Price of lifetime cars

Having nothing better to do this afternoon (home sick with...no comment) I added up the current prices of the 32 cars I've owned over the last 68 years to see what it would cost me to buy them back. It would take $667,600.00 at current prices. The most expensive is the 1957 Porsche 1600N bought used for $3,240.00 - now worth about $143K. Appreciation rate - 4314%. Not a bad investment. Too bad I sold it in 1959. And how about my first car - a 1934 Ford convertible. Bought for $150.00 sold for $125.00. (Even then I was losing money on cars). Today? $58K, an appreciation of 38,600%. Holy s&%t. And how about my 1972 Datsun 510, bought for $2400.00 - now worth at least $25,000 and a few way more. A surprise was my 1973 Plymouth Gold Duster. Cost $3300.00, now $25K. Two of my MG TDs cost me $1,100.00 each, now worth about $15K, an appreciation of 1718%. My Mark II also cost me $1,100.00 now worth maybe $25K for 2173%. My 1959 Twin Cam MG cost me $3500 new, now $82,500.00 for 2257%. 1963 Mercedes 220SEb sedan - $2,500.00, now $30K or 1100%. Corvair convertible up 900%. My 2 VW Beetle sunroofs up 775%. Most of my late model cars were losers, obviously. The worst was my Infiniti G 20 - cost $19,200, now worth only $1,500.00. Wow.

Does it seem you have to hold the car for 40 years to get such a high return?

TM

To me,like thinking about what I should have kept (or sold)
only depresses me,so I try not to dwell on it.
Kind of like thinking if I'd bought a Ferrari when they were cheap -
how much would the storage & maintenance have been over the years,not
to mention the insurance?

Wait? You've sold a car??

Well, you can look at it this way, to buy something in 1950 for $100.00 the same item today, 2018, would cost $1045.00. A $2700.00 MGTD at 1950s prices would cost around $27,000.00 today. With added expenses at todays rates, shipping, dealer prep, Dealer profit, higher taxes etc, the same car would probably be well over $30,000. Not too bad considering the car would be new. Now in 1960, I ordered a new Austin Healey 3000 for $3,000.00! I just wish I had that car today! PJ

mikephillips said:

Wait? You've sold a car??

Click to expand...

Yep! - We're down to just four vehicles now.

2010 Ford Fusion - 6 speed manual

1996 Ford F150 - 4WD,SuperCab,Automatic,351 engine

1967 MGB GT - "20 footer"

1974 MG Midget - "35 footer"

Probably the least amount of vehicles since the early '80's.

Hang on to that Fusion. Ford ain't makin 'em any more - at least in the US. Nice wheels. You're not too far from my brother in Charlottesville.

I also found my MG TD restoration file containing a Moss catalog from 1973. You would not believe how cheap parts were then;eg . Lever shocks - $29.00. And they had recently gone up. When I have a spare minute, I'm going to compare today's prices with 1973. My parts invoices came to about $5900.00. I have every invoice saved, mainly as a reminder never to attempt a frame-up resto again.Would be 3 times that today maybe - if parts were still available? I can't even remember what some of the parts were, let alone what they were for. Most were bought from Abingdon Spares, some from Moss, some from Hanover Parts, some from Sports & Classics and some from local hardware stores. As I recall, about 660 hours of my unassisted (hard) labor, mostly at night on a cold garage floor, mainly spent in hours of smashing rusted bolts, filing and sanding wooden parts that didn't fit, etc.; many skinned knuckles, multiple curses. I would post pictures before and after but they were all taken with film cameras. Would I do it again? Not on your life.

Sold my 1965 Lotus Cortina Mk-I in '89 to some Scandinavians for $6k, I thought the price would dissuade them. Kicking myself ever since.

Traded my newly restored '69 GTV for the (tired and faded) Elan+2, spare engine, gearbox and $2,500 cash... and still miss that Alfa.

I'll keep the rest until I can't drive anymore!

Of course,you need to remember that minimum wage was $1.65/hour in '73.
I still have the letters (& pictures) from the sellers of Lotus Cortinas.I think the highest
was about $4000.This was in the mid '80's.

Funny how life has a way of changing things. Had to get rid of the Healey to make room for two additions to the family, our two sons! Couldn't afford two cars back then, so a 4 door was in the plan. Bought the wife a new Ford Futura with bucket seats and full seat in the back. Nice little car back then, I drove an old Chevy pickup. To this day, I sure do miss the Healey, would not pay for what their going for today. I do have 5 tractors though! :highly_amused:

I had to trade my 190SL because we also had 2 boys and the "other car" was the '48 Prefect. Like Paul, I miss that car but can't afford today's replacement prices.