Fair price for a 70 Ghia Convertable

Mulling · Post by **Mulling** » Mon Sep 08, 2003 2:21 pm

the car is a 1970 model. silver with red interior. The seller says the rebuilt engine is brand new with only a few hundred miles on it. He wants $8900.

I know zero about cars but it looks and drives great. There are a few bubles on the paintwork but apart from that it looks perfect to my untrained eye.

I never even though about buying this car until I saw it for sale on the side of the road and loved the look of it.

Does this sound like a fair price?

mulling · Post by **mulling** » Mon Sep 08, 2003 2:27 pm

sorry about the double post.

Air-Cooled Head · Post by **Air-Cooled Head** » Mon Sep 08, 2003 2:32 pm

It is brutally difficult to price a car we can't see. A lot will depend on where you live, also.

But for $9K, paint bubbles are unacceptable! Paint bubbles are usually just the tip of a rusty iceberg!

Go here: www.thebugshop.org, click Tech, and read the "What to look for" articles.

Rust is going to be your biggest enemy. Bondo runs a strong second. Try to avoid both, as much a possible.

If you could post some pictures,,,,,

Spyke · Post by **Spyke** » Mon Sep 08, 2003 6:00 pm

Mulling wrote:snip...The seller says the rebuilt engine is brand new with only a few hundred miles on it.

Recently rebuilt with a few hundred miles on it, that' be ok. A rebuilt brand new engine with miles on it??? If this is literally what the seller said, he's a slick one.

If it has miles on it, it's not brand new. If it's rebuilt, it's not brand new. Some of the parts may be, but the engine is not brand new. It may have been line bored. The crank may have been turned. Who knows what condition the cam and lifters are in? The heads? Are there any receipts to back up anything he says? If not, what he says means very little.

As mentioned, it's hard to say much without seeing the car, but this one has warning signs all over it. I'd be very careful... and have it checked over by someone who knows Ghias. Be very wary of the bubbles. Bodywork on a Ghia is expensive. A decent paint job on any car is expensive these days...

GhiaMonster · Post by **GhiaMonster** » Mon Sep 08, 2003 6:01 pm

I agree with Air-Cooled. Check out John Henry's site and read the whole
article in Tech - What to look for.

Just keep in mind (now that the dreaded 'bubble' has made itself known)
that Ghias like to rust in other fun places. In addition to the usual heater
channels and floor pans, add the following checks:

o Under both rear corners is an all time favorite place
o Look at the areas on the fenders in front of the doors and around the
torsion access panels.

Remember - a screwdriver and magnet are your friends!

JC-ATL · Post by **JC-ATL** » Tue Sep 09, 2003 7:10 am

Yeah, I'd be wary of this one at that price, especially if the bubbles are in the rocker area.

j_c_hamilton · Post by **j_c_hamilton** » Tue Sep 09, 2003 9:57 pm

Regardless of where they are or how big they are, surface bubbles are the last clue that the car is rusty. Karmann ghjias, without exception, rust from the inside out and i think everyone here will agree that a rust bubble is the "tip of the iceberg", so to speak. The parts that wear out, like engines, are relatively cheap to replace. The parts that deteriorate from neglect, such as bodies, bumpers and upholstery are much more expensive.
You can find a no-bubble Ghia for a lot less than $8900. Keep looking.

mulling · Post by **mulling** » Wed Sep 10, 2003 5:25 am

Thanks everyone for your comments I guess I will pass on this one.

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Fair price for a 70 Ghia Convertable

Fair price for a 70 Ghia Convertable

Re: Fair price for a 70 Ghia Convertable