Why do these cars sell for so little $ ?

[esmit208]

Slightly off topic...

Just sayin'

http://www.streetsideclassics.com/showcarvideos.php?stock=1430&location=cha&fullname=1975 Datsun 280Z Scarab

Still not worth 38K.....Just Sayin!

[esmit208]

The BIGGEST obstacle to Datsun/Nissan Z's selling for higher dollars are other owners....

Case in point:

But I'll bet that they would be deeply offended if you offered them the same deal to buy their car.

"I won't offer you much because I hate to get b!tch slapped."

My personal take is that there are far too many previous owners who sold their cars for less than what is CURRENTLY being offered and therefore feel they have an inherent interest in keeping prices "real".

That's right, a stupid sour grapes motive.

Often times those previous owners are citing sales figures from years ago, or sales during economic turmoil times as their "proof positive" that what they cite is the "gospel" truth. Anyone checked the "Classic" advertisements in the newspaper recently? With a good storage facility and some cash, there were some extremely beautiful and rare automobiles exchanging hands at fire sale prices recently that could be some very lucrative "investments".

But as long as current owners insist that the cars offered for sale equal to their own are not worth much more than crap, then they'll continue to sell for crappy prices. Replacement part manufacturers see this and refuse to invest money reproducing parts for cars that would need a lien placed on the car since the replacement part would be worth as much or more than the car.

As Pogo once said "We have met the enemy and he is us."

E

ESScanlon

No sour grapes here. My point is if these cars don't get driven and used and everyone asks unrealistic prices for them then no one will have a need for rare parts because the cars won't exchange hands and they will all sit, thus no parts will demand. Sure I would like both my cars to be valued at that much and they would truly feel like an investment heck we all would. As a perspective buyer I would feel insulted if I approached this owner and he said 38K. My statement may have been a little over the top but above all I am a REALIST. No doubt this is a car worth more than the sticker price but if you have that much to spend would you not spend it on a current day sports machine? I don't care how much of an enthusiast you are ! I challenge anyone to differ!

[Gary in NJ]

Still not worth 38K.....Just Sayin!

Agreed. First thing I would do with that car is replace that low-mileage original automatic transmission with a proper gear changer...Just Sayin!

[esmit208]

While the Healey's sell for more, the same complaints exist for lots of cars. The MGB and TR6/7/8 folks all complain about the same thing. Having owed (or still own) some of each of these, you buy for 3-7k, put that much again into em, and they are still worth 3-7k. Nice cars, but you'll never get more out of than you paid, pretty much no matter how much you put in em. Its life. This is not an investment, its a fun way to get to work, or the mountains, or the lake or whatever.

A Jensen-Healey would fun some day.

I second that. If ANYONE restoring ANY CAR is doing it to turn some unrealistic profit, THINK AGAIN. This particular vehicle appears to be all factory but consider this, you find a Model T Ford in someones barn in the upper midwest. I have no idea what they sold for originally but let's just say $300. Now if you don't think that the owner is a complete maroone that asks almost %1000 over what the car sold for then maybe you should get taken to the cleaners. ANYTHING THAT LOSES VALUE THE INSTANT YOU TAKE POSSESSION OF IT IS NOT AN INVESTMENT. As this gentleman said "its a fun way to get to work, or the mountains, or the lake or whatever." And it's always nice to see non-Z people DROOL!

[bobc]

Rich, you just had to drag me into this didn't you? Yes, it's a good car. For the record, the current owner bought it from a very nice older gentleman for $14K after he made him stand out in the sun for a couple of hours. By the time the gentleman's daughter got there, the deal was done. Both Carl and I told them to ask $20K and not sell it for less than $18K. I'm sure the current owner won't like me posting what he paid for it, but.....

And, you're right, I like your car more!

Best,

Bob

[motorman7]

Rich, you just had to drag me into this didn't you? Yes, it's a good car. For the record, the current owner bought it from a very nice older gentleman for $14K after he made him stand out in the sun for a couple of hours. By the time the gentleman's daughter got there, the deal was done. Both Carl and I told them to ask $20K and not sell it for less than $18K. I'm sure the current owner won't like me posting what he paid for it, but.....

And, you're right, I like your car more!

Best,

Bob

I remember you telling me about the sale. I wasn't going to say anything. Trying to maintain my pacifist role here. :classic:

[Powerglide]

rust!

[Willoughby Z]

Still not worth 38K.....Just Sayin!

TOTALLY agree!

[tlorber]

Jim Altman, that was well stated. Sure, I'd like my car to be worth more, but the reality is that I bought it [to DRIVE it by the way, not just to wax it and stare at it] precisely because I didn't want to spend a ton of money on it-neither for the acquisition nor for parts. If I'd wanted to pay more I'd have bought a pre '75 911. Incindentally there are WAY more 911's around here than old Z's so that affected my decision as well.

If these cars cost more, you know the suppliers would charge more. Until rust and wreckage get the numbers down lower, we'll just have to look at these cars as fun, reliable, good looking hobbies that we enjoy working on and driving.

[Marco69]

There are many variables when it comes to car pricing... Being Japanese is not necessarily that much an issue - have you tried to buy a Toyota 2000GT? It is Japanese, but less than 400 made and some have sold for $375,000 at auction. This is vintage Ferrari category.

[Mike B]

I must say, with all due respect, I have seen this car in person and it is really in amazing condition for a car its age. Carl and BobC can both testify to that as they are both very familiar with the car. Other than mine, I can't say that I've seen an un-restored car that comes close to it. Yet, as you have said, it is worth what someone is willing to pay.

Rich

Rich, you just had to drag me into this didn't you? Yes, it's a good car. For the record, the current owner bought it from a very nice older gentleman for $14K after he made him stand out in the sun for a couple of hours. By the time the gentleman's daughter got there, the deal was done. Both Carl and I told them to ask $20K and not sell it for less than $18K. I'm sure the current owner won't like me posting what he paid for it, but.....

Bobc, I think that explains alot and $14-20k is much more reasonable. Here is my reply to motorman7 from that I typed up yesterday, but decided not to post:

I'm sure it is a nice car. My point was I think $38,750 is a bit much for a 72 with 26k miles and an automatic transmission in this economy, even in fantastic shape and completely original. For example, there were two Z's that sold in the Seattle area last year (a 71 and 72) with manual transmissions that had less mileage and were in nice original unrestored condition (granted one had been stored indoors for many years). I think they both sold for around $18-19K http://www.classiczcars.com/forums/showthread.php?t=39801. Maybe the one you linked to is in better shape, I just don't know if it is $20k better. I see it didn't sell on ebay; maybe it will eventually at that price, who knows. I have seen it listed on yahoo japan before also with no takers at that price.

-Mike

[Healey Z]

There are many variables when it comes to car pricing... Being Japanese is not necessarily that much an issue - have you tried to buy a Toyota 2000GT? It is Japanese, but less than 400 made and some have sold for $375,000 at auction. This is vintage Ferrari category.

Marco hit it on the head. I think the main item driving the value of the older Z is supply. There is a demand for these cars, because they are fundamentally great cars. However, they made a lot of these cars (more Z's in one year than all big Healeys ever made for example). That doesn't diminish the fact that Z's are great cars, it is just that the supply/demand curve keeps the prices low.

So, perhaps it will take another 20 years when rust and neglect consume the weak and the strong will be worth more.