1973 Volkswagen Beetle

• Dark green-black paint is deep and glossy in the wide shots, panels straight, with a wood-slat roof rack fitted — the wide shots alone would suggest no paint budget.
• Close-ups change that: the roof paint shows long crazing and crack lines in the finish under the rack — budget for roof paint repair, and check whether the cracking spreads beyond the roof.
• Bumpers are deleted with just blade overriders fitted; headlight rings and side trim are bright — no chrome spend.
• Polished eight-spoke alloy wheels are clean and the tires look fresh with deep tread — no wheel or tire spend.
• Black basketweave front seats are clean and unsplit, dash pad looks smooth and the wood-rim wheel and extra gauges are tidy — no front interior spend.
• The rear seat back is photographed out of the car, leaning in a garage next to a tub of spare parts — confirm it is included and complete before valuing the interior as finished. Footwell floors are bare, dirty and scuffed with loose mats rather than fitted carpet — budget a carpet set and a floor check underneath.
• Front trunk has a big tangle of loose wiring behind the dash area and no spare wheel in the well — budget electrical sorting.
• Engine bay is dressed with chrome tinware and a big aftermarket carb and filter, hinges rusty at the lid — looks complete, but running condition can't be judged from photos.
• No underside photos in the sample — can't judge it, hold back money for that inspection.

Money: at $9,200 the glossy wide shots flatter it — the cracked roof finish, loose trunk wiring, missing-in-car rear seat and bare floors are the real spends, and the underside is still unseen.