I've been debating for a while whether to part my 86 190E 2.3 or try to sell it as one piece. The thing is, it hosts a rebuilt engine with only 500 miles on it. I've seen engines being sold for around 500 on ebay. But I dont have the time to take the engine out and don't have the place for it either besides being inside the car.
what's the best practice in this case ? alltogether I'm looking to get $1000 out of it. should i continue trying to sell as a whole or if i start to part should I ask a local mechanic to help take the engine and trans out ?
any suggestions ... thankx.

__________________
Whether you think you can or cannot, Either way you're right!. by Henry Ford.

It really comes down to how much time you have. Parting the car will definitely bring in more dollars. I would think a documented, nicely displayed (cleaned up) 2.3 engine would fetch more than $500. If you pull the engine, clean it up nice and take the time to get some good pictures – watch what is in the background. A nice shop backdrop says more than it laying in the grass in your back yard. Think about how things are going to be packed. Large items especially body parts will need to be crated. All the small interior items need to be cleaned up and photographed in a manner as suggested above. Keep your packaging and crating charges separate in E-Bay to avoid paying Final Value Fees on these. Make insurance mandatory on all you sales. Your final thoughts need to be disposing of the frame members and other parts that have no real value other than recycling scrap.

__________________
BENZ THERE DONE THAThttp://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/...c/progress.gif
15 VW Passat TDI
00 E420
98 E300 DT
97 E420 Donor Car - NEED PARTS? PM ME!
97 S500
97 E300D
86 Holden Jackaroo Turbo D
86 300SDL
(o\|/o)

thanks for the great advice. and thinking about it, it's obvious that I will never have that kind of time on hand to be able to do the parting job. I guess I will continue to try to sell it as a whole for $850 or so. I have it on autotrader and tried ebay once but I've realized ebay pulls greater dollars by parting as you mentioned.

__________________
Whether you think you can or cannot, Either way you're right!. by Henry Ford.

i wrecked a 1988 300e...my fault..no one hurt...

anyway.. i was able to part out misc parts for 600.... and keep front rotors, front calipers... a/c, ovp, and fuel relays...

...then i was able to sell the rest of the car whole for 1600. this car had about 115k original miles and was in good shape.

i sold off wood, some interior door parts, rear lights...radio.. i can't remember everything...oh muffler and tail pipe, car mats, belly pan... you get the idea.

Dealing with the people was not the easiest in the world... people say yes..then use your deal against you with another person.

i held my ground... anyway a car that I had paid 3500 for... i was able to get 2200 back plus some nice spares for myself.

the guy who wanted the hole car ...wanted the windshield... complete mint interior...some interior wiring harness... the engine.... i think the transmission he was going to re-sell or keep as a spare. He drove 12 hours with a flatbed to pick it up... i fed him spaghetti and he was on his way back.

i think all involved got a good deal. I had a garage to keep the car in.

i did this with an infiniti Q45 as well... although i parted that out piece by piece... a wrecker service gave me 100 for the shell... i was told that they get 3-400 for shells..

__________________
1989 300ce 129k
( facelifted front,updated tail lights, lowered suspension,bilstein sports, lorinser front spoiler, MOMO steering wheel, remus exhaust,stainless steel brake lines). (Gone)

1997 s320 154k (what a ride). Sold with 179k miles. Replaced with Hyundai Equus

1994 e320 Cabriolet 108k



1972 280se 4.5 153k Owned for 12 yrs, sorry I sold it


[/SIGPIC]

I dont have the space in the garage to part this out either. How much should I expect to get for it ? it's an 86 190e 2.3 trans and all works. had a fender bender so i put it off insurance and let it sit in the backyard.
had the engine rebuilt before the accident and only drove 500 miles since rebuilt... i tried ebay but no one seemed to show interest and autotrader isnt pulling any deals either. any where else where I should try and post it ? oh and this site already has it listed under sale what else ... ?

__________________
Whether you think you can or cannot, Either way you're right!. by Henry Ford.