Seller's Advice

[jacobsen1978]

I posted a message on the "items for sale" page and I haven't had any interest. It is for a V6 Alpine that I have for sale. I was wondering if I could get some feedback on what I'm doing wrong. Is it the way I'm presenting it or is there a flaw that I'm not seeing? Is my price too high? Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Gary M]

Question for seller

Why did you put an automatic transmission in it? I think that is what is keeping the buyers away. Sports cars should have stick shifts. The price other wise seems very reasonable. I paid $8K for mine, and I am still sorting out minor problems.

 

[chris]

I don't think it's because it has an automatic trans. We see one sell every couple of months. Alpines and especially V6 Alpines aren't the kind of car everyone looks to buy when they are car shopping. Most people don't even know what they are and most active members on this site already have at least one. Try advertising in the normal places Ebay, Craig's List & Hemmings. Just give it sometime and it will sell.

 

[britbeam]

While the 2.6 V6 and the auto tranny is not the ideal V6 setup its clear you have spent a good deal of $ and time to bring it to its current state. I think your price is resonable. Hang in there if you have to sell it or better yet keep it drop a 2.8/5spd in it and increase your fun with the car. I enjoyed mine today even though I hate winter Top on driving it was a joy to run through the gears and hear that sweet V6 sound. All the Best on your sale.
Dwain V6 Krazy

 

[Chuck Ingram]

While the 2.6 V6 and the auto tranny is not the ideal V6 setup its clear you have spent a good deal of $ and time to bring it to its current state. I think your price is resonable. Hang in there if you have to sell it or better yet keep it drop a 2.8/5spd in it and increase your fun with the car. I enjoyed mine today even though I hate winter Top on driving it was a joy to run through the gears and hear that sweet V6 sound. All the Best on your sale.
Dwain V6 Krazy

Its not that the 2.6 was not a good engine.The 2.6 was a reliable engine but the 4 speed tranny was regarded as a bit weak.I had the 2.6 with larger valves.milled heads.40 over bore.a sweet cam.dual exhaust with 2 inch pipes
Offenhauser manifold and 390 cfm 4 barrel.MSD ignition and super coil.
HP was rated conservatively at 170. The engine started to come on very strong about 2500 rpm We put over 177,000 miles on it trouble free.This included many thousands of miles pulling the matching trailer.It was only the last trip in the mountains that it seemed to be losing it.Mind you out on the flats there was no problem.It was retired and now a roller cam 302 is in its place

 

[britbeam]

I chose the 2.8 V6 because it was the engine of choice between the two engines and no one was offering a kit(headers ect) for the 2.6.That was a big factor that saved me tons of hours plus the Tech support from Jose. The automatic was never a consideration for me. The Alpine is a sportscar to me that means shifting. I didnt want to remove the sportscar from the Alpine but to improve on it. I know of another Alpine that was purchased last year with a automatic so they do sell but he has already removed the auto for a 5speed tranny. The V6 takes only a short time to have the engine out so its not a big deal to change out. This Alpine V6 will sell due to all the other Plus items youve accomplished like the Ford rear diff ect. All that being said there may be some one with a physical need to use the V6/Automatic. Enjoy your Alpines
Dwain V6 Krazy

 

[chris]

I went with the 2.8 and an A4LD automatic trans which has an over drive. When I started my project I was recovering from my third knee surgery. If there had been a V6 Alpine on the market then with an automatic I would have bought it.

Although I now drive a manual trans everyday, my leg will never be what it once was. I have thought about changing to the T5, but I love my Alpine and alway want to be able to drive it and with the automatic I know I always can.

The factory even built a few with automatics. The market for them maybe small, but there is one.

 

[V6 JOSE]

It is hard for me to say anything bad about the 2.6 V6's, but when you add an automatic behind it, it becomes less desireable. Yes, there is a demand for automatic V6's, but I would guess that it is less than ten percent. The 2.6 has less power and touque, so the automatic is a drag on it, to where it would be just a nice looking, reliable car. Many women would like it, especially at the price you are asking.

Unfortunately for the sale of this Alpine, most guys think that a sports car, doesn't come with an automatic. For those that would still want it, but with a bit of performance, I would suggest putting in an A4LD four speed automatic from a Ranger, then use a set of 3.70/3.90 gears in the rear end. The lower gear would give a lot of squirt off the line, yet the overdrive fourth, would let it cruise easily on the freeway.

Joes

 

[Jim E]

Pictures and desciption of the conversion I think will be the key to selling. Details of how what was done and what parts were used, the more details and pictures the better.

 

[sunbby]

Timing might be a slight issue. Not many people looking for convertibles in the cold states right now.

Roll it out in April/May - everyone has spring fever and wants a soft top then.

Same thing happens with motorcycles, always more buyers in May than November.

 

[jacobsen1978]

Thank you for your replies. I think I'll just try again at the Portland Expo Center Swap meet in April. They usually have about a quarter of a million people go through each year and that should help.