DO you think GN's are going

L

Little6pack

Active Member
Joined
Jun 2, 2002
down the same path as the older muscle cars of the 60's & early 70's.

It seems our style cars are in a LIMBO stage.
A lot still around but seem to be getting dated by lots of
the newer cars coming out by all the manufacturers.

Have you noticed how expensive some of the older Muscle IRON
is getting?
Will our cars be there in price & when?
Opinions anyone.
 
I think showroom condition turbo Regals will be worth a lot of money ten years from now.

There is no question that they are popular, and highly coveted performance cars, and I don't see anything that will change that.

One of the few legendary cars produced in the 1980s.
 
I don't think they will ever be as valuable as the 60 and 70's cars as there are just too many that have super low miles and so many were purchased as a weekend driver back in 87. Unlike the cars from the 60's and 70's they were a families primary vehicle for the most part.

Joe
 
Originally posted by GNX Guy
I don't think they will ever be as valuable as the 60 and 70's cars as there are just too many that have super low miles and so many were purchased as a weekend driver back in 87. Unlike the cars from the 60's and 70's they were a families primary vehicle for the most part.

Joe
Click to expand...
I'm not getting what you're saying. Are you claiming:

The market is flooded with low mileage original Turbo Regals? :confused:

Many '87 Turbo Regals were puchased only as "weekend drivers"? :confused:

Muscle cars from the 60's-70's were "a family's primary vehicle"? :confused:

If what you're saying is what I think you're saying, I feel you're completely wrong and challenge you to find "many super low mile" Turbo Regals right now. Please list them all here when you find'em. And no, mine's not for sale.

They're fairly valuable to this date. I've already been offered many thousands of dollars over sticker for my ultra low mile GN.
 
Originally posted by GNX Guy
I don't think they will ever be as valuable as the 60 and 70's cars as there are just too many that have super low miles and so many were purchased as a weekend driver back in 87. Unlike the cars from the 60's and 70's they were a families primary vehicle for the most part.

Joe
Click to expand...
I agree to a point. I've got a fully restored 1969 Camaro SS/RS 396. Yes its worth way more than the original purchase price in ‘69, easily 10-15 fold. Will a GN ever be worth 10 fold, probably not, certainly not in 30 years. Will the GN's eventually be worth more than their purchase price, sure. Probably double the purchase price in our lifetime. Yes there is a good amount with low mileage but there was an extremely limited supply of them. Take first gen Camaro's like mine. For the first 3 years of production there were 750,000 of them made, 450,000 of them were the 1969 year like mine. How many TR's were there made in 86-87? Maybe 50,000 and I don't think the number was that high. I think given that they are unique cars, fast, best of the 80's by a long shot, that they will appreciate in value past there selling price. Using the prices right now is not a good indication given the economic market. There are just not enough people right now that have disposable income, it's a buyers market for our cars, all cars in general I think. Just my $.02.
 
Hi, (not sure who you are because you did not sign your post)

I did not say flooded, I think I said "many have low miles."

Your second remark, yes, purchased as liesure or weekend cars. Folks in the late 80's had more disposible income for such things.

your 3rd remark. Yes, I think most were purchased and used as primary vehicles more so than the turbo cars were.

I think if you search this board alone you will find many low mile cars have been for sale. Might want to open up Hemmings too (I have not checked there in awhile) Having owned 21 of these turbo cars now, to include 2 GNX's, TTA, GN's and T's over the years, I've informally been monitoring whats going on. BTW, I not too long ago sold a 1102 mile GNX. Also sold a GNX with 10,9xx miles as well. Sold an 87 GN with 14,xxx miles. The maintainer of the GNX registry is in the process of selling his low mile all orginal car to Dennis Kirban this week. I don't think its a secret that the low mile, orginal cars will command the most $$$, both now and the future.

My definition of low miles is less than 20,000 as of today. Super low miles would be less than say 2000. Everyone has a bit different scale to judge on.

I believe there is a 316 mile gn for sale on ebay now. A 48 mile GNX just sold month or so ago to a Chicago guy, who himself just sold a 1600 mile car. Comparitively, how many Chevelle 454 SS's are there with less than 2000 miles for sale or even around.

Just in the Chicago Club alone I saw I think 6 Turbo cars with less than 10000 miles on them at the July 4th car show.

I don't think they are "valuable" I do think they have held their value and in some cases exceeded original purchase price much better than any other car that is 16-17 years old. Would you agree?

Not sure why you want to argue? Are you claiming that there are "NO" low mile cars anyware to be found?

If you would like to discuss further, I'd be happy to speak with you and you may call me at 630-434-0255 weekdays and we can talk about my inspection service that I offer as well as the turbo Buick appraisals I have done for folks over the years.

Thats great you have been offered $1000's over sticker for your low mile GN. However, that is not too uncommon. I think we can agree that many of the super low mile cars that have been sold, say in the past 2 years can command several thousand more than the stickers that ranged from $16000.00 or so to $18,000.

"Valuable" to me means the car is worth 2 or 3 times its original value from a monitary stand point and from a rarity stand point it is say 1 of 5 available.


Hope that clarifys things a bit for you.

Thanks

Joe

Originally posted by TT/A1233
I'm not getting what you're saying. Are you claiming:

The market is flooded with low mileage original Turbo Regals? :confused:

Many '87 Turbo Regals were puchased only as "weekend drivers"? :confused:

Muscle cars from the 60's-70's were "a family's primary vehicle"? :confused:

If what you're saying is what I think you're saying, I feel you're completely wrong and challenge you to find "many super low mile" Turbo Regals right now. Please list them all here when you find'em. And no, mine's not for sale.

They're fairly valuable to this date. I've already been offered many thousands of dollars over sticker for my ultra low mile GN.
Click to expand...
 
Good post, Joe. As a purveyor of some nice, low mileage cars, I would say the nicest and the lowest mileage will always increase in value. These cars have a certain legend, and a certain panache that nothing else from the 80s could match. And, as the years go on, those like me who were teenagers in the 80s and drooled for these cars, are going to be the ones with the disposable incomes....
 
dhauser has it right....

In the 50's, my brothers used to buy model "A's" at a nearby auction for between $40 and 75, then sell them at a small profit. As I grew older I saw those old cars being bought by guys older than me. Guys that got laid for the first time in one of those back seats ;) Guys with memories that these cars brought back to them in their middle and old age (when they had the bucks to build a hotrod or restore a vintage car their folks used to drive.)

A few years ago those pre 1940's cars were selling for very high prices. Now, they are not bringing half what they brought. Why? Because those guys are rapidly dying off. I don't share their memories with the cars and couldn't care less about owning a pre 1940's car.

We are in the hayday of interest for the post 1950 through early 1970's cars right now. Interest will wane for all but the most sought after cars of that group. Guys who lived their teen years in the 1950's and early 60's have high interest in the 1950-1973 cars now. When their mid life passes into old age, these cars will peak in value just like the model A and model T did.

I expect the same cycle of depreciation, and then, a renewed interest in our TR's and TTA's as a younger generation hits middle age. When you see interest wane a bit on the pre 1980's cars is when interest will peak for our cars. :) Its a few years away....

My two cents on this issue. :cool:
 
Re: dhauser has it right....

Originally posted by lburou
\ Why? Because those guys are rapidly dying off. I don't share their memories with the cars and couldn't care less about owning a pre 1940's car.

We are in the hayday of interest for the post 1950 through early 1970's cars right now. Interest will wane for all but the most sought after cars of that group. Guys who lived their teen years in the 1950's and early 60's have high interest in the 1950-1973 cars now. When their mid life passes into old age, these cars will peak in value just like the model A and model T did.

I expect the same cycle of depreciation, and then, a renewed interest in our TR's and TTA's as a younger generation hits middle age. When you see interest wane a bit on the pre 1980's cars is when interest will peak for our cars. :) Its a few years away....

My two cents on this issue. :cool:
Click to expand...


This is a very good 2 cents.

It is the same cycle for almost anything collectible.
I am finding selling 60's & 70"s items to be real hot at this point.

Seems to be a 25-30-35 year out period when those items are hot..

Remember all those stupid items from the 80's like MTV buttons, bevis & butthead & other stuff.. I have shoved tons of this stuff away to sell on ebay in the upcoming years.
 
What about the guys that lost their virginity in the back of an 80s japanese car? That car is as disposable as the condom they should have used. I dont think even a post coital memory will give those cars any value :)
 
It depends!!

Right now it appears that prices have been going down, why - because supply is greater than demand, it also appears that the longer a car sits for sale (i.e. e-bay), meaning getting relisted over and over, the price and interest of buyers go down. hint hint!!

Since May 5, 2003 there have been 17 Total (13 - GN's; 4 - WE-4's; with less than 19,321 original miles for sale, 10 of these cars had mileage between 10,000 and 19,321, with 7 remaining under 9,900 original miles, one GN - 84 and one GN - 316 miles.

GNX's - higher prices, same story as above, each week there is usually one GNX for sale on ebay.

And then when a car doesn't sell, it gets relisted along with new original low mileage TR's. Today there are more garage queens, including mine, than years past, plus car collectors inventory.


I see lots of interest in these cars. But like most, the interest rates are sparking all kinds of interest, which may require selling a nice collector TR or two or three and upgrading! I would not sell my GN, but I have that option. Times may change, but I hope to keep it forever.

One GNX (lower than 100 miles) recently was being offered for sale so the money could be used to buy a house.

Reality hits home.....

Good thread...

Brett
 
Re: dhauser has it right....

Originally posted by lburou
In the 50's, my brothers used to buy model "A's" at a nearby auction for between $40 and 75, then sell them at a small profit. As I grew older I saw those old cars being bought by guys older than me. Guys that got laid for the first time in one of those back seats ;) Guys with memories that these cars brought back to them in their middle and old age (when they had the bucks to build a hotrod or restore a vintage car their folks used to drive.)

A few years ago those pre 1940's cars were selling for very high prices. Now, they are not bringing half what they brought. Why? Because those guys are rapidly dying off. I don't share their memories with the cars and couldn't care less about owning a pre 1940's car.

We are in the hayday of interest for the post 1950 through early 1970's cars right now. Interest will wane for all but the most sought after cars of that group. Guys who lived their teen years in the 1950's and early 60's have high interest in the 1950-1973 cars now. When their mid life passes into old age, these cars will peak in value just like the model A and model T did.

I expect the same cycle of depreciation, and then, a renewed interest in our TR's and TTA's as a younger generation hits middle age. When you see interest wane a bit on the pre 1980's cars is when interest will peak for our cars. :) Its a few years away....

My two cents on this issue. :cool:
Click to expand...
You are correct in that interest peaks then decreases. I think one point Joe was trying to make (correct me if I'm wrong Joe) is that the increase in price will never be the same. Take my Camaro I referenced above. New it was about $2500 in 1969. Now I can get $17,000 without too much problem for it. Even if the price were to drop significantly to $14,000, it's still more than a 5-fold increase. I don't think we are going to see that price increase for our TR's. Say that average price for a GN was 15K new (which is was more but it's an even number), to get a 5-fold increase in price you would have to receive $75K for your GN. I just don't see the price ever getting near that. In another 15 years could we see 20K or maybe 25K for a clean GN, maybe but that's not even a 2-fold increase.
 
> Have you noticed how expensive some of the older Muscle IRON
is getting?

It's generally agreed that the first market rise in these cars was driven by baby boomers with more discretionary income that wanted these cars back. The rise in the stock market certainly helped.

As mentioned, these have followed a "normal" rise and fall based on a number of variables. Perhaps another rise curve is starting.

BUT... IMHO, the "driver" no on has been able to predict is WHO would be interested in TR's. They certainly fell between the cracks for a number of reasons. It is quite possible that outside the GNX, they may never gain interest. It will be interesting to see where the foreign car crowd goes when they get older and more income.
Interesting that even the Fast & Furious crowd commented about "more 60's muscle cars" in the 2nd movie. Maybe they will want one as their 2nd performance car.

Finally, I think Ebay has changed the game somewhat. IMHO, Ebay has inflated the price of all cars. Whether they are worth it is a different story, but greater exposure and the psychology of bidding seems to have raised the overall price for top-quality cars.
 
Some of us were discussing this the other day, and here's kinda what I thought.
Mostly talking about the GNX, but sorta applies to the GN's also.

It all boils down to the fact that you can't "create" a classic. They just happen. Not sure if that's what Buick was trying to do by limiting production to such small numbers or not. But serializing, and holding production to a tiny few hundred like that isn't going to create a classic, or high dollar demand. It's something that just happens.
It doesn't look like the GN's or the GNX's for that matter are going to be what many of us hoped they would.

Who would have thought that the first gen camaro's would be so valuable, and what makes them so??? It's certainly not due to limited numbers. Chevy made them by the millions!!! and there are still 10's of thousands of them around, but they're still fetching high $$$ compared to their orignal cost (which was relatively low even for their time).
My 69 Nova SS big block is another example. If I had the slightestl inkling that it would have become what it has, I certainly would've hung on to it!! $2800 new, $20,000+ today :mad:

Like the LS6 Chevelle's. Saw won go over the auction block a few months back for over $140,000 :eek: Give me a break! There just aint no Chevelle in the world worth that kind of money, but somebody just had way more money than sense! Course, the pretty girl hanging on his 60+ year old arm, egging him on probably had something to do with that ;)

Since our cars were so incredibly costly even for the times, it's doubtful you'll ever see that kind of value increase, and even at 20,000+ cars produced, that's still a fairly limited production number.

So, IMHO, classics, and high value cars aren't created. It just happens.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

M
1987 Buick Regal Turbo T
Replies
7
Views
2K
Big H
B
ShaunKris
Digital Dash EFI Integration with GN-ecu
2
Replies
25
Views
3K
turbobuick
turbobuick
Q
New cam doesn't fit
2
Replies
25
Views
3K
TurboTGuy
TurboTGuy
V
Boost Control with FAST XFI
Replies
8
Views
2K
87national55
87national55
SteveZ82
My new 86 GN. Great car but needs some love.
Replies
12
Views
2K
SteveZ82
SteveZ82
Top