Model A prices rising?

[eagle]

I always keep an eye on model A prices on Craigs list, want ads, etc. I have noticed the prices being asked have risen by maybe even +30% in the last couple years. Is it just our area or have the rest of you noticed the same? 2-3 years ago it was common to see real nice ones, older restos for $6-7K. Now they are selling the same for maybe $9-14K. There are always the flyers asking $25K and the occasional good buy at $5K. I'm not talking points cars or basket cases, just the nice drivers. They are SELLING too. The days of 3-6 months listing an old car seem to be gone, they are selling faster it seems. The economy here in MN is pretty decent in some areas, maybe that has something to do with it?

[Mike V. Florida]

Asking and selling prices are different. If enough people see high asking prices they soon assume that is what they are worth and that new higher perception become the new selling price.

[rons49]

The prices on As are actually rising. The rest of the production car prices are generally flat. See, As are a better investment than dividend stocks or bonds.

[John S]

I sold a solid original 30 coupe 2 years ago for 7500 and was lucky to get that. It was a driver with fair paint and interior. Engine ran strong. I think it would bring 2-3 thousand more now. Just like the housing market, cars are starting to sell again.

[BRENT in 10-uh-C]

I think much of it is because CDs are paying less than ½ percent and so what I am seeing/hearing is folks are looking for cars at around $10k or in the $20k budget range. To me it appears folks are having their CDs maturing and they are thinking if they take that money and buy something they can play with for a couple years and then sell it for a few hundred dollars profit (very likely) then they see it as making the same as what their CD would have and they got to enjoy their "investment" some.

I personally think we are in the beginning stages of another "price hike" in the hobby that will probably see 10%-15% value increase in the next couple years over what they were five years ago. Part of that reason is it is costing more to repair/refurbish/restore a car now so people have more in them.

.

[Bill in Al]

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Why is it costing more to restore now? hee hee

[700rpm]

If you're buying the prices are up. If you're selling, the prices are way down.

[bart78]

With cars like model a's I think it's labor prices bringing prices up. And hot rods. It's amazing what people will pay for a rusty body. I actually think car prices will come down in the next for years. Without getting into political junk. I think next year is going to be pretty rough on a lot of people. And these cars are some of the first things to go when people need money. And allso there are a lot more of these out there than people think.

[ronn]

Bottom line- the dollar is worth less every year, so yes, the number is higher, but the value is not....

Let's go back 20 years- a nice roadster was 12,500. isn't much more today.... not the greatest of investments from a monetary standpoint.

[eagle]

I am referring mainly to just the last 2-3 years, seems prices are up, AND the cars are selling.

[Hicktick]

I think the car prices are a result of what people see on e-bay and on barret-jackson .

They see asking prices on e-bay not what it sold for .
If you look at listings on e-bay most are dealers or flippers .
The add will say fresh frame off , from the ground up , restoration .
Not , I restored it myself and have to sell .

Look at the parts for sale , if you see a rolling chassis , running some with fenders , then someone just wanted the body of a nice car , and a title .

There was a rolling chassis with fenders and new tires on the swap meet here for 10k , running driving .

But it all boils down to what someone will pay .

[Arlen]

I'm with hicktick. Barret Jackson is driving the prices thru th e roof. People watch that show and think the rust bucket they have out back is all off the sudden a gold mine.

[SeaSlugs]

Originally Posted by Arlen

I'm with hicktick. Barret Jackson is driving the prices thru th e roof. People watch that show and think the rust bucket they have out back is all off the sudden a gold mine.

dont forget that "American Pickers" show too. Dont get me wrong they do find some amazing stuff but some prices what they sell it for or sold for are ridiculous.

[Ross/Kzoo]

Originally Posted by Arlen

Barrett Jackson is driving the prices thru th e roof. People watch that show and think the rust bucket they have out back is all off the sudden a gold mine.

It's amazing what television, liquor and machismo does when combined. Add to that the announcers reading prepared texts about rarity and desirability of a particular model. Television cameras and bright lights can make a car look better than it really is according to some auction "drivers".Ssome even said that it was good that they were pushed on and off the auction block because the "cream puffs" had bad engine noises or smoked.

[Richard Wilson]

If one is to believe at least three current, popular TV shows, one can buy a junkyard dog, spend a few bucks and a week or less rebuilding time and then resell them for mega bucks. For me they are entertaining and a good laugh. For others they are a business model.

[Ross/Kzoo]

Originally Posted by Richard Wilson

If one is to believe at least three current, popular TV shows, one can buy a junkyard dog, spend a few bucks and a week or less rebuilding time and then resell them for mega bucks. For me they are entertaining and a good laugh. For others they are a business model.

I was watching one of those shows, I think it was Count's Kustom's and in the background was a car in progress that featured weeks earlier. I think that these cars, although featured on a weekly/weakly basis, take many weeks to complete.

[eagle]

I don't think anyone takes those shows too seriously, at least not many. I was taught that "TV is not real" and now more than ever, it is so true. I wasn't referring to the "asking" prices, I have seen a real increase in the actual selling amount and much less time for sale. As far as I'm concerned, I would wish them all at about 1950s prices as I don't ever plan on selling. I'm not going to be buying any more so I guess that doesn't matter either. However, I was interested what other people were seeing.

[BRENT in 10-uh-C]

I am going to interject a few more observations based on my experience.

1) I would venture a guess that the majority of the folks here have never attended Barrett, -or any upscale classic car auction. If so, one quickly realizes that the TV portrayal is NOT the full depiction of what truly happens there, ...just like 'Pickers' doesn't just drive down the road and find stuff, nor do the car shops actually operate how it appears on the shows. My point is do not draw any conclusions or opinions based on the perception of what you see on TV.

2) Contrary to what some may think, a person that attends an upscale auction to make a purchase is not necessarily stupid/ignorant when they are there to buy a car. People who have money to spend did not get their money to spend by being stupid. Where there is a strong disagreement is the perceived value as it pertains to them, -vs. You.

3) The only thing I feel we all agree upon is an unlearned Seller oftentimes values their Model-A based on inaccurate data. "Grandpa said his Model-A was worth ...!" or "I saw on TV where a car just like mine brought... ". The market sets a more realistic value however the opposite can also take place (which I am seeing a lot right now!) A good example is I have several people calling wanting to purchase a nicely restored Coupe in the $10k range, and a restored Deluxe Roadster in the $15k range. The problem is most Sellers in the know won't let them go for that amount because they know there are folks out there that will pay more. I have tried to explain that to buyers and they tell me "That is all I am going to pay!". Ironically one person was looking for a Coupe and said he was only going to spend up to $10k. I told him I did not know of anything. I got a call over the weekend from him again saying everything he is finding in that price-range is junk. You don't know had badly I wanted to say " I tried to tell you!!" ...but instead I just bit my lip.

Maybe in a year or two we can bring this thread back up to the top to read whose prediction of Model-A values/prices increasing or decreasing is accurate. If history is any indicator, analyzing the past 4 or 5 decades shows their prices and/or value has increased. I doubt history will be wrong this time either!!

.

[Terry, NJ]

I love to make money! I love to save money! But most of all, I love it when I can exercise my real passion of collecting. That means availability at a price I can live with. I'm a hoarder by nature. I love owning many of one thing and I love owning several things. Rising prices may be nice for some, but people like me just grit their teeth. It means I'll be buying less cars and parts.
Terri

[bart78]

Of course they have gone up in price the past fourty or fifty years ago. The prices on model a's reflrcts labor costs. You can add parts to that but most stuff is pretty affordable. Fifty years ago machine shop labor was not what it is now. If it would have cost back them what it does not to have someone work on your car. There would be no mod a's. They carry some value because they are old. They are not a rare car. And the fact that they make nice hot rods has made the price go up. In a few years the way things are going. But when you have 4,000 in a motor. And if you have someone put a good paint job on it. You are allready up there pretty good. And that's just two things. These cars will continue to go up. But my opinion it will be due to labor prices.