Gauging interest in 1994 VR4

[SuperchargedWS6]

I purchased this car in Nov. 2005 from the US. It is a red 1994 VR4 in MINT shape with 54,000 miles on it, no accidents. It was completely stock. I permitted it for 2 days to drive it back to Canada. Upon getting here, I had the federal and provincial inspection done.

From that time on, I started pulling it apart to do the 60k service. Halfway through the 60K service, I decided to fix it up a bit. I'm just in the process of finishing it up and decided that I should sell my Trans Am and VR4 and buy a new C6, so I'd like to know if anyone is interested. So, the car has zero miles on the modifications I have done. The car has great oil pressure. Even with 5w30 in there, it still has 24psi of oil pressure at idle. Active Aero front and back works, as does the active exhaust. Everything works on this car. Here's a list of what I have done to an already perfect car:

-new real leather shift and ebrake boot with new stock shifter knob.
-oil and boost pressure gauges on pillar
-new 13C turbos, lightened shaft to spool quicker, ported housings, clipped 10 degrees (these should be equivalent to or a bit better than DR500’s)
-full 60k service with thermostat, cam seals, main seal, timing belt, hydraulic tensioner and pulley, all belts, water pump replaced with mitsu parts
-silicone rad hoses
-I performed the transfer case recall (even though the car showed that the recall was done, it clearly wasn't because when the the recall is done you not only replace the O-rings, but add sealant to the mating surfaces as well. This was not done on the transfer case when I pulled it apart)
-DSM side mount intercoolers
-DN precat elims
-flex downpipe with no main cat
-Metal y-pipe
-hks SSBOV
-99 lifters (car had no lifter tick, just preventative)
-viton valve stem seals
-coolant flushed
-Redline oils in tranny, transfer case and rear end (tranny shifts smooth with no syncro wear)
-engine block heater was added along with oil pan heating pad
-glass headlights were removed, cleaned, and OEM TSX projectors were retro-fit with OEM ballasts and OEM D2S bulbs
-tires are new
-MSD plug wires
-Iridium plugs gapped to .032

As you can see, I went through everything to make this car 100% reliable. Car has no boost control or fuel management. The car will come with new 550cc injectors, fuel rail loop, supra fuel pump, fuel pump hotwire and hybrid palm logger all uninstalled. All that is required to get this car to 400whp or a bit more is to add a boost controller, fuel controller and alky injection. Or, leave it as it is and enjoy stock boost to redline.

I’m asking $23,800. I paid $20,000 for the car and another $4000 in parts, so I am trying to get back what I have into it, minus all the work I put into it.

Let me know if you think this is reasonable and if there is any interest.

Here are some pics:
http://makent.sasktelwebsite.net/vr4_1web.jpg
http://makent.sasktelwebsite.net/vr4_2web.jpg

[tbadiuk]

Looks pretty nice- however you might want to compare the exchange rate on the USD between then and now..At 1.10x the USD price importing (again) is looking awfully tempting for my next 3/S...

Ted

[Xeroforce]

First of all just wanna say nice looking car, glad to see some more VR4's in Canada :).
Ted i think your a totally right however
1.00 CAD Canada Dollars = 0.906144 USD United States Dollars

Thats the current exchange rate so:
23,800.00 CAD Canada Dollars = 21,566.79 USD United States Dollars

Not saying your cars not worth it, but you may have a hard time getting that price when you compare it to the american market. I've been VR4 shopping for over a year, so I see a lot of different price ranges :D .

Still goodluck with the sale.

[My_Name_is_Rob]

that is a nice clean looking car

[SuperchargedWS6]

It is not as bad as the $21,566 asking price you mention.

When I bought it the exchange rate was 1.18, it is now 1.12, not that huge of a difference. I paid $14300 US which I think is a reasonable price. $14,300 x 1.12 current exchange = $16016 x 1.14 tax = $18258 x 1.061 import duty since it is not domestic = $19371 +$180RIV fee + $100 AC charge = $19651. Factor in the $5000 in parts that I have into it and I have over my $23,800 asking price. Now, if anyone from canada bought the car they would still have to pay PST on the car, so if I knock the price of PST off (16,016 x .07 = $1121) = $23,800-$1121 = $22679, this would be the equivalent of someone buying a car like this from the US for $14,300US, paying taxes, duties, and buying the parts for this car. You are still getting all the installation for free which is thousands in savings. Let me tell you, the time and care I take on everything ensures it is done right. I'd never trust this stuff to a dealership. The transfer case that had the recall done according to paper work but clearly didn't is a prime example. Therefore I feel the car is a pretty good deal, even compared to US prices.

Try and find a US car in this condition, with low miles in stock, non abused form, then add the modifications I have to bring it to 100% mechanical reliable condition with zero miles on the mods and you will easily spend more than what I am asking. I see stock, low mile 1993 RT/TT's go for $20k Cdn.

I do agree you can get a car cheaper than this from the US, it just depends what your plans for it are. If you are planning to do mods similar to this, then you will spend this kind of money. You can pick up cars with mods similar to this or even more extensive cheaper in the US, but they typically have been driven with the mods and you don't know how much abuse they've taken.

Anyway, I just wanted to see if there was any interest. Not a huge deal to me if there isn't. I'll probably keep it as my winter car, sell the T/A and get the C6. The VR4 is a beautiful car and it is a shame to drive it in the winter, but with all the work I've put into it, I wouldn't part with it for less than approx. what I have into it. Having driven S4's, bmw's, vette's, f-bodies, etc, the 3SI's are still one of the nicest driving cars out there.

[SuperchargedWS6]

P.S. Didn't meant to come off as defensive. I do appreciate the compliments.

[tbadiuk]

The funny thing is, if it was for sale for $18k CND *without* the $5k worth of work done I'd be interested. Reasoning being is that I don't trust anybody else's work (no offence, would rather have it done myself :p) when it comes to the timing belt job, plus I would have done the oil pump while I was in there. Ah well, I'll find one for $20k or less, eventually. :)

Ted

[SuperchargedWS6]

I would say that is less funny and more ironic :)

I understand, that's how I felt too. That's why I bought the car completely stock and then fixed it up. I didn't fix it up to sell it. I fixed it up because I wanted a reliable car for the next few years. But, plans change. With the timing belt you either did it right and it runs perfect, or you did it wrong and it runs crappy or bends valves. There is no in between on that one (well, assuming a person doesn't contaminate the belt with oil which would reduce its life). As for the other stuff, it comes down to how well gaskets are sealed. As long as you can do good gasket surface prep, you are good to go. I have a new stock oil pump and all gaskets to do the change, but I pretty much thought I'd leave it until the 120K service because 1) the oil pressure is very good on the car 2) I can monitor the oil pressure and change the oil pump out long before the bearings fail (there has been very few catastrophic failures of the oil pumps on these cars. In most cases the oil pressure lowers and the bearings score. I've always wondered, though, if the oil pump caused the low oil pressure which then caused the bearings to fail, or if the oil pump was fine and the bearings wore causing the low oil pressure). 3). It wasn't that much work to take the timing belt off (compared to all the other things I did to the car), so if I have to re-do that work, not a big deal. In all likelihood the car will make it to the next service without needing an oil pump or bearings.

Oh well, if the right buyer comes along before winter great, if not, I won't sell it after driving it in the winter. Driving it in the winter will degrade its condition to the point where I would loose too much money and the car will not be worth selling. At that point I'll get my money out of it in usage.

I've pretty much decided that it would make a great winter car while the C6 is in storage anyway. Everyone should have an AWD low 12s winter car :)

The modifications have pretty much ruled out a sale without taking a $5000 loss for having a car for 6 months without even driving it, while doing tones of work to it. Being forced to keep a mint VR4 is not the worst thing in the world.

Good luck in your search. I'm certain you will find one for $18K, especially with the exchange rate. For the low production numbers, there seems to be a surprising amount of low mile great condition VR4's out there! I'd recommend finding one with a fairly clean repair history, though. An abused VR4 can get expensive in a hurry.

[Davin24]

sweet car man...
if i was in the market i d give you a holler....

good luck....

[Xeroforce]

Same kind of goes for me, I'm looking for something pretty much 100% stock. Kind of hard to find, but it will happen sooner or later. Theres always some good deals, but they're usually always in the eastern parts of the US. That trip is too far for me to make though :confused: .

tbadiuk you'll have no problem finding one for under 20. I saw a 99' vr4 75k for $18,500 pretty sweet deal for a 99, the guy never contacted me back though. :angry:

Once again, goodluck with the sale if I hear about anyone being interested i'll let them know about yours.