Are FMJ cars really selling for these inflated prices?

[TylerW]

So, this isn't a call anyone out thread....I'm just curious. I've been surfing the classified ads here, and just wonder if anyone actually sells for what they post?

I know we live in a world now where selling our heritage back to us is big bucks, but I've been buying, fixing and selling old cars for quite a while as a hobby and I find it difficult to believe we are in a market where Fifth Avenue's go for 5k and F-body wagons go for North of 7k. Are you kidding??

I distinctly remember not all that long ago that you couldn't give either of those cars away for more than $1500....yet here they are. What changed about them that drastically increased their desirability...scarcity? They aren't rare down here in the south by any means.

When I bought my Gran Fury from a dealer last year, his counter-offer was $300 UNDER my offer just because he wanted rid of it. This isn't hate, but I see this heading the same way as the $700 "hemi" 2095150 starters I see (and exposed) on eBay.

I don't begrudge anyone trying to capitalize on a sale, but telling us a slant-six Volare wagon is now worth twice what it sold for new? Come on.....

 

[Rustyroger]

Too many people watch Barrett Jackson auctions and decide their grocery getter is worth big bucks because a top spec special order car has just gone for $$$$$.
It's fair to say there will only be less FMJ Bodies as time goes by, and rarity will never detract from their value.
In the early 1970's you couldn't give a 1959 Cadillac away, people were having the big blocks pulled from their daily driver full size to be replaced with smaller engines.
It used to be worn out old pick up trucks weren't worth dragging to the junkyard, they fetch ridiculous prices in the UK right now.

Take a look on ebay and see what the winning bids are for a few cars, you might get a better idea of what a car might be worth.

Roger.

 

[XfbodyX]

I watch cars that sell, not the ones that hang around for sale.

A person can ask a million dollars and think they have a million dollar car but its still not that unless it sells.

The most amazing part to me is when the people who complain about fmj cars and parts prices list a part or a car at the extreme high end themselves.

There are still killer deals on fmj cars, ya just got to hunt around the web.

If one is not planning a long term ownership that they can justify putting money into a car the will not recoup in most cases a fmj car might not be for them.

 

[Oldiron440]

The cars sold new because they were cheap....er than the competition, there's no remarkable styling or performance in them there just worked over Fbodys. Nobody's ever gonna pay big for them.

 

[Poly]

Using multiple inflation calculators, 4500 in 1981 is equivalent to 12.5 today. The classic and antique market considers the age too. Our cars are kinda young yet, meaning not antique. But for the hobbyist I guess you gotta find some fun in just turning things into nice shape, like new, pick your phrase, with turnover profit being secondary. It has been said the hobbyist never sees much of a return on their labor.

 

[Aspen500]

I always fall back on one thing. A car (or anything else for that matter) is only worth as much as someone is willing to pay for it and how bad they want it. There's paintings that sell for $4.5M but to me, they aren't worth $5 because I have no interest in them.

As I mentioned in a thread on A&V, I've WAY more in my car than I could ever hope to sell it for (it's NOT for sale anyways) but I don't care. That's not why I built it. It was built as my hobby for me to enjoy.

 

[Oldiron440]

Just think of the guys that spend their money on booze and smoke, all they have is bad lungs and livers.

 

[Opticon77]

Yeah I was ready to spend 10k if I found a mint F body. Found a clean one for 6k instead leaving me a repair/mod budget. Just look at what cars are worth these days. A disposable base Ford Fiesta has a $14k sticker on it.

As far as why prices are going up? Other V8 RWD classics are becoming unattainable through rarity or pricing. A few FMJ designs have enough potential that with a little work I can have all the same fun as an A/B body Mopar for FAR less cash.

 

[Dr Lebaron]

It's called 'Jump the shark' and it happens with prices.

Used to get A's for $50 to $500 for a nice one, but not anymore.
4 of my remaining M's are sub $1000 cars when bought, but just paid $2500 for my latest.

 

[TylerW]

That's good news then. I'll sit on mine until I can ask 5k for it with a straight face.

I don't know what people do when they sink 8k in a car the insurance company values at 3k. Normal insurance providers are increasingly declining to offer full-coverage for classic cars in my experience, so you are left to convince The Hag or somebody else of an agreed upon value. If they DO insure it over value I'm sure premiums will reflect it.

I'm glad everyone is enjoying these cars but I think people are trying to move the needle in a direction the market isn't supporting yet.

 

[Aspen500]

Unless it's a daily driver, get specialty plates ("Hobbyist", in my case) and get Grundy or equivalent insurance. Agreed value and covers literally everything and anything that could happen for a couple hundred bucks a year. You must have another regular plate car for DD use though and yes, I realize a lot of the F/M/J's are regular drivers.

 

[Dr Lebaron]

My Lebaron is appraised at $9600 for Haggerty.
The day I went to store my car this season another appraiser told me $12k-15K.

 

[Justwondering]

I agree with your appraiser.
JW

 

[Duke5A]

I've been wondering the same thing. For a while I was thinking people ask way too much for these cars, but maybe I'm wrong.

 

[Darth-Car]

-She wants your car, Doctor.

 

[Justwondering]

Darth Car --
No shame in public lusting for that car...

JW

 

[M_Body_Coupe]

...but is the rising 'whole vehice' price a bad thing for us, the F-M-J devotees??? LOL

Look, I noticed that trying to find a particular part these days for anywhere near reasonable price is basically impossible. I'm not talking standard stuff that you can still source in the aftermarket, I'm talking a NOS type of a thing.

This really has me floored, but also a tad angry b/c many of these get listed for the sort of prices that the really old Mopar stuff goes for, and we all know that the nicest of our rides will never fetch the price of an equal (or actually worse) shape A/B/E body anyways, so why the rip-off???

 

[Oldiron440]

Wasn't there a Fbody grill on ebay about a year ago that sold for over $1000?

 

[XfbodyX]

Look, I noticed that trying to find a particular part these days for anywhere near reasonable price is basically impossible. I'm not talking standard stuff that you can still source in the aftermarket, I'm talking a NOS type of a thing.

This really has me floored, but also a tad angry b/c many of these get listed for the sort of prices that the really old Mopar stuff goes for, and we all know that the nicest of our rides will never fetch the price of an equal (or actually worse) shape A/B/E body anyways, so why the rip-off???



There are many who think one part that fits this car is the "quality" item for the next type car, just look up shit cars like a ford pinto, a granada, or if you have say a 78 f type in nos 1978 in ebays search and you will see alot of shit 78 cars and truck parts with stupid asking prices.

Currently right now I need a good bit of nos parts, probably 2-3k worth, I pull out invoices from even as little as 15 years ago and see the same guys asking 4-10x the amount for them. Wont get it from me anymore because the "I just got fucked" meter is pegged with the current asking prices.

I fully agree that when a part does not even come close to increasing the cars value in a remotely equal way, why?

Take a 78 F body and price the grille, all the brightwork trim, bezel, lenses, hell you can hit 3k, so then say your gonna do a decent paint job yourself and you pop a conservative 2k in material, hell your at 5k in a couple boxes of trim and some paint supplies....blah blah.

Im not angry, or a hater but to the NOS guys sitting on all the stuff, f-em, they can die with it and it can get tossed or sold for pennies or youd think they would get smart and price it well enough so the buyer doesnt have that "Well Fucked" feeling and both sides could be happy.

Ebay is packed full of the same overpriced parts over and over and then even when a fair priced part comes up it takes time to sell or the same ole flippers buy it and 2x-3x it.

Again, im not a hater on filppers and parts sellers, they just need to get more inline with the end result of the fmj cars and there worth and actual selling prices.

 

[Oldiron440]

I get kick out the guys that try to pass off used as new old stock, its obviously been on a vehicle but they say it's N.O.S..