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Celeb Car...Add Value To The Car???

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78MGB

78MGB

Jedi Hopeful
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If a celebrity once owned a car, would this add value to it? If so, how much, 10%, 5%? I realize it would depend on the Celeb and car, but generally speaking, what do you think? To put it another way, if a celebrity once owned YOUR present MG, would you have paid more for it than you did?
 
I wouldn't, but some might. And it definately depends on who the celebrity is. Are we talking Elvis Presley or Tony Danza?
 
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I wouldn't, but some might. And it definately depends on who the celebrity is. Are we talking Elvis Presley or Tony Danza?

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I guess it also depends on the car too. I mean are we talking about John Voight's 80's vintage Chrysler Le Baron (ode to Jerry Stinfeld) or Janis Joplin's Psychedelically painted Porsche 356? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

Seriously I think you’d have to check with someone who apprises such things. I suggest checking with some of the auction houses for where you could find someone to help you get a ball park figure. Obviously the more well known or in vogue the personality is would make appraisal easier, but even with that there doesn’t seem to be any real way to predict what or who might want such an item.

I have seen a number of celebrity vehicles cross the auction block over the years and while nothing is for sure – this might be the best way to get the highest price.
 
I guess to, it would depend on the documentation. The orginial signed bill of sale, title, etc. Or a period photo of the celeb with your car. Those things would add to the value.
 
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Did Alan Alda own your TR6? If so I probably wouldn't care! lol!

https://www.britishmotoring.net/bm0502/BritValueG_TR5TR250TR6/BVG_TR5TR250TR6.html

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I don’t know John; I suppose if someone was a huge MASH fan that TR6 might be the Holy Grail. However it's not my cup of joe either. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

And there in lies the problem I guess – finding & matching that one buyer with that one item is the hard part of getting more than most of us would be willing to pay. But you are correct the more documentation & photos the better.
 
The Oscar nominee and host of "Scientific American Frontiers"? Heck I'd through in an extra sawbuck for that.
 
I bet the venue would have a lot to do with price as well. For instance, I saw a History's Lost and Found on John Lennon's MBZ Wagon. When it sold at a John Lennon stuff auction in New York, it got a good price, but the dealer that bought it has had it on his classic car showroom, and not been able to get what he paid, if I understand correctly. His Pschodelic Rolls might be a different story, it is more associated with him in his prime with the Beatles, instead of some grocery getter he bought for his butler to use later on in New York.

Since you posted in the MG forum, I would have to assume that it is an MG and I am extremely curious about the celebrity owner.
 
Actually, the post came about because of a 1983 MB 380SL. Saw one on the Internet that John Voight once owned.

My thought is that the CELEB connection might increase the interest in the auto, thus increasing the price. I agree that the price would more like be higher at an auction. Assuming it is a major auction and the car is promoted by the auction house. Then again, the CELEB may hurt the sale as well. Personally, I would not care to own a car that is tied to Alan Alda or Charlton Heston. Afraid the "mother ship" would mistake me for them if I had a car they once owned. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

Just wanted to run this by the group to see what others thought. As for a CELEB owned MGB...would you believe MY MGB was originally owned by George Harrison...would you believe..... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/jester.gif

Your input has been appreciated!!!
 
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Actually, the post came about because of a 1983 MB 380SL. Saw one on the Internet that John Voight once owned.


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ROFLMAO!!!! He said “John Voight"... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/lol.gif

I never liked the series all that much (wife was a fan actually) but I always loved that Stinfeld episode where George buys Voight’s (80 something?) Le Barron. Turned out to be a different Voight – with a different spelling.
 
Bret,

I LOL when I saw your original ref to JV. Knew you would get a kick out of mine. Actually, the car, the 380SL that is, looked rather nice on the Internet. Just surfing for the 107's and found it. I have rather liked the 107's myself. Would not trade my MGB, but would like to ADD a copy of the 107 to the "stable". Daily driver would be nice. Now if George got a hemi in the... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/jester.gif
 
A well-documented celeb connection can add some value to the car, as name-dropping buyers seem to outnumber wrench-turning buyers.
To really pop the value, the celeb would be a known "car guy" (Leno, Newman, Letterman) and/or deceased (McQueen).
 
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A well-documented celeb connection can add some value to the car, as name-dropping buyers seem to outnumber wrench-turning buyers.
To really pop the value, the celeb would be a known "car guy" (Leno, Newman, Letterman) and/or deceased (McQueen).

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I agree that to knowledgeable car enthusiast (or even the well versed poser) would be more willing to pay top dollar for a vehicle that has an intimate connection to a celebrity who was a car person.

However I feel that there isn’t any way to gauge or predict this. I mean we’ve all seen otherwise fine examples cross the podium at an auction house that brought in un-godly amounts of money for another wise fine specimen but hardly worth a fraction of the amount paid out if you took out the celebrity connection.

Personally I think I would rather pay top dollar for a vehicle with a documented racing pedigree than something that some cellulose thespian or over paid athlete purchased when they finally made the big time.
 
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