Current Car Prices

[rockits]

Some of the results of this auction show some interesting prices:

2pm Saturday 27th July 2019 Classic Cars & Competition Cars - Silverstone Auctions

www.silverstoneauctions.com

Some seem stratospheric to me. A few lower and some unsold. A real mixed bag.

 

[philw696]

Interesting reading indeed.
Love the bit from the property of a Gentleman boy he had some property.

 

[mjheathcote]

Yes some crazy prices!
How can a BMW 325i convertible be worth over £40k even with the low mileage?

 

[mjheathcote]

Interesting reading indeed.
Love the bit from the property of a Gentleman boy he had some property.

Who is this Gentleman they speak of!!

 

[Nayf]

Yes some crazy prices!
How can a BMW 325i convertible be worth over £40k even with the low mileage?

It’s an in demand car for millennials AND people who were fans when new. Add in few really nice survivors and it’s not surprising.

 

[rockits]

Yes some crazy prices!
How can a BMW 325i convertible be worth over £40k even with the low mileage?

No idea....my thoughts entirely. Crazy people paying crazy prices. These kind of things will and other hugely inflated priced cars will be one of the first to be battered when the sh1t hits the fan.....and it will. Just a question of time. It makes no sense at all.

 

[rockits]

It’s an in demand car for millennials AND people who were fans when new. Add in few really nice survivors and it’s not surprising.

I agree to a point but not at £40k. I bought a 306 GTi-6 because I had one when they were knew. I didn't pay £40k even though it was a very nice pretty low mile original example! I paid £1350!!

Nuts IMHO

 

[rockits]

It’s an in demand car for millennials AND people who were fans when new. Add in few really nice survivors and it’s not surprising.

Of course you do have a different angle and a very good reason to support this activity of course

 

[Contigo]

Interesting or above what you might pay?

I've been saying it all along despite people saying the bubble will burst and that is classic car prices are still appreciating in the grand scheme at a much higher rate than the interest rate! Good low mile mint cars will always sell that's for sure but it's worth what someone is willing to pay at the end of the day and at a good auction like the one above there will be some serious buyers with deep pockets.

Go to ACA or CCA and you can still win some relative bargains...

 

[Contigo]

And yet the GS I liked didn't sell. Go figure....

 

[rockits]

Interesting or above what you might pay?

Much more than I would pay. I just see the bubble getting bigger and also encompassing models that don't deserve it or are desired.

I agree what you are saying about low mileage mint cars should always be worth top money. However times are changing. I don't see the future mirroring the past entirely.

The problem will be that cars that aren't driven will cost more to upkeep in the future to keep a retained value. It won't make sense for many of these cars soon especially if the prices wobble.

For me it is like a game of Jenga or a house of playing cards. The fundamentals are just not strong enough to support a wavering in confidence. If that confidence takes a bit half the market comes tumbling down. That includes a 325i at.40k!

 

[Contigo]

Don't agree at all. All models deserve it really and most of it is down to rarity and the usual "supply and demand" whilst another part of it is the fact that "Nostalgia sells". God how many cliches can you get in a sentence?

The future will actually surpass the past cyclic trend, just like the next Bitcoin surge will surpass the previous one. The fact is they ain't making any of these cars no more and really looking at the Auction Results there is nothing there that has really shocked me or broken new records with quite a lot of cars not selling (circa 20%) which is probably the average for a Classic Car Auction.

The 325i is super low miles, an average 325i convertible is £15k (120k miles plus) so one with those miles on is unheard of and something of an anomaly and appeals to a collector with a garage already full of "queens".

 

[rockits]

We shall agree to disagree Phil. Let's meet up in 20 years time and see who made money and who lost a packet.

I hope your right as of course I love my cars. Just can't see it happening.

A nice watch, bottle of wine, jewellery, gold, ornaments, antiques, stamps, art all will need much less spent on them than a car with hundreds of moving parts. That will rust and rot then fail to work without major recommissioning works unless stored correctly. Throw 100 quid a month away in storage then servicing, repairs, insurance and any other ongoing costs and any appreciation needs to comfortably outweigh this or what's the point. Don't see being much profit left on your £40k 325i.

 

[rockits]

Another thing that has changed as well over the years as the supply has increased compared to demand in many areas.

It doesn't cost much to keep, store and look after some coins. A car is a big old lump of complex and varied materials. Rubbers will deteriorate etc. etc....so for that reason I'm out.

I'm happy to buy and sell a few cars along the way and enjoy them as much as I can. My goal is to enjoy my passion and it break even so not costing me any money. If I can do that I'm happy.

 

[rockits]

One other little tack in the box is parts. The older and rarer these get the less parts will be available. Then if any are available they will be chuffing expensive. As you say....demand and supply.

Even many mass produced modern cars that are not that old are hard work The amount of EOL and NLA parts I came across on my old 1999 Mercedes R129 SL500 was unbelievable.

I think there will be better places to invest cash to see better returns over the next 10/20/30 years IMHO.

You'd be better off hoovering up all the car spare parts you can get hold of that won't perish sitting on a shelf to sell at silly prices to the numpties that have bought loads of cars that they can't get parts for.

Now there is an idea for you

 

[whereskeith]

I think parts issues will be sorted via better 3D printing, no one will stock parts soon they will all be made to order.

 

[rockits]

I agree some parts can be printed and that will be a good improvement. There are a ton of parts on a car that can't or won't be 3D printed though

Also they will need an original to be 3D scanned then replicated. For so many models and so many parts of very rare cars it wouldn't be a business I would start or want to get involved in. There just isn't enough upside or interest as a business. It could be a good one man band or lifestyle business working from a home workshop maybe. Not sure it would be a viable or decent business other than that though.

Buying lots of already made OEM parts as cheap as you can makes more sense to me. I think small plastic parts would viable to 3D print.

 

[rockits]

On the SL I needed a spare key and double CAT exhaust section amongst others. You can't 3D print those.

 

[Nayf]

A nice watch, bottle of wine, jewellery, gold, ornaments, antiques, stamps, art all will need much less spent on them than a car with hundreds of moving parts. That will rust and rot then fail to work without major recommissioning works unless stored correctly. Throw 100 quid a month away in storage then servicing, repairs, insurance and any other ongoing costs and any appreciation needs to comfortably outweigh this or what's the point. Don't see being much profit left on your £40k 325i.

Perhaps not everyone is motivated by profit...

 

[Nayf]

And yet the GS I liked didn't sell. Go figure....

Maseratis rarely do well at auction.
Look at it this way - would you buy a car without a three month statutory warranty, which is what you’re essentially doing? Make that a Maserati, and all connotations that has - some deserved, some undeserved - and you can see why Masers struggle at auction. At least with a private sale you might not get the warranty, but you can review the owner and the car’s surroundings before you buy.