Classic car prices getting stupid

[Jack91]

Hi all,
I sold all my toys to buy a house a couple of years ago. I told myself i was done with the hobby but im about to come into some cash and was looking at spending around 20-30 for a project. Just looking to get a gauge whats around and im blown away at the prices people are asking for some cars. They cant be selling, surely?
I understand numbers matching cars, historical cars important rare etc but dirty old zh fairlanes for 15k? I sold a mint one for 7k 3 years ago! Almost unsaveable xb coupe, missing absolutely everything for 30! 4 door vals for 25?
Am i the only one that is expecting this to die off? Will it be reasonable again? Or should you get in while you can? Even stuff in the usa is no longer worth the hassle

[Citroënbender]

Plenty of orphans to choose from, if you're not worried about snobbery or snide remarks behind your back.

What's your briefing criteria: Retained value? Performance? Luxury? Rarity? Marque?

[GasoLane]

Originally Posted by Citroënbender

Plenty of orphans to choose from, if you're not worried about snobbery or snide remarks behind your back.

2CV anyone?

[Citroënbender]

Priced one lately? :P

[lra]

Have you seen the asking price of Monaros ?. Truly !!
And a VZ SS wagon, now rare as rocking horse poo, nearly $20K.
Owners have realised that they can't replace what they have for the newer version, and just about anything that was made in Australia more than 15 years by Holden and Ford has increased in price.
Dunno if it plain profiteering or a wise investment.

[Falcon SXR8]

Unfortunately they are old and rare, so the prices are just going up.

[wodahs]

hows it go
"i have a project car , but now selling due to XXXX heres a pic of said project"

[Franco Cozzo]

You think that's bad the millennial specials are ****ing ridiculous too these days.

R33 GTR Skyline was $25K-$30K tops for a good one 5 years ago and now they've doubled in price for a ratty one, same with MKIV Supra and Toyota Chaser.

[Citroënbender]

Dunno if it plain profiteering or a wise investment.

Can it be both - a wise short term investment for the sake of profit-taking?

We exist in an imagination vacuum full of self-inflicted shapeless fears about dispossession and loss of social currency. Even the outcasts are somehow afraid to cast out their unwritten rulebook.

[stock1991]

Originally Posted by GasoLane

2CV anyone?

Gaso was that your Benz with a bullbar ?

[GasoLane]

Originally Posted by stock1991

Gaso was that your Benz with a bullbar ?

It is a pic of my Benz with a bullbar, yes

[stock1991]

not sure that I have ever seen a Benz with a bulbar before, you know a nice one

[au2000]

Originally Posted by lra

Have you seen the asking price of Monaros ?. Truly !!
And a VZ SS wagon, now rare as rocking horse poo, nearly $20K.
Owners have realised that they can't replace what they have for the newer version, and just about anything that was made in Australia more than 15 years by Holden and Ford has increased in price.
Dunno if it plain profiteering or a wise investment.

Def a bit of both tbh, but the old saying is true, you don't know what you've lost till it's gone,

I can't see prices dropping in the long term, I think if you can do it, grab it now

[arronm]

At least you can still pickup a clapped out AU for $1000

[janddbone]

Plenty not selling near those prices, particularly for real projects.

[Trevor 57]

Anything from XA to XE are really starting to gain momentum, have a look at what some good XE's are bringing, particularly original V8's (<- 1982)

Even some quality EF/EL's are bringing good money, not GLi's but Fairmont Ghia's, XR6's etc

Anything from 1994 can now go on the Club Permit Scheme in Victoria

[Jack91]

Originally Posted by Trevor 57

Anything from XA to XE are really starting to gain momentum, have a look at what some good XE's are bringing, particularly original V8's (<- 1982)

Even some quality EF/EL's are bringing good money, not GLi's but Fairmont Ghia's, XR6's etc

Anything from 1994 can now go on the Club Permit Scheme in Victoria

Xd and e v8s have been going up slowly for ages. Not really sure on the kind of person that wants to dump 20+ on a 302c pov pack but its not as ridiculous as other things ive seen.

Even Aus are on their way up!

[Polyal]

Originally Posted by Franco Cozzo

You think that's bad the millennial specials are ****ing ridiculous too these days.

R33 GTR Skyline was $25K-$30K tops for a good one 5 years ago and now they've doubled in price for a ratty one, same with MKIV Supra and Toyota Chaser.

Yeah but we saw that coming a mile away. If I knew how id search my posts from 5-10 years ago I noted the "Gran Turismo" generation would start snapping them up.

I wish I bought a FD RX7 when they were low 20's.

The issue with classic cars into the future will be knowledge on how to fix them, fuel costs, storage, and that kids these days couldn't give two sh\ts about Brock and Moffatt.

Id suggest baby boomers sell out now before it tanks.

[Swordie]

They have definitely gone up. A major recession is probably the only way I could see a big adjustment. Australia has economic prosperity for many years. There are people now who haven't lived in a recession.

Some of the big differences between now and say 20 years ago are; there are more dealers specialised in classics, Aussie cars are seen as investments, people have more money now to re-live the past or buy that car they always loved (compared to years ago when they could of been struggling) and the demise of the Aussie V8 car industry. There are many more reasons.

[Tassie f100]

Yeah when you see the prices people pay for rusty junk,then the money to restore. A mate of mine who is probably one of the best body restorers in the country says it is quite regular for people to pay $100k for the bones ,then another $100k to have a top resto done.

[hayseed]

There's a Big difference between Asking Price & selling Price. In Today's market. IMHO

Have Your Money sorted, Go & look at a few, Then Look the Bloke in the eye with a genuine No BS Offer.. You Might be surprised...

[bangm001]

I agree with some of the crazy prices, but in the range of 20-60K there is alot of people willing to outlay on say VL calais, VH/B SLEs etc for the lower end of that, and say a decent prem of other in the holden camps.
Something i want to add is that over the last couple of years Shannons insurance has also upped many peoples policies for modern classics. Monaros ( a mates HSV GTO is now insured for 70K), my FPV typhoon and many others.
For example 3 years ago i would have been lucky to insure the typhoon for 13K. Its now insured for 28K. And like already said above, we cannot replace these with anything equivalent so people who have always wanted them are more willing to outlay the cash.

[73 4V XB]

Originally Posted by Polyal

Yeah but we saw that coming a mile away. If I knew how id search my posts from 5-10 years ago I noted the "Gran Turismo" generation would start snapping them up.

I wish I bought a FD RX7 when they were low 20's.

The issue with classic cars into the future will be knowledge on how to fix them, fuel costs, storage, and that kids these days couldn't give two sh\ts about Brock and Moffatt.

Id suggest baby boomers sell out now before it tanks.

This one.
https://fordforums.com.au/showpost.p...9&postcount=34

[Trevor 57]

Another less obvious reason for the increase in Aussie car prices is that it is now more difficult to bring classic cars in from overseas (read 'America')

[Sprintey]

One reason the Phase III became such a landmark was there was not the performance benchmark after it for many years - with respect to the few Phase IVs and Ferraris/Lambos of all ages. More Australians held the Phase III as the mythical performance halo car.

Now the entire industry and it's Unique Selling Point (RWD, large size, V8 and turbo 6) is gone and many Australians realise this. But this time, there's also a couple of other things we've lost that can't be replaced - large RWD station wagons, coupe utilites. And a couple of novelties: the Adventra, the Cross6 and Cross8, and the "X5 for Falcon bucks". So maybe a bit of all of these will be sought out.



As a personal example, there's not much in the current new car market that tempts (say, a RAV4 hybrid but that's my head, not heart), and I can look back a little way and drool over an F6 with the phwoar! factor that's getting a bit more affordable. Usually it's the heart that wins, so I combine the two and come home with a Turbo Terry hahaha

[CyberWasp]

Speaking of Turbo Terry, I think that an AWD one of those could be a good project and investment too.

[jaydee]

Have you looked at getting a european steel bumper classic, they're good value.
And if you want a V8, how about a Rover, but if you still want an Aussie classic, Cortina or similar.

[Citroënbender]

Eurobarges are good fun, biggest hassle is the size when CBD parking. As a “would be if could be” the LS400 and Century belong in that category too.

Note to the OP: I’m considering getting shot of my ‘63 IH AB110 SWB project.

[Trevor 57]

Originally Posted by jaydee

Have you looked at getting a european steel bumper classic, they're good value.
And if you want a V8, how about a Rover, but if you still want an Aussie classic, Cortina or similar.

Cortina's were English, with the 6 cylinder versions adding a bit of Aussie flavour. I owned a Mk1 and a Mk3 (6 cyl version)

A good quality Mk3 is very difficult to find for sale, particularly a 200 or 250 model. If they are on offer they are asking good money for them

[Jack91]

Its not all about the $ at the end of thr day. I know there are still some ok deals out there for euro stuff but i hate it. My main complaint is about the seemingly over night price double on certsin categories. The funny thing is though that the high $ cars havent gone up so you're between a xt wagon 6 cyl in unrestored condish or an extra 5k for 70/1/2 b body mopar (charger challenger etc), chevelle, 68-70 camaro...
Doesnt make any sense does it?
Obviously im not quoting exact figures but if you have a look at whats around youll notice that the 'rooted' category 3 years ago has now become 'great patina' and is now in the mid range and the old mid range is now the high end.