Ok need to know what my coupe is worth,

Wine red 20vt, 1997 R reg with 113k on the clock. Has tan leather but no air-con, engine is standard and mechanically sound – always 3 bar when driving, and only ever drops to 2 at very hot idle (if sat in traffic for ages etc). No mods to the engine, and I’ve got FSH inc 13 stamps in the book, owned for the past 4 or so years and its had a full service one year then a standard service the nice and vise-versa, regardless of mileage. Fair stack of history inc all the old MOT’s.

Is due a 2nd cambelt change however, but oil cooler pipes have been done, recent clutch, turbo is good, new radiator, battery, manifold is welded. 2 good eagle F1 tyres and 2 almost new top of the range Avons. Car has Zender skirts + spoiler + LE lips, and is lowered on eibach springs. Sony MP3 headunit, with small amp in the boot powering infinity speakers – just makes it a bit nicer than the standard stereo. Remote alarm isn’t working though.

Just had full service and MOT (passed fine). Tax – June.

Bodywork is the issue, the car had a very low speed rear end shunt last year, and has a bad dent as shown in the photos below, don’t really know how much it would cost to fix. However the rest of the car is in reasonable condition, a few marks/scratches as to be expected, but had a total front end re-spray last year, inc wheel refurb and refit of the skirts. Interior is in fair condition, scratches to the lower console area and the main control console too. I know its not the best coupe out there by a mile, hence the price.

I’m thinking £1400? Given it needs the belt doing and the rear repairing. Please give me a totally honest estimate.

The dent is worse in the metal, that pic doesnt show it very well.

tbh i think maybe nearer £1000 ONLY due to this current time eg resession.

My reasons are. . . .
*needs cambelt change etc £450/£500
*No-one likes to buy cars with any dents let alone one i personally couldnt live with as would bug me so yo be fixed with rear quarter resprayed aswell as whole back bumper due too tiny lil dent in that too your gonna be looking at £200 at best i'd say probably more.
*by the time youve spent the extra getting it nearer mint condition you would have spent £17/1800 including price of car if got for around £1000mark and its done 113k (which if looked after i know is not an issue) but most people just dont like buying cars with over 100k on the clock even if its probably more reliable than a 70k one they might of seen
*considering some of the cars that are coming up lately on the forum that have less mileage couple of minor mods and less mileage by the time you have spent all that money you could of got one already done. without having to do anything to it for a while


Shabba this is only my honest opinion as you asked for, sorry it may not be as you wanted to hear.

No thats fine Luke, appreciate the honesty. Maybe if I offered it £1400 WITH the belt done, but still with the dent that might help. I'd be bulked to let it go for less than a grand, given its still alot of car for the money - but I'm trying to be as realistic as possible.

yeah i definatly reckon £1400 with cambelt just done that will help alot! thats the main thing even non forum members/people not in the so called "KNOW" look for on coupes so if you was to auotrader it at £1550ono stateing just had cambelt change in description you would get rid of it easy enough i think, but i dont think it would be as easy on the forum if you know what i mean? 90% of people who use autotrader dont really know what they might know from being on here. and also wine red colour looks lovely i think espeacially as yours is all colour coded still on original wheels

Thanks again Luke. Yes will use AT for the sale.

I might put it up with the belt but offer to have it done prior to the sale.

if you are going to do it before the sale i wouldnt mention it just say new belts?
would just put people off.

shabba, my car is also a wine red r plate 20vt, fsh and all the big jobs including belts, clutch and waterpum done in last 8 months or so....it has full leather, cd player, air con etc...and is bog standard..only three owners too..i thought IT was worth around £1600 but havent had a bit of interest.....

realistically, and going by what iv seen cars like yours advertised in local papers for..ie scot ads etc...'needing work' id say a brutally frank assesment would be between £500 and £700.....you may however be lucky being darn sarf....people seem to think this is actually like traveling to the antartic to come up here haha.....all the best either way bro!!

I'm thinking it must be worth more than £700 in parts?

I mean MINT bonnet - £200?
V good condition wheels with expensive tyres - £200?
Leather £100?
Eibach springs £50?
Engine £150?
Turbo/manifold £50-100?

yup, more than probably you are right..but could you break it??..i couldnt bear to break my car, its been the best car i have ever owned..

My dent was much worse on my coupe,was repaired fully for £300 on the sprinty blue.
I think more of a selling point would be the dent fixed to be fair,knowing they only have to sort the cambelt out.

I thought you didnt agree with modifying shabba??

Shabbalord(tm) likes subtle mods to the exterior. He rages against engine modifiers, deeming them an ungodly and wasteful expense which often leads to much cracked piston rings. He hates rear spoilers (even his own).

For the record his car has LE lips and Zender skirts and zender spoiler and springs/dampers. No engine mods. When washed the paintwork is very clean and shiny.

Just keep it!

As sugarbear says....engine modding = trouble

Not keeping it, time for a newer car. Had it 4 or 5 years now, usually I don't have cars longer than a year!

Shabs, if I were you I'd get the belts done before selling and at least get a ball park figure on the dent being repaired. As it stands now I think you'd be lucky to get a grand