Value of 1983 Plymouth Reliant

My mom has a 1983 red Plymouth Reliant with about 40,000 original
miles. I want to know what its worth, but the Kelly Blue book doesn't
show that year.The body is in good shape and the interior shows little
wear. It is a 6 cylinder automatic.Sorry, but i don't have any other
information. Thanks.

 

Well if it's got a 6 cyl it's a rare collectors item because every other
K-car made had a 4 :<)

But seriously, there's really no market value for these things. It's
difficult to get parts (especially carburettors) and they generate no
collectors enthusiasm. So its basically what you could negotiate. I'd say if
you can get $300 you're doing really well. I say this as someone who
remembers both my 81 and 83 K-cars with fondness.

 

You'd be surprised what you could get for it. Take some good pics of
it and post it on a good site. I've seen similar Reliants to that go
for $1000 to $1500.

Joe

 

Unless there's some local nostalgia for early K-cars in your area that I
don't see up here in Ontario, I would suspect this relates more to the late
model years, 88 or 89. They were much better cars with, above all, TB
injection. Anyway, I wish him luck. I had three of these beasts at various
times, and enjoyed them all. I especially liked the way I could go to a
recycle yard and pull my own parts for $5.

 

I agree

girlfriends dad had a 1986 Aries wagon sitting around the house for a year
or so. I offered him $400 for it, he grabbed it.

it needed new tires ($200). drove it 4 months, sold it for $1,050.00

not bad for 4 months

 

I don't see how it has any value. I ended up giving my 94 Concorde to PBS
and taking the tax credit (they auctioned it off for $450). My Concorde
was 11 years newer then your Reliant and Concorde's are much better cars
and I couldn't find any buyers for it.

 

how much wwere you asking for the Concorde? Maybe your list was way to high
to generate any interest?

 

I just sold a Toyota Tercel, 1994 model, that was leaking oil through the
valve guide seals, had a shot catcon, and 120K miles on it for 1050.00

Blue book only goes back 20 years

General rule of thumb on 20 year and older cars that are not collectors
items (most are not):

If it does not run, $100 at the wrecker, $25-$50 for someone to haul
it away to a wrecker.

If it runs but it runs like crap, $150 since some Mexican will buy it
and use it up.

If it runs normally and is high mileage, $500

If it runs normally and has some "spechul" attribute, like it's a ricer
favorite
(like the Tercel) or has really low miles (like yours) or it's showroom
quality interior and paint, $1000

If it's showroom quality interior and paint, and also has low miles, $1500

Generally, it is really difficult to get more than $1000 for a car that
is too old for Blue Book listing, and is not a collectable.

Getting a $500 tax deduction does not give you $500. All it does is
exclude $500 of your income from taxation. If your poor and in the
lower tax bracket, your not really paying a lot of tax on that $500 to
begin with, so you really don't "get" a whole lot. And if being able to
take that deduction means you have to file a 1040A instead of a 1040EZ,
for a lot of people that is the difference between doing their own
taxes and having H&R Block do their taxes, you gotta pay H&R Block,
so you end up getting nothing.

Ted