Defending classic prices
 

Who remembers when S1 RS Turbos became affordable to anyone with a pair of Gazelles, Farrah trousers and a Barbor jacket? I do and I also recall the image being tarnished so badly that prices dropped and dropped. However, there were a few unmolested, well modded clean RSTs that were such a rarity they started commanding sensible money.

I'm confident that the Classic will go the same way, with people being prepared to pay a little extra for a good one.

What are peoples thoughts?

Well i hope so and can see it in the future - although low mileage non molested ones are becoming a rarity even now

What do we consider low mileage for a classic???

Mine has 37,000 on the clock, which was the lowest i could find for the particular model i was after.

So were you prepared to pay a bit extra Rooferman?

Dont know exactly what would qualify, but I'd say 10K - 20K less than average could be considered low, 20K - 50K very low.

When I was looking to buy earlier this year, the only classics I could find under £5000 were either very high mileage ( 100K plus ) or were complete dogs.

I dont think good UK classics will ever go really low in price - they seem to die a natural death before they get to the point where any nobber could afford them - plus people who can only afford £2 - £3k to buy a car, arent likely to be able to afford £1000 insurance or the running costs.

Sorry, that last statement is a load of crap. The reason that half the people can only afford 2-3k is because of the running costs and insurance. I certainly don't have a problem with doing it that way with my current car. It may not be the case that everyone is like that but there are certainly a lot like me.

Incidentally, I would agree about the dodgy cars below 5k. I am looking at my options to replace my current car and was originally only going to be able to spend up to that amount. No way would I have bought an Impreza for that money...a bit too much risk for my eyes as they have begun to fall into the hands o those who don't treat them with any mechanical sympathy. You can be lucky and find one that has been cherished by it's current owner for a number of years but those cars are very few and far between. Now I am looking at either an early Bug or a very late classic. I prefer the way the Bug drives so i will no doubt go down that route if I choose to get the SCoob at all...The low mileage Classics just command too much money for what they are. Especially given that I will add 15k a year to it and the value will plummet. They are going the same was as the original shape Volvo V70R.

I have a mint un-blinged 1993 WRX-RA, it will command a high re-sale price when ever I decide to move it on.

Classics rock & will never die, their the very reason the Impreza is so popular in the word today, the Legacy & Classic is where it all began.

critical comments refering to classics being worthless, are from people who have brought newer models because they can & have also lost a fortune since removing it from the showroom.

The new age Subaru will never be an icon.

As an example, Ford no matter what they build will never equal the never forgoten Mk1 & Mk11 escorts, which good examples command very high prices....

The last of the Classic Impreza's - if unmolested and owned by one, or few owners will be worth money whatever happens.

I say the 'last' because they were quicker and better equiped.

The Bug-Eyes are horrendous, and will remain horrendous, the secondhand market is totally ruthless when it comes to cars no-one wants ..... and very ugly cars never sell for any money.

Blob-Eyes are better looking and may have a following ...... but, the Classic 'look' has been lost - the Impreza has 'grown up' and it's not good for that.

A Model Year 2000 Classic, in Blue Mica, with One Owner, Full Subaru History and sensible mileage will ALWAYS get a buyer and ALWAYS get decent money.

Modified and molested cars are seen as dogs by the general market ......

Throw in a CockLink and you have a wally owner/driver as well!!!! :eek:

Pete

There are just too many about for them to start commanding premium prices for the next few years - especially with more sub-standard imports coming in all the time (as well as good imports). In 5 or so years when natural selection has gotten rid of the dodgy "bling'd" and Max'd up cars, the prices of mint and un-modified cars may stabilise and even rise.

Steve

I hear that! Classics will never die!

Last sunday i bought one like that..

55k on it, full history, 3 owners though (3rd owner had it for 2months before part exing it in for a wagon version.. last 2 owners bought\traded at same garage i got it from!). No mechanical mods that i can see, although the re-circ dump valve looks metal and is quite noticable.. i was under the impression the standard ones were plastic?

Love the car :D

I do agree with the £3k car + £1k insurance problem though, i had an R reg Saxo VTS to get rid of which is a group 14 super chav car..people can pay £2k for the car but not the same out again for the insurance!

Mine sold for good money! http://bbs.scoobynet.co.uk/showthread.php?t=491650

OK then. I was thinking of selling mine, spec as follows:

-Single owner from new
-2001 registered classic
-no mods
-Full service history every 6 months. Addidional body services and an aircon service.
-29000 miles
-DBM saloon
-UK car
-new tyres and brakes
-near new condition inside and out.
-12 months tax/mot.

My mileage has increased and I wanted to get a diesel. Thought about selling but from what I could see I'd be lucky to get £8000 and I wouldn't be able to buy anything half as nice with the proceeds. Think I may as well just spend £150-200 a month on fuel than try to cut my losses.

intresting thread this,my sti's only covered 45k and is quite rare........might be worth keeping hold of.....

I'd say 7k tops - I've just bought a W Reg MY00 (95k tho) for 5k.

Why 7k tops though?

The very last of the classics with under 30k on the clock! I would say that this is prime example of where the car's worth what somebody's prepared to pay for it. If the buyer wants a really good example they'll need to pay the extra - how do you justify 7k tops. Compared with what :confused:

Classic wagons will always be sought after because they will be eventually be the last place you can find unmodded examples.

My last Impreza was a MY99 DBM UK Turbo bought with 23k on the clock for £8,000.00. I proceeded to put another 23k on it in 6 months and sold in September 2004 for £7,200.00 to a fellow SIDC member.

Diferent story with the STi-8 now, bought for 18k a year ago, spent 3.5k on engine mods, 1.5k on tyres and brakes and would be lucky to see 14/15k.

The classic was collected the day after I advertised it, two people travelled minimum 200 miles to come and get it Saturday morning as I'd said first one here with the cash gets it!

Any sub 30k classic will be worth it's money before long, they are indeed the best of breed!

My motor would fetch a decent price if I decided to sell it, I'm more than confident of that.

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...yrearj-peg.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...coobyfront.bmp

I guess you would have to remove those hideous red mudflaps first :eek:

Good grief, why not white ones at least??

Pete

hey Pete it's all about personal taste, and they can easily come off.

White, where's the contrast... the Red will go with my 6-pots

2nite I have found a rather strange impreza. L Reg import wagon. 60 K on the clock and very mint. Seems to be a very early one as it has the horid interior, the original subaru fabric. It also comes with some bits and piceces Ive never seen in an impreza engine bay, as well as an ally bonnet that has the original lable on it with the cars vin on? Ally bonet on a standard wagon? To me it seems to maybe be one of the first I can see rarities like this being worth more money as time goes on.

I'll be after a classic Sti (Jap) in a couple of months and only wanna pay 4k to be honest so I realise it may be a bit of a search for a half decent one!

Could be a type sa...

Either way though, hard to imagine anything that would be as good to drive for similar money and in similar condition if I chop it in. The wife just had to spend £12.5k to get bottom of the range 1.9Dti Saab 9-3SS :eek: Admittedly not as old as the Scoob but still :eek:

J,
I looked at three cars and two had less than 40,000 miles on them.I chose the car that had been ecutek,and had a few more goodies.;)

This was over a six month period,and these were the only cars(v5/6 sti type ra)that i could find for sale..

I know it's not quite the same as an outright sale, but I was offered £7.5k today as a part ex price for my standard MY99 UK turbo (71k miles, FSSH)... and that was from a Subaru main dealer against a reasonably priced low mileage bugeye STI type UK.....

It's cause he wanted to get shot of the Bugeye.

Steve

Compared with the price I paid for mine, and the prices of all the other classics I have seen for sale on here over the last few months?

Maybe it would get a bit more - but I personally think it would be hard to get over 7k now, imo.

My 98 WRX wagon has a lightweight bonnet. I thought they were standard on the WRX whether saloon or wagon?