New year bargains: Under the Hammer
Auctions man Chris digs out some potentially tempting lots in forthcoming sales
Luckily this is also the time that the Autosport show livens up the NEC - equally luckily, with a Coys auction attached this Saturday. And with buyers' minds not altogether focused on bidding during January, there's a definite whiff of bargains in the air - especially when you see some of the low estimates.
There's an alternative if this is a stretch
As you'd expect of Autosport, there are quite a few historic racing lots, from a BMW M3 E30 Group N rally car to the ex-Peter Kox 1998 Honda Accord British Touring Car, with eye-watering valuations to match.
But my eye has been caught by some of the more affordable stuff. For example, if you can't stretch to the 1974 BMW 2002 Works Motorsport Rally Car (up for auction at an estimated £160K-£180K), how about this gorgeous 1967 Alpina BMW 1600-2?
Claimed to be one of four produced, it's got a 115hp twin-Dellorto 1600 engine, Alpina/Bilstein suspension, Recaro seat and an uber-cool shade of orange paint. Crucially it's also got homologation papers for FIA International Motorsport Pre-1968 Historic racing.
With prices of good 2002 tiis going through the roof at the moment, Coys' estimate of £17,000 - £22,000 seems very reasonable. You never know your luck: there could be a bargain in the offing.
Low miles, high estimate, much want
I'm also rather taken with this BMW M5. E28s are now matching E30 M3s on price, and it's not hard to see why. The first M5s were hand-built by BMW Motorsport, very quick (0-62 in 6.2 sec) thanks to the BMW M1 engine under the bonnet, and superbly balanced around corners.
It also helps that it's very rare - just one E28 M5 was built for every eight E30 M3s. Of the total of 2,241 built, just 187 were UK-market right-hookers. The estimate for this RHD 73,000-mile M5 is £25,000 - £35,000, which may seem steep for an E28, but this is a highly enjoyable machine guaranteed never to drop in value.
Snake eyes
Right, if Bavarian metal all seems a bit sober, and your New Year's resolution was to be over-indulgent in 2015, what could be better than a bright red Dodge Viper?
Yes, I'm fully aware that the Viper has flaws. To drive, it feels not so much like a viper as a python that's had far too much to eat at Christmas. The fit and finish is shamed by quite a few kit cars I could mention. And that 10-cylinder 8.0-litre engine is possibly a tad over-the-top. But come on: for sheer ostentation, nothing touches the Viper's side-mounted exhaust bravado.
Up for grabs is a first-series 1993 RT/10 Roadster, with a freshly serviced engine that's done only 15,889 miles from new. It's imported, but since they're all LHD that's not much of an issue. If it goes for anything close to the estimate of £12,000 - £15,000, someone will get a real bargain.
Feeling brave on a modified import?
Another possible steal at Coys is a 1998 Ferrari 456M GTA, up for auction with no reserve. 456 GTs have yet to follow the Ferrari trend for upwardly mobile prices, but surely the market can't ignore its 190mph V12 appeal for much longer.
Two final specimens leap out at me: a couple of exceptionally low-mileage RS Fords sourced from Italy. A very original 1986 Sierra RS Cosworth (7,400km from new) is up for an estimated £22,000 - £27,000. And Coys' 1996 Escort RS Cosworth has barely any more miles on it (14,000km) and the same auction estimate.
Full Coys stocklist here (you may be there a while...).
Look how long it's taken other 4 seat v12 Ferraris to noticeably appreciate, and then look at the holding costs in relation to the appreciation.
from the ad
"This low mileage example has only covered 7,400km from new and is only with its second owner. The owner informs us the car has always been maintained and is in original condition having been stored in a de-humidified and heated garage"
hmmm the 1st pic is not even the car, they have used a lib pic of a far more valuable RS500.. Then the actual car looks a bit suspect, horrible yellow fogs, dodgy blue strut brace and also I note all the side mouldings are missing which usually indicates a respray, as all cosworths came with the rubber strips down the side. But once removed they wont go back on properly so they often ended up junked. They should say original apart from a full respray (probably) s
t yellow fog lights, odd strut brace and prob more stuff we cant see! Pretty shoddy advert for Coys. They are a bit up their own arse from the way they go in the ad like no ones ever heard of a cosworth and then have the cheek to use a picture that is not even the actual car! Shame on them. One to avoid I think. There are still some very nice very low mile ones around for 20-25k so why gamble?Any potential bidder would be well advised to do an HPI check on it... just saying.
http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/f...
"The car has been kept in a de-humidified, heated garage and is in original, un-molested condition."
Erm, unmolested except the front & rear lights, steering wheel, wheels, interior etc etc.
What are these guys smoking?
http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/f...
"The car has been kept in a de-humidified, heated garage and is in original, un-molested condition."
Erm, unmolested except the front & rear lights, steering wheel, wheels, interior etc etc.
What are these guys smoking?
They've clearly not taken much care over that ad.
Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff