I'll be buying a car soon and I won't need my R53 which is my daily driver. The R53 needs a new paint job, seats, molding trim for the outside and various other things that can easily add up to $10k with the pain job being the most expensive. The car still drives great but it needs to many little things to be in top shape.
Would you keep this car or sell it? I doubt anyone would pay more than $1500 for it knowing all they would have to invest to bring it to top shape.

 

How many miles?
These first gens are becoming rare these days.
It would be ashame to let it go....But $10k is a lot to have to put into it (all at once)...Unless you have the space and keep it as a side restoration project.
That's a tough call.

 

It's got 134k now. Ive been the only owner from day 1 and been in two accidents.

 

Does it really "NEED" a paint job, or would it be a "nice if it got done" kind of thing. Seats can be reskinned. Trim can be replaced with decent used pieces, if available. If selling it would only get you $1500, it doesn't make sense to dump a ton of money into it. However, a newer car is going to have some expense associated with an acquisition. Maybe figure out what a replacement would cost compared to keeping that car on the road.

 

^^^Ditto^^^ - What he said.

 

Buying a new car? Keep the r53 - for at least 6 months. You are going to miss it. If it is shabby, but rust free, hang on. My NY car is living is SoCal with my kid. Now 185k.

 

If you have the desire and the budget to get it to where you want it to be, make plan and get to it. Just understand you will not get that money back and that you're just doing it because you really like the car. Realistically, if you think the car "easily" needs $10k in work, unless you have the skills, $10k will get you a pretty well sorted R53 and save you the time and effort. I know I dream of doing builds like some folks here have done but I don't have the money or garage space for it, so I slowly build and maintain my R53 to make it into what I want, hoping every day that some distracted driver doesn't total my R53 on my commute.

If you don't have one of those - budget or desire - walk away, otherwise this car will end up sitting in your yard or garage indefinitely with no progress.

 

Yes +1 for the DIY factor. Mine was maintained by me until end of 2021. From new. Now lives in SoCal - from NY. Finding a good shop, and prioritizing / paying is key, if you are not doing it. We do the essentials at shops, and I fly out to do the ones that are able to wait.

 

+1 wait if you can for some time then make a decision

 

Pics would help