Classic cars

[Tony911 79]

Hi all, hope you are all keeping safe and well.

Just curious on what the classic car market is like at the moment and what you all consider to be a classic car. We recently acquired a 1989  Honda crx 1.6 16v not the vtec model, the car is original and rust free never been welded and done a genuine 69000 miles. Thinking of selling in the summer or would you guys think its worth storing away. We know they have a following but its Japanese and just curious what you guys think. All comments appreciated.

 

Thanks in advance 

[Frank Cannon 812]

I'm informed the classics market is on it's arse, even blue chip stuff is going backwards at a rate of knots....it was prior to C19. 

[CJ Underhill 34]

The classic market seems to have really dipped

Modern classics like yours still seem pretty strong tho

You've nothing to lose, If you are happy to sit on it then gives you a sale advantage, advertise it for top end, if it sells...great, if it doesn't.. store it away

[petrol head 46]

11 hours ago, Frank Cannon said:

I'm informed the classics market is on it's arse, even blue chip stuff is going backwards at a rate of knots....it was prior to C19. 

Not if you look at the results from Silverstone Auctions?

The classic market is always volatile, look at the boom in the late in late 80's, also certain cars are in vogue. IMHO the 80's stuff is over hyped and will drop, also the market for concours cars is not in vogue. For me 60's and 70's original cars is very strong, amongst a few other classics I have a P5B Coupe, original, 27K and been in my family since new, I get massive offers al the time for it, but its not for sale. 

I think overall there will be a drop in used cars values, period, in 2021, but lets see Guy's. 

[BHM 994]

How on Earth are shit 80’s & 90’s Fiestas/Escorts/Novas etc. worth what they sell for? 
They were fucking shite even when new - ideal examples of how a front drive car should NOT handle. I don’t imagine 30ish years will have improved their pisspoor handling & inability to transmit modest horsepower to the road.

[Tony911 79]

20 minutes ago, BHM said:

How on Earth are shit 80’s & 90’s Fiestas/Escorts/Novas etc. worth what they sell for? 
They were fucking shite even when new - ideal examples of how a front drive car should NOT handle. I don’t imagine 30ish years will have improved their pisspoor handling & inability to transmit modest horsepower to the road.

This exactly, but the Japanese cars were way ahead with build and reliability qualities. Not sure what to do with it to be honest, its uncertain times so might just took it away for a few more years and see what happens

[Frank Cannon 812]

2 hours ago, petrol head said:

Not if you look at the results from Silverstone Auctions?

The classic market is always volatile, look at the boom in the late in late 80's, also certain cars are in vogue. IMHO the 80's stuff is over hyped and will drop, also the market for concours cars is not in vogue. For me 60's and 70's original cars is very strong, amongst a few other classics I have a P5B Coupe, original, 27K and been in my family since new, I get massive offers al the time for it, but its not for sale. 

I think overall there will be a drop in used cars values, period, in 2021, but lets see Guy's. 

Can only speak for a friend who runs a classic car business, been doing it 20 odd years, high end Fezzas etc and 20k plus gear plastic classics. 

Not buying at all now, everything is sale or return and turning stuff away. 

As usual, your mileage may vary

[petrol head 46]

35 minutes ago, Frank Cannon said:

Can only speak for a friend who runs a classic car business, been doing it 20 odd years, high end Fezzas etc and 20k plus gear plastic classics. 

Not buying at all now, everything is sale or return and turning stuff away. 

As usual, your mileage may vary

Your friend is right its going a but soft, but its a correction in the market IMHO and the usual variable trends of what's in and what's not. If you look at some of the prices Nick and the boys at Silverstone achieved last year, they were astronomical in many cases:

https://www.silverstoneauctions.com/auction/archive-auctions

Inform your friend there is some, but limited and activity for high end classics in HK and Singapore, but be aware in the latter the car/motorcycle must be at least 35 years old from the DOR. 

[It's me 615]

3 hours ago, BHM said:

How on Earth are shit 80’s & 90’s Fiestas/Escorts/Novas etc. worth what they sell for? 
They were fucking shite even when new - ideal examples of how a front drive car should NOT handle. I don’t imagine 30ish years will have improved their pisspoor handling & inability to transmit modest horsepower to the road.

I ran the earlier crx 1.5 one summer,put some recaros in it on the Honda runners because the jap seats were too narrow,I can tell you now I couldn't unstick that car it was brilliant,only got rid of it because somebody said to me your a motor trader sell me it now and I did 

[Frank Cannon 812]

6 hours ago, BHM said:

How on Earth are shit 80’s & 90’s Fiestas/Escorts/Novas etc. worth what they sell for? 
They were fucking shite even when new - ideal examples of how a front drive car should NOT handle. I don’t imagine 30ish years will have improved their pisspoor handling & inability to transmit modest horsepower to the road.

Crazy isn't it, when ever I get the urge for some obsolete engineering I cast my mind back to my friends very well sorted Golf MK2 GTi he asked me to drop off for an MOT last August...f*cking dreadful

[metcars 397]

17 hours ago, BHM said:

How on Earth are shit 80’s & 90’s Fiestas/Escorts/Novas etc. worth what they sell for? 
They were fucking shite even when new - ideal examples of how a front drive car should NOT handle. I don’t imagine 30ish years will have improved their pisspoor handling & inability to transmit modest horsepower to the road.

You Nailed it!

Modern classics = overrated! And don’t tell the fan boys but those coveted RS2000/Mexico were really not that great unless heavily modified. But of course. You can make anything fast if you throw enough money at it?

[Lazz 16]

I take my hat of to the people who make a living out of that stuff, I had a modern classic advertised last year and the amount of dreamers and time wasters i had enquiring about it made me lose the will to live with that car. I don't have the patience with this type of customer. Took the car of the adverts and it sits in the corner gathering dust, when my times up the kids will be able to sell it as a barn find.

[metcars 397]

10 hours ago, Lazz said:

I take my hat of to the people who make a living out of that stuff, I had a modern classic advertised last year and the amount of dreamers and time wasters i had enquiring about it made me lose the will to live with that car. I don't have the patience with this type of customer. Took the car of the adverts and it sits in the corner gathering dust, when my times up the kids will be able to sell it as a barn find.

I’m guessing it’ll end up with an electric motor shoved up in it? Which seems to be the future for classics?

[Frank Cannon 812]

16 hours ago, Lazz said:

I take my hat of to the people who make a living out of that stuff, I had a modern classic advertised last year and the amount of dreamers and time wasters i had enquiring about it made me lose the will to live with that car. I don't have the patience with this type of customer. Took the car of the adverts and it sits in the corner gathering dust, when my times up the kids will be able to sell it as a barn find.

 they take a lot of pre viewing vetting from what my mate tells me.....has  messers still contacting him years after first contact without ever buying anything from him.....or anyone else fir that matter. 

These tyre kickers are the very essence of BHMs 'nearly men'. 

I once had a guy drive from Canterbury to Hastings on a Corvette.....after looking around it and, obviously not knowing jack shit about it (checking wheel arches for rust for f*ck sake) wanted me to take a picture of him sitting in it to send to his son....whom lived with with his mum. 

No problem sir but, it will cost you £12k

[BHM 994]

In the last couple of years two older estates (a Merc W124 3.0 & a BMW 3-Series, 318 if memory serves) spring to mind - nowt special, 20-25yrs old, in well used condition but low mileage, nice enough & rare enough, for a few grand.

I don’t think I’ve ever been pestered by so so many bored/boring, total & utter timewasting middle-aged men with absolutely no intention of buying although in their own deluded minds they are big buyers - a small avalanche of pathetic emails asking the most fussy questions imaginable. On the Merc I ended up amending the advert to “Phone calls only, ALL emails ignored” and received emails asking how I expected to deal with their enquiries.

In the end a biker bloke bought the BMW as a ‘posh van’ to get free entry to the tip & the Merc went to a woman as a daily driver.

[Lazz 16]

The last person i had on the one i was selling wanted to take it another garage to partly dismantle the engine and check something  obscure he had read on the internet, I told him he was having a laugh and the car was going nowhere, told him i did not piss around like this when i brought it, i just looked around paid the man and then drove of into the sunset which he did not take to kindly to and our conversation came to a abrupt end. Complete and utter space cadets, it was the most viewed car i had on the internet by a mile and generated some of the worst customers/dreamers i have had the misfortune to come across. Never again.

[BHM 994]

32 minutes ago, Lazz said:

Complete and utter space cadets,

The thing is, half of them are so arrogant - they think they can demand the Earth via email, and expect to get it. They’ll talk a big job all day long, and those that phone are usually full of shit making out they are ready to buy. Tbh it’s the same with a bit of flash for not much cash - pitiful punters.

However, like most cars, the buyer will be normal, perhaps email a couple of times but will always soon PICK UP THE PHONE TO ARRANGE A VIEWING. 

I should add that on just about every older semi-classic car I’ve had I always get at least one classic ‘specialist’ on the phone - they are even more full of shit than the punters.

[It's me 615]

16 hours ago, BHM said:

The thing is, half of them are so arrogant - they think they can demand the Earth via email, and expect to get it. They’ll talk a big job all day long, and those that phone are usually full of shit making out they are ready to buy. Tbh it’s the same with a bit of flash for not much cash - pitiful punters.

However, like most cars, the buyer will be normal, perhaps email a couple of times but will always soon PICK UP THE PHONE TO ARRANGE A VIEWING. 

I should add that on just about every older semi-classic car I’ve had I always get at least one classic ‘specialist’ on the phone - they are even more full of shit than the punters.

This is so true

I hadn't realised why I had stopped buying oddballs something I've always enjoyed and done well out of as they are so hard to value or were

I haven't bought one for years now

Shame

[XFS 70]

I like a Modern Classic...but they can be a mixed bag.

Alfa’s seem to sell quickly with minimum hassle, BMW to....even if they are models which stretch the term Modern Classics to its very loosest extent.

However, I had a couple of apparently Bona Fide and very desirable “modern classics” up last year...

A Merc priced at 14k which I didn’t get so much as an enquiry on in 3 months.

A VW priced at 5k which attracted more time wasters and idiots that any car I have had, but still I couldn’t sell it.

Sent both to auction.

The Merc made 16.5k

The VW made 5.5k
 

 

[Tony911 79]

7 hours ago, XFS said:

I like a Modern Classic...but they can be a mixed bag.

Alfa’s seem to sell quickly with minimum hassle, BMW to....even if they are models which stretch the term Modern Classics to its very loosest extent.

However, I had a couple of apparently Bona Fide and very desirable “modern classics” up last year...

A Merc priced at 14k which I didn’t get so much as an enquiry on in 3 months.

A VW priced at 5k which attracted more time wasters and idiots that any car I have had, but still I couldn’t sell it.

Sent both to auction.

The Merc made 16.5k

The VW made 5.5k
 

 

Might be worth a shot to stop all the idiots messaging and calling

[petrol head 46]

These E Type's have relatively low estimates:

https://cardealermagazine.co.uk/publish/jaguar-e-type-celebrates-60-years-with-chassis-number-60-up-for-auction/216842

May go and take a look.............

 

[Frank Cannon 812]

3 hours ago, petrol head said:

These E Type's have relatively low estimates:

https://cardealermagazine.co.uk/publish/jaguar-e-type-celebrates-60-years-with-chassis-number-60-up-for-auction/216842

May go and take a look.............

 

You can buy a new jag fa that

And still have change for a fish n chip supper. 

Edited February 15, 2021 by Frank Cannon

[metcars 397]

21 hours ago, petrol head said:

These E Type's have relatively low estimates:

Many, many years ago I sold a car through a Sotheby’s auction. Some really high-end stuff in the catalogue. But what amazed me was the ‘horse-trading’ afterwards? I think there’s an assumption that classic car auctions are mostly attended by ‘enthusiasts’/anoraks and mid-life crisis guys liberating cash from pensions. Whereas, the majority are dealers. So, there’s no saying how much a buyer is willing to give. Even ‘blue chip’ classics like E-types don’t always sell?

 

[petrol head 46]

3 hours ago, metcars said:

Many, many years ago I sold a car through a Sotheby’s auction. Some really high-end stuff in the catalogue. But what amazed me was the ‘horse-trading’ afterwards? I think there’s an assumption that classic car auctions are mostly attended by ‘enthusiasts’/anoraks and mid-life crisis guys liberating cash from pensions. Whereas, the majority are dealers. So, there’s no saying how much a buyer is willing to give. Even ‘blue chip’ classics like E-types don’t always sell?

 

Your right the majority are dealers, but there has been a steady rise in the number of private buyers. I think with so many TV programs focusing on classic cars, the private punter is more confident than they possibly used to be. In addition the auction companies are better describing vehicles, along with pictures and video's available well in advance of the auction. 

The market will always be volatile, but certain models will always be in demand. When I see a Lotus Europe in very good condition selling for 25K and an escort mexico for 60K, I have to give my head a shake. 

[metcars 397]

7 hours ago, petrol head said:

Your right the majority are dealers, but there has been a steady rise in the number of private buyers. I think with so many TV programs focusing on classic cars, the private punter is more confident than they possibly used to be. In addition the auction companies are better describing vehicles, along with pictures and video's available well in advance of the auction. 

The market will always be volatile, but certain models will always be in demand. When I see a Lotus Europe in very good condition selling for 25K and an escort mexico for 60K, I have to give my head a shake. 

I love an old Lotus. I’ve had loads, I used to daily drive a lotus elan +2S:/130 back in the day. Showing my age? 

PS: Lots of trouble usually serious. Not if you know what you’re doing!