Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums General General Price question...98SE w/MTX

A quick question...since I resolved my other vehicle issues, I no longer have an absolute need for the '98 'tour that I posted about a few weeks back.

I never pulled the trigger on the purchase, and it is still on the lot. In a nutshell, it the 2.5l with MTX, has leather and the sunroof, good tires, wasn't hit until a lot jockey scraped the rear door across some other vehicle- no other signs of prior damage. Passenger side mirror is dead as is the CD player (radio still works). No indications the car was ever smoked in. Dealer appears to have taken it in trade from the original owner based on DOT info I pulled. Unknown whether the water pump has been replaced. Odometer shows about 66K miles.

I'm guessing I could take it off the lot for under $5K, and possibly as little as $4500 (plus TTL). Online book values are always overly optimistic, but others of that vintage appear to be pricing on local lots for $7-8K.

OK, maybe the set-up wasn't so quick, but does this sound like something I could conceivably flip for $6-7K if I snagged it and decided not to hang onto it in the next month or so?

What was the question ?

I'm assuming by 'flip' you mean 'sell for profit'. It's possible, assuming you get the Contour for your guesstimate ($4500 or $5000).

I seriously doubt that you will get that Contour for $4500, unless you're trading your present car. The $6-7K range sounds right, and at the least, with luck, you might be able to talk the salesman down to $5500. But I doubt any lower.

Anyway, why would you want to simply sell for profit? Once you drive the 'Tour, you likely will not want to get rid of it. Driving is addicting ...

As this thing progressed, it originally sat on teh lot at $5950, but the sales weasel claimed it was going in the paper at $4900 for a weekend. Interestingly enough, they have now bumped the window sticker to $7900 (I have the website printout where that had it for the $5950). It isn't a Ford dealership and I think they really want to move it...since I have been in there a few times now over the past month, I'm inclined to think there are not many other takers and that they might be willing to bite at an offer under $5K.

And, yes I know that they can be addictive I did give it a rather spirited test drive, which was what prompted the second (and third) looks. I'm just not sure I need the insurance expense of a second vehicle right now (and I really don't want to part with my other vehicle- 2000 F350 CC 4x4 w/6spd and PSD that I ordered to spec).

Unless you have your dealer license you will have to register and pay sales tax on the Contour. Then there are the problems of insurance coverage and test drives. If a customer has an accident while on a test drive, you could get sued.

I sold my dad?s station wagon and I had some really stupid people to show up for test drives. One elderly woman got up to 70 MPH on the highway before looking at the controls. It was like she had to have the car up to 70 MPH before she started to inspect the controls. She kept drifting across the center line and almost hitting cars head on. I let her take the car to her mechanic for inspection and she offered me half my asking price. I finally sold the car for what I was asking but it was time consuming and not very much fun.

im lost but i think u'd be lucky to get a 98 v6 mtx off a dealer lot for little as 6-7k....here in socal at one dealer there is (was) a 2000 v6 mtx with no leather going for 11,9k

i recently found an add for it on autotrader.com so they may have found a newborn sucker for....

Hi Michelle - if you decide not to get the car let us know where it is located. I might be interested.

Michelle, I got my wife's 98 Sport 2.5 w/mtx a couple of weeks ago. I got it for $6750. It has everything except leather and sunroof. It only had 42k on it. It is in pristine condition. So I would think that you could get it for what you are offering, considering it's condition. By the way, the vehicle was at Toyota dealership 65 miles north of Houston for about a month.

--------------------------------------------------
Take a look at my future SVT. I'm getting her Saturday from VA. www.pbase.com/ddehoyos/svt