USED SPF's

[Great Asp]

Turk is going by his own experiances.

A "TURK original" is worth 3 times what it was new. Just take his old (much sought after) ERA for example. I understand there were bids up to $200K for it on E-Bay.

The rest of us have to wait 100 years for our cars to be worth more!

Eric

[Carroll DeWeese]

Turk,

Given long enough and given enough interest, every car will appreciate. As Johninrsf indicates, much of the apparent increase is inflation. Some maybe true appreciation in real dollar terms.

Unless a person is lucky or clever, other ways of investing money are on average more profitable than the bulk of cars as "investment" opportunities. If you are going to "invest" in cars, you typically need to invest in rare, classic, sought after cars (i.e., true originals). They will appreciate because they can be copied but not be duplicated -- they are one-of-a-kind. Scarity and desireability is key to value. As good as SPFs are, there are already more of them that all the original 31 S/C bodies. Which do you think will continue to have the greater value through time?

I agree with HIQ, my Cobra is an investment -- an investment in life. I will make money other ways that I perceive as more profitable.

[JRC3]

I have just got my new SPF on the road and I love it - apart from being followed back to my house by SL500's!!

I spent 18 months researching the cobra replica industry, because I decided that CSX's and AC's exceeded my price range. SPF came out on top of the other manufacturers, as it best suits my personal circumstances and requisites.

Since life passes us by far faster than most of us appreciate, buying and driving your dream car has a price that is valued in others things besides dollars.

After 18 months of deciding to get a SPF, I really think a large part of the "resale issue" to me boiled down to how much spare money I have, versus how much I think I want one of these cars!!

Re: Pools - Nice to have, but I don't really want one...
Re: Boats - Nice to have, but I definitely don't want one!!!
Re: Investments (Financial) - I use Edward Jones!

[rdorman]

Normally you have the new car depreciation. Then as time goes by, miles rack up, you have a more gradual depreciation. Then the thing gets so old that as long as it remains in good condition, it pretty much hits bottom. If you are lucky, it becomes collectable and starts going back up. Then you throw in economy, competition and 'cool du joir' factor.

Differences in our cars. You can now, and probably 'forever' will be able to, pick up the phone and order a new one. That pretty much kills the collector thing unless your Cobra manufacturer goes belly up, and that might kill it to. Besides, unless there was something really different and desirable about your manufacturers cars, it isn't going to happen. There is the new car depreciation.

After that our cars hold value fairly well because in general, we are a fairly anal when it comes to taking care of them and don't drive drive them as much as most cars. We tend to overmaintain and rebuild/replace before it is really needed.

While my car is just a couple of years from legitimally being able to get collectors plates, I sure don't expect its value to go up.

Buying cars as an investment is a very tricky business. In general, don't do it. You certainly should not look at any modern Cobra as a sound financial investment, not even the ones from SAI.

Do I expect SPF (and others) to loose a few sales to SAI because of the new CAV SAI, sure. Will it hurt SPF, doubtful. Everyone seems to be doing fine with SAI in the game and it is a damn cool thing to be able to pick up the phone and order a Shelby Cobra.

I bought the car because of what it represents to me and as a hobby. I get a real thrill out of making it a better car. I know, with out question, that I can make the car a better car than it is today, that is part of what I like about it. It is already better than it was. My 'to do' list will probably last until retirement. When I do retire I will probably pull the whole thing apart and do it all over again. That is its value to me.

Seems to me, in general, those who turn the cars rapidly or frequently are still searching for what makes them happy. Not a damn thing wrong with that. Us Unique owners just seem to find that peace sooner than others (for you Al)

Rick

[casaleenie]

Wouldn't a car have to have achieved some form of distinction to become a truly collectible car down the road? I know the Citation would be a curiosity if in pristine condition and possibly worth more than new and so would the Aurora but these cars are not considered a "classic" or limited production..
The mass produced undistinguished cars if held for years and years would hardly appreciated enough to offset the cost of storing, insurance, maintenance, etc. There is always value placed on enjoyment and pride in a car and that would add untangible value but not to the next buyer...

HIQ made some valid statements in his posting. I guess the bottom line is to somehow get a crystal ball and figure out what will be the "classic" car of the future..
The hard pill to swallow will be that a lot of them will be Japanese cars...

[casaleenie]

[i]Originally posted
Us Unique owners just seem to find that peace sooner than others (for you Al)

Rick [/b]

Rick,

And peace on you too brother!

AL

[Turk]

Johninrsf,
I am NOT saying cars are a good investment at all! Not at all.
What I AM saying is, every car ever built is worth more than it sold for new, if enough time has elapsed.
There is not one exception to that rule.

Think of the mass produced cars of 50's 60's 70's. Take any car that you hated at the time, and could not see the day it would ever become a collectible.
Galaxy, Falcon, Mustang, Chevelle, Camaro, Barracuda, Duster, even the Valiant with push button transmission shifter,you name it.
I am, talking about the cars that were produced in large numbers.
Not one of them are fetching less than thousands more than the original sticker. That is after adjusting for inflation etc.

I guess my point is, not that cars are "good investments", it is just that, if you wait long enough you too could see the day a Sunbeam Tiger could be worth over $200,000.

TURK
Car Salesman
Investment Counselor

[Durt]

$200K for a Sunbeam Tiger? Maybe I should re-consider the one I passed on last summer.
In a barn ... in Kansas.
Swear to God.

[snake oil]

Turk,
The only car that I can think of that IMO will not go up is the Yugo.

Or are those classed under sewing machines and misc. appliances?

And you are definitely right about most cars notholding their value. Immeadiately after signing for purchase,
you lose out the door.

My 2000 Escalade is worth less then half of it's orignal sticker.

se la vie

[casaleenie]

[quote]Originally posted by snake oil


[b]Turk,
The only car that I can think of that IMO will not go up is the Yugo.


Snake Oil,

No reason that the Yugo won't go up in value also... Going to be a very rare car... People just didn't walk away from a Yugo they owned.. They usually took a ball bat to it and beat it to death..
Years from now there will be Yugos at Cruis'ins with Louisville Slugger emblems all over them...
"Friends don't let friends drive Yugos"

[Johninrsf]

Turk:
FYI, an interesting free WEB site is available to calculate the effect of inflation. It is: Westegg.com/inflation.
If you input a car that cost $3000, for example, in 1960, you will find that inflation would require you to put out about $18,000 today (2002) for the same car. Put another way, if you bought the car in 1960 for $3000 and held it until 2002, and if it is worth $18,000 in 2002, you are dead even (except for opportunity cost). Anything less than $18,000 and you have lost money. Anything more and you've made a very little something. I dare say alot of old cars have not kept up with inflation.
Play around with some of your examples and see what you come up with.
JP

[BlueRooster]

If you take into consideration the amount of money needed to upkeep and maintain that AMC Pacer over the years, it make take you longer than you think to break even on that pig.

[KobraKarl]

Jp,

good job , i was doing the calcs in my head on the way to a job today, Iwas thinking it would have to double every 12 years. I wasnt too far off...

now apply that to your house , your retirement , your investments and see how the fed is really beating you out of your dough re me.

KK

[Johninrsf]

Turk,
Just a final note on this--
I was thinking about a 1974 Porsche Targa I bought new for $10,500. I just looked up the going price 30 years after I bought it. Guess what, it's worth $10,150!!
Had it been worth $11,000, many folks would have thought it held its value. However, inflation during that same period turned $10,500 into $41,000!!

JP

[Excaliber]

Dad always reminded me: A car is NOT an asset, it is always a liability.

I've had to work REALLY hard to disprove that theory. No sooner do I make a few bucks on one than I loose it on the next one!

Might be an asset to someone like Turk, but for the rest of us, a car IS a liability!

Ernie

[G.R.]

[quote]Originally posted by casaleenie


[b]

Originally posted by snake oil


Turk,
The only car that I can think of that IMO will not go up is the Yugo.


Snake Oil,

No reason that the Yugo won't go up in value also... Going to be a very rare car... People just didn't walk away from a Yugo they owned.. They usually took a ball bat to it and beat it to death..
Years from now there will be Yugos at Cruis'ins with Louisville Slugger emblems all over them...
"Friends don't let friends drive Yugos"

Hey a '50s era Nash Rambler wagon sold for about $1500 new--now there are people collecting and restoring them--prices are in the $6-10K range--most of 'em ended up in the junkyard and ended up becoming Hondas or Toyotas or Yugos--

But most of us don't have 50 yrs left to see a return on our motoring "investment"

So enjoy your ride, whatever it is, like you stole it--life's to short not to enjoy some of the better things