39 mile 1985 Golf for £54,000

[geeman237]

Following on from the >1000 mile Capri, here are a few more 'as new' cars most of us will remember. These are featured on the US auction site Bring A Trailer (no affiliation). It's a great site that brings out some exceptional cars and the comments can be entertaining.


For example
1985 VW Golf Cabriolet with 39 miles just sold for $70,000 (~£54k)
https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1985-volkswagen-...

1979 Corvette with 6 miles (amazingly preserved) currently under auction
https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1979-chevrolet-c...

1971 Datsun 240Z, reserve not met at $111,000 (~£85,000)
https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1971-datsun-240z...

[Baldchap]

Problem is, you can't use them. Their value is in their rarity.

So it's an ornament. A testament to keeping her a virgin for the next guy. No thanks.

[Chubbyross]

Baldchap said:

Problem is, you can't use them. Their value is in their rarity.

So it's an ornament. A testament to keeping her a virgin for the next guy. No thanks.

Indeed. It’s a crazy paradox that always baffles me. You could buy a decent used example for a fraction of the price, detail it to hell and back so it’s as good as new and enjoy driving it. But it won’t be as desirable or as valuable as the museum piece, which you can’t drive.

[Dapster]

This has opened a whole new timewasting chapter for me. Set the mileage limit on Autotrader for say, 5,000, then select max age to say year 2000 scroll past all the nut 'n bolt restos claiming to be "as good as new" and see the sublime to the ridiculous that get returned....

3,600 miles - lowest mileage SV in the world



https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/201812223...


Unregistered delivery miles 964 Turbo Leichtbau £1.3m



https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202007251...



180 miles from new



https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202001156...


912



https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202009153...


4,500



https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202009143...


2,200 - seller claims lowest mileage 360 in the world!



https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202006220...


3,200



https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/201909071...


1,800



https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202007311...


3,900



https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/201905157...


2,800



https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/201810061...


3,900



https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/201809210...


1,950



https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202005299...


400 miles!!



https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/201707067...

[swisstoni]

Clearly ‘salting away’ cars for unfeasible lengths of time is not just the thing of legend.

Ok the exotics might be worth the effort and sacrifice required, but the ordinary stuff is never going to get back the time, effort and costs involved in ensuring these cars go absolutely nowhere.

It’s fascinating and a bit sad all at once.

But I suppose wine buffs have come to terms with this insanity.

[geeman237]

This is very much a niche part of the car collecting market, and one that many can't 'get'. The more exotic cars in this category I 'get', but the much more mass produced or mundane 'white goods' models, not so much. As the collector car hobby has grown over the years I think there are more folks who have taken a punt on buying and storing cars with little to no mileage as a possible investment. Rarely does it come out a financial win due to storage and other associated costs if the car has been looked after properly. What I think can set a car apart is how WELL its been preserved/stored. Your average garage doesn't do those alloy engine parts much good as they oxidise over time. I think there are still the little old lady low milers still out there and may well be for a few more years.

What good are these cars? Yes museum objects for sure, but I also think they are great as reference for restorations and such and as heritage objects for the original manufacturers.

Not sure I'd want to take one on myself, I'd feel a lot of responsibility to maintain it as best as possible.

I read about a 13 mile Triumph Herald 13/60 convertible in the 1990's that was kept in the dealers showroom. I wonder where it is today?

[Dinoboy]

Must admit, if a delivery mileage 1983 635 csi came onto the market I would remortgage my soul to buy it! As near as I'll get to buying a new one.

[Triumph Man]

What I find sad about these is that they are cars, they are meant to be driven, and they are not

[A1VDY]

Triumph Man said:

What I find sad about these is that they are cars, they are meant to be driven, and they are not

This^
Bought and then hidden away and put up for sale again in a few years by another nerdy chancer.
I bought a 92 Rover 216 with 1600 miles around 3 years ago where the owner had died 25yrs previously.
Recommissioned with a box full of Unipart parts still in the boot c/w oil + a new cambelt and four new tyres it was put on the forecourt. I've seen the new owner a few times and the last time the mileage was 24K..

[gforceg]

I wonder if these collectors but two of each car like these. One to play with and one to keep in the box.

[biggbn]

geeman237 said:

This is very much a niche part of the car collecting market, and one that many can't 'get'. The more exotic cars in this category I 'get', but the much more mass produced or mundane 'white goods' models, not so much. As the collector car hobby has grown over the years I think there are more folks who have taken a punt on buying and storing cars with little to no mileage as a possible investment. Rarely does it come out a financial win due to storage and other associated costs if the car has been looked after properly. What I think can set a car apart is how WELL its been preserved/stored. Your average garage doesn't do those alloy engine parts much good as they oxidise over time. I think there are still the little old lady low milers still out there and may well be for a few more years.

What good are these cars? Yes museum objects for sure, but I also think they are great as reference for restorations and such and as heritage objects for the original manufacturers.

Not sure I'd want to take one on myself, I'd feel a lot of responsibility to maintain it as best as possible.

I read about a 13 mile Triumph Herald 13/60 convertible in the 1990's that was kept in the dealers showroom. I wonder where it is today?

Our neighbours buy a new Kia Picanto every two or three years and only do about twenty or thirty miles a week in them!! These cars, and people, certainly do exist

[biggbn]

Dapster said:

This has opened a whole new timewasting chapter for me. Set the mileage limit on Autotrader for say, 5,000, then select max age to say year 2000 scroll past all the nut 'n bolt restos claiming to be "as good as new" and see the sublime to the ridiculous that get returned....

3,600 miles - lowest mileage SV in the world



https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/201812223...


Unregistered delivery miles 964 Turbo Leichtbau £1.3m



https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202007251...



180 miles from new



https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202001156...


912



https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202009153...


4,500



https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202009143...


2,200 - seller claims lowest mileage 360 in the world!



https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202006220...


3,200



https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/201909071...


1,800



https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202007311...


3,900



https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/201905157...


2,800



https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/201810061...


3,900



https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/201809210...


1,950



https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202005299...


400 miles!!



https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/201707067...

Is it wrong the only ones I clicked to read from that list were the 2cv, Saab and both Toyota?

[Magikarp]

swisstoni said:

But I suppose wine buffs have come to terms with this insanity.

A lot of wines are purported to improve, mature, and develop with age. Surely no car in existence will improve without use.

[mike9009]

biggbn said:

Is it wrong the only ones I clicked to read from that list were the 2cv, Saab and both Toyota?

I did precisely the same. So, yes, very sad!

[SCEtoAUX]

Some of these are works of art, so just looking at them and enjoying them that way is fine.

No different to paintings in that respect, though you need a lot more space.

[StuntmanMike]

mike9009 said:

biggbn said:

Is it wrong the only ones I clicked to read from that list were the 2cv, Saab and both Toyota?

I did precisely the same. So, yes, very sad!

Both Toyotas and the Daimler for me.

My ultimate saloon car is a S2 Double Six with an S1 dashboard fitted I think. Well this week.

Click on the Porsche, you have to see that interior.