1994 480 S on eBay

Cleaned up the garage, found parts laying around, but it turned out to be a complete Volvo 480? If you want to sell your car (480 only) you can place an advert here.

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jamescarruthers
480 Is my middle name
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Joined: Mon Jul 07, 2003 3:19 pm
Location: Cambridge

Re: 1994 480 S on eBay

Post by jamescarruthers » Wed Apr 28, 2021 9:33 am

I’m really sorry to say this but a year or two ago you would be hard pressed to sell a good 480 for £800 some times. You have unfortunately entered our world when prices have been inflated artificially by shark car dealers.

Again I’m sorry, but my opinion is that it is basically worth a few hundred pounds. Of course if you make more, I am pleased for you. But I feel a reality check regarding the £800 is in order because that is not “a stupidly cheap price”.
1987 Volvo 480 ES, 507274, 217 - Red (Ness)
2006 Citroen C6 Exclusive 3.0 petrol/LPG
2008 Mini Cooper convertible (Mau)

Previous 480's:
J123 CFU -- ES
J449 MNL -- ES auto
D864 CPV -- ES
L691 JFC -- Turbo
F70 MNR -- ES
H858 FGV -- Turbo auto
E981 KHM -- ES (509849)

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dcwalker
480 Is my middle name
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Joined: Sun Sep 16, 2012 12:30 pm
Location: York

Re: 1994 480 S on eBay

Post by dcwalker » Wed Apr 28, 2021 1:26 pm

jamescarruthers wrote:
Wed Apr 28, 2021 9:33 am
I’m really sorry to say this but a year or two ago you would be hard pressed to sell a good 480 for £800 some times. You have unfortunately entered our world when prices have been inflated artificially by shark car dealers.

Again I’m sorry, but my opinion is that it is basically worth a few hundred pounds. Of course if you make more, I am pleased for you. But I feel a reality check regarding the £800 is in order because that is not “a stupidly cheap price”.

I hate to say it, Ben, but James is right. I am not trying to be discouraging, nasty or obstructive and I know James well enough to be able to say that he isn't either.

I appreciate you have had your fingers burned with this car, and - as I have posted above - I share your disgust at how you were, effectively, conned. But the reality is that without an MOT (or a viable prospect of getting one without too much work), the car you are looking to sell is effectively a non-runner. Anyone willing to spend what the bodywork will need will expect to get the car at a bargain basement price. Anyone willing to spend more on a 480 will at the very least want something they can jump into and use, and have decent hopes of passing the next MOT as it stands. Much like you doubtless did when you bought it.

So effectively you have a 480-shaped box of spare parts. If you had the time and capacity to break it yourself you might realise a few hundred pounds from those parts but as I understand it you haven't.

In those circumstances, whilst I really feel for you being forced into the corner you have been, a realistic price for the car will be nowhere near £800. I am not in the market, but if I were I wouldn't be thinking in terms of much above half of that I'm afraid.

Good luck, anyway!

Best

David
Current: 1994 480 GT, 1996 460 CD & 1997 440 LE with lots of optional extras & 2007 V50 SE Sport
Previous: Celebration 331 (re-homed with Richard S), Celebration 467 (returned to Martin Mc); Celebration 346 (re-homed with Alan480); Celebration 269 (scrapped abandoned project), Celebration 73 (sold on after 6 years), 1992 ES, 1988 ES - and numerous other non-480 Volvos!

Martin Mc
480 Rookie
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Re: 1994 480 S on eBay

Post by Martin Mc » Wed Apr 28, 2021 3:42 pm

jamescarruthers wrote:
Wed Apr 28, 2021 9:33 am
I’m really sorry to say this but a year or two ago you would be hard pressed to sell a good 480 for £800 some times. You have unfortunately entered our world when prices have been inflated artificially by shark car dealers.

Again I’m sorry, but my opinion is that it is basically worth a few hundred pounds. Of course if you make more, I am pleased for you. But I feel a reality check regarding the £800 is in order because that is not “a stupidly cheap price”.
Which is why, Ben, I suggested you list the car on C&C too - It is a sad state of affairs when a car in such cosmetic fine fettle as yours is knobbled by hidden gremlins, and no doubt you feel doubly dishonoured by the reality that now appears to face you.

Have you had a quote for the welding work, by the way?? That might be a better option to plump for - depending upon what else showed up on the MOT fail sheet...just a thought...
1991 ES White / 1995 ES Red / 1995 ES Red / 1994 S Black / 1995 Celebration Red / 1994 S Paris Blue / 1995 Celebration (again!) Red - Currently free of all extramarital cars, wrench-loose and fancy free :)

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MisterH
480 Is my middle name
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Re: 1994 480 S on eBay

Post by MisterH » Wed Apr 28, 2021 6:37 pm

I am sorry to see this Ben, I know we all root for you, it seems though that this case was a bad one.

In regards to what it is actually worth, my car started out as a Starter (but non runner) with straight bodywork but with small jobs needing doing, having been in a barn for 10+ years.

I bought that car for £650, and that had a clean underside, after some fickling and a 2k paint job, it is now, according to Jiff, in the region of 3-3.5k value wise. I hope these figures help somewhat to give some perspective, but others know more about bodywork repairs than me.

It is a hard one, but with that amount of work, it is looking at under 500 I would say, 480s have gone up in value, but I don't think it is economically viable to do, at that price at least.

I do find myself agreeing with David on this one, it seems the best way out might be to break it, hard as it is.

I only wish the prognosis was better, but I am sure I am not alone in saying that I empathise and stand with you :D
Current Jobs to do (23/1/22):
Fix Central Locking
Fix drivers side speaker
Annoying Scratching Squeak
Water leaks
Complete Front O/S rebuild

Norm57
Can tell where the 480 was built
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Re: 1994 480 S on eBay

Post by Norm57 » Wed Apr 28, 2021 8:43 pm

Sorry for your situation with the car Ben. I must agree with the other comments about current value.Just an idea do you have somewhere to store it until you can afford or have the time to get it sorted? It’s a real shame because cosmetically it looks so good.if this isn’t possible then I think breaking it for parts would see you get a better return. Remember the rear lights themselves if good are worth a few hundred and it appears to have good tyres on it. The interior and electricals would fetch a few Bob as well.Good luck whatever you decide.Norman.

arthuy
Advanced 480 rookie
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Re: 1994 480 S on eBay

Post by arthuy » Wed Apr 28, 2021 10:23 pm

try the facebook groups and car and classic or just take a chance of eBay again.

I wouldn't advise breaking the car unless you have time and space, after the lights and high value parts are sold you end up with a lump of metal.

jifflemon
480 Is my middle name
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Re: 1994 480 S on eBay

Post by jifflemon » Thu Apr 29, 2021 8:59 am

arthuy wrote:
Wed Apr 28, 2021 10:23 pm
I wouldn't advise breaking the car unless you have time and space, after the lights and high value parts are sold you end up with a lump of metal.
Exactly this: and it's a lump of metal that's then very hard to get rid of.

The Breaking scene is also full of lots of overpriced parts too. A used starter motor for £85 or a brand new one for £33? A driving lamp with flaking reflector? Yours for £75.

These sellers are in cloud cuckoo land, and the prices seem encourage breaking - But then you realise that your sat with a load of bits that
a) people don't need because they don't go wrong
b) people don't want because they're just as bad as the bits they've got or
c) aren't prepared to pay silly money for.

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