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Posted by: eman 928 Sep 11 2014, 01:00 PM

Can someone tell me the difference between a LE and Pre LE? I've seen a couple of comments about LE/Pre LE and not sure what that means

Posted by: Gustl Sep 11 2014, 02:10 PM

find all LE-Infos on Jeff's pages: http://bowlsby.net/914/CanAm/

Posted by: carr914 Sep 11 2014, 02:43 PM

Pre LE's are Real 914s and LE's are 914s with a Bad Paint Job!

Posted by: boxsterfan Sep 11 2014, 09:00 PM

LE's are Less Expensive than /6's for some reason even though there are only 1,000 LE's ever made compared to ~3,300 /6's.

Creamsicle LE's are my favorite but I saw a really nice Bumblebee at a swap meet a while back.

Posted by: tumamilhem Sep 13 2014, 08:47 PM

And I agree. I think /6 are priced way too much (10+ more hp) and LEs are much more rare at 3.5X less production. And even then the LEs are split in half, only 500 of each.

Posted by: mepstein Sep 13 2014, 08:50 PM

rarity doesn't equal value. The 6 engine might only be rated for 10 hp more than a 4 but only people who have never driven a 6 think its an equal comparison.

Posted by: tumamilhem Sep 14 2014, 09:17 AM

I don't think it's an equal comparison. But I definitely believe that rarity does determine value. There were 3,356 (or so) 914-6s. There were only 500 of each LE Can Am cars. And of those 500, there's only about 50 Creamsicle and 100 Bumblebee drivers left (the rest are shells if survived at all). So yes, rarity is a huge factor I believe.

Posted by: 87m491 Sep 18 2014, 08:34 PM

Because I can't help myself....rarity only = value if some one is willing to pay for it. Pray tell how much would one pay for a super rare, one off only color combo of, say, a 73 1.8, crap brown exterior on maybe brown tartan plaid interior? Who knows, but I am guessing not much over any other similar condition make and model. By your logic, one of one, it should command a premium to the two factory 914 V8s that are said to be out by shear dint that there is only of of them. That argument doesn't hold up. While I like the LE paint schemes, I tend to still like boy racer stuff even in my fifties!
The fact is, that other than loud paint options, the LEs don't offer anything that wasn't available across the product line in large numbers.
While you see the the American car folks often touting "only one of 5 in this year viper green exterior over African ivory interior" to which I usually say, so what? What I think does carry over from American sports and muscle cars is the rarity/desirability of the body style and engine drivetrain combo, not look at me paint. Though it seems anything festooned as a pace car edition goes getting a premium, but not from me.
This is why the 6s will, all else equal, will always enjoy a wide premium over LEs if if a bunch more 6s were made.
So go keep up the good fight on rarity value by the numbers alone, but I'll needed to see market price confirmation before I drink that Kool Aid.

Posted by: tumamilhem Sep 18 2014, 08:42 PM

Mine was invited to be in the Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance for 2015. Because of it's rarity.

Posted by: dlkawashima Sep 18 2014, 09:23 PM

Do you have a link to a thread that talks about Pre LE cars?

Posted by: Jeff Bowlsby Sep 19 2014, 03:20 PM

Surely he must be referring to the seven prototype LE cars.

Posted by: MikeM Sep 21 2014, 07:42 AM

Of course rarity equals value. It also equals desirability.
I have an LE that's probably worth 3 times what I paid for it. Why?
Because it's rare, and therefore desirable. How do I know?
Because several people have offered to buy it from me.
And they are willing to pay MORE because it's an LE.

Posted by: carr914 Sep 21 2014, 08:43 AM

While I'm not an LE fan (unless I find a GrassHopper), Rarity does equal $$

Example (and you might not like to hear about the Color); Steve Gaglione's Sahara Beige Car. He was offered over $50k for it years ago. I think someday it could be the 1st $100k 914-4

Posted by: dw914six Sep 21 2014, 04:28 PM

To me, both cars are more rare, thus more desirable and valuable than standard 914 cars.

However, is not a LE basically cosmetic differences in paint and options? While a 6 is or was a major upgrade mechanically, putting it closer to a 911 than a 914 4 banger.

Value is driven by both rarity and desirability and performance is highly desirable.

Here is the major test.

Look at all of the 6 conversions. There are a lot...A LOT of 6 conversions out there. Are there many LE copies running around?

No slam on LE cars. I love the special looks, but it is not a 6.

Posted by: tumamilhem Sep 21 2014, 10:44 PM

Pre LE

Posted by: billh1963 Sep 22 2014, 05:56 AM

No....it does not.

Desirability equals $$. Add rarity and you can get $$++++

Examples?

My 1986 Ferrari Mondial Coupe...1 of 29 imported in the US. Much rarer than 914 LE's or /6's yet worth the same (or even less) than the convertible Mondial model

MG MGC's.... a little over 9000 total made out of the 500,000 MGB's. Not worth much more (if any) than a comparable condition MGB

Triumph TR8...rarest of the TR series. Worth less than TR2, TR3, TR4, TR5, TR250, and TR6's...even though total production (at around 2750+/-) was far less than any of those models

So...rarity does NOT equal $$

Posted by: carr914 Sep 22 2014, 07:09 AM

In 914s, it does!

Posted by: billh1963 Sep 22 2014, 07:14 AM

Of course it does....because 914's have become more desirable.

Posted by: Johny Blackstain Sep 22 2014, 07:27 AM

Why is this post in the classifieds? Should be moved to a different forum.