Since when did stuff get so expensive??

[Snipes]

Mk2 escrots are going down now some Irish dude has had shells remade in China, 7K for a brand spanking shell

 

http://higginscarparts.co.uk/inventory/ford-escort-mkii-complete-shell/

Wow, that’s fantastic (assuming the shells are reasonably straight!). Wonder if they fancy doing Opel Mantas or AE86 Corollas?

[Dick Cheeseburger]

Old stuff is really going up in value now... bread and butter oldies like Morris Minors and Austin A30’s seem to command high premiums now compared too just a few years ago....

I thought the likes of Moggies were going the other way, and values slipping away, compared to a few years ago. Supply and demand - many of the previous fanboys are no longer with us. Obviously there are exceptions to the rule - I owned a 1969 Moggie back in the early 1990’s, at the tender age of 18 years old.

[bezzabsa]

those shells would be OK for a Fresh build - but we all know theyre all gunna turn up as RS2000's and RS1800's..with V5's aquired through Eblag

[DodgeRover]

 

Second question. Does the OSF tax yet extend to early Transits? (1965 pick-up in original condition) One of the side effects is that insurance premiums are based to a certain extent on values so they tend to go up every year regardless

Absolutely, although not as much as some people would have you believe. Mk3/4/5 transits are on the up as well especially mint examples. Luckily most panels are easily and cheaply available for them still unlike the mk1/2 which are available sometimes but for a price not helped by the transit van club getting loads of NOS panels from dealers then flogging them on for mega money.

[captain_70s]

The bangers of old are now rare "classics", in demand from middle aged people with disposable income who wish to buy them out of nostalgia. The days of sub £1000 pre-1980 cars are long gone unless you're shopping for a resto project. Hell, a Triumph Acclaim is now worth more dosh than my '05 Civic in similar condition... 

 

Established 1950s classics appear to have stalled in value recently though, presumably due to limited appeal and the traditional purchases either giving up driving or passing away, especially stodgy British stuff like Standards etc.

[NorfolkNWeigh]

Captain-70's has a point and not just 50's classics either.

I'm sure Rover P6 prices have stayed pretty much the same for the last 30 years , ie you can still (just) get a runner for a grand , most V8s around £4/5k and the best in the world struggling to make more than £8,000 even a red S with Junkman disapproved black leather and spare wheel on the boot.

Compare that with Granadas or S1/2 XJ6s , 30 years ago they were £50 to maybe £1000 for one owner low mileage , now they are worth twice that of a same condition P6.

[Angrydicky]

The bangers of old are now rare "classics", in demand from middle aged people with disposable income who wish to buy them out of nostalgia. The days of sub £1000 pre-1980 cars are long gone unless you're shopping for a resto project. Hell, a Triumph Acclaim is now worth more dosh than my '05 Civic in similar condition... 

 

Established 1950s classics appear to have stalled in value recently though, presumably due to limited appeal and the traditional purchases either giving up driving or passing away, especially stodgy British stuff like Standards etc.

The best stuff! 

[Bren]

There is the "life on mars" effect.

 

After show was on TV everybody wanted a cortina - the prices went up. People then.look for a cheaper alternative like avenger, marina, hunter - their prices go up also.

 

Even SD1's have enjoyed a considerable rise in price - because their's none left.

The issue with nostalgia is you drive a 35 year old ford and then you realise how good your 2002 astra is.

[anonymous user]

What some forget with the Mk1 and Mk2 Escorts is they have always been popular with the rally boys, I suspect this is what helped to drag the price up, especially for 2dr shells as they get crashed.

[NorfolkNWeigh]

What some forget with the Mk1 and Mk2 Escorts is they have always been popular with the rally boys, I suspect this is what helped to drag the price up, especially for 2dr shells as they get crashed.

As early as 1983, I was putting 2.0 Pintos in 4 doors and estates because solid 2 doors were already too expensive.

[andy18s]

As early as 1983, I was putting 2.0 Pintos in 4 doors and estates because solid 2 doors were already too expensive.

There's a 1980 RS2000 with only 900 odd miles on it up for auction soon

It has an estimate of around 90k...

Just mad

I've just left an RS Owners page as there's a huge fight about replated bolts going on....

Ie should they be shiney or matt finish,and some posters are almost apoplectic in their rage it seems

[DodgeRover]

They get expensive when you get to middle age and think sod it I never had one when I wanted one I'll have one now I've got a bit of money.

[tooSavvy]

andy18s^^^ .... I <may> have 'fanned a flame', over on the IMP forum, with inappropriately referenced digs about 'concourse presentation requiring original factory air in the tyres'...

 

TS

[twosmoke300]

Rivet counters - saddos the lot of them . I like stuff nice and standard but something's were either crap from new or just don't fucking matter !

[captain_70s]

I brush paint over my Brooklands Green Dolomite's rust spots with Hammerite Straight To Rust "Dark Green". It REALLY annoys some people at car shows...

[SiC]

I brush paint over my Brooklands Green Dolomite's rust spots with Hammerite Straight To Rust "Dark Green". It REALLY annoys some people at car shows...

I've always wondered how well Hammerite direct to rust went on cars and why more people don't do it.

[Cavcraft]

Mustard mtt there's been some very bargainous (by 'normal' prices) cars about recently. A half decent looking (though obvs. they can't half rot) Super Snipe went for £950 recently, I'd have thought it'd be double that and more, plus a few OSFs have been notable cheaper than usual, too.

[SiC]

I'm hoping this time of year when the market quietens off (especially in January) there will be a few bargains. Not that I have anywhere to store such a car though...

 

I have been keeping an eye on Moggies with the idea of running a cheap ones as a WBoD. Unfortunately, even crap ones go for well above 1k.

[The_Equalizer]

There's also the fact that savings are getting the square root of nothing in a bank and all and sundry are now punting classics as investments. Classic auction houses are now offering 'finance'. 

 

I find it rather depressing. The missus gets me Classic Cars on subscription. It's not even the poshest mag on the block, but it's telephone numbers for most of the stuff in there. I've request my subscription is moved to Modern Classics come Christmas. Then again there's still enough magic metal to be had for buttons for stuff made between 1995-2005.

[The_Equalizer]

... S1/2 XJ6s , 30 years ago they were £50 to maybe £1000 for one owner low mileage , now they are worth twice that of a same condition P6.

 

Bought my very original early S1 XJ6 4.2 manual with 41K on it back in 2011 for £3K. If I were looking today it would be £10K+. And that's the problem. It's tucked up in the mother-in-law's garage and should really be getting more use. However, I dare not sell it for fear of the market leaving me behind by the time I came to get something else.

[captain_70s]

I've always wondered how well Hammerite direct to rust went on cars and why more people don't do it.

It doesn't do very well and is entirely the wrong colour, but I find that sanding it down, treating it with Krust and painting it properly still sees the rust coming back through after 6 months of daily use so I go for the cheap/cheerful option!

[fordperv]

you drive a 35 year old ford and then you realise how good your life is compared to the people in euroboxes financed up to the hilts and deep in debt staring back at you

Fixed that

[Talbot]

I’ve found that if you Ring the seller up, turn up on time and act fairly normal, they are so grateful after having endless ‘last price’ bollocks, that you can usually chip a fair whack off the price. Last car I bought was up at £500, offered £350 and said I’d take it there and then. None of all this ‘can you hold it while Friday when my mate will lend me £500’ shit.

This.

 

Whenever I buy a car, I'll look over it, make a mental note of the issues and then just wallop in an offer price.  If the seller has half-a-clue what they are doing, they know what issues the car has, and they recognise that I now know too.  No endless waffling on about a dink in the body or a sticky caliper.  Here's the offer, here's the cash.  I bought a Discovery 300tdi 2-door with A/C a while back using this method, and got it cheap enough that I managed to blat about in it for the remaining 6 months of MOT, did absolutely nothing to it, and sold it with no ticket (and some fairly dramatic holes in the chassis) for exactly what I paid for it.  Helped with it being a 2-door model with no sunroofs, but then I knew that when I made my offer to the original seller.

 

Either that, or I buy completely blind, knowing the vehicle could either be spot on (Note recent Bling purchace) or an utter shed (current W210).  It's a risk you take.

[andy18s]

andy18s^^^ .... I <may> have 'fanned a flame', over on the IMP forum, with inappropriately referenced digs about 'concourse presentation requiring original factory air in the tyres'...

 

TS

Oh it gets better...

Pirelli CN36 tyres are now being remade to suit the RS2000,but voices are being heard claiming non originality as they are fresh out the mould and Not 30yr old "original"...

[Junkman]

What I wouldn't do is get a cheap car off a fellow Autoshiter to profit from, seems even I have some standards.

I usually do the opposite - buy a car on the open market, then unload it at a great loss onto the unsuspecting Autoshite community.

I really have no standards.

[D Spares & Tyres]

I really have no standards.

I have a standard but it has barely gained any value in the last decade. Neither have any other cars in my collection.

 

I got rid of all the Escorts, Capri, Cortinas etc for pennies.

 

I even sold a solid Mk1 Fiesta for £100, about a fortnight before prices went daft

[cort1977]

When you started looking at the same 1986 average stuff, in 2017.

 

However if you compare 1986 average stuff with 2017 average stuff of the same age it's fucking cheap as chips. Even allowing for lack of VED changing hands with ownership, stuff has never been this crazy cheap.

This is very true, cheap cars are unbelievably cheap in the UK.

 

On a macro level I would say that the poor returns on bonds and other non-stock investments in recent years has made wealthy types look at putting their money in other things like wine, watches and classic cars. This has driven the prices of exotica to record levels and to some extent that has filtered down to the white room brigade and then ebay chancers.

[cort1977]

Established 1950s classics appear to have stalled in value recently though, presumably due to limited appeal and the traditional purchases either giving up driving or passing away, especially stodgy British stuff like Standards etc.

This is also a factor, apparently the price of Elvis memorabilia is falling rapidly because he has been in the ground for 40 years now and few care about him enough to support the previously high prices.

[bezzabsa]

I hanker for a Marina as a 'Daily' classic...I know they're shite - but always had a soft spot for them , blame my old Maths Teacher as he had a metallic brown 1.8TC that was immaculate, and only even ran on 5 star juice (going back a bit)..was polished every dinner time weather allowing..

[Clanger]

Captain-70's has a point and not just 50's classics either.

I'm sure Rover P6 prices have stayed pretty much the same for the last 30 years , ie you can still (just) get a runner for a grand , most V8s around £4/5k and the best in the world struggling to make more than £8,000 even a red S with Junkman disapproved black leather and spare wheel on the boot.

Compare that with Granadas or S1/2 XJ6s , 30 years ago they were £50 to maybe £1000 for one owner low mileage , now they are worth twice that of a same condition P6.

Cheap P6s you say?  Might I direct the right honourable gentleman to the following...

 

http://www.graemehunt.com/motorcar/388/1975-rover-3500-14-000-miles-only

 

Yours for a mere £34,500...