High Km VE SS-V 6.0 Buying Advice needed thanks

[J_D 2.0]

you want to pay $20k for a 15 year old car with 200k kms on it? Has our money lost that much value ? 15 years ago such a car was $5k with a roadworthy.

Well they basically aren’t making V8’s for the common man anymore and the few expensive up market new models that still exist will be the last hurrah for the V8 due to ever tightening emissions regulations.

Under that environment they are going to be worth more to the people who still want them purely based on scarcity now and in the future.

If we were still making cheap V8’s I probably would look at upgrading my SSV in the near future but because there are no more “hand me downs” coming down the line that’s basically going to be impossible to do without stumping up a lot more money than you had to previously when those vehicles were still being made.

 

[Commo64]

It doesn't seem too bad of a deal but the KMs are a little high for the asking price and I'd negotiate the price down quite heavily since it's been up for over a year and the seller probably wants to get rid of it...

However, a third party inspection is a must, even if the seller seems honest...

Also be careful that the car hasn't been warmed up when you go to inspect it, as this may be a sign that the seller is trying to hide something, such as lifter ticking...

 

[mtd]

Looks like a nice car. I think 20K is a premium price though. That said, if you reckon 10% loading in WA that takes it to 18K east coast. Mm, still a little pricey for a 200Km car. Not too worried about the engine (V8), but lets say a trans rebuild (good one) will be min 4k? Just looking at possible worst case scenario... it could be absolutely fine for many more Kms.

First point of call - a good quality inspection. Pay for it, its worth it. The boring things like struts, mounts etc etc all add up. If this checks out OK and they find nothing more than a few minor things then i'd consider offering 17K tops but preferably 15-16k.

Bottom line. Do you want it? If you really, really do then just get an inspection, and make your offer.

 

[hademall]

Bottom line. Do you want it? If you really, really do then just get an inspection, and make your offer.

Agreed.

 

[Dart77]

Appreciate all the responses - and amazed so quickly. I've been on heaps of car forums but this one is the most 'alive'.

Will try to answer each one now.

 

[Dart77]

Personally I’d be happy enough to buy it as it is as you said it’s a 1 owner car that’s been regularly serviced and looked after as for the trans if your that concerned about it buy the car and give the trans a service straight away, they are known to be fairly reliable, I’m a manual owner so can’t comment from personal experience but it’s only got minor mods to the engine so it’s not pushing massive power thru it to put a lot of stress on it, there are ve‘s getting around with well over 300ks on them so I’d say your good

Thanks for the input, yeah was thinking the same about the engine not being too worked, but will sus out the seller tomorrow and see if it's been driven hard much when younger

 

[Dart77]

200,000 ks is average mileage for a fifteen year old car. The garaged, serviced, one owner thing is good.
Maybe get a Holden guy to check it over, might cost a couple hundred. Could be well spent one way or another.
If you like it, go for it. I’d offer him $18,000 cash. Worse case split the diff and call it 19k.

Regarding the asking price. I haven’t checked them out but I’m sure you have.
Good luck.

Yeah thanks, along the lines of what I was thinking - maybe less - as it's up for rego in 3 weeks - so with the inevitable niggle that needs fixing and stamp duty, that's over a $1500 straight away. I'm not up with prices with these - I'm still stuck in the 80s haha, but as the one of the last posters pointed out, it's still a lot of cash for a 200k , 15yr old car. I know it's a lot of car you're getting but still ... they all need something when they are this complicated and older.

 

[losh1971]

If the suspension hasn't been replaced already I can pretty much guarantee it will need doing. An inspection may not pick up on it though. I had two or three inspections at two different garages and neither place picked up on it.
It was only when I teared it apart that I found out it was either worn out or on its way out.

 

[Dart77]

Without putting too much of a damper on it, the question here is, why has it been for sale for over 12 months? That does ring a few alarm bells to me.....

Something that is surposed to be as good as it'd being made out to be shouldn't be for sale for so long.....Go in with eyes wide open with this one

yes, that rang the alarm for me as well. And even longer actually, it was first listed on gtree early Jan 2022. When I asked him, it was a valid answer. He said he had bought another car for work (he bought this VE for work as well back in 2008) and just put it in the garage and not being overly keen to part with it, put it on for $28k. He said he has been steadily lowering the price, and what with lots of timewasters and offers from people to swap, rather than buy it - he said that's why it has sat there so long. That's also the reason he said he had to put new injectors in it (no small cost!!) because it was laid up over a year and the stagnant fuel must have gummed up the injectors.

 

[Dart77]

Good point. Assuming it’s all above board it does seem to be a decent car for the money but if other people have been passing it up at $20k, why?

If it’s been listed at say $25k until a week ago it might have just been getting passed over because the price hadn’t met the market yet but best to go over it with a fine tooth comb in any case.

Yes - thanks, see answer to this in above quote your reply. The main thing I'd like to do is drop the trans pan and see what's in it (if anything). But of course, can't do that. After reading lots of posts here, about the VE front suspension, I'm aware that there will be at least a few things there that will be up for doing soon.