Wedges seem to be selling well?

[Tim 7-33]

Hello all. Not been on here before, though I am a former wedge owner. C538SLY, a green 350i. Believe she still exists as I saw her on Classic Cars for Sale last year. Anyway, my point. Though cars do seem to be selling do you think I'm right to suggest a lot of them are more at the budget end of the market? I'm really keen to get back into wedge ownership but looking more towards a 390, 400 or 420SE, yet I haven't seen many for sale recently, especially up here in the north. Are owners now hanging on to these rarer models or do I need to just be patient before cars come to market?

[stevoj]

Tim 7-33 said:

Hello all. Not been on here before, though I am a former wedge owner. C538SLY, a green 350i. Believe she still exists as I saw her on Classic Cars for Sale last year. Anyway, my point. Though cars do seem to be selling do you think I'm right to suggest a lot of them are more at the budget end of the market? I'm really keen to get back into wedge ownership but looking more towards a 390, 400 or 420SE, yet I haven't seen many for sale recently, especially up here in the north. Are owners now hanging on to these rarer models or do I need to just be patient before cars come to market?

Hi Tim, if its the larger engines your after, just bide your time and there will be some along. There have been a few for sale over the summer and some that still looked to be bargains, although there have been some at the higher end of the value's also. I suppose it depends what you want to pay and how much work you want to put in but the right one will come eventually.
The 400's and above always seem to command higher values but there was even a couple of 390's for sale not long back at the 10k-15k mark! There has been a 400 for sale for a while at 18k but the fact that its been there for while obviously suggests values are not up there yet (unless its a SEAC).

[stevoj]

Looks like a decent 390SE just come on the adds and good price.

[mrzigazaga]

Looks like you talked it in mate...

[Nick Brough]

Tim 7-33 said:

Hello all. Not been on here before, though I am a former wedge owner. C538SLY, a green 350i. Believe she still exists as I saw her on Classic Cars for Sale last year. Anyway, my point. Though cars do seem to be selling do you think I'm right to suggest a lot of them are more at the budget end of the market? I'm really keen to get back into wedge ownership but looking more towards a 390, 400 or 420SE, yet I haven't seen many for sale recently, especially up here in the north. Are owners now hanging on to these rarer models or do I need to just be patient before cars come to market?

Tim

Not sure if you saw this earlier in the thread it is in the North

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/191662710117?_trksid=p20...

ElvisWedgely said:

If you want to buy a 350SE, buy the red No 9 that's on sale now. It's highly tuned and fitted with a V8 Developments engine. I can only describe the performance as blistering. I used to own that car and have never driven anything as quick. Judging by it's present condition, it can't be much short of immaculate. I do not know or have contact with the present owner.

Tony.TCB.

[Tim 7-33]

Hi, yes I have seen the 350SE. Looks very nice, but stupid as it sounds, I can't see myself in a red one, or white for that matter, otherwise the 390 at TVR Mads would have been ideal. Probably cutting off my nose to spite my face with thinking like that but if you are buying something like this you need to have a spec in mind and stick to it so you have no regrets I think, though I did buy my 350 purely on the noise so any smart ideas will probably go out of the window as soon as I hear one fire up again! The blue 390 does tick most of the boxes however. Is anyone familiar with that car? The pictures are obviously a bit out of date unless winter has come early in Bucks but a heads up would be good.

[Morrisseys Cat]

Kind words Elvis Thank you

SE No9 is mine and a credit to the good folk like you who have looked after her over the years

You are right about the engine -

She deserves to go to a good home, kept in the manner she is accustomed to and be driven a bit more than I have time for

Kindest regards

Ade

[pwd95]

The number plate of the Blue 390 used to be on my old 450SE.....

[stevoj]

Tim 7-33 said:

Hi, yes I have seen the 350SE. Looks very nice, but stupid as it sounds, I can't see myself in a red one, or white for that matter, otherwise the 390 at TVR Mads would have been ideal. Probably cutting off my nose to spite my face with thinking like that but if you are buying something like this you need to have a spec in mind and stick to it so you have no regrets I think, though I did buy my 350 purely on the noise so any smart ideas will probably go out of the window as soon as I hear one fire up again! The blue 390 does tick most of the boxes however. Is anyone familiar with that car? The pictures are obviously a bit out of date unless winter has come early in Bucks but a heads up would be good.

Looks like the vendor has uploaded some up to date pics.

[stevoj]

mrzigazaga said:

Looks like you talked it in mate...

Yep Mark, there will be 3 along in a minute

[celcius]

pwd95 said:

The number plate of the Blue 390 used to be on my old 450SE.....

Hi wynn
It was on my old 450 that i sold last year , buyer didnt want the plate so i kept it and put it On my 390.
Hope your well

[mike various]

Hi just thought i'd you know that your old wedge still exists i've owned it for over 12 months.
I was going to rebuild it but another wedge came up and i bought that instead.
I've got someone coming to look at it the weekend as i don't need two wedges in my life.
I've got a 350se almost the same as the other one that's for sale no9 just different interior.

Cheers

Mike

[ElvisWedgely]

mike various said:

I've got a 350se almost the same as the other one that's for sale no9 just different interior.

Cheers

Mike

What No 350SE is that then?

Tony. TCB.

[mike various]

Hi apologies to everyone that i didn't make my message very clear.

I own the green 350I reg no C538SLY that TIM 7-33 was on about although i have another forum member coming to look at it this weekend and i have provisionally sold it.

As i said i own a 350SE in red number 26 of the series. That is my current play thing although i have to say it's testing my patience with the number of silly faults that i get with it.
I cure one problem and like buses another one comes along to try and spoil my fun.

The pleasures of wedge ownership !!

Mike

[ElvisWedgely]

mike various said:

As i said i own a 350SE in red number 26 of the series.

The pleasures of wedge ownership !!

Mike

Ah. No. 26. I presume that must be the last one made to replace No.13. Was that the one on sale a while back with engine problems? or am I thinking of another?

Once all the niggly things are sorted, I'm sure it will be a lot of fun. There is something I like about the looks of a 350SE over the 400SE. and with the powerful engine and sound, they are lovely to own. I have owned two 350SE's in the past and both were a pleasure to own.

Tony. TCB.

[ibroker]

Tim 7-33 said:

. Though cars do seem to be selling do you think I'm right to suggest a lot of them are more at the budget end of the market? I'm really keen to get back into wedge ownership but looking more towards a 390, 400 or 420SE, yet I haven't seen many for sale recently, especially up here in the north. Are owners now hanging on to these rarer models or do I need to just be patient before cars come to market?

I think your right there the budget cars are the ones selling quickly. I also think people vastly under estimate when buying one what can be spent on a Wedge to stop it leaking every liquid from every hole, to rid yourself of the constant niggles and issues these cars have and make the car solid.

I recently had my 400se on ebay for £12k. It really only attracted people wanting to spend a quarter of that, and prepared to offer it!!! yet the car has had £8000 spent on it in the last 18 months. Repaint it (the only thing left now) and its a gem but people dont see that and sometimes the false economy of a cheaper car.

That said I am going to re-advertise it shortly and brace myself for the, "How much for cash" Brigade (as if the indicated price is not a clue) and various offers of Vauxhall Corsas in PX...Happy days

[ElvisWedgely]

ibroker said:

I think your right there the budget cars are the ones selling quickly. I also think people vastly under estimate when buying one what can be spent on a Wedge to stop it leaking every liquid from every hole, to rid yourself of the constant niggles and issues these cars have and make the car solid.

I recently had my 400se on ebay for £12k. It really only attracted people wanting to spend a quarter of that, and prepared to offer it!!! yet the car has had £8000 spent on it in the last 18 months. Repaint it (the only thing left now) and its a gem but people dont see that and sometimes the false economy of a cheaper car.

That said I am going to re-advertise it shortly and brace myself for the, "How much for cash" Brigade (as if the indicated price is not a clue) and various offers of Vauxhall Corsas in PX...Happy days

I think the problem is that Wedges are still not attracting a classic car value as much as they should be in line with other classics. They are still selling on face value, and so, people tend to go for the budget end of the market. Consequently, the cheaper ones sell more quickly. However, like you say, people tend to underestimate the costs involved in bringing up to standard. Just my opinion.

Tony. TCB.

[Nick Brough]

ibroker said:

I think your right there the budget cars are the ones selling quickly. I also think people vastly under estimate when buying one what can be spent on a Wedge to stop it leaking every liquid from every hole, to rid yourself of the constant niggles and issues these cars have and make the car solid.

I recently had my 400se on ebay for £12k. It really only attracted people wanting to spend a quarter of that, and prepared to offer it!!! yet the car has had £8000 spent on it in the last 18 months. Repaint it (the only thing left now) and its a gem but people dont see that and sometimes the false economy of a cheaper car.

That said I am going to re-advertise it shortly and brace myself for the, "How much for cash" Brigade (as if the indicated price is not a clue) and various offers of Vauxhall Corsas in PX...Happy days

Please don’t take this the wrong way as it is just my opinion, but if you add the cost of a mid range respray to what you want for your 400SE you get to a price I would be happy to get for my Griff.
Although to me the 400SE is the best looking wedge I could in no way justify doing a straight swap of the Griff for one

[ibroker]

Nick Brough said:

Please don’t take this the wrong way as it is just my opinion, but if you add the cost of a mid range respray to what you want for your 400SE you get to a price I would be happy to get for my Griff.
Although to me the 400SE is the best looking wedge I could in no way justify doing a straight swap of the Griff for one

Nick your spot on. Alot of the lower end cars will go from owner to owner, all of whom will fiddle and fettle and spend a bit here and there and the cycle will go on in some cases with no real improvement in the car. Do it properly and you can spend alot of money and then realise perhaps you should have bought something else, as the irritating issues with wedge just seem endless.

[Nick Brough]

ibroker said:

Nick your spot on. Alot of the lower end cars will go from owner to owner, all of whom will fiddle and fettle and spend a bit here and there and the cycle will go on in some cases with no real improvement in the car. Do it properly and you can spend alot of money and then realise perhaps you should have bought something else, as the irritating issues with wedge just seem endless.

You are right I have always tried to go for low owner unmessed with cars. Although I hope you have got one thing wrong.

After over 35 years of buying and selling a few cars that are now classic, and the odd classic car one of which has actually gone up in value and I still have, I came to TVR and found the cars for me and my lack of driving style. Low revving lasy V8 with lots of low down torque.

Unfortunately, I have some other cars and with Mrs B threatening early retirement I cannot really justify keeping the Griffith and so plan to sell it, but I want to still have a TVR so it looks like a Wedge or S3 for my budget unless a good 400SE comes along in which case I may stretch a bit higher.

Pride comes before a fall but I still possibly naively believe you can get a reliable wedge that will not cost more than Griff to run for a third to half it’s purchase price.

Don’t write the wedges of yet figuratively speaking, or at least do until I have found one I remember when 1970’s Aston Martin DBS’s and Ferrari Dino 4 were unloved and unwanted look at the price of them now.

Regards

Nick

Edited by Nick Brough on Thursday 3rd September 18:06