After owning my 1979 Jeep Cherokee Golden Eagle for over six years – replacing its engine, trying to diagnose oil pump issues, towing it from Detroit to LA — I’m finally selling it. But I’m trying to figure out how. I know I want it gone, but I don’t want to regret selling it for too low of a price, especially knowing how valuable it could be. But it doesn’t run. Should I get it to run before I sell it? Should I have a shop just fix the engine, and then I sell it for a bundle more? Or do I just let it go as-is, and move on with my life? This is my dilemma.
I think letting go of the Golden Eagle is going to be hard no matter what I do. While it is my least favorite car to drive and work on thanks to its big, gutless motor (which is attached to a slushbox that eats what little power that motor makes), it’s undoubtedly my most beautiful one. Between that, and the fact that I don’t like giving up on projects, this is just a tough call to make. But, as I mentioned in my “How I Knew It Was Time To Give Up On Some Of My Car Projects” article a few days back, in the last 18 months my life has changed in ways I couldn’t possibly have imagined. And those changes have pushed my 1979 Jeep Cherokee Golden Eagle out of the picture. It must go, but I want to be smart about it.
What is a Jeep Cherokee Golden Eagle going for these days, anyway? Well, a mint one can go for six figures, but a normal-ish one? This one on Bring a Trailer went for $22 grand:
It looks significantly nicer than mine, though mine, with a bit of polish, a little welding, and of course some engine work, could get pretty close. I don’t have the bird on the hood, and my hood paint is fading, and it needs a few patches, but I think six or seven G’s could get mine looking similar. Add time in there, and I should probably lop 10 grand off that $22,000 asking price. Hell, maybe I’ll knock 14 off.
So I’ve got the Golden Eagle listed at $8000. I’ve received some interest already; two folks seem to want it at that price. They may restore it and turn it around for $50,000. Would I be OK with that? I think so; if it’s a thorough fix. If they just get it running and sell it for $15, would I be OK with that? Should I just get the motor running?
It’s tricky selling a car with so much potential. But I’m inclined to just take the money and run. And just stop thinking about it. It’s these lines of thought that have led me to hold onto it for too long in the first place. But I’m ears if you, dear reader, have any thoughts on the topic.
I’m in the same boat with my 1982 Mercedes W123 wagon. It’s blocked in by another in-op car, and hasn’t moved in a year. It smells musty inside and has become more shed than car. I feel bad. I want to fix it but it’s very hard to find the time.
My ’00 LS1 Firebird is suffering the same fate. I parked it in a relative’s garage to avoid a severe snowstorm, two years later it’s sitting in the same spot. It ran fine when parked, but who knows what two years of inactivity has done to it. As of last fall it still cranks, I went to visit it and reconnected the battery to bump the starter without letting it fire. It had fresh oil in it when parked, but I’m concerned about the gas in the tank.
It was almost immediately blocked in by a bunch of crap, I have got to make a point of getting it out of there this summer to either get it running and registered or sold.
Debating if I want to take the time to drain the gas or just add in a few gallons of fresh 93 and send it, then change the filter when the tank is run through. My buddy at work let his M3 sit for over 3 years and it fired up no problem on old gas.
Man, I hate to be snippy, but I called this. My recommendation was to just swap the motor with a working one ASAP, or you were going to look at this thing for a couple years and then sell it in non working order. I’ll use this opportunity as a PSA: please, everyone, buy something once you’ve worked out an efficient path towards at least enjoying the vehicle! If you’re not driving it, your motivation will be low
Let it go. I know its tough. Dont think about the money you may be (or may NOT be losing out on with more work). Instead, think about the opportunity cost for your time and money you would have to put INTO it. Your money and time is worth more than the money you would get back after spending more resources, angst, delays and opportunity that you could use on other things. I think you answered it right here: not worth it in your situation
“with a bit of polish, a little welding, and of course some engine work, could get pretty close”
Post it to the correct enthusiast/owner sites, hope for a passionate purchaser, and make sure to note “as-is” at any and all opportunities.
Then be excited about it going to a new home where it’ll hopefully have a better fate and make for good stories for years to come.
Ok, I have been there. I bought a car with plans to fix the old one up for sale. Here’s the problem: Aside from one case, I never once did. They sat….and sat….and sat….until I sold them for what I could get without touching it.
You write about wanting to get it running, but say you don’t have time. Is that extra time going to magically appear? Are you going to suddenly have an evening a week and the space, and the energy to get it going?
I am going to teeter out on a limb and say you won’t. Let it go. If it isn’t done by now, it isn’t getting done. Sell as-is and move on.
Let it go and don’t torture yourself about what the next person does with it. Either they will fix and flip it, or it will ruin their lives, but either way it’s not your concern once you hand it over. The “what ifs” in life are just a huge distraction and there’s nothing you can do about them.
Sell it as-is. You need it gone because you have too many projects and it fell off the list. Bringing this one to the top of the project list just bumps something else off with time you don’t have. Plus of its running, you’re going to be inclined to keep it. Plus it’s sitting for 6 years. Just because the engine is running doesn’t mean it’s good to go. Let it be someone else’s project.
I feel that old cars for sale fit into one of three categories: Not running, running, or running and inspected (VA yearly inspection). Not running is basically a parts car, so it’s usually worth the money to get it running. But getting it through inspection can cost more than the extra price. So I’d get it running.
Even better, get it running and put it on Shitbox Showdown vs. something comparable.
Or EV swap it.
The best thing to do would be to sell it to someone from Troy, MI so they’d have to all it all the way back!
Regret isn’t digital, it’s a scale.
Do I regret selling my ultra-rare former prototype car? Yes I do.
Would I have regretted spending the time and money needed to get it in to tip-top condition in the hope of finding one buyer willing to pay tip money? Also yes, but even more regret.
Selling up now you know the situation, committing to a restoration project means taking the hit on time and money, and also the extra time and money for the unexpected problems. If your time is precious (and it is) then sell up now.
Then the trick is to never check on sale prices of that car ever again. Ignorance is bliss.
I absolutely support this take, DT. There was a time in your life where you had more time than money, so yes, money was your constraint resource. Now, you may not have that much more money than you once did (I bet you don’t) but your time is your main constraint.
What sort of expression is that supposed to be in the lead picture? Disgust? Confusion?
I would sell it as is for a few reasons.
1) If you get it running to sell there is no guarantee you will recoup your time or money.
2) If it breaks again shortly after the sale you will feel bad and go above and beyond to try to make it right, which means more lost time and money.
3) A project car like this may sell okay as a non runner. The right buyer may have new engine plans anyway and would rather save the cash on the vehicle purchase by getting a non runner. You, a proper Jeep enthusiast, loathe the current drivetrain and others have suggested engine swaps or extensive mods. So I would guess the right buyer would already have something in mind.
As much as I would like the wrenching content, I feel like if your heart was in it, you would have fixed it by now.
It may sound crazy, but it’s time to let go. Oh, and it’s also time for you to live in an Aztek. Buy a yellow one and call it the Golden Schmiegel. That certainly will fill the hole.
Let it go. At this point, it’s an albatross around your neck: you’re not going to fix it, and the weight of its existence is burdening you.
I understand completely. My ‘forever car’, a lowered 300TD on color-matched AMG Ronals sat in my yard for a few years as a new job & renewed interest in manual transmissions meant I had moved on. Sold it to someone who would fix & drive it for $400. It is being driven now—and I don’t have to weedeat around it. Win-win
Is your asking price more than you have in it? Then sell it as is and move on. You’re not loosing any money, even if it sells later after your buyer fixes it up. I sold a house in 2018 for a tidy 20% profit. Those buyers sold that house again in 2023 for 100% more than I originally paid for it. I didn’t loose out on an 80% profit, that house was someone else’s problem and renovation project for 5 years.
This car for $22k looks nicer because it’s wet/polished and tires are wet/shined. Instead of fixing the engine I think you should do that. It’s less effort and money, but return might be bigger. Wash it, detail it, put some tire shine on the wheels. Make it a couple activity and ask your SO to help clean the interior and promise you’ll spend some of the earning on her. List it again with nice pictures for 10k, sell it for 9k. Then spend some quality time with your SO spoiling her with some of the free cash.
This is the correct answer. Nice pictures in the ad make an enormous difference and will find buyers who would otherwise ignore it. Crappy cellphone pictures will hurt, not help.
My wife is a realtor, and knows that spending $200 on professional pictures will add multiple thousands to the selling price.
Sell it to an Autopian member and document the restoration!
The fact that you have a trickle of interest, rather than zero or a flood, means you’ve priced it more or less right. Personally, I think in that kind of situation, you add a little wiggle room to the price to grease the deal and call it good.
Sell it as is describing the known issues and warning there may be other issues waiting to be found. You want to make it somebody else’s problem. If you have to pay someone to fix it before selling it or put time in it yourself, it will still be your problem.
> They may restore it and turn it around for $50,000.
How? A beautiful comp just sold for $22k, as you noted. By definition that’s the price ceiling for these in great condition. It’s not going to be worth $50k.
> I don’t want to regret selling it for too low of a price, especially knowing how valuable it could be. But it doesn’t run.
That means its value as a transportation device is $0.
Take $2k for it if someone is high enough to offer that much.
If you were going to get it running, you already would have. Take the money and run. Don’t look back.
This one has always seemed to own you more than you owning it. It’s a one-sided relationship, and those are never good. Cut and run, don’t look back, spend the money taking your girl on a fantabulous vacation somewhere. You’ve got plenty of other projects.
There will always be “one more thing” to do. Just let it go- especially if someone is willing to give you 80 Ben Franklins.
There’s a reason this one kept getting slid back for other things and never finished. Sometimes a project, no matter how cool it may be, isn’t a fit. Tracy and the Golden Eagle are that rare mis-match, let it go and quit fighting fate.