Is it still possible to buy a "nailed on" classic car for less than two grand?

[Mally]

Step right this way, sir...

621E5A54-5774-4116-8B0B-9C7B81916D90.jpeg

 

Ah! a ladder......how much?

[John F]

Yep, it's possible to buy a genuine classic for less than £2k.

 

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Volkswagen-Beetle/222730781725?hash=item33dbca041d:g:iOYAAOSwzsFaFzJB

 

£1795 buy it now, comes with a full MOT and won't need another one as it's exempt from next year.

 

Just needs a roof rack & some tropical fruit

[DaveDorson]

Yep, it's possible to buy a genuine classic for less than £2k.

 

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Volkswagen-Beetle/222730781725?hash=item33dbca041d:g:iOYAAOSwzsFaFzJB

 

£1795 buy it now, comes with a full MOT and won't need another one as it's except from next year.

 

Just needs a roof rack & some tropical fruit

 

I've got two of them.

 

I love my VW beetles, but they're not really the sort of thing I'm after.

 

I know I want champagne for lemonade money, but that's how I'm wired I'm afraid.

[purplebargeken]

Triumph Toledo, Dolomite and 1300/1500FWD - all day long. Comfy, nippy, easy to work on and good parts availability plus plenty of support.

[egg]

Something like this for me, the fun of air cooling in an affordable package. Whether it is a nailed on classic though, no probably not. But you could show it if that's your thing? Yes. Surely FOTU fodder?

 

https://www.leboncoin.fr/voitures/1342448861.htm?ca=17_s

 

[The_Equalizer]

I've got two of them.

 

I love my VW beetles, but they're not really the sort of thing I'm after.

 

I know I want champagne for lemonade money, but that's how I'm wired I'm afraid.

 

Then, realistically, it's going to be a 'modern classic'. Stuff bouncing at the bottom of its depreciation curve.

 

I'm still total taken by the bang for buck of Merc CLKs. It's 4.3 litres/280bhp worth of lovelyness for a smidgen over £2K:

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Mercedes-CLK-430-Elegance-Convertible/282758570315?hash=item41d5b9614b:g:GZsAAOSw~vpaI~ug

[John F]

Yep. Beetles have plummeted in value after a peak in the 1990s iirc, but you'll be lucky to find much else from the '60s and '70s in that price bracket that isn't depressingly ugly or needs ££ spending on it.

 

Another option is to blow about a hundred quid of your budget on joining the Autoshite International trip to Bulgaria next year & drive home some prime Eastern European chod.

 

Like this 1969 ARO jeep for £670:

 

 

https://www.olx.bg/ad/dzhip-aro-ID6BBun.html#016d8c9bf7

[Talbot]

A half-decent Citroen CX with ticket can be had for under 2k.  They are appreciating at the moment, meaning top-models (Turbo-petrols in A1 condition) are beginning to make big money and the lower models are just beginning to rise too.  Yes, there are still moss-covered wrecks for £150 (I know, I recently sold three..) but I suspect a moderately decent one will be a fairly good investment.  2.2 Douvrin engined later models are probably a safe bet.  Early chrome-bumpered ones are more stylish, but are more susceptible to rot and are more expensive in good condition.

 

Buy a Petrol Saloon though.  The diesels are either fragile (Turbo 2 models), a bit underpowered (turbo 1) or glacial (non-turbo).  The estate's are a cavern, but seemingly not as valuable, despite being *much* more useable and useful.  2.5 GTi auto saloons come up on a reasonably regular basis and are also a good bet.  Utterly effortless to drive.

[flat4alfa]

Well you just missed this for £2400:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1973-WOLSELEY-SIX-AUTO-3x-owners-with-history/202128093476

 

Been on watch for that as had a good look around it at the Festival Unexeptional.

 

Was faffing with my E46 lock drama and forgot about it ending this morning....

 

Feel a bit silly now as E6 Landcrab in smart colour is on my bucket list.  And £2400 is nothing in today's world

[DaveDorson]

A half-decent Citroen CX with ticket can be had for under 2k.  They are appreciating at the moment, meaning top-models (Turbo-petrols in A1 condition) are beginning to make big money and the lower models are just beginning to rise too.  Yes, there are still moss-covered wrecks for £150 (I know, I recently sold three..) but I suspect a moderately decent one will be a fairly good investment.  2.2 Douvrin engined later models are probably a safe bet.  Early chrome-bumpered ones are more stylish, but are more susceptible to rot and are more expensive in good condition.

 

Buy a Petrol Saloon though.  The diesels are either fragile (Turbo 2 models), a bit underpowered (turbo 1) or glacial (non-turbo).  The estate's are a cavern, but seemingly not as valuable, despite being *much* more useable and useful.  2.5 GTi auto saloons come up on a reasonably regular basis and are also a good bet.  Utterly effortless to drive.

 

A good CX is definately something I'd want to own at some point.

[Cavcraft]

STOP IT. I have one horrendously fucked old Rover, I really don't* want to be constantly tempted by another.

 

One is such a lonely number.

[garbaldy]

What about a viva as they are still undesirableish

[Talbot]

A good CX is definately something I'd want to own at some point.

Do it now before they become absurd money.  It's taking a bit longer than the DS did, but I recon in 5 years time even a OMGBARNFIND one will be £2k and anything with ticket will be double that.  Tidy condition GTI Turbo 2 models are already making an easy £5k when they were barely making £2k 5 years ago.

[sierraman]

Pointless describing what was a good car and what was a bad one during the 1970’s. By the standards of something made 20 years later they were all a bit wank. But that’s not the point, you buy something because you like it, a marina or a Cortina brings out memories for people of a certain age.

[DaveDorson]

What about a viva as they are still undesirableish

 

My dad, who used to build Vauxhall's in that era, has told me once before, on no uncertain terms, that he'd be quite angry if after everything I've learned, I bought one of those bloody things

[DaveDorson]

Pointless describing what was a good car and what was a bad one during the 1970’s. By the standards of something made 20 years later they were all a bit wank. But that’s not the point, you buy something because you like it, a marina or a Cortina brings out memories for people of a certain age.

 

That's just it.

 

I like Jags of the era, Cortina MK2/3's, and pre SD1 Rovers.  There's not really much else that I see as anything outside being a compromise.  I think what I need is more money, to be honest.

[barrett]

So the question was not really 'can you still buy a 'classic' for £2k?', but 'Can you still buy a Jag XJ6, Rover P6 or Mk2/3 Cortina for £2k?'

[DaveDorson]

So the question was not really 'can you still buy a 'classic' for £2k?', but 'Can you still buy a Jag XJ6, Rover P6 or Mk2/3 Cortina for £2k?'

 

No.

 

the question was what I posed.

 

Some digging within myself, has revealed that while it might well be possible, they'd not be the classics I wanted, so I need to re-think things.

 

Great thing about discussion that .

[DaveDorson]

The other thing it's achieved, is I'm now considering a CX as one of the ones I might well fancy .  See, that's new too

[bezzabsa]

ugly yank stuff???

 

70's 'compact cars' dont seem to be moving, where as the land yachts seem to hold value

[motorpunk]

I think you'd get an X308 XJR for two grand, ish. Not that old, admittedly, but rather nice all the same. 

[Ghosty]

I agree with the Volvo comments, the 70s models are pretty overlooked and underrated.

£2k would get you an absolutely mintola earlyish 740, mind. Heck, you might even get two of them for that if you’re lucky. Having had a go in Conelrad’s P6 3500, I actually found it to drive and handle very, very similar to a 740.

[Tamworthbay]

No.

 

the question was what I posed.

 

Some digging within myself, has revealed that while it might well be possible, they'd not be the classics I wanted, so I need to re-think things.

 

Great thing about discussion that .

Similar happened to me, I wanted to know what was possible then having seen what was possible realised that none of it appealed so I need more dosh or to get my finger out and sort one of the projects a bit quicker.

[DaveDorson]

ugly yank stuff???

 

70's 'compact cars' dont seem to be moving, where as the land yachts seem to hold value

 

I've considered that route.  But I'm not really feeling it  I quite like some of the 1960's stuff, but they don't grab me.

 

I think you'd get an X308 XJR for two grand, ish. Not that old, admittedly, but rather nice all the same. 

 

Yeah I looked at getting an X300 with a 3.2 and buying the best I could find, but again, it comes back to that compromise thing.

 

I agree with the Volvo comments, the 70s models are pretty overlooked and underrated.

£2k would get you an absolutely mintola earlyish 740, mind. Heck, you might even get two of them for that if you’re lucky. Having had a go in Conelrad’s P6 3500, I actually found it to drive and handle very, very similar to a 740.

 

I've got a lot of caravanning holidy memories attached to Volvo's.  I'd rather they stayed memories .  Those and Peugeot 505's may well have scarred me for life.

 

Similar happened to me, I wanted to know what was possible then having seen what was possible realised that none of it appealed so I need more dosh or to get my finger out and sort one of the projects a bit quicker.

 

Yep, get stuff done and flog it, make a bit more for the pot, see what the market is like when it's sat in my bank, rather than just doing a what if excerise.  At least I now know that I need to probably make more money happen to get where I want to be.

[John F]

I wouldn't call modern-ish Volvos & Jags a 'nailed-on classic'.

 

I suspect a Volvo would need to be an Amazon or P1800 (or at least a 140 / 160)  to carry that off, although a 480 ES might get away with it on rarity / weirdness... A SIII Jag would manage it, especially an early one.

 

But all of those will cost ££ and/or need work.

[DaveDorson]

That's what I was getting at.. I'd want an XJ6 SIII or earlier Jag.  I've had a couple of XJ40's in my time, they're nice but they're not the full gentlemens club that the proper ones are, and the more modern you go, the less they've got the air of Chesterfield Sofa's and Drinks cabinets about them that appeals to me.

 

I get a similar vibe off the P6 and earlier Rovers too, although not to the same extent.

 

And my uncle had a few MK2 Cortina's, and Mk3's appeal to me because of the coke bottle lines.  I'd also not mind a Mk1 Granada/Consul but MONEH!

 

Volvo's I'd said no to.. however looking at this.

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Classic-Volvo-164-Automatic-saloon-1972-Retro-Rider-six-cylinder-2986cc/162773903792?hash=item25e614a9b0:g:cscAAOSwLyVZvlN6

 

Satan get behind thee..

[AlabamaShrimp]

What does "nailed on" mean?

 

Can't you just trawl ebay and buy the first thing you like then regret it latter selling it for a hugh loss just before the price rises like everyone else?

[panhard65]

That's what I was getting at.. I'd want an XJ6 SIII or earlier Jag.  I've had a couple of XJ40's in my time, they're nice but they're not the full gentlemens club that the proper ones are, and the more modern you go, the less they've got the air of Chesterfield Sofa's and Drinks cabinets about them that appeals to me.

 

I get a similar vibe off the P6 and earlier Rovers too, although not to the same extent.

 

And my uncle had a few MK2 Cortina's, and Mk3's appeal to me because of the coke bottle lines.  I'd also not mind a Mk1 Granada/Consul but MONEH!

 

Volvo's I'd said no to.. however looking at this.

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Classic-Volvo-164-Automatic-saloon-1972-Retro-Rider-six-cylinder-2986cc/162773903792?hash=item25e614a9b0:g:cscAAOSwLyVZvlN6

 

Satan get behind thee..

That needs to drop a grand at least. Off the road since the 90's and the seller hasn't mot'ed it so will be a dog. Spend a bit more and get a nice one. There are a couple of decent ones at the 3.5k mark

[vulgalour]

All of the things I would have suggested already have been, and discounted.  That said, if you're willing to take on a CX then you can't be that scared of weird car ownership and there's plenty of viable stuff in the £2k range, ranging from perfect examples of things you don't like, to less perfect examples like this Lancia.

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/STILL-FOR-SALE-BARN-FIND-RARE-1979-CLASSIC-LANCIA-BETA-BERLINA-40k-Miles/132394073073

 

Trouble is, £2k is nothing these days for a classic car and if you're chasing popular options you're going to have to double that at least for something that you can use straight away and doesn't need work.  Compromise or plain luck is the only way you're going to get what you want in budget.  If you want champagne for lemonade money you're going to end up drinking shit champagne.

[danthecapriman]

One other option is to go get what you want from somewhere that thing isn't as desirable.

 

You want a Cortina.

 

https://www.leboncoin.fr/voitures/1346652422.htm?ca=4_s

 

Yeah it's not actually a Cortina but it's pretty damn close.

 

Jag...

 

https://www.leboncoin.fr/voitures/1349105543.htm?ca=4_s

 

Just a simple train or ferry trip away, then drive or trailer home. Back in time for dinner!