GNX dilema to drive or not to drive / sell or not to sell

[GNX181]

Drive And Enjoy

I purchased GNX #181 in October of '96 with 7,500 miles on it. The first year it was driven daily since I had traded in my other car. The following year I kept my wife's old car when she bought a new one instead of trading it in and now the X goes mainly to car shows, cruise nights and for a spin when weather allows. I now have about 21,000 miles on the car and have been able to enjoy driving it. Enjoy the car by driving it without putting major miles on it and you'll have the best of both worlds, driving it and as an investment. In my opinion, the people that bought one in '87 and haven't driven it, you could've probably put the money that you paid to get one back then in a CD or some other investment and received a better return on your money.

 

[twinvipers]

You do? So far the two threads I read on the GNX forums were calling people sissies for not driving their cars and the second was that ignorant thread you started about taxing people who buy cars and do not drive them.

Twinvipers has a passion for low mileage cars, like other people have a passion for drag racing their cars. So what if he decides that is is plain silly to drive a car that he just purchased with 800 original miles.

He may find it silly that someone would take a car and mod the heck out of it, but does not come on here and call those people sissies.

Many people complain about how the collectors have priced people out of the market, but guess what, back in 1971, I couldn't afford a Hemi Cuda, and you want to know what? In 2008 I still cannot afford a 1971 Hemi Cuda.

The bottom line is there are many types of enthusiasts, and Twinvipers enjoys his GNX as much as the guy who drive it 20,000 miles a year.

Thanks Rich

I knew someone would understand

 

[twinvipers]

Its funny how many people have opinions on how people should drive, buy and restore these cars. At the end of the day you are the one who looks at the car in your garage not anyone else. So whatever you wanna do do, as someone in this thread pointed out tomorrow you could be dead, 'what did you do today'?

BTW Twinvipers how is the TTA you bought in NJ? Any pics?

The car is not too bad. I really bought it for all the memorabelia and jackets and stuff.

Sent a jacket up to LotusS4 for all his help lately on picking up some cars for me.

Let me see if I can get a pic or two.

 

[70Mach1]

Thanks Rich

I knew someone would understand

Going to be in Palm Beach this weekend?

 

[Sinical]

You do? So far the two threads I read on the GNX forums were calling people sissies for not driving their cars and the second was that ignorant thread you started about taxing people who buy cars and do not drive them.

Twinvipers has a passion for low mileage cars, like other people have a passion for drag racing their cars. So what if he decides that is is plain silly to drive a car that he just purchased with 800 original miles.

He may find it silly that someone would take a car and mod the heck out of it, but does not come on here and call those people sissies.

Many people complain about how the collectors have priced people out of the market, but guess what, back in 1971, I couldn't afford a Hemi Cuda, and you want to know what? In 2008 I still cannot afford a 1971 Hemi Cuda.

The bottom line is there are many types of enthusiasts, and Twinvipers enjoys his GNX as much as the guy who drive it 20,000 miles a year.

LOL, looks like I struck a nerve. As far as the "tax" thread did you not realize that was a spoof? "Passions for low mileage cars", lol what a joke. He's simply an elitist and someone called him on it so he resorts to referring to my car as a "turd" (which I could care less and partially agree) b/c it's not some numbered low mileage penis extension/garage furniture. Puuuuuhlease.

 

[Sinical]

Since Twinvipers modded his sig,I modded mine as well. :biggrin:

 

[70Mach1]

LOL, looks like I struck a nerve. As far as the "tax" thread did you not realize that was a spoof? "Passions for low mileage cars", lol what a joke. He's simply an elitist and someone called him on it so he resorts to referring to my car as a "turd" (which I could care less and partially agree) b/c it's not some numbered low mileage penis extension/garage furniture. Puuuuuhlease.

Whatever.

 

[02WS686GN]

Everyone should read this..

Though I could see all points from everyone on this debate, it comes down to what the story is for the particular car. For example, if you own an all original, one owner, fully documented GNX with only 800 miles on it, at this point you might as well let it be. However, if you're the owner of a 40,000 mile GNX...DRIVE IT!!! I mean, if I were going to pay that kind of money for a 21 year old Regal, you bet your ass I'm going to get my moneys worth out of that thing! I'd drive it like it was intended to, but not like a punk either. Of course, it would NEVER be a daily driver, nor would I ever let it out of my sight, but I guarentee you would see me at the local cruise-in and "hot spot" with it every weekend. Life's too short to collect "garage furniture". I mean, I can see if you're looking after your "investment", but what kind of "investment" is it when the kids of today don't even know what it is because they've never seen one before? Todays' younger people are going to be tomorrows rich, older guys with the big $$$ at the Barret-Jackson auction 20-30 years from now. Most of them don't even know what a T-Type or a Grand National is, let alone a GNX. Or if they do and they know that "they're cool", but don't really know or understand why. What drives these prices up on these classic, collectable musclecars is a combination of rich car guys with nostalgia. That's it. Not because they want to build more garages for cars they won't ever drive... So how can you build "nostalgia" for a car that no one can be nostalgic about, because they have no clue about them? :wink:

But anyway...

How could you NOT want to drive these cars?? I've met people at Trans Am car shows that only have 1600 miles on thier '76 LE and some time ago, I saw a '79 10th ann. Trans Am on ebay with only 12 miles on the odo. The original owner bought it brand new at age 19...and never drove it.(?) I bought my WS6 brand new when I was 21.5 years old. I put almost 80k miles on it in the first 3 years and guess what? They were all mine! I had more fun in that car back then and broke more traffic laws than I can remember. I have since grown out of that faze (for the most part) but would I take it any of it back? HELL NO! Do I care that I have a "lot of miles" on my car now? Not really. I honestly don't care, I don't ever plan on selling this car. So in my eyes, the car is priceless and irreplaceable because I have made irreplaceable memories with it. The same goes for my Buick. It's a VERY rough '86 GN with t-tops and over 100k miles, it used to belong to my dad (since '89) and it's my "new" project. When it's all said and done it will be nicer than any low mileage "untouched" GNX in existance. But to be able to bring that car back to life better than new and create new memories with it is what makes it "worth something" to me.

But to each his own..

 

[GNX Guy]

I had the exact same dilema you face. I had # 375 with 1102 miles on it. So what I did was buy a 2nd GNX with around 10,000 miles to drive ( I don't remember the exact miles) I drove it for a bit and enjoyed it. Ended up selling both.

I've come to realize, Who you saving the car for? So the next guy can have a low mile car. Drive them.

 

[faster]

It is your car and you don't have to justify how you treat it to anyone, ever!
I just can't drive boring cars to save non-boring cars, I just can't do it.
I can't drive non-boring cars that are commonplace either. You get to do what you want with your cars and you know what, a part of me does get jealous when I see a 1200 mile rare car at a show. I just can't not drive it, it is like an addiction I can't beat.

With that said I have never been able to own a GNX (cars took second place to wife and kids) but I have had some rare and valuable cars that I drove and sold. I want to say is I have never regretted diving them but I have regretted selling them. Don't sell it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
In hindsight the money I received from them I could have gotten along without.


Here is the list I owned and sold:

61 black/black Fuelie Corvette four speed

70 Cougar 428 four speed that dark Green they had

One car I passed on but should not have a 69 Firebird Trans Am Ram Air III four speed white with the blue stripes a neighbor owned.

To quote an old country song "I miss them each and every one".

Mikey

 

[greybuick]

i say do what ever makes you happy it was your money that bought your car . other people can tell you what they would do but it always come down to your choice in the end.i don't have a gnx but i do have a odd optioned car i drive it but not as much as i would like to but my dad has a 66 corvette coupe that has 30,000 miles on it now and he drives the wheels off it when the weather is nice but he gets great enjoyment from it if sits in the garage or if he drives it so i say drive it a little and sit and look at in the garage you paid for it so nobodys opinion matters long as every time you look at your car it brings a smile to your face.

 

[Phoneguy]

I say drive it and enjoy it like you have been. It is a very low mile car that you purchased at the right time. The price has gone way up on these cars as you very well know. Even with 20,000 miles on the clock it would still be a very highly desired collectible low mileage car that you will make alot of money from when sold.
I don't make the kind of money it takes to purchase a GNX, but I did purchase a 41,000 mile 87 GN that is highly optioned. I probably paid a little more for it than I should have but I did have resale in mind when I purchased it. That is why I bought one with twilight sentinel and digi-dash. Did I need this... NO, but I wanted it.
Enjoy your car as you wish and feel fortunate that you are one of the 547.

Bryan

 

[turbolou]

Reply

I recently bought 176# my forth with 12k miles,My feeling is why devalue a rare car with low miles. theres enough beaters out there to thash.In te 20 years as a TR mechanic I have seen my share of crashed,stolen & abused examples.I will probably only put on a few hundred miles a year on it takeing it to shows. Say what you will these cars are an investment & should be preserved. I predict that clean examples will double in the next 10 years. Quite frankly I have two other cars I prefer to drive & rather look at it & just relish the fact that I'm one of the fortunate 547 & thats enough for me.

 

[TURBOPOWERED68]

delete

 

[dgoodhue]

Hi Stratos,

As I said to you at Kirban's 20th show, keep it and enjoy driving it during those sunny days. I'll admit I don't drive mine enough, but that's changing as I finish up other projects.

The value difference between your 5820 mile X and a 15,820 miler (properly cared for, of course) does not justify your passing it along out of fear to put miles on the old Stewart Warner.

Seriously, unless you're talking about a 0 mile "bubble" car or one you can't enjoy (like 547)

I agree. If I had low mile collectible (not 0 mile though), such as yours I would drive a couple hundred miles a year. Take it out on nice day to local car show and short drives. The difference in value between 5900 and 7-8K miles in 5 or 6 years is going to be negligible.

 

[sand1]

ill drive the doors of a gnx if i had that kinda money i would not care! if i took a loan to buy one ill leave it in the garage and look at it!!

 

[ccbrett]

Gnx

Hey quick question if you do sell it will you be asking 80 and 100 thousand dollars. Thanks