Opinions on value WE4 or GN 109 Block

[Heisenberg]

[quote="Rotti54, They are averaging 10-15% value increases a year..

If my GN's value increased just 10% a year since 1987 it would now be worth $208,568!! I paid 17,500 for it in 1987 and would be lucky to get that for it now.
The car has new paint, wheels, tires, RPE stroker, EA Stage 3 trans, etc, etc, etc. The best I could hope for is to sell it at a loss considering all the money I have into it.
Not seeing the long term investment value here. But - I love it and have no intention of selling it! A trade, maybe..............

You are talking about buying a 1987 car priced in the mid-teens. How did the long term investment value work out for the last owner?
If you like it buy it - but long term investment value will be a crapshoot at best.[/quote]

Never understood mixing the terms "buy car" and "investment"
Mutually exclusive I think.

 

[Heisenberg]

Well I'm not so sure I totally agree Longball. I've owned a GN prior to selling it this past summer and ice seen the market on these cars jump strongly. They are averaging 10-15% value increases a year. .

Where?
I sure haven't seen any strong market.
If anything - it's a weak as it's ever been.
Baby boomers are getting older, people aren't HECO'ing out, are tight fisted with money for extravagences like toy hot rods.
Don't get confused between Barrett Jackson faux reality shows and the real world.
I'll show you no less than 10 really nice GN or TR cars, currently for sale, where they not only languish on the resale market, but have seen price DROPS.
But buy whatever floats your boat.

 

[Heisenberg]

[quote="Rotti54, They are averaging 10-15% value increases a year..

If my GN's value increased just 10% a year since 1987 it would now be worth $208,568!! I paid 17,500 for it in 1987 and would be lucky to get that for it now.
The car has new paint, wheels, tires, RPE stroker, EA Stage 3 trans, etc, etc, etc. The best I could hope for is to sell it at a loss considering all the money I have into it.
Not seeing the long term investment value here. But - I love it and have no intention of selling it! A trade, maybe..............

You are talking about buying a 1987 car priced in the mid-teens. How did the long term investment value work out for the last owner?
If you like it buy it - but long term investment value will be a crapshoot at best.[/quote]

Indeed.
Me too.
Know what number I place on any of my cars' values?
$10K
About, give or take what I paid, and what I'll tell my kids in the will to try to get.
And it's easy math.
I look out and say...ok...1,2,3,4,5 etc x 10

 

[Heisenberg]

It sounds like these arent the cars for you. Sounds like ypu want a car long term w possible turn around profit or breaking even. If thats the case find a gn that will.fit what youre looking for. Now if you start modding then youre better off going w a built one. I love my car but wish I woulda waited bc there are some.killer deals.out there. Also.its getting harder and harder to find "numbers matching" gns but for aome reason its not considered a huge thing as of now. Future prob so. Again these cars may not be 100% what you are looking for ao wait it out. If youre looking long term for turnaround always go.w a gn no matter how.rare those Ts are. It only seems to.matter to tr guys and thats a small.shrinking limited market. Just my .02

If long term "investment" is the one true goal - there is basically one answer.
Bone stock, low mileage, GNX.
Then, don't drive it. Much

 

[TexasT]

If my GN's value increased just 10% a year since 1987 it would now be worth $208,568!! I paid 17,500 for it in 1987 and would be lucky to get that for it now.
The car has new paint, wheels, tires, RPE stroker, EA Stage 3 trans, etc, etc, etc. The best I could hope for is to sell it at a loss considering all the money I have into it.
Not seeing the long term investment value here. But - I love it and have no intention of selling it! A trade, maybe..............

You are talking about buying a 1987 car priced in the mid-teens. How did the long term investment value work out for the last owner?
If you like it buy it - but long term investment value will be a crapshoot at best.

Never understood mixing the terms "buy car" and "investment"
Mutually exclusive I think.

It is the same as thinking your home is an investment(it is an investment, for the institution that loaned you the money to purchase it). While autos and homes can be investments that is rarely the case for the user of those items. If you think that you can get a better return on either I urge you to look at your past and know it isn't going to happen in the future either. You own a home to live in unless you are a real estate investor, you own a car to drive and enjoy unless you are a used car salesman(no offense to those who make their living selling vehicles).
There are way better ways to make money for the casual investor than the car you will drive and a home you will live in.
Unless you intend to make it a project and have the tools, place and skills to perform the "restoration", you are way ahead on a more complete, already done vehicle. They all degrade over time, so figure in storage and upkeep while you figure profit n loss. The fun you have costs so throw that in too, but don't count in a monetary return.

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[Phoneguy]

Lots of good advice here...If you are dead set on owning a GN, keep looking and find one that has everything you want , paint, interior, mods, etc.
the 2 cars that you are speaking of are not the only cars on the market.
The WE4 sounds nice and if you just have to have one of these two cars, the WE4 would be the choice to make. Good luck

Bryan

 

[we4Mateo]

Get the nicer one. I wanted a GN too, but my WE4 is great. They're all Monte's to people who don't know any better anyway, and maybe you'll be more inclined to drive it. Don't worry about the investment. Heck, put GN wheels on it if you like and slow it down. Debadge it and it'll look the part just fine and can be put back to stock easily. Body work is expensive so again, get the nicer of the two and get your GN down the road.

 

[Heisenberg]

Lots of good advice here...If you are dead set on owning a GN, keep looking and find one that has everything you want , paint, interior, mods, etc.
the 2 cars that you are speaking of are not the only cars on the market.
The WE4 sounds nice and if you just have to have one of these two cars, the WE4 would be the choice to make. Good luck

Bryan

Damned right it's the WE4.
Bout time you faced that fact Bryan.
It must have really pained you to have to admit that

 

[Heisenberg]

Get the nicer one. I wanted a GN too, but my WE4 is great. They're all Monte's to people who don't know any better anyway, and maybe you'll be more inclined to drive it. Don't worry about the investment. Heck, put GN wheels on it if you like and slow it down. Debadge it and it'll look the part just fine and can be put back to stock easily. Body work is expensive so again, get the nicer of the two and get your GN down the road.

View attachment 209884

That's not a WE4.
If it is - it's been desecrated.
It has a rear spoiler on it!
Although I suppose that does it make it go a little faster - eh?


But it sure is purdy.

Actually, I enjoy the conversations with people about -
'No it's not a Monte"
"No - it's not one of dem der Grand Montes"
"No - it's not a Grand National"
"it's Special"
"It's more rarer that unobtonium"
or as I like to say - "It's just a Buick Regal - no great shakes"

 

[we4Mateo]

That's not a WE4.
If it is - it's been desecrated.
It has a rear spoiler on it!
Although I suppose that does it make it go a little faster - eh?


But it sure is purdy.

Actually, I enjoy the conversations with people about -
'No it's not a Monte"
"No - it's not one of dem der Grand Montes"
"No - it's not a Grand National"
"it's Special"
"It's more rarer that unobtonium"
or as I like to say - "It's just a Buick Regal - no great shakes"

The body was done before I got it and I put the T badges back on the sides, but that's it. I usually just tell people it's a GN unless they are car guys to which will understand my concise explanation of the car.

 

[notacarlo]

I paid 8 grand for a sub 100k mile GN in 2003 that needed nothing but a tune up. That car today would fetch 13-15k. This car was among 10 others in the lot around the same mileage and condition.

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[artrenee10]

I would get the GN....


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[Phoneguy]

Damned right it's the WE4.
Bout time you faced that fact Bryan.
It must have really pained you to have to admit that

Hey, no pain here...
I paid way too much for my car to start with...just trying to help a guy out before he buys a car to to say he has a GN.

Truth be told, I really like the charcaol grey Turbo T's...

Bryan

 

[usetaboost]

Beings im one of the dumb fuckers that bought a fixer upper Im putting my eleven cents in. If you don't plan on keeping it forever get the gn. It would be easy to get your money back. If you have want something to keep get the we4. The reason is simple. Rust repair and cosmetics will break your ass before know it. Not to mention the time you will have in it all. Either way its a rip off with these cars. In my eyes all they are is expensive drivers.

 

[artrenee10]

Get the GN you said it had a motor built by Weber? Can the owner verify that?

If you ever need to sell it that could be very attractive to the next buyer...

 

[Heisenberg]

Beings im one of the dumb fuckers that bought a fixer upper Im putting my eleven cents in. If you don't plan on keeping it forever get the gn. It would be easy to get your money back. If you have want something to keep get the we4. The reason is simple. Rust repair and cosmetics will break your ass before know it. Not to mention the time you will have in it all. Either way its a rip off with these cars. In my eyes all they are is expensive drivers.

That was more like 22 cents - and I'm officially depressed now!

 

[Heisenberg]

Hey, no pain here...
I paid way too much for my car to start with...just trying to help a guy out before he buys a car to to say he has a GN.

Truth be told, I really like the charcaol grey Turbo T's...

Bryan

Yeah - me too.
That's on my bucket list.
But not with the maroon interior - the grey.
Even though the maroon interior and dark grey exterior can look ok.

And a D84 with the 2-tone Silver & Grey
I think that is the prettiest color combo.
Although - there are guys that think Sage Green is the bomb - so what do I know.

But I got a pretty big bucket - that my wallet can't keep up with.
I also want to do one (or all) of these.

 

[Heisenberg]

I paid 8 grand for a sub 100k mile GN in 2003 that needed nothing but a tune up. That car today would fetch 13-15k. This car was among 10 others in the lot around the same mileage and condition.

Posted from the TurboBuick.Com mobile app

That must be some used car lot!