Documentation

[jrs86gn]

Documentation ? I have all the paper work for my 86 GN, from the form where the owner ordered the car, the GMAC finance forms, recite for the bank check for the down payment, window sticker, and all service records, plus the car fax report shows all is good. I bought the car from the original owner and I do know the guy so all he told me I believe to be true. I have always felt that this stuff helps to add value to the price of the car. My question is this, I found A 87 gn that is very nice, The guy bought it for his wife 16 years ago and they have only driven it about 1000 miles. It just sits in there garage. It has no documentation what so ever! But it shows 51000 miles and it is very clean and rust free, but the car fax came back with a odometer problem . I would buy it anyways but I really don't need two of these dam Buick's, But this one is nicer than mine ! So would you keep the car with all the nice paper work and keep working on it or would sell it and go with a very nice car with no paper work ? Ten years from now what will be worth more ?



Glenn

 

[Gary Wells]

I would keep the one that you presently own as you know the history and there shouldn't be any suprises. Under the circumstances presented by you on the other car, I might take a chance on one of the problems, but not all 3. problem # 1: No documentation. problem # 2: No history, & problem # 3: Carfax failure.
I have never heard of anyone having any success getting Carfax to rectify an error unless it was proven to be Carfax's error, which would not be easy to do, and I believe that most Carfax entries are correct as to what is reported to them. Now if you are going to make a race car out of the other one, that might change things somewhat.

 

[John Larkin]

Carfax is a tool plain and simple. It is not perfect and for sure not perfect on 21 year old cars. The general concensus with your state government and the public at large would be the car is miles over 100,000 at this age. They default to assumptions rather than reality. Even the federal odometer law does not guarantee odometer readings on vehicles 10 plus years old. Got to go with your gut and the appearance of the vehicle on this one. One of the most overlooked indicators is the brake pedal pad. If it's worn through to the metal, the car is probably higher than 51K. Most people do not replace the pad on quick fixer-uppers.

 

[Junior Samples]

lets not forget that 1000 miles in 16 years, seals prolly bad, you know the brake fluid is broke down.. thats a gimmie
if he started it without priming oil, what kind of damage has dry start done?

So if you sell yours and get this one for 3 or 4k less then you'll have the money to work the bugs out but do you have the time and energy to start from scratch as far as drive train is concerned...just some food for thought

anyway that brake ped observation is by far the best clue on miles

 

[jrs86gn]

Thank you for the input. In your opinion when it comes time to sell or In this case, buy, how much does the paper work add to the value of the car if at all. I'm thinking of buying this one anyway but I think the price should reflect the paper work and documentation

 

[turbofish38]

Paperwork doesn't account for much. Look at all of the cars for sale. Do you see any that pull a premium price because it has paper? Even with the GNX. They pull down the same money even without the special hat,jacket and book.

Why was the 87 GN driven 50K miles in the first 4 years of its life and than sat for 16 years? Something sounds fishy with the story. I'd scope it out with a fine tooth comb before I'd even consider buying it.

 

[Gary Wells]

I had the same feeling, Eric, just did not want to got there. Let's see, not driven for 16 years, no documentation, bad carfax, sort of like 3 strikes, you're out, huh?

 

[gmpower]

if the 87 checks out, and you can afford to do so, keep them both, at least for now. Espcially if the 87 is a hardtop, so you can have both hardtop and ttop. Now would be a bad time to sell your 86, I see very nice cars at a very reasonable price simply not selling.

 

[BlackoutDrunk]

+1 on the "carfax is just a tool". I bought my car form the original owner who had everything down to fuel logs and carfax reported an odometer problem. When I told the previous owner about this he went got the Illinois emissions records printed out and they showed a very clear progression in miles and verified the odometer reading. Carfax was WRONG, I'm not saying carfax isn't a good tool but it is a tool and can be incorrect.

just my 2 cents.

 

[saywin]

I purchased my car from a one owner about 1 year and 9 months ago. I have every peice of documentation, every reciept with the date and mileage written in on what maintenance was performed, original books and service manual. This was the main reason I purchased the car, I had been looking here in Texas and found 4 for sale at the time, I personally looked at everyone of them and I was sold on this one because it has all the paperwork. I credit the 1st owner for taking really good care of the car and that was a nice selling point. I have also heard from experts that having all documentation can add at least 10 percent to a cars value.

My car has currently 136 thousand miles and runs and looks great. I say it's well worth it sticking to the documented cars.:biggrin:

 

[jrs86gn]

Any one else ?

 

[salvageV6]

Well I have all the documentation somewhere here for my WE4 that I bought new.

I will put it in the glovebox when I drop it off at the junkyard in a couple of years.

Nah, I'll keep it and sell it on EGay.

Anyway, I think it helps with mostly original stockers or low mileage converted racecars for authenticity and all. Assuming most of the original parts are still around.

Once the motor has been swapped/rebuilt I'd rather see some paperwork from a respected builder than the factory purchase stuff, that's for sure. :biggrin:

I think paperwork only adds to the feel good part about buying a car, "may" help sell it quicker for slightly more money, but in many cases on a decent/fair buy someone is gonna pull the trigger eventually on an undocumented car that seems right, ie. seems like an honest seller, just as easily on a car where the owner logged all the gas fillups.

When they hit Barrett-Jackson regularly in 10-20 years it probably will help even more.

 

[dgoodhue]

I think paperwork help out when the car is in show room new condition. Otherwise I don't think its ads that much value. IMO Its neat to have though.

 

[TurboDave]

Here's my thoughts... for what they're worth.
I'm the one and only original owner of both my 86GN and 84Z28. I haven't bothered to keep one single stitch of paperwork on either one (except the owner's manuals and window stickers).
I'm not an automotive collector/broker, or any such thing. I bought my cars to drive, enjoy etc. and have done just that.
I didn't buy them as an investment, and unless you're buying the car as a collector and investment, the paperwork is worth about as much as the toilet paper in your bathrooms.

Carfax is useless, and I wouldn't trust them for ANY info, and I can prove it with both my cars.

My cars are what they are, screw the investment potential.