hollywoood

A 2000 Formula firebird has recently come up for sale in my area. It is black with black cloth with t-tops. 6 speed. It has had 2 owners. The interior is very clean. No rips, stains, the interior is what should be expected of a 24k mile car. The body of the car has 2 stonechips on the headlights. There is about an inch size spot on the front clip where the clear is coming off. It has a door ding on the passenger side rear quarter, and the paint is slightly bubbled on the passengers side of the sail pannel. The dealer is asking 13k. I'm alittle confused on the pricing of this car becuase not many formula ls1's come up for sale. What are your thoughts? Fair price?

NC01TA

Are you still considering this car? The dealer price is typically high but maybe there is some negotiating room if the car is really nice outside of the cosmetic issues. The mileage sure is appealing. Carfax history OK??

colinpd137

iTrader: (17)

idk if it helps any but, Bought a 1998 Black, 6-speed, Hardtop Formula in TX with 64k miles for 8 thousand. 13k imo is a little overpriced i would say from 10-11k at most.

NC01TA

The mileage is too different to compare price-wise but I agree about the price range you mentioned. $10,000 - $11,000 is about right. A 27,000 miles 2001 SS just went through the BJ auction in Orange County last week for $11,000 plus commission. Ouch! I was real surprised it didn't bring more with those miles. It appeared to be in excellent condition as are most BJ cars or they won't put them on the block.

ramairetransam

iTrader: (18)

too much , esp with the top bubbling , i paid 8k for my 99 formula hardtop with ws6 hood and full exhuast , 48k miles on it . The bubbling top will cost 500 bucks for the 6le replacement and then 500 ish in body work i assume . I think get them down to like 9ish depending on how much you want it but the top will cost money to fix and should be just repainted .

hollywoood

Thank you for the help! I felt that 11,000 was a fair price for the car. They did not seem to agree. My offer was not accepted. Then the dealer listed the car on ebay and got up to 11100 and did not hit the reserve. For that amount of money there are many other cars to look at. Am i crazy to think that I should get a 50-80k mile z28 or formula for around 7-9k. The prices in my area seem to be so inflated. Today a guy has a stock z28 101k miles for 11 grand! That is ridiculous in my opnion! Will prices fall in the colder months? Are these just summer premiums?

NC01TA

The best car deals are made in the holiday months of November and December. It doesn't mean you can't get deals in July though. Dealerships are tough. I'm a bit surprised the dealer didn't come back with another price, especially when the auction hit the same $11,000. If the car was really sweet, then I would not let $500 - $1,000 stop me from buying a 24,000 miles car, but you said it has cosmetic issues and the dealer seems to be in denial. The dealer is just playing hardball and ignoring factual information, like the BJ car I mentioned. He will come down in price eventually or else he will be wholesaling it at some auction in the future. That would be just dumb. Don't give up. Call again and ask what his bottom price is, now that the auction ended at the same price.
As far as finding a decent mileage car, I believe your $9,000 mark will get you that car from a 'private party' sale, not a dealership. Remember that sellers will ask a few grand higher in some instances but will take much less. That is just the way it works. Look for ads right up to $11,000 and see if you find cars you like. I asked $14,600 for a car this past winter in Autotrader and ended up with a sale for $13,000. I didn't expect the $14,600 so it was perfect for the both of us.
Yes, the guy asking $11,000 for his 6 figure mileage Z28 is

hollywoood

Thanks NC01TA! I appriciate all your help. Finding an f-body has been quite the journey. The right one is out there. Just gotta find her

NC01TA

No problem. It is enjoyable to help out in most instances, especially to folks that really could use the assistance. I like sharing my many years of muscle car and sports car experiences. My area car club members have come to me in many instances to sell their cars or help buy them. It is a wonderful hobby. Keep posting if you feel like more opinions or help. No harm in asking. Take the info and use it as you wish.