Insane prices, or Insane buyers?

[Lukas]

Good evening!

 

I would like to introduce you all to the "All Time Stars". The Mercedes-Benz-Museum is selling old Mercs under that ingenious name. 

 

If you´d like to know more about that, click right here, Sir:

 

http://alltime-stars.com/en/

 

So far, so good. But just look at the prices! A 1986 300E W124 for 19.950€.

 

 

http://alltime-stars.com/en/vehicle/mercedes-benz-300-e-w-124-2/

 

And: 

 

 

 

Suitable for those who want a classic for everyday driving and tinkering. These cars are in good technical condition but still offer potential for further restoration work.

 

What? 19.950€ for an old W124 300E which needs "further restoration work"? Are they completely out of their minds? 

 

No, they are not. The buyers are. Because they are paying these prices! 

 

Look at this 230TE S123 here:

 

http://alltime-stars.com/en/vehicle/mercedes-benz-s-123-230te/

 

 

This particular example sold a few month ago. For 52.900€! 

 

I wonder who bought that. Does he/she think that was money well spent? Maybe even an investment? We all will not live long enough to see that 

thing rise in value up to over 50.000€. 

 

I really don´t get it. I know, old cars are quite fashionable at the moment and many questionable people see them as an investment. But looking at

the prices dealers are asking for many Old- und Youngtimer, as we german-speaking lunatics call them, at the moment I am not sure where this will go. 

 

What to you think of that? And could you imagine who buys such cars for two or three times what they are worth? 

 

Lukas, shaking his head

[Sigmund Fraud]

Well, therein lies the beauty of Autoshite... The only thing that influences the prices we pay for our cars is the value of scrap metal !

[robinmasters]

Hats off to the seller. If there's people willing to pay that for that, they need taking advantage of.

[Pillock]

They say they'll buy cars in to sell on.

I guess that means the buyers are paying a premium because MB have checked them over and put their name to them.

 

I wonder if they'll consider some of the late 90s dogs that crop up on eBay with lacy wings and no floor.

[Junkman]

Whenever there is a "crisis", people hoover up tangible assets. Hence not only old cars experience a bubble at the moment.

Look at the prices of art and artifacts, oriental carpets, antiques, etc.

Add to this that bank balance and brain cell count aren't necessarily directly proportional.

You know the old Austrian proverb - Die dümmsten Bauern ham die größten Erdäpfel - the dumbest farmers have the biggest potatoes.

 

Besides, where the Euro is currently headed, 50k could soon be very little money for one of those.

[Magnificent Rustbucket]

The right buyer will always be prepared to pay a great deal of money for a car they love if it is in perfect condition. It does have to be genuinely superb though - asset bubbles or not. The rich have a different buying behaviour since there is no opportunity cost for them. I would if I could! 

[Lukas]

Old Mercs are not even that rare in good condition in Germany. There are a lot of them available, compared to other brands and models. 

 

And almost all them cost a fraction of those at All Time Stars. But they are not sold by the Mercedes-Benz-Museum itself. That may be 

the reason. 

[Magnificent Rustbucket]

I'm sure that is a lot of it!

 

Edited to add:

 

I have just had a proper look at this - and some of the prices are genuinely boggling.  €22,000 for a three owner, 138,000 km 1992 400SE is just crazy!

 

http://alltime-stars.com/en/vehicle/mercedes-benz-w-140-400-se-2/

[Uncle Jimmy]

Tulips.

[chaseracer]

So THAT's what a 1989 300E is supposed to look like...!

[alcyonecorporation]

So THAT's what a 1989 300E is supposed to look like...!

I can't see the Pete-M public health warning anywhere, so you're probably right.

[Magnificent Rustbucket]

The more of these I look at, the crazier the prices get.