is mediocrity ok now?

[jamesson1980]

Originally Posted by jay289

I paid 10k for my 65 XP 2yrs ago, I think it was well worth the price.

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Already had offers over 15k for it, not for sale EVER!

Forget dollar value, this is now near half a century old and in lovely original condition, a true charming vintage.

It begs the question, when the VK, or EA or whatever 80's production model becomes 50+ years old, will it hold the same timeless appeal as these Early X-series?? I remember in 1997, my brother and I each picked up neat XY's for $250 and $400 respectively, and 2 years later sold them much improved for not much more so we could buy something newer.

I think all models go thru a phase when they reach about 25 yrs old, when they are perceived as cheap, common throwaways. Too new to be worth anything, but too old and faulty to be worth maintaining. Even the most common models drop in numbers being simply thrown away for scrap metal or parts as the 1985-1995 models currently are. Despite huge production numbers, these 'post-classic' models may end up in demand in fifteen years once all but the enthusiasts have discarded theirs.

But on the original topic, I agree with most others here, these lofty prices for seemingly bland models are simply people trying to con some bunny into shelling out a fortune for tomorrows potential classic..

[aussie muscle]

Originally Posted by jphanna

is there a genuine market for cars, at prices like this, that were at best....average in their day?

simple: most people equate 'old' and 'rare' with 'valuable'.

[Crazy Dazz]

To answer what I think was the OP’s question…

Some people simply equate old with “classic…”

It’s also a matter of personal taste. I think all XP’s look great and I’d be happy owning any model, but some might say that only a Hardtop with XYZ is really a classic. I would love a Landau, or failing that possibly any XB Hardtop, whereas others love all XB’s.
I think it is generational. I was born in the 60s, grew up in the 70s, bought my first cars in the 80s, etc. So to me an XP is a classic, XBs were ubiquitous but Hardtops were desirable, XF’s onwards I’ve owned from near new, so nothing in there really floats my boat. I COULD have bought one of the last ESP Ghias near new, and seriously looked at one, but I honestly thought they were hideous.

There’s also this kinda “reverse classic” thing whereby truly crap cars become rare and collectable because not many were sold, most that were ended up as scrap metal, and only a few survived in pristine condition. (In the US, the Edsel would be the most obvious, in Aus probably the P76.)

Also, people have different ideas of what makes things collectable & desirable. Would I like to own a genuine Bathurst Cobra? Hell yeah. Would I pay $200k for it? Hell no. Would I Like a fully restored XC hardtop with a 351? Oh Yeah. Would I paint blue stripes on it to pretend it was a Cobra? Oh no.

I think that some people price their cars by extrapolation. So that see a genuine rare model go for $X, and assume that makes their car worth $Y, but it usually doesn’t work that way.

When it comes to unrestored cars, some fools have no idea what it costs to do a proper resto. So they see a nice resto selling for $30k (that probably owes the owner $40k) and they think well if that’s worth $30k, then my rusted shell without an interior or drive train must be worth $10k.

Finally, people believe what they want and so listen to their mate who knew a bloke that bought some POS for $200 and sold it to the Ford Museum for $20k. (I really must find and visit this museum one day, it must have several thousand cars by now.)

[OzJavelin]

Good luck to buyers and sellers of these cars .. But to me it's getting a bit rediculous in Australia. Personally for the kind of money people are throwing around now for some pedestrian 4-door local iron, I'd prefer to import something vaguely interesting and/or muscular from the good old US of A.

[The Yeti]

See you say sedan I say my wife's 38 is an 8 window coupe