Is the sum of the parts greater than the value of the vehicle?

[CincyFester]

Question for those who have parted out cars. Is the value of the parts greater than selling it off whole?

I bought a project car...2001 S4 142,000 with a broken timing belt. My budget has been cut dramatically (unforeseen circumstances) to the point of having to make a decision to sell the car whole or part it out.

So on the open forum guys "let er rip"...let's hear what everyone has to say.

[zillarob]

Id say sell it whole and be done with it.

Might be worth a little more in parts, but I doubt enough to cover all the extra time/bs involved with a part out.

[MarlinFoundNemo]

Damn I love those headlights. What are they?

[AudiTechS4]

ill buy it whole from ya :) audi tech here

[AudiTechS4]

need a singleturbo shell

[88ninety9]

I almost bought that car, saw it on cl. I'd say sell it whole. The time it would take to move all the parts wouldn't be worth the hassle imo. Id take the seats at the right price if you part it

Second thought; those headlights are hideous. They take all the class away from the car. Vtec 'yo

[Penpusher]

It depends on the value you place on your time.

[omakayd]

You'd probably get the car's worth out of those headlights alone.


Agree with others to sell it outright. Unless you have a place to store it for a couple of years during the part out.
Good luck!

[4.2 prototype]

Wow, I wish I could come pick the whole thing up! I'd save it! Headlights need killed with fire tho lol

[GrapeBandit]

Those headlights can get you like $750+, that bumper could possibly pull you a grip, and the bumper mesh at least another two fiddy

[johnnybravo!]

save me the bicycle tire steering wheel!

[y3ti]

Dibs on the mirror caps

[landfill]

Any mods? Bone stock? is the tranny in decent shape?

I'd like to say you could get atleast $1k for the interior if you include the aluminum trim
and leave the speakers in the door cards. If the tranny is in perfect working order I'd like to
say another $1k. Front bumpers a rep so shit put on CL and maybe someone will pony up
$250. Rear bumper $250, Fenders $250, sideskirts $200, hood $200-$250, grill $50-$100,
sport mirrors $100-$250, Doors $100-$200 a piece, steering wheel $100, radio NLA $100+,
Shift knob $50-$100, Shift boot $50-$100, wheels $500, trunk interior $200, disc changer,
apb block, heads, drive shaft $100+, Axles if good oem $100+, brake setup $250-$500,
swaybars $100, stock coils $100, tail lights $100, trunk $100-$200, turbos $250-$500,


I could go on but depending on how much you spent on her I'd say your sitting on a good pile of parts.

[nsaneS4]

Since it doesn't run, you could get a lot money for the car in pieces. It would cost you considerable time to do it, though.

That said, if you decide to part it out... Dibs on all the axles if they are OEM!

[chaos2984]

Well how much mechanical knowledge do you have. Can you do the whole job yourself. Not the machine work but all the mechanical work. If you can do the work yourself I would keep it. Not to be rude but whats your budget. The car looks in awesome shape for how old it is. Exterior and interior look very clean. I would keep it. Do you know at what rpm the belt broke at. Most of the time you only damage the valves only. If it broke at like 6K rpm or higher you could have piston damage. But i doubt it. Ive had this happen to me on a different car but it only damaged the valves only. I would save the money up and fix it and go stage 3 with it. Even if its a 2 year project it would be worth it. I guess its up to you and what you bought the car for and such.

[c02oil]

I think it depends on your location to be honest, especially if your selling large items. Shipping some of the larger parts can be a pain especially if they are damaged in the process.

[ilyafil]

Insure it, then drive it to a field and set it on fire. Sit back relax and collect the insurance money...

[Halfrican]

Damn I love those headlights. What are they?

Said no one ever. Part 'er out!

[CincyFester]

Thank you all for the opinions. I kind of need to get out from underneath this quickly so selling it whole would be the way to go. I have to get the damn thing inspected in KY to transfer the title that's the biggest issue with selling it outright. The car is stored currently 70 miles from my house. So I have to load it up bring it down to KY get it inspected then take it back to storage.

Parting it out doesn't bother me as I think I'll come out ahead in the end. And it would be much easier with the title not coming in to play by doing that.

So sell the car as it sits for $2750 or part it out for $3000 plus.....it's a tough decision.

Looking over the car yesterday and debating it yesterday and this morning....it's going to be a difficult decision. The car is so clean I hate to butcher it up but I don't have the time or money to sit on it to get it running myself. The trunk doesn't even look like it's ever had anything it it. Yes the head lights are less than desirable, the front bumper cover isn't original and the motor is jacked up...but damn when you sit in it, there is so much potential. Decisions...decisions.

[MacDaddy]

thing about parting out is you need to be able to afford the time to sit on things untill they sell, could be a month, could be 6.

...and then there is the shit that won't sell, that you either take to the scrap metal depot, or sits in your back yard forever.

[Meow]

those headlights add negative $3000 to the value of the vehicle.

[KennyDS4]

Sell it as whole. Parting can be a pain and $250 difference is not worth it. If you need cash fast selling it as it sits seems the obvious choice. Plus that's too nice of a car to tear apart!

[CincyFester]

those headlights add negative $3000 to the value of the vehicle.

Yeah but I but MARLINFOUNDNEMO would take them off my hands....

[CincyFester]

Sell it as whole. Parting can be a pain and $250 difference is not worth it. If you need cash fast selling it as it sits seems the obvious choice. Plus that's too nice of a car to tear apart!

Agreed on the nice part. It's tearing me up right now on what to do with this thing. I really want to get this thing running but the $$$ I had planned on using had to go to other more important things.

[StewHill123321]

Running S4's barely have any value. Part that sum bitch out

[Racin2redline]

Running S4's barely have any value. Part that sum bitch out

OK so sell me yours for 1000

[Racin2redline]

Of course a car in that condition is worth more in parts but the car looks pretty clean all things considered . swapping. In a running motor isn't hard. Personally id like to see more of these cars being restored rather than becoming parts for all the savages out there lol.

[Gotwake424]

I'll take some parts if you decide to go that route. Ecu and windshield wiper tank

[MalibuMafiaV]

If you end up parting it out. I'll take your front bumper, Front grill and your interior and possibly your transmission.

[Gotwake424]

also probably the radiator

[demonmk2]

how much do you want for it as is? you can pm me.

[CincyFester]

I've made the decision to hold the car for a while and see what I can do to get it going again. That may change after I get it apart. For those who have contacted me about parts, if I decide to part it out I'll contact each of you before I list anything for sale.

[MarlinFoundNemo]

Yeah but I but MARLINFOUNDNEMO would take them off my hands....

hahaha maybe I'm debating heavily in my head

[landfill]

Seriously that's your best bet. I've seen inspected longblocks from LKQ on Ebay now
for $500-$750 shipped to your damn door.

[mrbillydee]

Yeah, there was a running engine and o1e tranny here local on cl from an allroad going for a grand for both. I should have scooped them up for spares.

[mrbillydee]

And fwiw, I don't know your exact situation, but I'd hate to see another b5 cannibalized. Especially one in this good of shape. That's what's happened to the 240sx market. Teenagers have turned them into piles of crap with their drift project dreams, so finding one in decent shape for less than a mint is Damn near impossible.

[Uber]

And fwiw, I don't know your exact situation, but I'd hate to see another b5 cannibalized. Especially one in this good of shape. That's what's happened to the 240sx market. Teenagers have turned them into piles of crap with their drift project dreams, so finding one in decent shape for less than a mint is Damn near impossible.

Same with Datsun 510's.