parts car is worth?

Also if I do get this car do I dismantle it or leave it together untill specific parts are needed? My guess is just leave it alone.

Both my cars are 91 models so i will have no use for the Teves hardware. How much is that stuff worth provided it is in good working order?

I'm just trying to do the math. How much are the parts worth to me vs the expense to purchase/store it.

[Guest alex_houston]

The main expense for parts cars is your time in removing the parts and crating for shipping. If you have many hours to devote to that, one parts car can easily be worth thousans of dollars. Keep in mind you will seldom be able to sell engines and transmisions out of these 20 year old cars. Too much trouble to install for someone to take a chance on a used one. Most junk yards will only pay scrap metal price for Reatta because of the labor involved in parting one out and limited market. Then you are dealing with very few buyers and the few there are are scattered all over the country. You could expect to keep parts for years before you can find a buyer. If you have a lot of spare time and much extra warehouse space, go for it.

[JWC]

I have parted out a few Reattas and could sell the parts for about $2000, due to the larger parts being hard to ship

[Richard S]

The drivetrain is common to countless other GM products of that era, so there is no reason to buy such things anywhere but the local salvage yards. There is a ready market for most of the interior parts if yours are good. Likewise for front and rear glass. Exterior and suspension will have a lot to do with the distance between you the potential buyers. And carcass will take up covered space somewhere otherwise the elements will depreciate their value.

[DAVES89]

I was looking at that very same situation, and thought hard about it before coming to the conclusion that I don't need a whole car to get the "troublesome" parts.

Then I realized that Jim carries a lot of parts and is very reasonable. So I figured, let him be my warehouse. So there is that source.

I have been going to the u-pick yard and grabbing stuff common to the Riv's. I now have extra of all the electrical stuff on Padgetts website. I went looking for front wheel sensors off Cadillacs for the ABS and think I am in good shape. I am still waiting for a Reatta to turn up so I can grab the outside mirrors,vent glass,rear tail light.

I don't have a whole lot invested in getting thes parts and they are in a cabinet in my basement rather then sitting out in a car subject to the elements.

Then the last thing I thought off was, where do I store a parts car that won't get you in trouble with either your wife or neighbors?

Just my 2 cents.

[Machiner 55]

You must first answer two very important questions.

First.. How big is your garage?

Second... How big is your wife?

If you answer "big" to the first and "small" to the second, you're in good shape.

If you answer the other way around then "fugetaboutit"

[Guest steveskyhawk]

I would have to take a bumper off to make it fit inside. Which is easier to remove, a front or a rear?

Both my cars are white on white. If I had a white on white parts car the parts would eventually be used.

As far as my wife goes i have 3 cars a pick up and a plane in addition to her truck. She probably wouldn't notice a parts car as long as it was the right color!

[Machiner 55]

Get rid of her truck and you'll negate the need to remove the bumper.