Have collector car prices dropped significantly in the last couple of years???

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hinkdart

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I've been out of the game for a couple years because of work and life... before I used to be into my k10 and dart and working on them every weekend, watching barrett jackson etc and always looking at cars online etc... I had a pretty good idea on what stuff was worth and selling for but the last 2 years I don't think I looked at ebay once to check out a car... maybe a part but thats it...

2 years ago I parked my Dart outside a local car show and there was a note asking if i'd be interested in selling... I thought about it and called the guy just for giggles... long story short he was a good guy and after meeting him at a cruise he offered me 8k.. it was slightly more than i paid for it 2 years prior but of course quite a bit less than I had in it. I declined and have lost the guys number.

Fast forward to today and I post it for 8500 locally. I get a dozen responses, no one wants to look it except one guy and I get half a dozen offers for 5k... wtf? is the market really that bad right now? I've heard the Harley market is a bloodbath from some friends that sold their bikes but I assumed the Mopar was a little more solid... even for the lonely dart... CT is an economic nightmare, is it a regional thing or are you seeing this around the country?

Letgo is a joke, I've experienced that on some household stuff I've been trying to sell... they just offer half no matter how much of a low ball it is..
 
I'm into Dusters, and prices have definitely gone up in the last couple years. Not sure about Darts?
 
I read that mopars were hot 2 years ago and have cooled off the last year or so... around here a lot of people are spooked and are already on hard times. Have you tried to sell a car recently? I can only find one comp to my car on ebay and it sold for $7500 with a little nicer paint but a 318/904... I guess I'll rewrite my ad but any other feedback is appreciated.
 
I think they're hanging in there if not increasing a bit in the last few years. The E and higher end B Bodies are still worth a lot. The A bodies value has risen because they are priced reasonably for fun drivers. That seems to be the direction many people are heading nowdays. Trailer queens just aren't fun anymore.
 
prices always go up when your looking to buy, and down when your looking to sell

WAY up right after you sold one, and WAY down right after you bought one
 
hinkdart said:
I read that mopars were hot 2 years ago and have cooled off the last year or so... around here a lot of people are spooked and are already on hard times. Have you tried to sell a car recently? I can only find one comp to my car on ebay and it sold for $7500 with a little nicer paint but a 318/904... I guess I'll rewrite my ad but any other feedback is appreciated.
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Give it time. Unless you really need to sell fast. The thing I've noticed is now that the new gen hemi cars are coming down in price, I think that's affecting the driver hot rod market somewhat. You can find a hemi charger r/t from 2005-2008 for under 8 grand pretty easy these days. Give it time, this market ebbs and flows
 
Early A bodies have really gone up in price, at least what people are asking!! Maybe it's what I call "Charger Syndrome", where everybody thinks their car is worth what a 68-70 Charger is worth!!
 
I have been having a tougher time selling parts as well.... Rod
 
Selling is the same as buying..... Success depends on 3 things.....

Timing, position, and patience. When those 3 things line up for you then here we are..... Any type of Craigslist sales agenda always draws flippers, lowballers, and tire kickers. Do yourself a favor and pick 5 places across the country and list it. And be ready to help with shipping logistics (meeting trucking firm, etc.) I recently sold something to the other side of the USA that wouldn't move on the east coast. First day of listing it in California and I had a buyer....

Good luck,
JW
 
I shipped two 69 Barracuda fenders and two doors using Greyhound. I packaged one door and one fender together. Shipping was around 100 bucks per package, not to bad really.
 
I had a Real Nice 65 Valiant For Sale, here, and on craigslist, for several weeks. In My opinion (worth 2 cents), it was a $10K car. -- Originally I listed it for $9K. -- I finally sold it, locally, for $8,500. --- Currently looking for a Real Clean, (No rust, bonco, or replaced panels), Stock, 2 Door, A-Body, prefer a V8 -- in The North East.
Valiant - Front --.JPG
 
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I am pretty surprised at how high the A's have gone.

But I'm even more surprised at what people are asking for them. 6-8k should buy a nice car, but people are asking that for rust buckets.

Then ther are the cars that have been rotisserie restoed, and guys are wanting 20-25k. I love my A's but I won't be paying that kind of dough for one. Maybe a B or E, but of course those are 40 grand.......
 
In general collector cars prices were a bit higher two years ago including Mopars.
But are down a bit from two years ago but not too much, maybe 10%.
I think A-bodies in very nice condition are probably up a bit but it is so dependent on condition.
 
Watching Barret Jackson where they are in CT on television and prices are down. A 71 Hemi Challenger, and 70 Hemi Cuda didn't make reserve. They bid to about 150k. I think over all prices are a bit down except the people who think they have gold, or are in way over their head in restoration or parts and are trying to get their money back. I have seen an uptick on cheap Muscle like Dusters, Novas and things as most Big Block cars went to almost unobtainable in more than they are worth. A well restored car will always bring in much more than an average or below average resto as well.
 
I believe the economy has been a bit stalled since the election. If you HAVE to sell, you must reduce your asking price to achieve your goal right ? It's a buyers market right now IMO...

There's alot of economic uncertainty with all the arguing going on in the news....
 
6pk2goDemon said:
I believe the economy has been a bit stalled since the election. If you HAVE to sell, you must reduce your asking price to achieve your goal right ? It's a buyers market right now IMO...

There's alot of economic uncertainty with all the arguing going on in the news....
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Right on C!!
 
They haven't dropped enough.

We need more rebodies to reduce the confidence of the investor community and drain the hype out of the auction market. Hopefully this one gets a new shell:


18581475_1447978741933789_328689502035718765_n.jpg
 
hinkdart said:
I've been out of the game for a couple years because of work and life... before I used to be into my k10 and dart and working on them every weekend, watching barrett jackson etc and always looking at cars online etc... I had a pretty good idea on what stuff was worth and selling for but the last 2 years I don't think I looked at ebay once to check out a car... maybe a part but thats it...

2 years ago I parked my Dart outside a local car show and there was a note asking if i'd be interested in selling... I thought about it and called the guy just for giggles... long story short he was a good guy and after meeting him at a cruise he offered me 8k.. it was slightly more than i paid for it 2 years prior but of course quite a bit less than I had in it. I declined and have lost the guys number.

Fast forward to today and I post it for 8500 locally. I get a dozen responses, no one wants to look it except one guy and I get half a dozen offers for 5k... wtf? is the market really that bad right now? I've heard the Harley market is a bloodbath from some friends that sold their bikes but I assumed the Mopar was a little more solid... even for the lonely dart... CT is an economic nightmare, is it a regional thing or are you seeing this around the country?

Letgo is a joke, I've experienced that on some household stuff I've been trying to sell... they just offer half no matter how much of a low ball it is..
Click to expand...


should have taken the 8k back then..

prices are still up and not going down in my opinion.. it all depends on condition,condition,condition.. maybe the guy that offered ya 8k just had to have that car for one reason or the other. maybe its a 5k car that you think is worth more. who knows. without details and pictures its kinda hard to tell. i can say i sold a 64 valiant convertible in about an hour yesterday. i thought it was priced right for what it was and the condition it was in and the buyer thought the same.
 
6pk2goDemon said:
I believe the economy has been a bit stalled since the election. If you HAVE to sell, you must reduce your asking price to achieve your goal right ? It's a buyers market right now IMO...

There's alot of economic uncertainty with all the arguing going on in the news....
Click to expand...

I also so agree. and like real estate, location is so big.

best to not overpay for a project, if buying a project, buy a complete one,be able to do most all the work yourself.... if selling, be realistic, and do not have to be in a hurry.
 
abodyjoe said:
prices are still up and not going down in my opinion...
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I just recently joined e-bodies (dot) org's Facebook page.

I'm blown away by the money that is changing hands. The 70-71's have maintained but the '72 and up are going for some outrageous, pre-recession money. We're talking '73 340 and '74 360 'Cudas going in the mid $40k range with baseline 318 cars not far behind.

Project 70 and 71 cars going in the $10-$15 range.

That's definitely not going down.

The auctions, to me, mean nothing. Watching the private deals going on like here or Facebook or even Craigslist is more of a real world comparison for pricing.
 
E bodies have always been the golden goose. followed by B bodies, the A's! I lik affordable toys myself.

market? if you will ever sell, best to do this. buy GOOD project car, at fair market value or less, complete, that runs good, do all the work on it yourself.. the better the work, the more it will be worth. and remember this, basically it costs NO more to restore one model than another, in general,... just the difference is the initial cost of the project car. think about it.
 
barbee6043 said:
E bodies have always been the golden goose. followed by B bodies, the A's! I lik affordable toys myself.
Click to expand...

To a certain extent.

The road taillight and drop mouth cars have always been the black sheep.

When Pop bought the '74 ages ago, one in perfect condition was only commanding less than $10k.

The 70 and 71 cars were still astronomical.

Having a '72 to '74 was an economical entry poiny to being an E-body owner, comparably priced to many A-'s. Pop already had his A- and B-bodies and wanted an E-.

Now, though, the price is hard to get as an entry point.

On the plus side we've seen what happens in the past. As E-'s and some B-'s command a higher price that opens up new markets with the A-'s having more availability to parts. I'm hoping that opens up the market for F-'s which are still at an affordable entry point.
 
Having looked at several cars listed on CL, the sellers were either ignorant (my gut feeling in most cases) or looking to pull the wool over a buyer (one for certain). I've been doing these cars since the 80s, including owning serious basket cases. Most sellers have a few years of these cars and no clue how much it takes to reach the definition, or what a truly clean car is. Market is determined by multiple buyers. Selling price is an individual. I make sure to point out the reasons behind my offer, if there is one. I'd relist and consider it cat fishing... let it soak.
 
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