gunner said:I had my M5 in the shop tracing down the non op obc. It was one of the last pieces to be fixed before I sell it. So it did get repaired, and when I picked it up the mechanic asked me if I was still selling it. To which I replied yes, I am because someone needs to own this car that has room and time to enjoy it and take care of it. He made an offer at that point. $10500. I told him no, but i would take $35000. He was as interested at that price as I was of his, and life goes on.
I've been on the other side of that equation. To be honest, I'd rather buy it from you BEFORE you give my employer a bunch of money. Im working on it all the same, and I can get parts a hell of a lot cheaper and I don't want to have to pay someone else $100+ an hour to have me work on it.
I've bought three cars from customers who DIDN'T want them fixed. One of them was prearranged for over a year (the Golf): when it got too much of a PITA for him, hed throw me a figure and I'd throw him the money. It developed an electronic issue and the car was mine after a cash transfer. I fixed the issue and drove that thing for about 70-80k.
I had standing request with another customer for when the clutch went in his TT Coupe. Instead, he paid us to fix it, then traded it in on something else. I HIGHLY doubt that the trade in value of a ten year old TT is anywhere near what it cost him to have us replace the clutch and flywheel. (Difficulty: Quattro. One of the most PITA trans pulls I've ever done, and I've done multiple 3000GT VR4 transmissions)
I also have/had a standing request with a customer and her VERY well maintained B5 A4, but we haven't seen her for a couple years so I'm afraid she traded it in on something. 
I love B5 A4s for some dang reason, and we maintained her car for a long time (including when it was the previous owner's car). We'd done every regular maintenance item on that car but the clutch over the years, including the godawful rear shock mount/upper control arm brackets.
