Need Advice on what repairs are worth doing before sale

[TX '90 ZR1]

For whatever it is worth, my two cents.
A fully vetted and serviced car will always bring more. If you can say that "everything" works as it should it will bring top dollar. Any item not operating properly just gives the buyer a bargaining tool or an out.
Good luck.

[dredgeguy]

Just depends on how much time and effort you want to put into your car and how fast you want to sell it. Suggest you tell us what you want for the car as is, you might be surprised that one of our members would take it off your hands.

[WARP TEN]

Originally Posted by dredgeguy

Just depends on how much time and effort you want to put into your car and how fast you want to sell it. Suggest you tell us what you want for the car as is, you might be surprised that one of our members would take it off your hands.

I think Charlie is right. If I learned one thing from 8 years of selling BMWs (and taking in trades) is that you are almost always better off financially to sell the car as is and let the next buyer (or dealer) take care of the issues. Much depends on how much you hope to get for the car. Price it accordingly and you will sell it without having to go through all the effort to correct the various items. Just do a full disclosure. While TX '90 ZR1 is right that a car without issues will always bring a higher price, there are many knowledgeable ZR-1 buyers out there who want a ZR-1 and would be willing to take on a bit of a project if they felt they were getting a fair price that took the issues into account. --Bob

[Dynomite]

Concur with dredgeguy and WARP TEN

in summary.........Fix those issues you want to fix yourself......
If you are a good fixer 😁
The issues you would pay to fix...let the buyer fix.
Price the ZR-1 accordingly.

There are many guys here who would prefer to fix issues themselves and can do it better than the fixer you would hire and in some cases better than your own fixing 👍

Do make sure the ZR-1 inside and out and engine compartment is as clean as it can be and all fluids are full and in good condition

[ram_g]

Just BTW, you can buy all 4 FX3 shocks from Rockauto for less than $800 total. A little less than what you're thinking, but every bit helps.

[rkreigh]

fix the fx3, used shocks are CHEAP and many Z brothers go coil over
you can run the late shocks on an early car with the right fx3 controller


I happen to have a complete system off my 95 zr-1. One shock is a bit soft, but serviceable. all the fx3 controllers.



I need $500 for the complete shocks with fx3 controllers
100 for the FX3 controller box (have both early and late)


if you are feeling spendy (hard to find) original Doug Rippie Motorsports with the removable programmable prom to monkey with the shock settings.


I only have a "base prom" for stock shock calibration but it works great and gives some flexibility if you can find the chips (rare)


PM me if interested.


I'd leave the tire pressure stuff alone. not worth the hassle and the stock stuff typically cracks the ears off and bangs around inside the rim (ask me how I know). Kinda freaks you out when you are jammin and the car starts to bang and shake. I'd leave em off the car.

[remembero323]

Originally Posted by rkreigh

fix the fx3, used shocks are CHEAP and many Z brothers go coil over
you can run the late shocks on an early car with the right fx3 controller


I happen to have a complete system off my 95 zr-1. One shock is a bit soft, but serviceable. all the fx3 controllers.



I need $500 for the complete shocks with fx3 controllers
100 for the FX3 controller box (have both early and late)


if you are feeling spendy (hard to find) original Doug Rippie Motorsports with the removable programmable prom to monkey with the shock settings.


I only have a "base prom" for stock shock calibration but it works great and gives some flexibility if you can find the chips (rare)


PM me if interested.


I'd leave the tire pressure stuff alone. not worth the hassle and the stock stuff typically cracks the ears off and bangs around inside the rim (ask me how I know). Kinda freaks you out when you are jammin and the car starts to bang and shake. I'd leave em off the car.

Good to know about those sensors--they definitely seemed like a waste of time.

I'll think about the shocks--I won't need the controller box, correct? Mine should still be working fine.

[remembero323]

Originally Posted by WARP TEN

I think Charlie is right. If I learned one thing from 8 years of selling BMWs (and taking in trades) is that you are almost always better off financially to sell the car as is and let the next buyer (or dealer) take care of the issues. Much depends on how much you hope to get for the car. Price it accordingly and you will sell it without having to go through all the effort to correct the various items. Just do a full disclosure. While TX '90 ZR1 is right that a car without issues will always bring a higher price, there are many knowledgeable ZR-1 buyers out there who want a ZR-1 and would be willing to take on a bit of a project if they felt they were getting a fair price that took the issues into account. --Bob

I might just do that--list it and be perfectly candid about the issues, which I think most knowledgeable buyers would know are relatively trivial. I already ordered the radio amp and front license plate cover, so I think I'm already getting to where I need to be.

The car has 43k miles (exactly), Billy Boat exhaust, and the Haibeck chip. Everything is in good working condition, and I have complete service records from the entire history of the car, including the original purchase paperwork and window stickers, etc. I even have the pizza box and VHS tapes. You think listing at $20k is aggressive?

[remembero323]

Originally Posted by dredgeguy

Just depends on how much time and effort you want to put into your car and how fast you want to sell it. Suggest you tell us what you want for the car as is, you might be surprised that one of our members would take it off your hands.

I'm in no rush to sell honestly, and I'd like to get about $20k for it. I think that's on the higher end of '90 red on red ZR-1s, but it's realistic. I've got all the service records going back 30 years and the car works great minus the minor issues I mentioned--curb rash on two wheels, Z-51 shock, etc.

[Z51JEFF]

At the very least least the CDM controller to the next owner,not worth the grief trying to replace it just to sell the car. Sadly you will put more money into the car but won't get it out. $20,000 for that car sounds about right.