Possibly purchasing a Maverick, Need a little advice

Hello everyone,

Been a lurker for longer than I've actually been registered- first found this forum years ago, long after I decided I really wanted to pick up a Maverick again someday. My first car was a 302 V8 1974 Ford Maverick 4dr sedan with the paint and trim somewhat intact but everything else rusting out (it leaked like a sieve and even had a hole in the passenger side floor that you could see the road through, among other rust issues) but my father fixed it up enough to drive (tore out the molded carpets and replaced parts here and there) and boy, did I drive it! That car rumbled and roared along, driving it was such a pleasure. It gave up the ghost about three years later, and I sold it to a young couple who were going to fix it up. Don't know what happened to it after that. Anyway, I always wanted, even back then, to own the 2 door grabber version...

Now, over a decade later, I am lusting for one I've found, and I have family living nearby in the state where it's being sold, but my issue is I think it's price is a little too high honestly. It's supposedly all original (paint, body, etc) due to being garaged, but they all say that. So I'm going to go see it in person in a day and already called an auto garage to make an appointment to bring it in on the test drive to have it looked over rather than accept their word that it's running perfectly. It looks good but beauty is only skin (paint) deep! So here's the deal....

1971 Ford Mav, Good condition (supposedly), Original interior- faded but clean looking, Original 'grabber blue' paint (supposedly) but does have a few minor spots rusting/flaking, Not sure how new anything under the hood is without seeing receipts for the work they said was done, Straight 6 250 (really was hoping for inline but long as it drives/sounds good, I'd go for it) .. It IS an automatic but I don't mind because I'm not going to be racing it or anything, just driving for pleasure. They want $9000 ..... I feel that's cutting it due to the circumstances. You see, I'd understand a rebuilt or slightly restored Maverick with newish parts (that will last at least a year or two!) and new paint, maybe rebuilt engine or new tranny etc, being worth around that or maybe even more. BUT this car will probably need work in the near future despite running fine -now-. There's no guarantee this car will not need a complete overhaul or something, or the tranny expires shortly after buying it, and for this price.... that makes it seem like a bad investment. Then again, maybe I'm over-thinking things. (That's a good thing though, right?, when buying a car? Lol.)

Any advice or tips regarding a suggested value for this car so I can make a counter offer? I can't do much of the car work myself since I have no auto experience myself, more of a computer geek honestly than a mechanic, but I absolutely worship Mavericks (and muscle cars) and really want to own one that doesn't require any major restoration to truly enjoy. I intend to find a good REAL mechanic in my town to baby this car if I buy it. Here's a pic from under the hood .. Thanks for your time reading and looking, and hopefully contributing your thoughts on the matter..!



PS: If this car gets away from me due to posting the minimum information here as a fellow and hopeful enthusiast, I'll be really disappointed. While I would be more than happy to share the full contact information for the seller IF I decide to pass on buying it myself so that it can enter and stay within this great community, I do request that no one attempt to purchase the car out from under me while I am deciding - if this is indeed worth the price. Please be respectful. Thanks and have a great day.

 

Hello from a fellow Oregonian and Maverick lover.

The price does sound a little steep but if all checks out good with not needing any major work done then you may be money ahead to buy it since you are leery about doing the work yourself. Rust of course is your major concern, make sure you pour a bucket of water down the cowl and check for leaks into the interior.

There has been a nice looking 71 listed in Seattle for some time that they are asking $8,900 for. If you are patient I am sure you can find one for less money that meets your needs better.

At any rate good luck with you quest :Handshake

 

Good call, Comet_Fever and and Yellow75. I think I'll have the guy hose down the entire car right in front of me and then crawl around inside to check for water. If he balks at it, then it probably has a leak.. Thanks for the tips, guys!

 

If you can't work on the car yourself, buy the best car you can find, or you'll be spending money left and right to get it where you want it, lots of other people have come here in the past, and made the mistake of buying a car they know nothing about, or don't have the ability do work on it, only to get disappointed then sell it.
If the guy is stuck on his price, then I doubt there's much you can say to talk him down.
Also it probably a 4 wheel drum brake car, not something that most people would want for an everyday driver, and a disc brake conversion can lead to a number of other modifications, along with buying more parts, and if you have to pay someone to do all the work...then it's all $$$$

 

And a V8 and maybe A/C...

There have been cars as nice or nicer sold here on the forum for 1/2 to 3/4 the money he's asking...

 

Personally,I would maybe go $7000 if the cowl does`nt leak.To do A GOOD paint job and intr. work will hit ya for another $5000.

 

9K...I don't know what state it's in but that will make a little difference in it's worth.

9K...you should get a little more car for that price...

 

That's a lot of money for a worn interior, 6 cyl car with some rust and flaking paint. The rust will only get worse, as will the paint.

I would keep shopping unless it's a lot better than you described it.

JMO,
SPark

 

Sent you pm.

 

That was my thinking, Dan, that the cost of work that would need to be done as the original stuff goes out will make it not worth that price.. Comparing it's price to that of a restored or even custom Maverick's pricing is not really fair since the parts aren't the same age/quality at that point and won't go as fair. Paint was an issue I've been thinking about since, especially if it's original, those parts that are starting to rust and flake will get worse, and redoing the paint after paying 9k... Hard to justify. Here's a pic of a spot that's got the 'minor rust'..



Not bad, really, but still.. 9k for old paint job.

Anyway, thanks everyone for commenting. I will be mentioning these views to the dealer, see if I can talk him down to flat 8 or lower. Having me at the lot in person, cash in hand, might persuade him to not let me walk away without at least trying to accommodate, unless I misjudge. The opinion of the auto mechanic I'm taking the car to as well before deciding will be a big factor too, would he buy it for that price for himself or his kid..? Time will tell.
Big ups to you all for your help! Stay tuned for updates.

 

A $9000 6 cylinder Maverick should not need ANY paint work. None. Zilch, Zero, Nada. That car should be mint. I recommend you keep looking. Take this time to look around, educate yourself, etc.

 

Here's something that should help with price...

http://mmb.maverick.to/showpost.php?p=966545&postcount=463

It's a link to our VIN list that has links to eBay auctions, see what sold or didn't... The ones that begin EB are direct links to auctions(this is a great idea Paul had)...

Here's a example of a '71 Grabber that brought $6000 but didn't sell and it appears to be a nice car...

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Ford...pt=US_Cars_Trucks&hash=item3cd3bcdadf&vxp=mtr

 

Unless my monitor is playing tricks on me, that car is blue not grabber blue. From your description and the pics, in my opinion you're closer to a $4000 car than $9000.

If your budget is in the $9-10k range, I would look at this one.

http://mmb.maverick.to/showthread.php?t=90367

Not mine but I have seen it in person and is something that you would be happy with unless your heart is set on a grabber.

 

Starting to think that might be the way to go, Craig, to just keep looking. Gonna at least see it in person first but if I can't talk the guy down a thousand or more, likely the deal is off. I appreciate your input!

Thanks for the links, Krazy! I actually did see that specific ebay listing already in my searching, but it'd be difficult for me to get it due to distance mainly and it looks popular, 16 bids so far, despite it not selling yet. Might be stiff competition. Still, loving that unusual addition of a sunroof, haha, and that coloring looks great on a Maverick. The link to the VINs was something I hadn't seen before so I'm perusing it- good tool for comparison in terms of pricing. Thanks again!

Oh and G3blues, my price range really isn't in the 9-10k honestly, was more hoping for 5-7k and really pushing it at the price of the car I've been looking at that started the whole thread. But I --

*clicks link*

Holy frijoles! I .. I can't.. you're being a bad influence, tempting me with that.. that beast!

2nd edit/update after drooling over pictures of car for awhile longer:
..That car looks so good. Almost looks a little too new/modern in certain spots (like the interior- so pristine!) but still has that Maverick flavor. Comparing a completely redone Maverick like this to the one I'm going to see really shows a marked contrast. This level of 'finished' in a Maverick would be better for me as a hopeful turn-key driver.

 

Unfortunately eBay has removed many of the auctions but there are still some that will come up...