I just can't make the numbers work....

I've been looking for a sedan for quite some time and finally "settled" on a Lincoln LS V6 manual.  Unfortunately they only made about 2500 of them so they're hard to find--I've been looking for almost a year.  Looks like somebody donated a 75K mile example to some charity and it ended up on Copart about 450 miles away in Milwaukee.  I'd hoped to make this a Gastropod but I believe shipping charges apply against Challenge budget.  Even so, that's not the real problem.  Using very loose numbers, I just can't make this into financial sense.  The car was a donation so I have to assume a mechanical problem with it whose repair exceeded the value of the car (let's use $1500).  Even if I won the auction for a paltry $500, by the time you end up with the fees & taxes (assume another $500) and any conceivable means of getting the car (listed as running, but that doesn't mean driveable) from Milwaukee (estimated transport @ $750), I end up spending more than the car's worth--and that's with a really big question mark about the unknown condition.  Parts could easily be nudging another $500.  The financials only get worse as the potential winning bid increases.  I know by posting I'm taking a small chance on increasing the number of people bidding on it, but I needed to run this past you guys to see if you knew of anything that I was missing.  I just posted a "want to buy" ad on FB.  Dunno if it'll get approved or not.  Maybe there's one closer.  

Any ideas?  The auction is in a week.

Shipping 450 miles should only cost $250.00.  I just had a car shipped from Pennsylvania to Jacksonville for $400.00

It is definitely a gamble without seeing the car.  I bought a non running donation once that turned out to only need a clutch switch. 

I also bought a 350z once that was running from state farm that had a massive rod knock.  

You need to figure out a number that works for you even if you have to part it out.  I broke even on the 350z by selling the wheels and brakes.

In reply to stroker :

For starters, the shipping to buy the car is budget exempt.  The shipping to buy parts must be included in budget.  

I looked up the car.  You got your shipping price off the Copart site.  They are crazy expensive.  I'll bet that for $1 per mile you can get the car moved very quickly so $400.  

Yes, you are right to look at the whole budget.  I don't want to be negative but my guess is it will be hard to keep the total purchase price under $1k on this car.  We are at a weird time and auction prices are up...high.  

The car is not on factory wheels.  Being Milwaukee and being rwd, my bet is that it is on snow tires.  There is a battery in the rear seat.  Odd.  I wonder if a new battery was needed to get the car out of the garage.  Often these donations are from people passing away.  It is very possible that none of the receiving relatives knew how to drive manual.  

There is a picture of the sun roof.  Is that picture trying to tell us that the sun roof doesn't quite close tightly?  It's hard to tell in the picture. 

Front and rear bumper areas have some bruising to the plastic.  Big scratch/dent at rear passenger door handle area.  Rust forming where d-side fender meets bumper.  This makes me wonder.  Seeing that you are in MO, are you familiar with WI rust?  It will be more that you get in MO.  

In general, my assessments is that the car looks to be worth the risk.  Keep your personal bid limit in check and see what happens.  

The factory wheels would look like this sample

I think this falls in the catagory: Buyer beware.

More expensive but I'm sure a manual trans Lincoln is a slow sale.  Sure, you want one but really how many people out there are shopping for one?  

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/276883983372742

Florida: https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/269029324184093

MN: https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/3088852517899057

Same but different: 

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/1074827799518747

John Welsh (Moderate Supporter) said:

In reply to stroker :

For starters, the shipping to buy the car is budget exempt.  The shipping to buy parts must be included in budget.  

I looked up the car.  You got your shipping price off the Copart site.  They are crazy expensive.  I'll bet that for $1 per mile you can get the car moved very quickly so $400.  

Yes, you are right to look at the whole budget.  I don't want to be negative but my guess is it will be hard to keep the total purchase price under $1k on this car.  We are at a weird time and auction prices are up...high.  

The car is not on factory wheels.  Being Milwaukee and being rwd, my bet is that it is on snow tires.  There is a battery in the rear seat.  Odd.  I wonder if a new battery was needed to get the car out of the garage.  Often these donations are from people passing away.  It is very possible that none of the receiving relatives knew how to drive manual.  

There is a picture of the sun roof.  Is that picture trying to tell us that the sun roof doesn't quite close tightly?  It's hard to tell in the picture. 

Front and rear bumper areas have some bruising to the plastic.  Big scratch/dent at rear passenger door handle area.  Rust forming where d-side fender meets bumper.  This makes me wonder.  Seeing that you are in MO, are you familiar with WI rust?  It will be more that you get in MO.  

In general, my assessments is that the car looks to be worth the risk.  Keep your personal bid limit in check and see what happens.  

The factory wheels would look like this sample

I've tried a quick search for U-Ship but I can't find any transporters near the price you suggest.  Got any candidates in mind?

I'm guessing the photo was intended to convey the car HAS a sunroof rather than it being a possible problem (which according to YouTube it appears to be a chronic problem). 

I grew up in Wisconsin so I'm aware of northern rust.  If I could find a car from AR or TN I'd be all over it, but I can't.  I've put ISO WTB ads on Facebook and Craigslist, just in case.

My intent is to acquire a DD rather than a Challenge project.  My understanding is the AJ V6 is basically a Duratec.  I'm assuming replacement or a swap to a Modular V8 from a Mustang donor way down the road shouldn't be an overwhelming problem.  

I'd drive up to trailer the car back with my Grand Vitara but its only rated for 1500 pounds towing.  I wish I knew somebody local with an adequate pickup truck to go get it. I also wish I knew somebody in Milwaukee who could go take a look at it.  

Short version is that if I can get it for stupid-cheap money (<$500?) it might be worth pursuing...  The auction is in a week so if you have any other ideas, I'm all ears...

Have you extended your search to the Jaguar version? 

Pardon my French but what in the berkeley is desirable about this car? Even if nearly free and in known decent condition. A friend of mine drove a $3,000 (automatic) LS for four miserable years and it was used up a decade ago. 

I've wanted a manual LS for a long time. Good thing I have no space for it or I'd be trying to outbid you. 

Copart fees will add to the total price, don't forget to calculate those. They have a page on their site that details them.

As John says, you should be able to find another shipper that is cheaper than the Copart option.

fanfoy said:

Have you extended your search to the Jaguar version? 

I was going to suggest a Jaguar S-type too. Might be easier to find.

In reply to stroker :

The site, uShip is going to keep about 30% of the price you agree to on their site.  If your posting on uShip returned bids from a trucking company, try reaching out to that company outside of the site and see if they will do it for 30% less (generally the same money to them.)  

fanfoy said:

Have you extended your search to the Jaguar version? 

Doubt I'll find one for Challenge money but I'll add it to my regular search lists...  Thanks for the suggestion.  Didn't know they made a manual version.