Buy this '90 SHO, or release it to its demise?

[NickTheTrick]

I work at an Auto Value auto mechanic shop, and when I was going on a service call today, I spotted an old beaten up '90 SHO that I have had my eye on for over a year. I smashed the gas, and sped up beside this ancient lady and signaled her to roll down her window. I asked her (driving down the road) if I could buy her car and she signaled me to pull over.
So I hopped out out of the service truck and started looking the car over; it needs help. This is not your average old lady; when I approached her window, I spotted at least five gold teeth and a dirty bandana around her head, but that's besides the point.
The car is a '90 SHO is Current Red and beaten to ****. I had strange rims that I've never seen before, V8 badges where the 24 DOHC badge might go. It was dirty as a hobo and full of trash.
The paint is faded badly, but it's all there; there is not much body damage at all from what I could see in that short time.
It has black leather interior in decent shape! And the SHO vent badge thing is still there in the dash to my surprise.
So when I asker her to open the hood, her passenger went on telling me how they had recently put a new(used) motor in because the old one was knocking. Excuse my french, but everything looked like total shit. But again, it was all there!
The car lives in a very low-income area (Petersburg, VA was voted the highest ranking city in VA for being the most un-healthy), so I can only imagine the maintenance is has seen. Probable none.
So it is not very rusty either.
I give the body a 3.5/10
I give the mechanics a 4-5/10
Should I Save This SHO???
And if I do, How much do you guys think I should offer her? She seemed like she could use some cash quickly . (crackhead type)
Help me out guys.

 

[JRA2000TL]

Don't buy it. Plenty of better ones out there. I bought a beater 89 and spent about $4,000 making it a decent driver--and that's with stock parts, used/jy parts, a cheap paint job, etc. I like it stock, but I'm just telling you, you'll put far far more $ into it than it's ever going to be worth.

 

[kevinspann]

Sounds like a parts car. I guess if the body were straight it wouldn't be too bad. I'd really have to see it. Speaking of, I wonder why we haven't met up yet.

 

[rubydist]

its a few hundred dollars at the most in my book.

 

[sperold]

If you have the room to store it, consider it.
You have not driven it yet, so the clutch could be an issue, but if the motor has been out, then all your exhaust stud and sub frame bushing issues have been solved.
See how many warning lights are on the dash, find out the scrap value of a car now with cats still intact, and offer that, with a small premium depending on the stuff mentioned above. There is probably another parts car with no motor in the deal, when you look into it.

It might be better to wait for a better one, but that may not happen unless you work at it.

 

[rubydist]

scrap value is only around $100/ton now, so that car at the crusher is only $180-200

 

[thegreatbriguy]

save them all!!! honestly, you have to steal it to be able to justify it. i might go $500-600 but maybe i overshoot. i just finished a 94 i got for $550 and with all the used parts, some from my garage, and cheap rockauto wires and autolites i'm still in it $1000 and thats without cosmetic and rust repair work.
if you love it and you are good at it, do it! but no, don't pay $1500 for it or something, you will never get out of that hole.

 

[luigisho]

Agree agree agree. You're better off waiting for the right car. You'll pay more up front, but you will easily eat up the difference and then some by the time it's a decent ride. You shoulda grabbed that '89, taken a one way rental car- bus- train- plane and picked it up.

 

[NickTheTrick]

If you have the room to store it, consider it.
You have not driven it yet, so the clutch could be an issue, but if the motor has been out, then all your exhaust stud and sub frame bushing issues have been solved.
See how many warning lights are on the dash, find out the scrap value of a car now with cats still intact, and offer that, with a small premium depending on the stuff mentioned above. There is probably another parts car with no motor in the deal, when you look into it.

It might be better to wait for a better one, but that may not happen unless you work at it.

I agree. I will definitely have to take a better look at it and drive it. But it kills me to see her driving it around town as a beater when she has no clue about the car.
I think I will go through it with a fine toothed comb before Inmake a real offer.

 

[NickTheTrick]

Don't buy it. Plenty of better ones out there. I bought a beater 89 and spent about $4,000 making it a decent driver--and that's with stock parts, used/jy parts, a cheap paint job, etc. I like it stock, but I'm just telling you, you'll put far far more $ into it than it's ever going to be worth.

You may be right, but I hope not.

 

[NickTheTrick]

Sounds like a parts car. I guess if the body were straight it wouldn't be too bad. I'd really have to see it. Speaking of, I wonder why we haven't met up yet.

I was considering making it a parts car. And I don't know. Don't you hail from Richmond too? I'd love to meet up some time.

 

[kevinspann]

I was considering making it a parts car. And I don't know. Don't you hail from Richmond too? I'd love to meet up some time.

Yup, I'm just a little bit north of you. Just let me know when, I'm in that area occasionally. I have a couple friends who live down there.

 

[sperold]

If it is a SHO without maintenance, it won't be long before it stops, or at least acts like it will stop soon.
Just make sure they have your contact information, and they know you have a tow truck, so you will be the first they call.
You are not going to have someone swoop in and snatch up this beauty, so time is on your side.

Although there are plenty of stories of people snatching great looking cars for almost no money, it has never happened to me. And where I am located, just having the opportunity to buy a SHO (of any condition) seems like a blessing.

I think you have a soft spot in your heart for this car, so even if it doesn't make perfect sense, look into it, either with an offer, or leaving your contact information.

 

[TimboSHO]

I have a soft spot for these cars, but I have realized that they don't all have to be saved. Most of them at this age have so many little issues (some of them that have turned into bigger issues) that when all added up aren't worth fixing. There are some that have been maintained that are worth saving, but they are getting harder and harder to find.

To me, something that rough that's had an engine swapped by some shadetree mechanic would keep me far away. I just finished putting together a 95 ATX that a supposed SHO enthusiast had done the 60k and rod bearings himself and couldn't get it to start. I found so many missing, misplaced and improperly installed things on it that it was just ridiculous.

I've bought a lot of ***** old SHOs, and the only thing I would offer for this one is scrap value, or give them your number and wait for it to die.

I know how you feel when you see old SHOs around. If I had a large warehouse and unlimited funds, I would have a large collection. But I think that would also be a full time job

 

[itwonder]

Body repairs are expensive. Pass.

 

[NickTheTrick]

If it is a SHO without maintenance, it won't be long before it stops, or at least acts like it will stop soon.
Just make sure they have your contact information, and they know you have a tow truck, so you will be the first they call.
You are not going to have someone swoop in and snatch up this beauty, so time is on your side.

Although there are plenty of stories of people snatching great looking cars for almost no money, it has never happened to me. And where I am located, just having the opportunity to buy a SHO (of any condition) seems like a blessing.

I think you have a soft spot in your heart for this car, so even if it doesn't make perfect sense, look into it, either with an offer, or leaving your contact information.[/QUO

I suppose I should use my common sense instead of my passion on this one. I know it will probably be a money pit, but maybe a parts car. If she takes a low offer I'll probably take it.

 

[NickTheTrick]

I have a soft spot for these cars, but I have realized that they don't all have to be saved. Most of them at this age have so many little issues (some of them that have turned into bigger issues) that when all added up aren't worth fixing. There are some that have been maintained that are worth saving, but they are getting harder and harder to find.

To me, something that rough that's had an engine swapped by some shadetree mechanic would keep me far away. I just finished putting together a 95 ATX that a supposed SHO enthusiast had done the 60k and rod bearings himself and couldn't get it to start. I found so many missing, misplaced and improperly installed things on it that it was just ridiculous.

I've bought a lot of ***** old SHOs, and the only thing I would offer for this one is scrap value, or give them your number and wait for it to die.

I know how you feel when you see old SHOs around. If I had a large warehouse and unlimited funds, I would have a large collection. But I think that would also be a full time job

I just hate seeing a SHO in the hands of someone who doesn't take care of it; especially because they are getting more difficult to find.
I'm hoping it will not be a complete lemon

 

[rubydist]

There was recently a beautiful red 95 on cl here in Denver for $1750. There is another nice one on cl here now for $2200. You will have way more than either of those numbers into this heap you are considering, and it still won't be as nice as either of these examples are. You need to start with a decent car - there are still some around from time to time.

 

[mhjigawilliams]

I have a 93 with the 3.2 i am trying to sell if interested

Sent from my SPH-L710 using Tapatalk

 

[NickTheTrick]

There was recently a beautiful red 95 on cl here in Denver for $1750. There is another nice one on cl here now for $2200. You will have way more than either of those numbers into this heap you are considering, and it still won't be as nice as either of these examples are. You need to start with a decent car - there are still some around from time to time.

Well I already have a great SHO of my own. I have an '89 (it should be in my profile picture) that is in excellent shape. I definitely would not buy this car expecting much from it.