Are things turning?

[Mr. Magoo]

Andy 308GTB said:

I think a lot of people are starting to kick back against the 'Play Station' generation of cars.

I've no experience of any of these cars but I suspect that whether you are sitting in a McLaren MP4, a Ferrari 458, an Audi R8 or a Lamborghini Gallardo the experience isn't hugely different. All are very fast, have semi-automatic gearboxes & have handling & grip that massively exceeds the needs of day to day town driving.

So let's say you're a bit nonplussed about driving a modern super car - what do you buy?

Driving around in a 10 year old super car makes it look like you can't afford a new one. So you need to go for something a bit different, something a bit unique. And you want something with a bit of personality & character. The classic car market ticks these boxes. Pull up outside a West End wine bar in a 1960's Alfa and you've got great taste and understand style. Rock up in a Ferrari 458 and you're just another city kid with his first bonus living the 90's dream...

Agreed - new money and taste aren't good bedfellows. Just look at the advertising industries use of classics from Kiera Knightleys Ducati to classic and vintage Mercs and Jags. There is definitely a 'bell' curve of desirability for classics.
IMHO 70's/80's 911's, DB5/6's, 70's/80's Lambos and E Types have hit the top of that.

[Carnage]

Yertis said:

Nice. Is it riding a bit high?

Thanks! New bushes and springs, so it's settling down slowly. Also on standard springs, as opposed to the 40mm lowering most seem to have.

[Yertis]

I know of one (that really belongs the Classics Left to Die thread) in need of restoration and I'm very tempted to make 'the enquiry'. It's the 1750 model and even as a rusty heap looks lovely. Compared to Quattro restoration it should be dead easy...

[Carnage]

Hmm, I'm not sure I'd risk a rusty one! There's £15K in the body on mine, thankfully not paid for by me. I sunk in about another £5K in parts too - so many little bits add up so quickly.

[grumpy52]

As many have said through the years if we could predict the trends it wouldn't be as much fun.
I cannot understand cars from the 70's and 80's that were carp then are now worth tens of thousands and others that were far better cars in the day are static in value .

[dartissimus]

grumpy52 said:

I cannot understand cars from the 70's and 80's that were carp then are now worth tens of thousands and others that were far better cars in the day are static in value .

Please give some examples, other than Cortinas

[RichB]

dartissimus said:

grumpy52 said:

I cannot understand cars from the 70's and 80's that were carp then are now worth tens of thousands and others that were far better cars in the day are static in value .

Please give some examples, other than Cortinas

Loads but obvious one to me is that people are advertising (don't know of they sell) Austin A40/A45 for £5,000 - I had one back in the day, bought it for £45 with a year's MOT - it was crap but useful as a load lugger when I played in a band.

[lowdrag]

dartissimus said:

Please give some examples, other than Cortinas

This, for example?

http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C423612

[crankedup]

RichB said:

RobinSherwood said:

jonah35 said:

I think older cars eg forties and fifties will lose favour as people of that generation die. Not many people under say 50 want a 1940s car.
A 1980s car yes.

Maybe I am the exception that proves the rule but I am 45 and this week bought a car dating from 1933.....

I don't think so, I grew up the 60s but my classic is from the 50s. Next I hanker for something pre-war

Thank goodness I'm not alone! Being a 1950's 'baby Boomer' perhaps I should be driving a 1970's car, but much prefer to enjoy my 1920's automobile.

[swisstoni]

What makes the market interesting is that nobody really understands it, even though some might say they do.

[RichB]

swisstoni said:

What makes the market interesting is that nobody really understands it, even though some might say they do.

Although some of us have no interest in "the market" just an deep interest in the cars themselves. Which is why I blithely say my next car will be something pre-war; Lagonda, Aston Martin, Jaguar SS or even perhaps a Bugatti. If I was bothered about the market I'd spend all my time thinking about the money rather than getting on with it. We're a long time dead

[RYH64E]

I've recently moved house so had to clear garage/shed/attic etc, in the process of which I came across many boxes of classic car magazines that I've hoarded (collected) from the late 70s onwards (now thrown away). It was surprising how similar the content of the oldest magazines was to the most recent, same cars, same articles, same comments, the major difference was the prices in the classified sections...

It would appear that what was classic and desirable in the 70s/80s is still classic and desirable 35 years later, and only very few cars have achieved classic status since. I pity the poor journalist who's given the task of coming up with a new and original article on the MGB, E Type, Austin Healey, XK120/140/150, etc, you'd think the subject matter would be exhausted by now.

[swisstoni]

RichB said:

swisstoni said:

What makes the market interesting is that nobody really understands it, even though some might say they do.

Although some of us have no interest in "the market" just an deep interest in the cars themselves. Which is why I blithely say my next car will be something pre-war; Lagonda, Aston Martin, Jaguar SS or even perhaps a Bugatti. If I was bothered about the market I'd spend all my time thinking about the money rather than getting on with it. We're a long time dead

Good for you, very sensible, but this tread IS about "the market".

[RichB]

swisstoni said:

Good for you, very sensible, but this tread IS about "the market".

That's very true, I'll read more carefully in future

[swisstoni]

RichB said:

swisstoni said:

Good for you, very sensible, but this tread IS about "the market".

That's very true, I'll read more carefully in future

Sorry - must have been the coffee made me all feisty for a while

[RichB]

Not at all Swiss' your point was well made

[RYH64E]

RichB said:

swisstoni said:

RichB said:

swisstoni said:

Good for you, very sensible, but this tread IS about "the market".

That's very true, I'll read more carefully in future

Sorry - must have been the coffee made me all feisty for a while

Not at all Swiss' your point was well made

How very civilized this quiet little backwater of PH is, makes a pleasant change from N,P&E etc.

[grumpy52]

dartissimus said:

grumpy52 said:

I cannot understand cars from the 70's and 80's that were carp then are now worth tens of thousands and others that were far better cars in the day are static in value .

Please give some examples, other than Cortinas

Stags ! I worked on them when new .
Anything connected with Beetles or air cooled campers (hateful slow things)
Escorts ? Basic transport in the day, spend a fortune on them to make them keep up with an Avenger .

[Skyedriver]

wibble cb said:

I have regressed somewhat , my first car was a 1967 Morris Minor when I was 17, and I am now in a 1959 Sprite, if money were no object ( which it sadly is)...I would have an XK120 in a heartbeat and I'm only 42!

It's all a matter of personal taste, but roll on the day old jags fall out of favour and become cheap again!

I'm 61, I wanted a Mk 1 Sprite as my first car, back in 1970. After more than two years of looking at rot and fibreglass I gave up and bought a Mk 2 Midget.
Now after owning Lotus/TVR/Caterham/Clan/BMW M3 etc I still hanker back to a "Frogeye" as it'll fit the garage, is straightforward to work on but unfortunately now I struggle to get into one!

[Vanin]

Salon Prive sale yesterday may be the start of a settling down of the market as most cars went below their price guide and many did not sell
https://silverstoneauctions.proxibid.com/asp/Catal...

This could however have been because of the venue, the auctioneers, the advertising, the entry prices and other factors.