Not Sure If Serious: 1999 Rolls Royce Silver Dawn
Ever seen that meme where The Joker from The Dark Knight movie is looking at an older gentleman (who was actually played by Senator Patrick Leahy in the movie) quizzically? Underneath are the words “Not sure if serious.” This ad invokes the automotive equivalent of that sentiment. Take a look at this 1999 Rolls Royce Silver Dawn for sale on Facebook Marketplace in Tacoma, Washington. While seeing a late model Rolls in a dingy garage is not enough of a shock to your senses today, then check out the asking price for this stately barn find. They are looking for a cool $100,00 for this regal refugee from Rodeo Drive. Is this someone’s idea of a joke or the most luxurious barn find ever?
To add to the insanity, the following constitutes the written part of the ad: 1996 Rolls-Royce “barn find” has original 9,000k miles asking 100k OBO will to take offers or trades. That is it. There is no backstory or anything else to let you know if this ad is even legitimate. It is not every day that a Rolls Royce is pictured in the dingy catacombs of an abandoned garage.
The picture above reveals that the car is a Silver Dawn. While there is surprisingly little on 1999 Rolls Royce models on the internet, the Silver Dawn was marketed as more of a Rolls that was centered around the driver instead of the passengers. In addition to costing more, the big difference was the grille and Spirit of Ecstasy hood ornament. The grille was lowered, and the hood ornament was smaller to give the driver a better view forward.
The interior of this abandoned beauty still looks to be in good shape considering its predicament. You would expect mold and mildew, but none is evident. The armrest has the appearance of one from a 200,000+ mile Dodge Durango, but the rest of the leather and the real walnut trim look to be a detailing away from returning to service.
The same cannot be said about the engine. Rolls Royce automobiles of this era packed a 6.75-liter V-8 backed by a four-speed automatic sourced from General Motors. We don’t think of this type of car being fast, but the published top speed was 151 MPH. Not bad for a car that tips the scales at 5,452 lbs. Of course, the ad doesn’t tell us if the engine turns over. The little bits and pieces of detritus also make you wonder if mice have made a home under the hood.
While this likely is a legitimate ad from someone who thinks they stumbled across a gold mine, the car is likely not worth $100,000. If it were running and driving it would surely be a lot of fun to drive around and enjoy. If a realistic price was put forward, one wonders exactly how much work would be required to get this car back to its former glory. Where would you even find a Rolls Royce mechanic?
What do you think this car is really worth? Would you even take on this project? Is this even a serious ad? Please share your thoughts and opinions in the comments.
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Comments
If I wasn’t 3 thousand miles away I’d find out.
I’m halfway closer and agreed, it is too far for me. But if it was in my neighborhood, it would be rusted out.
Looks like asking prices of running and driving ones are in the 40K neighborhood
Here we go again. An outlandish price for a piece of, well……Is the seller lazy or stupid? If I was the one selling a car that I’m asking 100K for, I’d have pulled it out, made it run, had it detailed and highly presentable. This is Jan 1 not Apr 1, I think it’s a joke.
Bill W, I do believe you are totally on point. The only discrepancy I see in your reply is that I believe the seller may be BOTH stupid and lazy. I don’t feel he needs to be one or the other. Best of luck to him. 😁
Yep, i call scam, run Forrest run
I am with Bill W if you are serious about asking $100k(which is ridiculous for this year model car anyway) but if seriously delusional about 100k then clean it up in and out new tires and get it running this would be overpriced at 25k
Since the write up lists this roller at $100,00 I can only assume it is a European period. I therefore must be at the nominal sum of $100.00, if it runs.
Great article, love the Batman reference.
Despite the likely deafening silence vis-a-vis responses to his listing, the seller persists. The ad is 24 weeks old. The car is a short run up I5 from me. I should engineer a trip, just to take a look.
I agree with her comment above.
Please, if you do, report back to the class.
The Facebook ad might make you go hhuuummmm….wonder what a title search would show. Along with my first thought question. What the hell is a car of this caliber, age and supposed condition doing in a old chicken coop?
Guess stranger things have happened.
I’m steering a wide circle around this one.
Possibly in an old chicken coop hiding from the bank.
Autocheck on the VIN (grain of salt, of course) shows it as a 1996, not a 1999; sold new in Boca Raton in 96. Stayed in that area until 2002, then reappears in Alaska of all places a year later with 8900 miles. Last entry was a registration renewal in Alaska in 2015.
Very nice information. Kinda what I’m getting at.
Do you smell a rat?
BTW, like your handle. Always enjoy the movie “Jupiter Ascending”.
Speaking of, does the price include removing and relocating the mice?
I did a little bit more sleuthing, and the car is offered by a man named Owen W. His family lives in Alaska. I’ve contacted Owen & made him aware of the typical prices these cars bring, what repair costs will likely be, and also let him know I’m not buying any more modern Rolls-Royces, no matter how cheap or expensive they are! Will let BF know if he responds back.
GREAT CEASARS GHOST Ethel! We haves us a gold mine. I’m ‘a likin’ that uncle of yours more and more. I knows all bout these here fancy British thangs. I knows what we have here and no slicky high roller gonna get it fer cheap.
lol!!!
Decent Dawns of this vintage can be found for $30K. This is worth $10K ., max. Even if bought at $10K, the buyer would soon be upside down, if there were no major issues). Repairs to the Silver Dawn only computer-controlled suspension can be extremely costly. Silver Dawns are not particularly desirable as they are basically a mildly updated Silver Spirit/Spur, which had been around since 1980.
I would not be surprised if one of the Rolls-Royce used parts companies ends up buying it for parts.
BTW, many years ago I bought a 14-year old Silver Spur in similar condition for under $10K.
Redefines depreciation….
Doesn’t tho…
’99 Rolls Royces are a totally different body style.
I’m not a Rolls guy, but like to look at the postings. Somehow, gut instinct says removing one of the zeros from the asking price is more like it. The minor corrosion in and on the engine compartment says a lot as to the care this vehicle had…………
One 0 too many on that price.
one or two
Silver Dawns are selling for close to $5.000 to $10,000 around here in California and they will be totally rust free also. Check out Beverly Hills Auto Club. They will have about 12 of these and you will find great prices. I like the idea of 9000 miles, sure wish I knew that it was not 109K. Evan at the Scottsdale Auctions these will sell for as low as $15,000. I have been looking for one for a while now and will buy one soon
Maybe they mean it will cost $100k to restore it? (To end up with a $30k car).
The seller probably thinks he’s got $400,000 worth of parts so $100,000 is a screaming deal at a quarter of the price. I could make a political joke out of this and say the seller is a government purchasing agent but don’t want to start an argument saying under whose administration – and don’t you start either!!
If this was a vehicle I would actually be interested in I would reach out to see if that was a typo or if they were serious. But its NOT so I won’t.
I agree worth top 30k thats is mint cond including near 35000 in regular maintenance that would need be done before driving l have had 8 including corniche from 75 to 1990 in the past 25 years they all needed work luckily I can do most of work in my shop good luck to the seller hope he comes back to earth soon barry
Not everyone knows the value of automobiles. But, after 24 weeks, you would think that this seller would start getting a clue.
No low ball offers, I know what I got 😂
Perfect BJ lol 24 weeks but he knows what he’s got
I want some of what he drinking it must put SC moonshine to shame!!
Certainly, they could have found a nicer barn to put it in.
Lost the family fortune ?
It isn’t lost, it is sitting in that barn.
The problem with this is that it has 9000K miles. According to my handy calculator that’s 9 million miles. Happy New Year, dingaling!
Early 1980s thru 90s RR cars, you can’t hardly give away these days. Don’t know much about this year Rolls, and it’s certainly not a car I would be even remotely interested in acquiring. But the asking price seems ridiculous. Unless you are a rapper or celebrity with stupid money to throw away.
Rolls Royce DAWN cost less new then a SPUR and does not have the picket tray in the back! Worth less then $20,000!
“Looking for a cool $100,00…”
Looks like yah dropped a zero, Jeff!
I believe doss ones digit my have bounced nervously upon the 0’s once too many times.