Below is a link to the NADA(National Auto Dealers Association) website that can help with this task.

Do take the time to scroll down to the bottom of the valuation page and read the condition descriptions associated with each classification's valuation.


Remember that each valuation is the HIGH value and FOR RETAIL PRICING FOR AUTO DEALERS NOT FOR PRIVATE PARTY SALES, so that is a starting point and then you usually have to start subtracting for needed repairs and maintenance and for being a private party sale.

However, don't let that stop you from asking for top dollar as you never know who'll come out and buy. I have quite a few customers that didn't take the time to have their car properly checked out before buying and they over paid and some of them bought from "dealers". I am not encouraging you to lie, but the reality is some people "leap before they look".

1 example I can relate was for a private party sale for a 1963 544 that I actually inspected for another customer who declined to buy the car after my inspection. About 3 months later a new to me customer drives in with that car. The owner had sold him the car without showing him my evaluation, but did lower his price $2000.00 and sold it for $9000.00, but the customer didn't get it checked before he bought it. I don't give monetary valuations for the overall worth of any car as there is some subjectivity involved, mostly do to the preferences of the customer, IE do they like the color and any changes that might have been made like upholstery or a stereo installation. So considering the list I generated for this 544, I would have suggested a fair price of about half of what my customer paid. The car was cosmetically okay with a decent looking interior. But there were a lot of sloppily repaired chips in the paint and all of the side chrome was double stick tape generic trim with hand cut ends trying to mimic the originals.

I immediately printed him the 2 page review within minutes of his 1st visit because I felt he had a case for some misrepresentation. I am not a lawyer, but I feel the owner should have shown him the list or at least informed him of the some of the more important deficiencys. Anyway, my customer didn't want to go through the hassle and has been fixing things as they need repairs ever since, but that so far has included major brake work and a rebuilt engine.

I am currently assisting another customer with a valuation after an accident. The customer saw the low retail value of his car on the NADA website and was expecting that value. But his car had substantial rust all over including most of the floor pans and the sheet metal around the gas tank and was in need of a number of mechanical repairs prior to the accident so his car is not worth even half of the listed low retail for his car. Now I have figure out a tactful way to tell him.


https://www.nadaguides.com/Cars/1962/Volvo/PV544/2-Door-Sedan/Values
--
Eric
Hi Performance Automotive Service (formerly OVO or Old Volvos Only)
Torrance, CA 90502
hiperformanceautoservice.com or oldvolvosonly.com