Resale values and Hard Tops..

aaronjb · August 16, 2004, 18:12

I'm sure I saw a thread around here somewhere about this, but I'll be darned if I can find it..

Basically - I'm pondering selling the hardtop as it looks like I could get £4-500 for it on here and I'm very hard up at the moment, but I'm wondering what difference it would make to resale/tradein values in a few years time?

Anyone care to hazard a guess? £500 in pocket now, and lose £200 in four years, or £500 in pocket now and lose £1000 in four years?

I know I could get more for it on ebay, as some go for up to £800, but I don't like the thought of strangers coming to my house to collect (every other time I've done that, I've had a car broken into or my house burgled!) - although I suppose I could deliver.. but anyway, suffice to say that I'm a tad wary of strangers these days.. And you lot don't count as strangers s:)

s:)

(Anyway, better that it should go to an enthusiast on here..)

So... thoughts? views? anyone want me to shut up? s:)

s:)

Aaron

SteveJ · August 16, 2004, 20:16

When I traded my Silver Y plate, the dealer said they would knock £1000 off the trade-in price if I sold the hard-top seperately.

Anonymous · August 16, 2004, 22:56

i think you'd be better off selling the hard top seperately. although, i think it depends what time of year you sell your '2 (people arnt gonna be that bothered about a hardtop in the summer)

when i was in the market for a '2, there would be the odd one that came with a hardtop and would be the same price if not cheaper than a similar spec '2 without hardtop, but the seller's might have just wanted a quick sale?

aaronjb · August 16, 2004, 23:37

Hmm.. conflicting views s:)

s:)

Still, I suppose the £500 would come in more handy right now than the £1000 would in a few years.. I think..

Agh.. s:? :? s:?

Anonymous · August 17, 2004, 08:33

Although you may not get more money for the car with the hard top when you are selling up, if you are selling privately, it might swing the deal over other cars that don't have a hard top, if you get what I mean?

That's if you are selling privately.

heathstimpson · November 24, 2004, 19:31

I am currently buying a hardtop of a bloke who is trading his 2002 2 if for a Lexus and the difference with or without the top was minute, so much so that he decided to see seperately to my benefit s:wink: :wink: s:wink:

Anonymous · November 25, 2004, 12:10

When I was looking to buy, hardtop definitely added to the price. On Autotrader, consistently the lowest price for an MR2 with hardtop was £10k while it was more like £8-9k for non-hardtop. Obviously Iam not saying that the hardtop adds £2k to the value but the difference is there. I think it also adds to saleability - esp. outside the summer months.

zud · November 25, 2004, 14:12

Quote from: "aaronjb"Still, I suppose the £500 would come in more handy right now than the £1000 would in a few years.. I think..

You might be right... because I'm not convinced you'll still get £1000 in a few years time.

I took a look on Parkers and the difference between a 52 plate with AC and a 52 plate with AC and HT is £805 for Part Ex. For a 51 plate the difference is £715. So I think the diiference it will make at trade-in time will only be a percentage of the value without a HT. So if you keep the car until it's worth (say) £5000 with HT, then you might be lucky to get £5400 with the HT.

maybe!... I'm no expert (far from it)... but that's what it looks like to me.

Anonymous · November 25, 2004, 14:16

I think you should sell now, i don't think it'd make that much difference with the car, espec depending on who you sold it too. A dealer trade in by all accounts would get you little and to get maximum value from your car (ie sell it in summer), hardtops seem like less essentials anyway.

And erm, spray it black and sell it me, for £250.

spit · November 25, 2004, 15:15

I didn't bid on softies when I imported the MR-S, but to give you an indication, the hard top/AC option on a 3-yr old at Jap auction calculates at between 8-10% of the overall selling price (ie a lower ratio than you'd get using MrT's RRPs on new).

Nevertheless, I'd be inclined to keep hold if funds allow, especially if you get good crappy-weather use out of your car. It'll protect you and the hood from the elements & you'll miss it when its gone.

Liz · November 25, 2004, 17:40

Whats more, it does look the mutts nuts with it on as well!

darrenjuggins · November 25, 2004, 20:31

Note:

When comparing prices for cars, with and without hard tops, the hard top versions will all have Air-con as well as the Hard Top, which obviously some soft-top versions won't have.

Therefore when considering the price differential, take into account the air-con (£900, soft-top option @ new).

I personally enjoy having both option and wouldn't split them up, but if you need the cash, well, anything goes i presume.

Cheers

Darren J

MRMike · November 25, 2004, 21:54

Quote from: "darrenjuggins"Note:

When comparing prices for cars, with and without hard tops, the hard top versions will all have Air-con as well as the Hard Top, which obviously some soft-top versions won't have.

Darren J

Not if someone retrofitted there hard top to a car without air con!

I think Air con is more of an issue than a hard top. I can't imagine a dealer giving you more for a car with a hard top, mainly because CAP etc etc don't differentiate between the two. Not once when getting trade in prices have I been asked if it had a hardtop. Air con, leather yes, but not a hardtop.

On that basis I think you would be better selling the hardtop now if you really are in stum. Though you just might miss it when its gone. I would try everything to keep it though.

You could always do a NPV calculation to see which is financially the better decision!

aaronjb · November 25, 2004, 22:14

Quote from: "MRMike"You could always do a NPV calculation to see which is financially the better decision!

A what calculation? s:)

s:)

At the moment I still have the hardtop, and I've survived without selling it for cash (admittedly only because my folks helped me out with a loan s:oops: :oops: s:oops: Which I feel incredibly guilty for needing at 26!), and work is starting to come in on a more regular basis now ( s:D

s:D s:D

s:D ), but it's still tempting to get shot to give me some cash for Christmas and suchlike (and because although the work is coming in, it always takes a couple of months before the invoices are paid)

It's still sat in the shed, in fact, looking all forlorn and neglected - it's a pain in the neck to get it back on by myself anyhow.

Decisions decisions..

s:)

s:)

Jap GT300 · November 26, 2004, 07:26

TBH, I can't be bothered with putting the roof on and off. The car is just as cozy with the soft top.

Sell the hard top now!