What's It Worth in Today's Market

rbrubaker

Yes, there is such a car. In 87 Shelby created 800 of these cars and a few prototypes. They were identical (all red) with the exception of leather or cloth interior and auto or manual transmission. In 88, Dodge produced their version of it.

Mr_Shiftright

Okay, I finally found a listing--it's a 4-door sedan, made in 1987. Thank you.

Again, I don't see any indication of high market interest in this car, so I'd suggest you peg it with Shelby Charger prices, perhaps a bit less since it's a 4-door, and use that as your guideline. You might check some of the Internet classified sites to see what comparable asking prices are for the Charger, and figure maybe 10% less than those as asking for the Lancer, with actual realized prices perhaps 20% below asking. Something like that should work out to be pretty accurate.

Hope this helps,

C13

I'm gonna hazard a guess based on nothing scientific.

It's at the bottom of its appreciation curve now. You'll get nothing for it. It's a Lancer.

If you keep it pristine until Generation Z grows up and gets jobs and gets nostalgic for the 80's, it might come back up: "Alright! It's a Lancer!"

I know, I know, it's Dodge 2.2 is turbocharged and its got Getrag gears in its Dodge gearbox, but that'll only make it marginally driveable for somebody who wants to evoke the magic of the Reagan-Gorbachev-North-Khoumeini era. When terrorists were all furriners, by God. When Madonna was up and coming. When Don Johnson played a zillionaire Miami detective who drove to work in a Corvette with a Daytona body (and I don't mean Dodge).

Your chief competitors will be Corvettes with Daytona bodies.

Right now you might as well give it to Goodwill. But Pacers, Beetles and Hudson Hornets all had their day at the bottom of the curve and came back. For the price of a clean 6-volt Beetle now you could get a clean Jensen-Healey or 2002.

Store it in an oxygen-free environment.

Mr_Shiftright

And what makes you think Pacers ever came back? Actually, the only cars out of your list that are good sturdy driveable classics would be the Hudson and the 2002, IMO.

C13

Who said anything about being "good"? It's strictly a question of fashion.

There are kids who see Wayne's World and want a Pacer. When I was a kid, kids would read "On the Road" and pick up a Hornet for virtually nothing. Whoever would have thought that pristine 70's barges would be the hot item for certain Hollywood types? Obviously I don't mean car people - I mean very very NON-car people.

When the 80's are more distant, they'll get discovered, and 80's memorabilia, especially stuff that's seen as the most quintessentially "80's", will be sought out.

But, for the record, I'm not seriously suggesting that the Lancer will ever be worth much. If it has sentimental value, the guy should keep it. Nobody will ever appreciate it as much as he does, and in monetary terms, I'd say it's worth little more than scrap metal.

Mr_Shiftright

Well, if there's a stampede for Pacers, the prices people are getting for them don't seem to reflect that...whenever the unusual circumstance occurs where demand is high but prices stay low, that can only mean that the segment of the population desiring the item has no money.

rbrubaker

I am going to hang on to it for now. My fiance' would like me to sell it, but will put up with it - for now. I have a 3 car garage, and the registration and insurance is cheap. I just can't get myself to give it away. There are a few Dodge Shelby fans out there that might take interest. Thanks for you input.

joshie187

Hello, I am searching for an old new reliable car, my Honda is about ready for retirement. When you start fixing little things a little too often. You know? S I am very weary of the whole car buying process, I am completely stessed out. I have very little down $ really just the equity of my car- around a thousand to two thousand, and I would be financing.
I'm just confused, and weary. I live in L.A. and you really need a car- HELP? Pros and cons would be great. I used to own a dart and loved it- straight six but it finally died- I love old cars and just want something I will love- Can you even finance on a classic? Where would I go in L.A.
How do I know the car will be reliable?
Thank you so much.

subtub

Hi guys, I'm new here,hope I'm doin this right.I need some info. I've got a 71 Chevy Suburban,1\2 ton, 2 wh. dr, original 402bb,400t,fact.a\c,very original inside and out, cept for wheels. My sub is a daily driver very good cond. My question is, is there a collector value here? What is it worth? Thanks for any response, Joe

Mr_Shiftright

Yes, there is some value in that truck...I don't know as people actually "collect" them as much as they want them to use them. Suburbans, even older ones, are still "SUVs" and as such they are in demand right now. So high demand = higher prices.
Another reason the old Suburbans have value now is that most of them have been trashed, since back then they were regarded (and rightly) as commercial vehicles to be used up.

As for pricing, I'd say $3,500 for a decent driver, $5,000 for a very sharp original truck, and $8,000 for show quality, near pristine. For custom Suburbans, or redone rods, the prices would be individually determined by each creation.

Mr_Shiftright

Old cars AND reliable are sort of two different things. Newer cars are much more reliable than older ones, which need more maintenance, eat more gas, don't handle very well and have rather marginal brakes. On the plus side, older cars are usually simple to fix and don't cost very much to repair for most items.

I'd say if you are thinking that an older car will solve your car problems, this is really not true. But if you just like old cars and would consider this kind of a hobby, then the old Dodge darts are as good as any, since they are simple and sturdy.
An old VW bug would be okay, and most 60s and early 70s American 4-door V-8s are pretty rugged.

As for financing, the only cars that *might* get financing are the pricier collectibles. I doubt anyone would loan on an old Dodge Dart, no. As for finding them, the website www.traderonline.com

is really good for locating cars in your area.

Good luck with your search,

Shiftright

dilligas

I'm trying to find current value of 91 Masarati 80K miles pristine condition, both tops.

C13

Which model?

For '91 they imported a 430, Shamal and Spyder. New in '91 they sold for around $50K, 85K and 50K respectively. I wouldn't expect much depreciation. Unfortunately I haven't yet found any actual ads.

If you're referring to a "Chrysler TC by Maserati", that's in a different category. I've seen them listed in the teens, and I can hardly think of a worse buy or a worse car.

C13

Real Maseratis are getting more than the Chrysler TC???

What a world.

The 228 I could see avoiding. The 430, I guess the same.

The Shamal looks, on paper at least, like it could be a real car: V8, good power, good looks, at least for me, and it's not real heavy. I found a few ads with European prices and I didn't bother converting the currencies.

The TC is an utter embarassment.

Once again Barnum's words ring true: "No one ever went broke underestimating the public taste."

chaall

I have a '65 p1800S in fairly good condition..does anyone know the value???

Mr_Shiftright

Hi chaall,

Well now, with a P1800, the difference between "good" and "fairly good" can greatly affect the value of these cars, since they are expensive to restore and not worth large sums of money. Trim pieces alone (front grille, for instance) can be very expensive, and the overdrive transmission are often in need of repair. On the other hand, they have a small but devoted following, so unless it is very rusty and shabby you should find a buyer for it. The aren't really fast enough and don't handle well-enough to be very good sports cars but they are attractive, very sturdy and reliable, and they stand out by being different.

I've seen prices everywhere on the map. Figure $1,200 for a running but very shabby car that is complete and not badly rusted to $2,500-3,000 for a decent-looking driver that needs nothing to be serviceable day by day to $4,500 for a pretty sharp-looking, well-kept driver to $6,500-7,000 for a near-show quality restoration #2 condition.

A P1800 that is not running, or stripped of parts, or badly damaged or badly rusted is mostly a tow-away for parts.

Hope this helps,

Host

geo65

Hello, I have a 65 Galaxie Convertible. It is a very solid # 3 driver. It was repainted the original tourquoise color and is very sharp looking. The interior and top were replaced with identical replacement kits. However, the r/s sunvisor is missing and the IP is scratched ( needs re-painted). This is a very rare car, but not a highly sought after collectibe. It is a real head turner, but far from perfect.

thanks, geo65

Mr_Shiftright

Sounds like around a $5,000 car, more or less, maybe up to $6,000, depending on time of year and where you live. I certainly wouldn't walk away from 50 crips $100 bills.

hweinberger

looking for info on 69 amx, clubs, values, misc

Mr_Shiftright

AMX values are not particularly strong, but there is a following for the cars...you should be able to buy just about any nice AMX (except perhaps over the top show cars) for under $10,000...the 68-70 AMX 390 is, to my mind, the most collectible in the future.

With "muscle car" values, it's all about POWER. POWER is everything in the muscle car market. More power, more money.

womensauto

What is a 1978 Silver Anniversary Edition Corvette with 15,000 original miles worth? It has glass T-Tops, which by the way does not have a scratch on them. Covers for the glass tops. Orginial 8 Track. Leather seats. Roll up windows, no power door locks, L82 Engine. Two-tone paint. Silver on top and darker silver on bottom. Excellent condition. The emblems on the hood still have the red in them. What is it worth? Please e-mail et@womensauto.com. Thanks

Mr_Shiftright

I'm just guessing here, but it seems like $15,000 or so would be all the money. With the low miles, you might get more from a real Corvette nut. There's one for sale in Hemmings with 9,000 miles on it, $20,000 asking price, but I don't think he'll get it. If someone offered you $15-17K, I'd sure take it myself.

gtt1

I am looking for a vette to fix up and I know nothing about them. I have found some in the 1500-2500 range (73-81). Can anyone tell me what to look for and what years have what problems? Thanks

Mr_Shiftright

Well, first off, 73-81 Coupes in very very nice condition can be found for $10,000, so I'm presuming you want to do this as a hobby and not for any sound financial reason, because you will lose money on such a car, even paying yourself $0 an hour.

But that's fine, I've done that myself--just so you know there's no pot of gold on the other end (these cars are cheap for a reason). And you never know, someday they may be worth something.

That being said, you need to understand that although a Corvette is a Chevrolet, parts are not cheap and the fiberglass body needs to be sound.
Corvette bodies of that era are not made up of one piece of fiberglass...they are pieced together, like a steel body, and you can even see the seams where they are joined in most used Corvettes. No problem if you see them---BUT---if you see little holes or dimples next to the seams, those are screw-holes and that means the car has been hit hard and repaired. That is NOT good.

Also, Corvettes, especially old cheap ones, are usually abused cars. Try to find one that is original as possible...there is lots of fakery and parts switching that goes on with Corvettes, and any non-original part really affects future value.

Other than that, approach an old Vette like you would any used car, and give it a good mechanical inspection.

If you buy a really worn out car, you would have been better off just paying the $10,000 for a nice one, because it's so hard to bring back a "rat" and even if you do, it's often not a sound car.

Good luck in your search!

gtt1

No opinion about certian year models? I think I like the 73-77 years best.

dgraves1

Just curious. Why would you pick those years? They are probably the cheapest because they are the least desireable. Performance was in the pits for those years. In 78, they started turning around.

Mr_Shiftright

Well, you should always buy what YOU like in a "collectible" car, but aside from the 1974 Vette with the optional 454 motor and the 1975 Convertible, the years 73-77 don't have much of a chance of ever being worth anything. Low horsepower combined with very high production numbers (highest 5-year run of cars for Corvette up to that time)and dubious styling almost doom these cars to low prices well into the foreseeable future, maybe forever. There are just too many of them and too little demand.

dgraves1

I agree you should buy what you like. I just can't see why you would want the 73-77. If you like the Stingrays, the late sixties early seventies would be the ones to get. The only reason I can think of for wanting the mid-seventies models is that they are cheaper.

gtt1

The main reason I picked those years are stictly for low cost. I want a light, fast, American car that looks decent, not necessarly to increse in value. Over the years I've had 65 Mustang(Shelby lookalike),67 LeMans conv.(GTO lookalike), V8 Mavericks, 78 Camaro(POS), 67 Ford 7-Liter, 64 Galaxie, and many others, some were fast, some were cool, none were both. That why the vette. If I cant find one, I've been looking at V8 Rangers (I'm really a Ford fan, but I know a Pantera or GT-40 is way out of reach). Thanks for your help and for listening to my rambles.

C13

I'm sure there's some fun to be had with that car.

How about a TVR Tuscan or Griffin or whatever it was - an English sports car with a Ford V8? I forget which V8. I'm thinkin 289.

You did say you prefer american, but then you threw in that Pantera. If you like unreliable mid-engine Italians with yank V8's, why not an unreliable front-engine Brit with one? Supposed to handle great and have a 50/50 weight distribution. And it's very quick.

speedshift

I've always wondered what one of the first cars I owned would be worth today. I paid $250 for it in 1971. It was a 1961 Impala convertible, 348/250, factory four-speed. Radio, power top, power steering and brakes. Supposedly the engine had been rebuilt, and it did have good compression. I added headers I found in new condition at a junkyard. Granted, convertibles are heavy, but mine was a disappointing performer. The hi-po versions performed. Roger Huntington tested a new '60 four-door hardtop with 348/305 and Powerglide, and it turned in good numbers. The last time I looked in Hemmings--several years ago--it seemed that 348s were highly sought-after, especially the four-speed and solid-lifter versions. I sold mine in 1976 for virtually nothing.

Mr_Shiftright

In show condition (which is, like, spectacular and better than when it left the factory) it's probably a $25,000 on up car depending on where you sell it and to whom. The 4-speed isn't worth all that much but the bigger engine is about a 30% markup, so both of those together might push a $20,000 car closer to $30K.

speedshift

Thanks for your quick response. That's about what I figured. I'm a little surprised that the 4-speed doesn't add that much, but that's my own bias--I have a real weakness for full-size 4-speeds. Here's another one for you: '69 GTO Judge, Carousel Red with white vinyl top and interior. Standard Ram Air III with "bang-shift" Turbo 400 and column shifter. Full gauges, AM/FM, hood tach, PS, PDB. Authenticated by Pontiac (I understand they don't do that anymore). I paid $1500 for it in 1985, then sold it a few years later--with great difficulty--for $2500. Both prices were cheap, even then, because of the column shift and vinyl top; they weren't boy-racer enough for a proper musclecar. I made two quarter-mile runs with it on grudge night, one a 14.99 and the other in the very low 15's, this with 100k on the car and the tranny slipping a bit off the line. The 14.99 was enough to soundly beat a 440-4v Challenger. That was one of the better match-ups that night, and I think the crowd was into it. I actually heard a few cheers when the car spun its tires on the 1-2 shift. That was a genuinely nice car. Easy to drive normally, quicker than most when you opened it up, and surprisingly well-balanced on the back roads. The same qualities that sold a couple hundred thousand GTOs, only more so. And what a great transmission. Around town it shifted just like a normal Turbo 400, but the more you opened the throttle the harder it banged off the shifts. Much better than the "world-class" electronic automatic in my Gran Prix GTP, which has a performance shift option--that's probably why I bought it--but regularly finds itself in the wrong gear. But I digress. What's it worth?

Mr_Shiftright

Probably $15-16K for a nice one...the convertibles would be worth double that, but they only made 108 of those.

thatvolkswagen

Hello all. My uncle recently came across the opportunity to purchase a 1960 Chevrolet Impala 2dr Hardtop. The car is literally a "little old lady" owned car. She bought it used in the late 1960's and the car has about 55,000 original miles on it. It is a rust free Colorado car that is straight. Only some dulling of the original paint and some surface pitting of the chrome. The car is equiped with hydra-matic trans. and the 283 v-8 engine. Before he makes an offer, what is the car worth? what offer should he make? Thanks!!!

Mr_Shiftright

Well, paint and chrome are not cheap, so I'm figuring this is a #3 condition car at best that needs reconditioning to be "sharp". Also, as for the mileage, unless it can be verified by documents, that's only hearsay and worth nothing--but if there are mileage records that prove the miles without any doubt, then that makes the car more valuable, up to a point.

I'd imagine $2500-4500 should buy the car--without seeing it, it's hard to say how much the originality is worth.

smolie

I'm looking for a 68-72 Nova. Could you give me some pointers on what to look for and be careful of. Is this a good collectible? Thanks.

Mr_Shiftright

Good sturdy cars...the only Novas that are currently collectible are the V-8 hardtop coupes, SS model coupes and SS396 (L78) Coupe. The six cylinder cars or 4-door cars are not good bets as collectibles and aren't really worth the cost of restoration, unless you're just looking for a low-cost hobby (something to tinker with).

dbroome

On the established 1-6 condition scale, a 1973 Mercedes sedan with documented 9,000 miles in excellent, unrestored condition has a specific value guide price for a number 2 ($8,000) and number 1 ($12,500) car. How much should I add for the low mineage for a car in number 2 or number 1 condition?

Mr_Shiftright

First of all, I'm puzzled as to what type of Mercedes 4-door sedan could have such a high value. If you are using Old Cars Price Guide, it is often too high and not an accurate reflection of the market...it seems any '73 Mercedes sedan could easily be bought for $8,000 regardless of miles or condition, unless it is a 600 model?

But to answer your question in general, there is no formula for low miles...should the car be what we appraisers call "a time capsule" car, meaning that it looks just like it did when new, then one would use the #1 value from an accurate price guide, PRESUMING that it is still a #1 car, that is, of national concours standard (which is pretty near perfect). If the car needs reconditioning, I don't think the low miles means all that much, perhaps a bit of a premium, depending. On an early Corvette or a really hot muscle car, originality is prized much more than it might be on an ordinary sedan.

I hope that answers your question....on the Benz you mentioned, I don't think the mileage factors in at all, since the car is maxed out on value and is not appreciating anymore.

cowtownkid

Hey fellows, new to this group. Just wonder what my uni-body P/U may be worth as I don't have a clue...Bought it 3yrs. ago for $300.00. The body is in "rough" condition but no major damage, this truck needs a lot of work but it does have a newly rebuilt 223ci, though not drivable due to brakes, exhaust, and carb. Any approximate ideas on value as I need to sell and free up driveway space (not to mention ran out of funds for this truck). Thanks,
cowntownkid

Mr_Shiftright

Hmmm....well, I think with something like this you just need to hang a price on it and see what happens....you paid $300, so it's worth at least that...why not double that and see what happens?

cowtownkid

Thanks for the response, I'll probaly run it for about $800.00 I've heard this truck is fairly rare,(I know why now due to the rust between the bed & cab) being they only made it for 2 years...

cowtownkid

Mr_Shiftright

Well, nice thing about an old truck is that it will always have a use to someone...you can haul things in it, even if it's old and tired. Yeah, $800 sounds good. Good luck with it!

ndance

I just popped over to E-bay and while
checking out some cars for sale saw
an Olds 442 currently bid up to around
$2800. This, folks, was for a
hotwheels car (albeit in a rare color
and unopened on a damaged blister pack
card).

Mr_Shiftright

Geez, I could probably find a beat-up real one for that amount! $2,800 for a toy car? That is scary. Of course, it's all a mental thing isn't it. The toy itself is almost worthless (not a work of art, didn't take years for someone to make, not a precious metal), but if enough people BELIEVE it's worth $2,800, then I guess it is....for now...the scary part is that they can all stop believing it anytime they want to. At least if you own an old Steinway piano or an antique ship model, you can almost count on SOMEONE wanting it, but not so a toy car, because the toy requires knowledge of the scarcity, history, etc., whereas I think just about anybody can look at an old ship model and understand that it took many hours of labor, even if they know nothing about ship models.

speedshift

There's an awful lot of easy money is this area, most of it looking for investments with a good chance of holding their value. I see this quite a bit in real estate--it's driving the million-dollar market in my area. I suppose it's a matter of perspective: if you're under 35 and grew up with Hot Wheels, they may mean more to you than the actual cars they're modeled on.

Mr_Shiftright

Yeah, but it's a toy! At least a house you can live in. And besides, I've seen much rarer and more beautiful old toys sell for less. I just don't see the reasoning for it, aside from the usual craziness that grabs people at auctions. Nobody wants it until somebody else does.

Now, really, why is a Barbie doll worth $5,000 and a genuine ancient pure silver coin of the Emperor Nero in perfect condition worth $1,000?

Of course, I know why...it's supply and demand, but what's behind those economic forces is rather weird to my eyes.

ndance

to see how the pricing models on all this stuff
will resolve itself. No doubt there is a trailing
wave of value based on the age of the buyers.
By that I mean that as people enter their peak
income and/or net worth years, they will boost
prices on stuff they remember as kids (or young
adults). My favorite inflation has been in
Hemi Chrysler convertibles. Darn rare to begin
with, and now worth a mint. I mean, please, a
hemicuda convertible is not 'worth' a quarter of
a million dollars except to a lunatic or someone
to whom the money is essentially meaningless
(is Otis Chandler one or the other?).

If value should be oriented towards some sort of
'quality' (ie. perfect Roman coins vs. mass
produced Hotwheels) old Chryslers should be
nowhere near as valuable as V12 Ferraris or
pre-war collectible cars. When you get down
to it, muscle cars (much as I like them) are
shoddily built, mass produced items.

ndance

Mr_Shiftright

True, I think over time it will shake out and the bottom will fall out of inflated items. It's happened before and no doubt will again. A lot of it is "ego-value", which is value of a sort, but goes away with the ego involved, whereas a work of art will remain so no matter who owns it.