Art & Inspiration What's the Market Doing to Your Car?

Yep. Free market sets the price.
It’s worth what someone will pay for it.
The hemi price made the non hemi cars rise.
The guys that owned em were happy. The ones that wanted em, not so much.
Such is life.
Wonder how many people sell their cars to the lowest bidder?

I’ve never seen an add that said $1234567 or worst offer.
The HAMB could start a trend by only selling to the worst offer. OWO instead of OBO.

 

Back when I drove International Harvesters, I bought a tool set (donated by O"Reilly) for $50 at the fund raiser show & auction for Special Olympics. A friend commented that it only cost $39.95 at the store. I replied that it "Was a good cause".

My wife waved "Good Bye" to someone and ended up with a $10 pocket knife...

At the time, I drove the special need bus (a.k.a. short bus), later that year, one of my students was proudly showing me the medals she won at the Special Olympics.

Sometimes it is about more than the money.

Russ

EDIT: Spelling

 

And yes, there have cases of people sell to a lower bidder. I know of a few times race tracks have been sold to a lower bidder so the track would stay open, rather than being sold to a developer and plowed over and turned into a shopping mall.

That's the problem to me this is about the cars and a way of life that has part of my family since pre WW II and I want to see it last long after I am gone! The value is in the time I spend with my family, making friends, building, racing cars not in the cars themselves.

The way it is going with these inflated prices it is forcing people out!

It has been going on in auto racing for years over the last 30 years the cost of racing has skyrocketed to the point it is almost imposable for a working-class person to own a racecar.

Fewer and fewer cars in the pits and fewer and fewer people in the grand stands.

And I am seeing to same trend with collector cars.

 

Our local track is packed. Tons of kids and several drivers under 25. A few barely old enough to drive legally on the street.
Our shop classes are packed. I’ve got one of the largest 1st year classes I ever had.
Shows that don’t have idiotic cut off years are full of young folks that I attend.
Is the hobby dying off as a whole?
Possibly. But if it’s by natural selection or the market makes it obsolete, then so be it.
I’m not losing any sleep worried if the future generation doesn’t dig the same things I do.
If it’s too expensive to race then don’t. Tracks have econo classes and racers still spend more to cheat or win than what the class was created for.
The competitors themselves are as much at fault as the so called over bidders.
But comparing race track issues to selling cars isn’t the same. parallel issues at best.
The most collectible cars have always been expensive. The cars considered highly collectible change. From brass to coach built to muscle cars. Now 4x4s are in that status.
So be it. The guys that had a passion for those rides are seeing a reward. The ones that didn’t pay attention have to step up or stay out.
I like Divco and Metro vans. Those are worth more now than I care to pay. I guess I should have bought earlier. No big deal, I found a step van I like. I’m not mad at the Divco or Metro guys. I’m happy the owners can reap the reward. Same for the 32 and muscle car guys.
I guess I’ll never understand lamenting over the car market, especially when it’s strong.
A lot of those will loose. But if that’s the price they paid to own a dream, so be it.
I’m glad I’m able to watch. And I’ll park my rusty crap box right next to em at a show.

 

As some others here have done, I bought my cars because I liked them, not in an attempt to make money. If I can drive them for years then finally sell, most likely I will be able to get back what I paid or maybe a little less depending on the market direction. I am fine with that. I have enjoyed them immensely. I really don't give a shit what the market is doing.

 

This is my take on it , prices are high as the collectors are off loading , plain and simple. They know the end is nigh. Im not worried about it but with the increase in take up of electric vehicles the numbers entering the old car hobby are dying off and not being replaced .The "buyers are all old dudes with spare cash probably not worried about a return as there time is limited and all they want is a bit of a blow out before they check out .. Dying with money in the bank has got to be the definition of a sad and miserable life, saving till its to late to enjoy it and being frugal when you could what's the point ? .. The boomers ( that includes me ) are seeing there aint much hope ahead and spending before the crash The inflated prices with be short lived . Once the money folk have there returns the prices will plummet pretty much the same as any future demand .. Just enjoy them, and enjoy them often .. If it racks up the miles, collects a few dings, looses its shine, and rusts into a pile in your ownership, you spent your money wisely ..

 

The Olde Cars I Own Required 55 Years To Build And Acquire And The Current Market Has Nothing To Do With The Enjoyment Factor.....Period...

 

I drove both the Nomad and the '40 today. Neither of them even knew there was a market.

 

its still worth pretty much nothing...

 

I tried to clear a couple projects they did not move and I stopped wasting my time.
I have a 33 5 window that I am working on and picked a pile of scrap 33 3 window that I am picking up pieces to have a project to work on when the 5 window is on the road.
I don't care about the market for any of this. The market goes up and down year in and year out. There is only a market when you sell. I enjoy old cars usually lose money. I still love old cars!

 

I am waiting for the universal electric motor kit for hot rods. Ford is starting to sell motors in the 3500 dollar range, not sure what the battery will cost. As long as it gets me around, I’m good, simple bolt in will be at my skill level.

 

Yeah, I just overpaid a bit for a nice 47 Caddy koupe, but its a really good frame on Resto. These are hard to find gennie & unmolested, so I bit the .50 cal bullet. Fancy dealer consignment and a feisty cantankerous owner that only came down 12% from a very high asking price. Go figure. Bad time to buy some cars, but not all. Hey, its black.
Wait a year, folks.

Its only a big theory that decayed plants & animals make oil. Theres no real proof that works. Most "scientists" are on a strict payroll and playbook and won't go off the mainstream reservation. Oil may be a naturally made Earth product to lube the tectonic plates. How? I don't know.

Electric? If there's no gas in 15 years I may electrify a car, but not until the stupid battery pack is a lot less that 600 lbs. There needs to be fast chargers in EVERY single gas station and a bigger USA grid too. Our military uses classified batteries that are made from denatured nuclear waste and they are super powerful, light, and last a shit ton of time. No radiation either.

 

nice car!

 

She'll do.
Im thinking a new Tesla 500 bhp electric motor that will save the world for hippies and–––
Nahhhh, a caddy 390 and three deuces. 700r4. Posi rear. Two stove pipes out the back.

 

There's not a dime in my cars that was needed elsewhere by anyone in my family. They are here for fun and will stay with me until I can't dive them, and maybe a bit longer. heir market value doesn't really matter to me and I am very thankful for that.

 

This may be too far OT, and may get deleted, but talk about electrification, have you all seen this?
https://www.dragzine.com/news/tesla-model-s-plaid-becomes-first-production-car-into-the-8s/

 

I do not give a hoot what the "market" does to/for/against my hot rods.......I am in this hobby for enjoyment and mental therapy. I do not give the time of day to anyone who flips cars for profit. But....to each their own, as the old saying goes.....

 

Nothing if you buy the right cars Auburn, Cord, Duesenberg, Graham Hollywood, Buick Skylark, Olds Fiestas, Cadillac Eldorado etc. all go up even when things are down. Now Ford, Chevy, Plymouth Dodge etc. take a bath as they should, they are low end of the car world. They will all go up when we hit 2030 and real cars are illegal. Come on 2030.

 

Nice but I can drive my pickup from LA to SF and 3/4 the way back without stopping for gas… I’ll keep it for now.

 

But you still have to stop and Pee.

 

If you're a thinking guy, you can use an external + a legbag, & even then, run the drain tube out thru a discrete hole in the floor. Just gotta have enough fuel for the car/truck, & liquid for you. Food & its' elimination are your problem - diaper would work, but not for me. & I doubt there are enough air fresheners to combat that... . Not getting into pelletized sleep... .
Marcus...

 

As the late Deuce Roadster (Randy Nash) use to say - "If it's what you want you can never pay too much for what you want but you can but too early". HRP

 

Hello,

As the previous thread on bucket list choices, the market is playing games with everyone. When we were looking many months ago, we found a 40 Ford two door sedan with everything we wanted, including a local shop and a good price. But, as we diddled around, it sold and now we are looking elsewhere. Some places have what we are looking for in the price we have settled on between my wife and I, so there is no disagreement later on at purchase time.

But, for some reason, the looking part coincided with front page news and those folks at auctions that will pay an exorbitant price for anything, as long as they get shown on TV happy. Some people don’t have a clue with the abundance of loose money. That along with the idea given to the local guy that has something for sale instantly raises his price to play the market. The other web searches also had price increases, too. So, for now, we have backed off.

Yes, we are those people that have not taken our usual road trips and vacations due to the pandemic and have stored up some money of the purchase. But, we are not to the end point just yet.

Jnaki

Our granddaughter and family had their eyes open as they went shopping for her first car. The inventory was so low for the teenage/family car purchases. The high end cars were there, but who allows and buys an all wheel drive sporty car for a teenage girl’s first car? The inventory for new cars is there and those dealers are paying high costs for the used trade in cars. Once cleaned up and serviced, those used cars or (pre-owned) service department checked cars are gone as soon as they get put on the used car lots.

So, a low mileage sedan was just fine for her choice of daily transportation and of course, lower cost for the family insurance plans.

One of the reasons for my wife and I looking at old hot rods was prior to our granddaughter getting her learner’s permit and needing some behind the wheel time. We wanted to surprise her with a cool 1940 Ford sedan rolling up in her driveway for some practice sessions. That was our intent. But, the pandemic isolation and as the modern family needs pop up, the busy parents have no clue as to car quality and build history. It was a purchase based on consumer reports, the lack of inventory, panic buying and reviews from satisfied buyers.

Now our search is still going on, the monthly savings as discussed by JB:
“gearheads stuck at home with too much idle time to shop online, and extra cash laying around from that big vacation they never took in 2020.” Add in the two planned vacations from 2021 and no big time purchases for the aging home, deals with time on our hands to continue to search… YRMV

 

My grandpa literally had an old folgers can in his car, lmao. He'd piss in it and dump it out the window. I guess after living through war in the European theater (barely, still got his purple heart. Shot by a sniper, lucky to live), pissing in a can didn't seek like such a big deal...

 

Does not effect me since I am not selling.

 

I Paid Full Price Because It Is What I Want....Period..(The Market Will Abide)..

 

I should probably rephrase my other reply as the market has effected me due to the higher prices of parts but not going to make me rich since I am not selling.