Trying to figure out what my custom Denali is worth

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EfiniMotorsport

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I have an 04 Denali with about 150k on it. A few months ago I had a tranny cooler leaked and burnt out the built transmission. The truck has been sitting aside from moving it around in the yard. I was doing the math and it's going to be more money to fix than it's worth. The new tranny is only $500 but the R&R is $1200. If that was all it needed I'd go ahead and do it but between the bad ac compressor, needing tires for the stock wheels and the incontrollable rusting it's just going to be too much. I've got rust in the rockers arches and behind the wheels. Nothing horrible but I've already replaced metal, sandblasted, raptor lined, cavity waxed and repainted multiple times.
The truck has a ton done to it (listed below) and runs great but I'm going to be pulling the engine to put in my boat. Ideally I'd like to sell of the rest of the truck as a whole but I really have no idea what it's worth. I don't want to deal with parting it out. I know I'll never get back what I've put into it but there's a ton of good stock, aftermarket and custom parts in it. The transmission has less than 15k on it and has a bunch of of mods, I burnt out the 3-4 clutch. Anyone got any idea what to ask for it?

2/4 drop with spindles and springs
22" Candy red K9 wheels, ceramic coated with almost brand new tires
Custom front end with black stainless mesh grille and no chrome
Full LED lighting in and out with blue dash and cluster led's
Full custom interior, tan suede headliner, visors, diamond stitched seat inserts (4 captains seats), suede insert door panels
Driver rear cargo panel glassed and painted to look stock but mounts 12" JL sub
Wood cargo area floor with aluminum inlays
Rear roll pan
Hidden hitch
Android radio with GPS, backup camera, bluetooth, etc
Compustar remote start alarm
GMT900 front brakes
Stainless steel hard brake lines
Braided stainless brake flex lines
Aluminum radiator
Most of the frame was painted in POR 15 the rest has minor surface rust
Escalade rear vents with integrated switchback turn/brake lights
Tinted windows
Probably some other things I'm forgetting as well
 

wjburken

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Based on what you described and no available photos, I am going to say the vehicle with a burnt transmission and no motor that has uncontrollable rust is going to be a lot less than you are hoping. Most of what you spelled out will not add any value in my opinion.

Your likely buyer will be someone who will pay you a small lump sum and then turn around and part it out for a profit.

I bought a 2002 F-250 with a blown motor for $800 because I needed the transmission. After removing the transmission, I listed the entire truck for $600 but ended up getting no takers for the whole thing, but made more than $1200 parting it out and then still got $200 for the stripped down carcass.
 
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EfiniMotorsport

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I know that's what's going to happen. The rust is way less than most of the trucks I see around here. I'm not expecting more than $3k or so if I'm lucky. My guess is whoever buys it has a similar truck and will just swap all the mods over and part the rest
 

iamdub

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^^^ Agreed. Unless you find someone to buy the roller, the roached trans, no engine and body rust make it scrap yard ready. All them custom goodies are easy bolt-ons so parting it out should be easy. Strip it and send it.
 

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it's worth: NOT MUCH. period....
maybe slightly more than what a wrecking yard would give you for it, so best guess is less than $1000, presuming someone wants a bunch of parts off of it.
people are simply not going to pay more for something that they can go get at the junkyard for cheap
 
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EfiniMotorsport

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I know it's not much and even then only to the right person. Again, someone that wants most or all of the custom stuff and has the time to part the rest
 

wjburken

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You might be surprised at what people might want and willing to pay for. When I posted the rusted out 2002 F-250 with a blown motor and no transmission, I started at $600 thinking someone might give me $400. Then I had someone ask if I’d sell just the headlights. Then the mirrors, then the headlight switch, etc, etc. that’s when I decided to part it out. The big stuff, I made them remove it. The small stuff, I’d pull. The front seats I could have sold 5 times over. I sold the intake, the steering gearbox, locking hubs, transmission cable, radio, etc. Might be worth posting it up on FaceBook and see what interest there is for either the whole thing or parts.
 
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EfiniMotorsport

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I know. I've parted plenty of cars. I also know it takes a while and then I have to get rid of the shell. Since I'd end up selling wheels and suspension it's going to be hard to move it. I'd rather have someone else take it for all they can use and part the rest
 

mountie

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You are better off parting it out...... Many salvage yards don't have those parts in their yard. Many salvage places remove 'good' parts and sell them on their own online, before you spend $10 entering their yard. So your parts may have value. Then whats left, donate it.
 

TollKeeper

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it's worth: NOT MUCH. period....
maybe slightly more than what a wrecking yard would give you for it, so best guess is less than $1000, presuming someone wants a bunch of parts off of it.
people are simply not going to pay more for something that they can go get at the junkyard for cheap
He would get that 1000... If it had an engine to go with it.. MAYBE. They look at metal value, and without the engine, they lose.

Around here he might get 800 if it was a complete truck, running or not. But around here, we dont have rust, so they know they will get their money back from body parts, interior, etc.

He is basically asking someone to buy his truck, that they will have to spend another 3000 (used engine tranny) to 8000+ bucks to be made road worthy.

Or they can spend 4000 on a running truck, and buy the "extra" stuff.

In my opinion, find a salvage yard tranny, or search craigslist and find a tranny engine combo (so you can keep the motor). Make it a driver.

The money is in the parts, or as a driver.. There really isnt much inbetween.. Its not a 68 FireBird/Exotic.
 

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