I was looking last December & the value had fallen (drastically) when my car reached 10 years of age. I'm trying to find pricing that's more in line with the real world. (The book shows $425, but I saw some really nasty looking rigs, and none of them below $2K.)
It's a 1994 'Kick w/ 93K miles, in as good of shape as a car much younger. It was "only" 2WD, but was a great car to drive. The only thing wrong with it was a nick in the passenger door gasket (didn't leak) and the driver's window gasket was shot... and I had parts for both. Perfectly maintained, I spent $700 this summer finding it had a bad O2 sensor (would have been at least twice the cost at the dealer) and new brakes... not to mention all the little things. (New belts, hoses, timing belt, tune-up, tires, seats... and all the rest.) The car should have been good for at least another 5 years, with no additional cost. Ran perfect, less than 1/2 quart oil use in 3500 miles... it looked and drove maybe 5 years old at most.
Then tonight, I had to make a sudden stop. The car ahead stopped quickly... more so than necessary, but I had plenty of stopping distance. (Well, as you know, 'Kicks do tend to be light in the rear... but with a 95% max-stop, I brought her to rest.) Traffic started up again, when I looked back and started to jump to the shoulder, when I was hit... and hard.
Most traffic was traveling 55 or 60... and we were still rolling at maybe 20MPH or so. A '99 Mercury Sable smacked it hard. Fortunately, 'Kicks are fairly well protected in the back... but it hit so hard that it lifted the back of the car, then connected with the rear bar. The 'Kick was lifted high enough that both rear springs popped out and I found myself sliding towards the ditch, both rear wheels locked. It must have accelerated me to about 40 and it was the front bumper, glancing briefly off the bumper of the car ahead (left of my bumper, right on his) that kept me out of the ditch, as I slid (both rear tires locked due to the bumper resting on the rear tires) for several car lengths... as I fought it to a stop.
Thus the end of the best car I've ever driven. (That would include the classics I've owned... right up there with the '59 Caddy Limo... and far more reliable! <G>) It's amazing how well it held up. If both front doors weren't jammed shut, I'd consider checking out the tranny and rear end for damage... and seeing is I could put the springs back in place and cutting away the rear of the wheel wells.
Any way... any idea of what a real world value might be?
