was over the budget

(so was the SL but was too good to resist)

plus I don't think the M5 would have responded as well to my storage regime

plus plus all the cars I am buying and storing can be maintained by simple fluid changes

even the Merc and XJ's aren't that complicated

 

I have a history of buying cars are still on the decline in terms of value, then selling them just before they appreciate.

Fiat X1/9 and Integrale are the two that spring to mind.

Since I keep looking at mint MkI MX5s at the moment, that might be a good place to look, get one with the extra goodies on it (LSD, Bilsteins) and keep it in good nick - the MGB of the future I reckon (ie. it'll never make you a packet, but a good one will always command a decent price).

E36 M3s are silly cheap at the moment and there are a lot of poorly maintained and Barried examples, meaning that in a few years time, a decent example will be hard to come by.

Same with the Fiat Coupe, the Evo IV and the classic Impreza - once the majority have fallen into the hands of the knuckledraggers wanting cheap performance and been completely shagged, the remaining cars will appreciate.

 

good calls

I do wonder about the classic Impreza though

with the exception of yours (import?) I don't think I've seen an unmolested one in years

apart from the special ones like the 22B (?)

on a slightly different note, I don't see huge performance mattering much

you have to think how these cars will be used

C-R-U-I-S-I-N-G and P-O-S-I-N-G

which is why I back things like the SL and XJS - esp convertibles, which always do well as classics

 

suzuki vitara wideboy

 

An excellent reason to keep my S2000...

 

are you sure you're not too late?

 

Fulvias!

What about a Lancia Monte Carlo?

Although I think most Lancias would be restoration projects rather than store as is.


God Dammit! Just found this
http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/1917527.htm

 

Would motor dealer registration be required to do this, as multiple cars are being sold? Form VTL301 etc?

 

What I was getting at was that the cars mentioned are all targets for the type of people who want big power but don't necessarily have the budget to maintain the cars.

Turning up the boost on the turbo cars being a common way to more power but not modifying the rest of the components to match. When the engine goes pop, as it inevitably will, the car's scrap. Hence the unmolested survivors being worth more in the long run.

There's also a certain amount of nostalgia in the rally reps, think about the people who were 14 years old when they were winning WRC titles, they'll be the equivalent of the 30-something IT nerd in a few years time and will hanker after the cars they looked up to in their youth. Same goes for any of the 'peoples hero' cars, E36 M3s being another example.

The reason E30 M3s, 206GTis and Escorts command so much is that the people that were teenagers when they were winning rallies, touring car races and traffic light grands prix are all old enough to buy them now, and supply is limited.

 

but one thing i am struggling to understand is the prices of classic rally cars, escorts in particular

they are built with better mechanicals, i understand that

they are faster, i understand that

they are rarer, i understand that

if the car has a provenance i understand that

if you want to rally there are better, more modern equivalents

these cars are a pig to live with (i know, i owned one)

they just don't drive well on the road

and prices are stratospheric (for a well built car) at the moment