# My family needs honest help valuing our fathers old cars **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Created:** [February 22, 2008, 11:02pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/my-family-needs-honest-help-valuing-our-fathers-old-cars/11011 "2008-02-22T23:02:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![tonydeo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/da6949/32.png) [@tonydeo](https://community.cartalk.com/u/tonydeo)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2008, 11:02pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/my-family-needs-honest-help-valuing-our-fathers-old-cars/11011/1 "2008-02-22T23:02:39Z")
My mother has been getting pressure to sell some of my fathers cars after he past away. I have had a hard time getting help in determining the value of those cars. Can anybody tell me where to go for honest help. Thanks ---
**Author:** ![Docnick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecae2f/32.png) [@Docnick](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Docnick)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2008, 11:06pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/my-family-needs-honest-help-valuing-our-fathers-old-cars/11011/2 "2008-02-22T23:06:45Z")
Please give us the make, model and year of the cars; some of the posters will be able to give you and idea. Also all local libraries have books on the wholesale and retail value of both late model and older cars. Just Xerox the applicable pages and you have an average value for you part of the country. The mileage and condition of the vehicle is important too. ---
**Author:** ![Bill\_Russell](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Bill\_Russell](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Bill_Russell)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2008, 11:10pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/my-family-needs-honest-help-valuing-our-fathers-old-cars/11011/3 "2008-02-22T23:10:42Z")
you can also try [http://www.kbb.com/](http://www.kbb.com/), Kelly blue book pricing ---
**Author:** ![tonydeo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/da6949/32.png) [@tonydeo](https://community.cartalk.com/u/tonydeo)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2008, 11:18pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/my-family-needs-honest-help-valuing-our-fathers-old-cars/11011/4 "2008-02-22T23:18:15Z")
One is a 1952 Ford Flat bed, weight 6600. The truck has been partially restored. The second is a 1988 Mercedes 560 SL. The thing about this car is that it has hardly been touched. This may help the value or hurt it. My dad never drove the car and it sits in moms garage with only 192 total miles. ---
**Author:** ![pleasedodgevan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/51bf81/32.png) [@pleasedodgevan](https://community.cartalk.com/u/pleasedodgevan)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2008, 11:20pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/my-family-needs-honest-help-valuing-our-fathers-old-cars/11011/5 "2008-02-22T23:20:23Z")
Get a copy of Hemmings Motor News at the book store or Supermarket. You will get really great ideas in a hurry. Those vehicles are worth a few thousand more than you know. ---
**Author:** ![VDCdriver](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/vdcdriver/32/30_2.png) [@VDCdriver](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VDCdriver)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2008, 11:34pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/my-family-needs-honest-help-valuing-our-fathers-old-cars/11011/6 "2008-02-22T23:34:39Z")
I agree. A browse through the listings in Hemmings Motor News, available at Barnes & Noble and Borders Books, will give you a realistic idea of what comparable vehicles are selling for. ---
**Author:** ![Craig58](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3da27b/32.png) [@Craig58](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Craig58)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2008, 11:48pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/my-family-needs-honest-help-valuing-our-fathers-old-cars/11011/7 "2008-02-22T23:48:21Z")
If the benz really only has 192 original miles it may be worth real money to a collector, what is it’s overall condition (paint/interior/etc)? You do not want to do anything to/with it until you have it appraised. Try someone like this: [http://www.caldreamcars.net/390067.html](http://www.caldreamcars.net/390067.html) ---
**Author:** ![jtsanders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c2a13f/32.png) [@jtsanders](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jtsanders)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2008, 12:05am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/my-family-needs-honest-help-valuing-our-fathers-old-cars/11011/8 "2008-02-23T00:05:18Z")
Here are some classified ads for 560 SL cars: [http://www.autohopper.com/car\_listings/MERCEDES\_BENZ\_560SL.asp](http://www.autohopper.com/car_listings/MERCEDES_BENZ_560SL.asp) Condition is everything, not just low mileage. If the car is in excellent condition in addition to the low mileage, it could exceed any of these cars in value. ---
**Author:** ![Craig58](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3da27b/32.png) [@Craig58](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Craig58)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2008, 12:41am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/my-family-needs-honest-help-valuing-our-fathers-old-cars/11011/9 "2008-02-23T00:41:09Z")
It should be worth significantly more than those cars (depending on condition) simply because a '88 with less than 200 miles is almost unique. Even if it needs some freshening-up it still should be valuable, original documentation would also be a big plus.