Selling an outfitted vehicle (POV)

May 10, 2012
156
New England
My wife is considering selling her sedan as our family grows and we find ourselves needing larger vehicles. It is outfitted for her fire and EMS response from home as she is on call often. Everything electronic is professionally installed by an insured local outfitter. Wires are completely concealed and run with care (entire interior of the car was disassembled to make the installation). Some things, such as equipment brackets and minor non-electrical items, I have done myself. All of the mechanical work done on the car since we bought it six years ago has been done professionally by a local garage and we have all of the records. I have only done the oil changes.

The question is, if we market this on eBay and CL and whatnot, as a vehicle sold outfitted as it is for the fire/EMS person, how can I calculate the value that the equipment may add to the car's sale price so that it would be fair to buyer and seller?

As a hobby, I have bought government vehicles at auction and then fixed them up and re-sold them, usually stripped but occasionally with equipment, for the past 20 years. Speaking mainly about my sales on eBay, I have observed that when maintenance records are missing or there is not much equipment installed, the cars do not go for much more than regular NADA value. However in some circumstances, with thorough maintenance records and/or lots of equipment in the vehicle, the price can go wildly over any expectations I had. But the inquiry I am making to you folks today concerns a POV that was always well cared-for and not a government-owned vehicle, so perhaps the pricing factors are different.

For what it's worth, the equipment that would remain in the car (as of our discussions now; subject to change) would be a Code 3 LED lightbar, Code 3 LED-X grille and rear deck lights, FS Smart Siren w/100W Dynamax speaker, Kenwood analog VHF and UHF radios with mobile extender, one Motorola XTS3000 charger, two Streamlight Stinger (or similar) charging docks, and probably plenty more I am forgetting.

Opinions? Experiences?

Thank you.
 

Tom

Member
Dec 18, 2010
3,083
Taunton, MA
Personally I think it is such a niche area that it would be difficult to find a buyer looking for your vehicle with your equipment. I'd say 90% of buyers in the market would just be looking for a vehicle and not necesarrily a response vehicle.

Then you get into the area of someone getting the vehicle and abusing the equipment. Just be sure to do your due dilligence prior to the sale.

In my opinion I think you would get more out of the sale by selling the vehicle and equipment separate. Or selling the vehicle and transferring the equipment to the new vehicle.

Of course for every seller there is a buyer out there! Best of luck in the sale
 

Sparky_911

Supporting Donor
May 15, 2013
2,648
Central Illinois
I agree with Tom. Strip it, put gear in the new ride or sell it. Selling an upfitted vehicle with lights/siren can raise some serious legal issues should the new owner do something illegal with it. Unless of course it is being sold to a department.
 
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Evtech161

New Member
Nov 9, 2016
157
Woburn
I agree... pull the equipment and sell it separate... if you put equipment like that in the wrong hands, it could come back to haunt you.. it may not be the first person you sell it to, it could be 2 buyers further down... there's no market for response vehicles, everyone wants to set their own vehicle up..
 

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