EL GT - To be or not to be a big $ collectible?

[FG50T]

Originally Posted by EFFalcon

E-Series Falcon's were very popular in their time, big sales, lots on the road, ATCC (V8 supercars) relevance.
To *you* it may not be on the same level, but the car enthusiast market is one dictated on emotion aswell, and not everyone is the same.

you use XR6T's and XR8's in your example, and yet you can get *a lot* of these for cheaper then an EL XR8

I think that's because you could still buy a new xr6 turbo up until 2 years ago. You couldn't buy a new EL XR8 since 21 years ago... Also the 3 EF and EL's on Carsales have been on there for close to a year and still aren't sold. Been watching.

[EFFalcon]

Originally Posted by FG50T

I think that's because you could still buy a new xr6 turbo up until 2 years ago. You couldn't buy a new EL XR8 since 21 years ago... Also the 3 EF and EL's on Carsales have been on there for close to a year and still aren't sold. Been watching.

But you could buy an XR8 until 2 years ago too?
you couldn't buy a new BA XR6T 2 years ago either so i'm not sure what you're getting at?

car sales is just 1 of multiple places to buy/sell cars

[EFFalcon]

Originally Posted by Fiji

I owned a EL series LTD 5.0 , white with 85000km and noone on here would give me $5500 for it. Was perfect condition and that leather interior has gotta be the best ford has done.

That car was probably more than the EL GT when new.

Today its a highly regrettable sale, a guy in melbourne bought it fot $5200 and had it transported. Bought it sight unseen.

Of a sudden everyone wants em.

Historically Fairlanes/LTD's have been less desirable then a decent spec Falcon/Fairmont, as strange as it is.

[Poetic Justice]

Cos they're so big! ..N/D F-L such big machines!

[xeeclipse]

EF-AU was the culmination of 40 years worth of engineering and testing,

The BA-FGX was a premature, slap stick job... You'll make horsepower but

refrain from regular use for reliabilities sake.

[BENT_8]

The late 80's and 90's were an interesting era, excessive bodykits on locally produced cars were akin to big hair on 80's rock bands, its just the way it was. There certainly weren't any horsepower wars, once the jump to EFi V8's had come and gone the increments were small, unless you bought a GTS/R which wasnt setting the world alight even in blueprint form and was also one of those offerings you either liked or loathed.
You cant really judge cars from that era on horsepower alone, it was more about creative expression which is why the number of body additions rivalled the kw count.
I remember when the EL GT was at the Adelaide motor show, it was the drawcard and most talked about thing on display, it certainly was polarising but when taken in context of what that era was about, bang on the money.

[fordomatic]

AU TS50 or TE50 T3, that is all

They can still be had for a decent price too, they also wont be losing any value. B series GT's are back on the down again, they went stable for a couple of years and now they are on the down again over the last 6 months. Mainly supply and demand, there is still so many around as they sold so many.

[Sox]

Originally Posted by SCUD

I'm looking around at a potential purchase of a weekender at the moment.. and one car that I'm looking at a little is the EL GT.

There's approx 11 of them for sale at the moment on carsales one for as cheap as $29k and the most expensive is $100k with only 208kms on the odometer.

Will these continue to build more equity, or not?

The car itself is... dividing, I guess. Polarising in its looks, most people probably might have been on the negative side of opinions. Me personally, I think it looks great and having owned 2 EL's, I've always had a thing for the EF/EL shape.

The power, too, at 200kw is... not mouth watering. Will modifying it hurt its value too much?

EL GT is a cool thing, not the prettiest thing around but a statement.
Yeh 200kw ain't lighting too many fires, but hey they're still a great drive.

EL's are like AU's, they have bucket loads of old school mongrel.

No one ever dreamed that the 70's muscle cars would increase the way they did, and everyone is saying the same about 90's and 00's muscle cars.
But, they'll continue to go up in value, no doubt in my mind.
As much as the 70's? Probably not, but they'll go up.

Originally Posted by DJM83

Buy one.
Drive it.
Skid it.
Enjoy it
That's what I'd do.

I like them also.

Same here.

Originally Posted by futura

Nothing wrong with an El GT. I have a soft spot for these cars. One day, I will be buying one as my daily driver.

Yup, I'd have one.

Originally Posted by SCUD

I guess it's in the buyer to decide where they see value.

I'd own a C63 sure, but I'd be a little apprehensive about maintaining it.

I've owned and do own turbo car/s, but the emotion inducement of a v8 is unmatchable by anything else.

Yeh, C63 does nuthin' for me, I'd rather the EL GT.


Whaddayawaitinfor, go and buy yer EL GT...

[lra]

I think that any Aussie Ford or Holden that was built in limited numbers, and was sought after when new, will increase in value as numbers dwindle. The people who lust after these cars are also going to dwindle, as drivers get brainwashed into EVs and piddly engines to save the planet..
HSVs may have been everywhere not long ago, but spot one on the road now.
But I wouldn't be rushing out and buying up, hoping that you will get a massive return on the investment.

[FairmontGS]

Not for me. Get the same thrills with a manual EL XR8 and not have to explain the odd body parts of the GT.

[stock1991]

Originally Posted by Fiji

I owned a EL series LTD 5.0 , white with 85000km and noone on here would give me $5000 for it. Plus it had sunroof.



All of a sudden everyone wants em.

Not being picky, just asking. Don't Fords have moonroofs?

[Interceptor]

Originally Posted by pottery beige

T5 would drop its guts any attempt of a GT skid

Mmmmmm having owned an XR8 Sprint that copped its fair share of abuse, I'd argue against the T5's being weak.....

As for values, IMO the investment potential in EB/EL GT's will never be like that of the 60's and 70's muscle cars.

Emotion is what drives prices up, and anyone 35 or older can remember seeing the older cars getting around, GT's, monaros, toranas, etc, our dads might not have had the GT or GTS/SLR etc but the pov pack was still the next best thing, especially when mocked up.....

The big money for the older cars is coming from the generation who's dads had a 253 kingswood on hotwires/5 slotters, or a 70's Falcon 500 with a 302, they think back, go "geez...... dad had one like that" and wallets fly open.

Too many EB's and EL's got bought up as "investment" cars, got parked in sheds and garages and never saw the light of day, 20 years ago it was a novelty to see an E series GT on the street, which will hurt future values.

[asagaai]

Originally Posted by SCUD

I guess it's in the buyer to decide where they see value.

I'd own a C63 sure, but I'd be a little apprehensive about maintaining it.

I've owned and do own turbo car/s, but the emotion inducement of a v8 is unmatchable by anything else.

My brother has a C63- burns a lot of oil and he is paranoid about all the sounds etc as he knows anything wrong =$$$ and it will only get worse as the 6.2 litre engine is no longer in production.

That's why I like the FGX XR8- the 5 litre coyote base is not going away in a hurry, and there will be a manual 6 speed TR6060 or equivalent for a long time.

[xeeclipse]

Originally Posted by asagaai

My brother has a C63- burns a lot of oil and he is paranoid about all the sounds etc as he knows anything wrong =$$$ and it will only get worse as the 6.2 litre engine is no longer in production.

That's why I like the FGX XR8- the 5 litre coyote base is not going away in a hurry, and there will be a manual 6 speed TR6060 or equivalent for a long time.

Those C63 (6.2L) are lemons, there was almost a civil class action in america over them. Cam degradation from inapropriate hardening processes to excessive oil consumption seem to be ongoing concerns.

[Junkyard-Dog]

EB-EL XR6/8 is where I predict the big gains will be made. Get a manual one that hasn't been bastardised and it will increase in value. Maybe they will never be worth 100k but they're definitely going up in value quick.

Just my 2c

[pottery beige]

Originally Posted by Interceptor

Mmmmmm having owned an XR8 Sprint that copped its fair share of abuse, I'd argue against the T5's being weak.....

As for values, IMO the investment potential in EB/EL GT's will never be like that of the 60's and 70's muscle cars.

Emotion is what drives prices up, and anyone 35 or older can remember seeing the older cars getting around, GT's, monaros, toranas, etc, our dads might not have had the GT or GTS/SLR etc but the pov pack was still the next best thing, especially when mocked up.....

The big money for the older cars is coming from the generation who's dads had a 253 kingswood on hotwires/5 slotters, or a 70's Falcon 500 with a 302, they think back, go "geez...... dad had one like that" and wallets fly open.

Too many EB's and EL's got bought up as "investment" cars, got parked in sheds and garages and never saw the light of day, 20 years ago it was a novelty to see an E series GT on the street, which will hurt future values.

Did 'abuse' include random gear limiter dumps, flat changes and johnny rollbacks ?

200kw probably saved it

[roddy1960]

I'd have an EL GT in a split second...I think that Ford Australia sent a message with them ."Get stuffed , rest of the world , it's our GT " . The other one in that category for me is the FG based R Spec with it's lairy looks..

Some hate the R Spec and or the name but I don't . Some hate the different front end look of the EL GT but I don't . As for the vexing thread topic question on the monetary value of the EL GT ..only time will tell , just look at the genuine XW , XY , XA , XB GT's, even certain XC, XD and XE 's and the prices they command . If you said in the early 1970's to early 80's that many of these cars bought new , some under 10 K would be valued at some prices well into the six figures they'd have locked you up as a loony .

[Junkyard-Dog]

A cobalt blue ed xr8 sprint in manual would have to be as good a bet as any. That's what I would get if I could afford it.

[Bushbasher]

Originally Posted by Junkyard-Dog

A cobalt blue ed xr8 sprint in manual would have to be as good a bet as any. That's what I would get if I could afford it.

Especially since that Cobalt Blue colour was deleted by Ford during the ED run because of paint issues. Can't remember exactly what the issue was now, but a vague memory of blotchy paint fade comes to mind.

[Junkyard-Dog]

Interesting. I didn't know that, I just always loved the colour.

[Sprintey]

Originally Posted by ebv8

if you want to make money (ie: not lose too much money) buy something at the bottom of its value cycle like a BA GT
$15k will get a decent one, they are great to drive and don't need many mods to be quick
in 10 years they might be worth $30k like the EL GT is now and might have cost you $15k in those years to keep insured and serviced
so you might break even and have fun

definitely no money to be made on cars after inflation, servicing, insurance, repairs

the cars worth big money have race pedigree, as they raced cars straight (almost) out of the showroom, the EL was never a race car but it is odd, original and rare

Post of the thread. It's timing IMO.

If you look at PH3 in the last 10 to 12 years I think the benchmark has gone from 1mil to 2mil (was that latest high price?). So 100% gain if so. 160% if the 2007 high was 750K. So the numbers are astronomcal, but the percentage gains are not as great as cars at the bottom of their depreciation curves and beginning to go up.

What did housing do in the last 10 years? Was it 50% up from GFC because it was never allowed to correct properly?

XJO (ASX 200) was 6828 in October 2007, now 6066, so a loss from last high. XJO from 10 years ago - another story - Feb 23 2009 3351 to 6066 today so a 81% increase. Closer to the bottom of that cycle 10 years ago to the day.

Inflation: using the 90 day bill price as a proxy and inferring interest (very roughly) from it, Feb 2009 the price had spiked with the GFC but using a rough 10 year average of 3% that's 30% in that time.

Now an ED Sprint bought in 2009 as a 2nd car that has a bit of accelerative fun attached, well the price percentage increase has already outperformed all of those asset classes listed above. With far less initial outlay (and resultant gain) as it was cheaper to start with. Did EL GT ask prices stay so high there was no opportunity for it to increase so much? (And following on: will all the special FPVs being hidden away and available at high constant asking prices inhibit the ability of these cars to be knockout gains, as they never properly depreciated? Inquiring minds want to know.)

What is at the bottom of the depreciation curve right now?(BA/BF now? VY/VZ in the Holdens? Or dare I say VE - that would make me feel older!) It seems the 90's stuff is already going up, at higher relative % gains to lows, compared to either the 70's stuff or the 2000's which is perhaps still depreciating? And next: sometimes very good % changes in value can occur in the more common garden variety models, or the less glamorous ones, say a mint ZC 351 Fairlane (full GT 4 barrel driveline) back at 12K I didn't buy, now worth what, 500% gain? So what's a FBT today? Or what price an EL Ghia in showroom condition into the future?

Mods feel free to delete if you see a breach - this is not intended as financial advice but rather an illustration of how values change in relative % terms at varying places on the depreciation/appreciation curve. As well as a very rough estimate of different asset classes performance in the last 10 years, which I am sure all of you could research better than my quick calculations.

[Sprintey]

Originally Posted by Junkyard-Dog

A cobalt blue ed xr8 sprint in manual would have to be as good a bet as any. That's what I would get if I could afford it.

Lovely colour. Ours is Poly Green

[Sprintey]

Originally Posted by Interceptor

The big money for the older cars is coming from the generation who's dads had a 253 kingswood on hotwires/5 slotters, or a 70's Falcon 500 with a 302, they think back, go "geez...... dad had one like that" and wallets fly open.

Even better is when Dad keeps the very car! That you learned to drive manual in! No reason why an EBII - S XR6 can't inspire the same as those old 70's cars (have seen this first hand, son drives Dad's XR6 he got new as a company car and then bought outright, Dad buys a second). No reason it can't happen with a BF GT or an F6 Typhoon.

And since I've asked, I'm one day going to inherit the common garden variety VY Commodore Executive wagon my Dad bought new, the one the dog threw up in the back of. That will be very special.

[Junkyard-Dog]

Originally Posted by Sprintey

Lovely colour. Ours is Poly Green

Ahh yes, Polynesian green... I nearly bought an EB xr6 in that colour but the seller was asking crazy money so I declined. My other favourite e series colour.

[futura]

As much as I would love to add a El GT to my collection, there are a number of Rspec GTs at a more affordable price. If I have to look into a crystal ball, I think the Rspec GT will be worth more money than an El GT in the future.

[EFFalcon]

Originally Posted by Bushbasher

Especially since that Cobalt Blue colour was deleted by Ford during the ED run because of paint issues. Can't remember exactly what the issue was now, but a vague memory of blotchy paint fade comes to mind.

You could get Cobalt Blue EF's...
the clear coat didnt do well on cobalt.

[Bushbasher]

Originally Posted by EFFalcon

You could get Cobalt Blue EF's...
the clear coat didnt do well on cobalt.

Really?, I have never seen one. I remember being told Cobalt Blue was deleted because of paint issues when I inquired about a cobalt blue ED XR6 back in 94 or 95. The local Ford dealer at the time had a green one and told me the blue was hard to find because Ford had deleted it because of the paint issues. Maybe they brought it back with EF if they thought they'd sorted the issue out.

[Vesper Martini]

The irony that Ford has issues with Blue paint.. shockwave had issues too

[Junkyard-Dog]

A lot of 90s cars had problems with paint longevity. I think I own the only TR Magna that has immaculate original paint tbh

[CobraJet351]

Not sure if it’s been mentioned, but these cars (or the EB, or both?) were very close to receiving the 351w. Also 18 inch wheels came very close to making it too.