GRAND PRIX NEED ADVICE
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To me it doesn't matter if its considered a lowly hot air Buick. For the price being asked it had better be 100% OEM and what it claims to be with all books, tools, trunk sticker, window sticker, bill of sale, etc. That and original owner is always a good sign (to me).
The higher price is seasonal, and it would be lower at the end of the year (not wanting to store it).
I've been noticing in my search that even, at best, mediocre 70s/80s cars are being sold at awfully high $$$$. I'm guessing that there is more interest in simpler cars that is driving these prices up. What better time to inflate those prices than leading into car meet season?
The higher price is seasonal, and it would be lower at the end of the year (not wanting to store it).
I've been noticing in my search that even, at best, mediocre 70s/80s cars are being sold at awfully high $$$$. I'm guessing that there is more interest in simpler cars that is driving these prices up. What better time to inflate those prices than leading into car meet season?
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Ok. Seeing Ontario plates, I had to dig. Is this the ad? (I'm sure it is 😛)
https://www.kijiji.ca/v-classic-car...al/1338666688?enableSearchNavigationFlag=true
https://www.kijiji.ca/v-classic-car...al/1338666688?enableSearchNavigationFlag=true
It is great looking a car and the WH1 package is a huge plus. WH1's are worth more than regular T-types, but not as much as GN's. It needs new front bumper fillers but about 1/2 the '87 GN's sold Barrett-Jackson this year needed front bumper fillers, but...
If your Friends were looking at a house built on an ancient indian burial ground, you don't tell them "Wow! this place looks barely lived in" or "Nice! Granite countertops... and the view!"... No, you point out that the TV static is talking to their kids and there is blood in the pool and maybe we should leave now.
When you buy a house on an ancient indian burial ground and you have blood coming out the faucets, people tell you "get out! get out, Now!" and not how to fix the plumbing. There are no '84-85 "guru's" and there isn't a lot of spare parts. 32+ years of verbal abuse and the prevailing thought that "this crap isn't worth anything" has made sure of that. The help you'll receive consists of "buy an '86/87" or "swap in a '86/87 motor", which as you can guess, isn't very helpful.
The hot air cars have a stigma and yes, they were the quickest G-body in 1984... in fact, maybe THE quickest american production car in 1984, but unlike the the other brands of G-body they have been disowned/stigmatized by their own brand loyalists from way back. If you have problems with one related to the motor, the support community is small and largely unhelpful. "Beginners" buy them, they are NOT a car for beginners as a recent G-body forum member has found out.
Throw away the motor and you get the best "rest of the drivetrain" put in a US spec G-body, good suspension, and the body style that is the same as the most expensive G-bodies... what could possibly go wrong? Uh... why is the silverware floating?
If your Friends were looking at a house built on an ancient indian burial ground, you don't tell them "Wow! this place looks barely lived in" or "Nice! Granite countertops... and the view!"... No, you point out that the TV static is talking to their kids and there is blood in the pool and maybe we should leave now.
When you buy a house on an ancient indian burial ground and you have blood coming out the faucets, people tell you "get out! get out, Now!" and not how to fix the plumbing. There are no '84-85 "guru's" and there isn't a lot of spare parts. 32+ years of verbal abuse and the prevailing thought that "this crap isn't worth anything" has made sure of that. The help you'll receive consists of "buy an '86/87" or "swap in a '86/87 motor", which as you can guess, isn't very helpful.
The hot air cars have a stigma and yes, they were the quickest G-body in 1984... in fact, maybe THE quickest american production car in 1984, but unlike the the other brands of G-body they have been disowned/stigmatized by their own brand loyalists from way back. If you have problems with one related to the motor, the support community is small and largely unhelpful. "Beginners" buy them, they are NOT a car for beginners as a recent G-body forum member has found out.
Throw away the motor and you get the best "rest of the drivetrain" put in a US spec G-body, good suspension, and the body style that is the same as the most expensive G-bodies... what could possibly go wrong? Uh... why is the silverware floating?
The car is what it is and a beautiful one at that - I wouldn't change a thing. But even at half the asking price I wouldn't be interested. I think our member asked for advice, didn't like what he heard, and not to be heard from again.
I'm thinking the "member" is the car owner who was thinking of selling. Possibly an inheritance. Seems strange to have the spare wheels and pics of the last page of appraisal handy.
Anyways, I think it's someone who isn't familiar with the "collectable" auto world who thought, just like a house, I'll get it appraised and see what it's worth - not realizing that those auto appraisals are pretty much garbage and have little grounding in real world sales.
With $$$$$$$ in his eyes, he finally attracted a buyer to come see the car (again, if you had that car you wouldn't drive off to show it to every prospective buyer would you?) And was looking for what his bottom dollar should be.
Then we rained on his parade in spectacular fashion since he didn't like hearing what those cars sold for in the real world (man, there goes that 2018 subaru I was buying for cash!)
Finally, silence descends on the thread...
Crack pipe appraisal value. Most are. The only thing appraisals are good for are replacement costs due to severe damage or total loss.
I sold my heavily modified 1987 Turbo Buick in 2016 for about $14.5K CDN... and I waited about 5 years to sell it at that price. Funny thing is Hagerty had it "appraised" at a much higher value - I took the cash and ran. Most reasonable folks will too.
Our wagon, MCSS, and TBSS also have appraisals with agreed value insurance policies to "protect the investment", not to "make a profit". You'll get 50% of the appraisal value if you are lucky.
I sold my heavily modified 1987 Turbo Buick in 2016 for about $14.5K CDN... and I waited about 5 years to sell it at that price. Funny thing is Hagerty had it "appraised" at a much higher value - I took the cash and ran. Most reasonable folks will too.
Our wagon, MCSS, and TBSS also have appraisals with agreed value insurance policies to "protect the investment", not to "make a profit". You'll get 50% of the appraisal value if you are lucky.
You know what would be funny, is trying to trade it in at a dealership. Especially a Buick one for say a Buick Regal GS.
Then take the trade in value as the low end and the appraisal as the high end and meet in the middle for street value.
Sound right?
Then take the trade in value as the low end and the appraisal as the high end and meet in the middle for street value.
Sound right?
You might be on to something there 80. On a side note, I tried selling my 84 Mustang GT Turbo convertible which is rarer than this T-type. 2,238 T-types were made 1,163 were WH-1, 731 Turbo GT convertibles were made 412 when you take away anniversary cars and mine is one of one on color. I was asking $7000.00 and didn't even get an inquiry. And before anyone says anything I know - It's a Ford !
Not so much. There's a lot of things go on at dealers that inflate trade in values somewhat these days.
You've got factory incentives on units moved, hold back quotas on previous quarters sales targets...
Sometimes a dealer pads the trade in offer to try and close the deal on the new car, but on the other side of the ledger isn't giving as good a price on the new unit as could've been gotten in a cash sale...
We shopped around my wife's mustang after it was rear ended to the tune of... I dunno, 12, 13k in damage? Anyways, it was never right after repair, dealers knew it, but they offered inflated trade in prices to close the deal - in this case, move year end inventory off the lot knowing they were making it up elsewhere.
Your approach might work with a several year old car that has reliable "book values" but the "appraisal" is so far out of whack, like most are, that is has no bearing on any sale negotiation
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