Input on current market values, 1973 2.0 appearance group - ultra original Options

[scotty b]

Oh, and a lot of the truly best cars pass hands quietly and never make into the databases.

Paul

this is a very good point. within every car circle the well known ones rarely are seen by public when they go up for sale. Typically the ones that are announced to the public are by dealers, or are " normal " cars. Not the uber perfect examples

[914Next]

Oh, and a lot of the truly best cars pass hands quietly and never make into the databases.

Paul

this is a very good point. within every car circle the well known ones rarely are seen by public when they go up for sale. Typically the ones that are announced to the public are by dealers, or are " normal " cars. Not the uber perfect examples

Good point and I agree. Hopefully being patient and hanging around great sites like this will result in someone with one of those great cars contacting me about a potential sale. It happened with this current car but I just can't justify the asking price.

[orthobiz]

Original cars are great, if you are going to put them in the garage and look at them.
Take it out and put some miles on it and you depreciate the car with every mile.
If the seller wants to price his car at a much higher price than the guides, then great, good luck and I hope you get your price and the buyer will be happy.
Also, the guides are just that,a guide. eBay, auctions and previous sales should be used as a guide. Not set in stone prices.
Craig at CAMP

True, Craig. That's why I have to have two cars now, one to drive and one to not drive (actually I'm on the one-tankful-of-gas-per-year program). I can't sell the show car because 1. It's paid for and 2. I'd be hard pressed to find another as nice.

Paul

[bmendel]

Original cars are great, if you are going to put them in the garage and look at them.
Take it out and put some miles on it and you depreciate the car with every mile.
Craig at CAMP

I wouldnt worry about that too much, when I bought mine a few years back, it was the same price as a new Civic SI or a really used Boxster (today it would be like a nicer used Boxster). I'm not afraid to drive it, just have to take care of it a little more. What's that Civic or Boxster worth today? How about my 914? Maybe mine could be worth a tiny bit more if I'd just parked it and covered it, but it's not going down from a little use. It's not a good choice for a daily driver, but miles don't hurt, as long as condition stays the same. I didn't buy it to make money, (but can't complain that the markets gone up), just figured it was so nice it wouldn't lose value and would be a blast to drive in nice weather.

[914Next]

Original cars are great, if you are going to put them in the garage and look at them.
Take it out and put some miles on it and you depreciate the car with every mile.
Craig at CAMP

I wouldnt worry about that too much, when I bought mine a few years back, it was the same price as a new Civic SI or a really used Boxster (today it would be like a nicer used Boxster). I'm not afraid to drive it, just have to take care of it a little more. What's that Civic or Boxster worth today? How about my 914? Maybe mine could be worth a tiny bit more if I'd just parked it and covered it, but it's not going down from a little use. It's not a good choice for a daily driver, but miles don't hurt, as long as condition stays the same. I didn't buy it to make money, (but can't complain that the markets gone up), just figured it was so nice it wouldn't lose value and would be a blast to drive in nice weather.

Thanks to all of you for the great input. The current owner and I have exchanged several good emails about the car and our thoughts on value. In the end, we just aren't close enough at this point. Its a great car. I'll continue to look and he'll enjoy his great car for a while....and/or find a buyer at a point closer to his desired price. Perhaps we revisit it at some point or I find another one that checks all the boxes. Open to hearing about other great original cars.

Steve

[914Next]

Update....talking with the owner again. Nice guy. We're much closer on price now but we're still not quite there. Good news is that we're now talking in the low 30's. I know for some of you that will seem like an outrageous price for a 914....I agree but If the car is as described (many pics and documents to support the condition) then there just are not that many left.

Bit of history: bought new by a doc in July '73. Appearance group car. Bahia red, 44k original miles documented with paperwork. Copies of all original selling paperwork except the window sticker. All original paint, glass, interior, fuchs wheels (including original unused spare wheel and tire), original tools, jack, radio, carpet and mats. Interior is excellent. OEM dated replacement muffler (date '86). Engine has never been touched (original hoses), nor has trans. No rust although a dusting of surface rust in hell hole. Original battery tray with very slight rust. No rust at all in trunks. Rockers still riveted on. Would love to look under those but the car is so clean that I'm fairly confident that there is no need to drill the rivets out. I'm going to decide on my final price by tomorrow. Great car...Just not sure I am comfortable at his very top end of the market. I also know I'll regret letting this beauty get away.

[Ferenc]

Dying to hear how this transpired. Did you get the car? Rooting for you. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/piratenanner.gif)

[Ferenc]

Deeply embarrassed to have added a dancing emoticon in previous post. Never done it before, never will do it again. Apologies to all.

[914Next]

Dying to hear how this transpired. Did you get the car? Rooting for you. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/piratenanner.gif)

Don't worry about the emoticon. Summarizes how I feel about my new purchase. Yes the owner and I reached agreement. I'll have the car in a couple of weeks. Here are a few pics.

Original914

[Ferenc]

Fantastic! Congratulations! I love seeing a dream come true.

The car looks like a home run in the photos. Might have cost you a bit more than you'd hoped to spend, but I doubt you'll ever regret it for a moment. Wishing you many happy years of driving it.

I'm on the hunt for one myself. Never owned one, but it's time. I've loved the 914 with a passion since I drove one belonging to a friend's stepdad back in high school (the Late Jurassic era, aka the 1970's).

Okay, even though I'm too old for these, I'll give you the dancing banana wearing the Napolean hat one last time: (IMG:style_emoticons/default/piratenanner.gif)

[Beeliner]

Congratulations!

I drove my 75 300 plus miles this week.
Make sure you enjoy yours, you do have 'wiggle room' on mileage.

Replace you original spare and tire if you might ever need and use the spare. Your original tire may look good, but will blow to kingdom come at speed.

Store it for your estate/heirs to deal with after you take the big exit ramp.

[914Next]

Congratulations!

I drove my 75 300 plus miles this week.
Make sure you enjoy yours, you do have 'wiggle room' on mileage.

Replace you original spare and tire if you might ever need and use the spare. Your original tire may look good, but will blow to kingdom come at speed.

Store it for your estate/heirs to deal with after you take the big exit ramp.

Thanks. Good suggestion on the spare. I'll do that. As for mileage I will drive it although I suspect not as much as I might hope. Too many cars and no time...that translates to far too few miles on them but I enjoy them just the same.

[914runnow]

Update....talking with the owner again. Nice guy. We're much closer on price now but we're still not quite there. Good news is that we're now talking in the low 30's. I know for some of you that will seem like an outrageous price for a 914....I agree but If the car is as described (many pics and documents to support the condition) then there just are not that many left.

Bit of history: bought new by a doc in July '73. Appearance group car. Bahia red, 44k original miles documented with paperwork. Copies of all original selling paperwork except the window sticker. All original paint, glass, interior, fuchs wheels (including original unused spare wheel and tire), original tools, jack, radio, carpet and mats. Interior is excellent. OEM dated replacement muffler (date '86). Engine has never been touched (original hoses), nor has trans. No rust although a dusting of surface rust in hell hole. Original battery tray with very slight rust. No rust at all in trunks. Rockers still riveted on. Would love to look under those but the car is so clean that I'm fairly confident that there is no need to drill the rivets out. I'm going to decide on my final price by tomorrow. Great car...Just not sure I am comfortable at his very top end of the market. I also know I'll regret letting this beauty get away.

Welllll put my .02 in a bit ago..
here is a new update on some family news...
my wifes nephew just recently purchased from his uncle a 73 2.0 loaded..
w/AC....my bro in law had it concour ready..
so the nephew took it to 2 local concours and won hands down....
at BOTH events was offered 40g straight away for it....2 different people...

No Name >..But a PCA guru saw it and was Gaga over it..his plan is to get the
few parts he needs to have a 250 point car.....(really)..
so I know all these people with the 20 to 25 g mentality....on the 4 cyl cars..
need to let it go.....this is a original car and 2 owner..he is the third....
Cali it's entire life...and 47500 on the odo......sooooo there yah go..
and very good luck on your current deal making!!

[914Next]

Well the 914 is officially paid in full an on the truck, heading this way. Not yet sure when it will arrive. Pretty excited to finally see it!

914

[scotty b]

congratulations !! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)

[Ferenc]

I second that congratulations! (Though I'm the dancing banana who already congratulated you earlier.)

A few stray thoughts to share. Everybody take 'em or leave 'em as you choose:

First, I think you made a terrific purchase. It may have seemed pricey today, but next year it won't. In five years it'll seem like a steal. In ten years people will be waxing nostalgic about the good old days when you could pick up a low-miles 914 in great condition for ONLY in the low 30k range. A decade from now, the same people insisting today that your car should only be 20 to 25k will be the same people saying that it should only be a 100k car.

I speak from experience. Every classic car for which I ever paid what was then top dollar or slightly more is now worth twice or three times what I paid. In the case of my 300SL roadster, it's now worth FIVE TIMES what I paid for it ten years ago. People would kill to buy one in superb condition for what it cost me then. I'm not bragging or claiming prescience. Believe me, if I'd known, I'd have leveraged my finances and bought a fleet of the darn things. I'd currently be retiring on the drip-feed of high end auction sales. (Yes, I know the bubble may burst. But if it does, it'll mean a financial collapse worse than what happened in 2008. And in that case, we'll all have far greater things to worry about than what our hobby cars are worth.)

Second, I'm puzzled by the people who approach any car equation using only the calculus of dollars and cents. It's as if they don't consider a car to be a good one unless there's some screaming deal to be had, or unless the money equation balances in their favor somehow. I feel sorry for those folks because for them it's only about those dollars and cents and not about the pleasure gained by owning something wonderful and beloved and unique. In other words, they don't seem to really understand the love affair a driver can have with a car.

Going back to what I said earlier: Back when I bought the cars I own now (six of them, for the record), I paid top dollar or slightly more not because of any financial calculus. I did it because I've always loved those cars, I wanted to own them, and I wanted the best examples I could find. The appreciation in values that they have generated is merely a sidebar to my ownership experience. A happy sidebar, but a sidebar nonetheless.

The few classics that I'm buying today? Same thing: Top dollar or slightly more for the best low-miles examples I can find. Why? Because I love them and want to own and drive them, and I'm lucky enough to be able to afford that. I'm really not worried about what someone else might think about whether I overpaid or got a good deal. I assume you can likewise afford your purchase, so I urge you to likewise not care if it appeared to be a bargain in someone else's eyes.

With a purchase like yours, the money equation will balance in your favor. All it takes is time, more people wishing to own, and fewer excellent examples on the road.

Long story short: Good for you, and I hope you get tremendous pleasure out of driving it!

[funk]

realistically 30 large plus or minus?? what do all of the mechanics records say?? sounds like a baby did he adjust the valves every say 4000 miles?? and take care of other necessities??or did it just get driven under 100 miles a month all its life and sit in a garage most of the time?? was the owner a porscheaphile??did he know his p/s and q's of the air cooled world. all this and the prices of just about everything skyrocketing in the last five years means the dollar is worthless anyway!! 40 grand wouldn't be totally outrageous for someones baby but 20 would be someones dust collector who dosent even know what a 2.0 cylende rhead looks like (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wacko.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wacko.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wacko.gif) !!love it or leave it!!