Current Austin-Healey Market Values

[chuck1006]

Hi all,
After many years of ownership I am thinking of selling my 1959 100-6 bn6. I don't drive it much and have some other priorities now. I am trying to get a feel for the current Austin Healey market to determine if it is a good time. I have looked at sites like classiccars.com and there seems to be a lot of healeys out there for sale. My 100-6 is a 10 year old amatuer frame off restoration that runs strong and looks nice. Any input would be very much appreciated.
Thanks and Regards,
Chuck

 

[Editor_Reid]

The first thing I would recommend is to always bear in mind that asking prices do not equal sales prices. Dealers will always ask high prices both in the hope to make a killing and also so that they have some room to negotiate. Please don't use car dealer asking prices as a barometer of the market.

The second thing to bear in mind is that owners almost always overestimate the condition/desirability of their car, believing that their beater/driver should be worth as much as the record-setting prices achieved at auctions. The subset of this point is the tendency of sellers to WAY underestimate the cost to fix things and/or return things to original. There are almost no simple, easy and inexpensive fixes.

All of that said, I recommend consulting three sources:

bringatrailer.com where you can search actual sales (no "asking prices") and get a good look at the car via commentary and perhaps gain insights about their condition from the commentary. By the way, I have personally sold a car there to very good effect and it may also offer a great avenue for you to do the same.

hagerty.com has price data that incorporates actual sale prices. Be realistic about the condition of your car. Hagerty offers support to the car hobby in numerous ways and I've been a customer for nearly 20 years and recommend them unreservedly.

sportscarmarket.com also has a price guide that incorporates actual sales data. I actually used to author the Austin-Healey prices (and Triumph prices) for the Sports Car Market "Pocket Price Guide," but they changed their system a couple of years ago and rely on auction sales now (and not just the record-setting sales that get so much attention).

Good luck.

 

[chuck1006]

Re: Current Austin Healey market values

Thanks for the super fast response and great input Reid! I will definately research those sites.
Regards,
Chuck

 

[Chet Zerlin]

Chuck, should you decide to sell your Healey I would be very interested in learning what your final decision is and the reasons for it as I also have a 1959 100-6 BN6. (not currently interested in selling it).

Thanks!
Chet

 

[glemon]

Bring a Trailer is a great way to sell a car, lots of exposure, and will likely bring a much better price than the local market Craigslist or club sale.

 

[dougie]

Here's the lastest numbers from the 2019 Sports Car Market price guide for reference.

 

[aero3113]

Wonder why they don’t have the 53-56 100-4 on that price guide?

 

[dougie]

Wonder why they don’t have the 53-56 100-4 on that price guide?

It wasn't relevant to this thread as it appeared on another page of the guide.

 

[kurts100]

Dougie, any chance of posting the SCM pricing for the 100-4's. I'm going to be selling mine and trying to get an idea of the value. Took Reid's suggestion and have checked out BaT and Hagerty, but would be curious as to what SCM says. Looks like you need to be a member to get that info. Thanks! Kurt

 

[Editor_Reid]

From the current Sports Car Market "Pocket Price Guide":
100-4 BN1 (3-sp) $60,000 Median Value
100-4 BN2 (4-sp) $64,000 Median Value

I used to author the SCM Pocket Price Guide prices for Austin-Healeys (and Triumphs), but a few years ago they changed to listing median values of actual auction sales. This is problematic for a number of reasons and requires quite some discussion. Leaving that discussion aside for now, I believe that the difference of only $4,000 between the BN1 and BN2 values is far, far, far too little.

 

[Bob_Spidell]

The Jan/Feb edition of 'Old Cars Report Price Guide' lists *Austin-Healey 1953-56 '100', 90hp, 90" wb* as (#6 is a basket case, #1 is a concours winner 'trailer queen'):

#6 - $4,200
#5 - $12,600
#4 - $21,000
#3 - $47,250
#2 - $73,500
#1 - $105,000

Not sure of their methodology, but I believe it's a compilation of actual sales prices. Don't recall ever seeing a 100 'cross the block' at B-J or Mecum--maybe they'd be interested if it had an LS3 and 24" 'dubs'--but a BT7 dressed-up in rally garb went for $45,000 +/- at the last B-J.

 

[PHulst]

Hagerty also has an online price guide that can help. I have found that it's relatively close to what you'd expect.

 

[kurts100]

Thanks for the quick responses! Hagerty shows these values:

#1 Concours $128,000
#2 Excellent $66, 500
#3 Good $38,300
#4 Fair $23,200.

I'm amazed at the spread between a #1 and #2 car. Guess if you do a total concours restoration you take a huge hit if you decide to drive it. Mine was a total restoration back in 2002. I put approx. 1500 miles on it over 16 years (less than 100 miles a year) and it's a solid #2 but hard to come up with a price if there is that much of a spread. Here's a picture of it when it was on the cover of Healey Marque in October of 2004.



Thanks again for input!

Kurt

 

[Patrick67BJ8]

Would a ‘58 BN6 with low miles on a engine overhaul, in excellent condition, chrome wire wheels, Factory Hardtop in great shape be worth?

Also included an enclosed trailer with winch to haul it.

 

[Bob_Spidell]

Thanks for the quick responses! Hagerty shows these values:

#1 Concours $128,000
#2 Excellent $66, 500
#3 Good $38,300
#4 Fair $23,200.

I'm amazed at the spread between a #1 and #2 car. ...

I'll hazard a guess that the #1 car value is skewed by a few high-end 100M sales; the price guides don't usually distinguish between an M and a standard 100. I see a lot (relatively speaking) of 100Ms, 100 'LeMans,' etc. asking in excess of $100K; I've yet to see a 'normal' '56 100 ask more than $100K (a few years ago a factory 100M in rough condition was sold on, I think BaT, for north of $50K and then I saw it for sale again a couple months later in England for over $70K).

 

[Bob_Spidell]

Would a ‘58 BN6 with low miles on a engine overhaul, in excellent condition, chrome wire wheels, Factory Hardtop in great shape be worth?

Also included an enclosed trailer with winch to haul it.

Old Cars has a '58 '100-6' #2 car for $63,700. Does the winch cook (that adds to value)?

 

[Patrick67BJ8]

Old Cars has a '58 '100-6' #2 car for $63,700. Does the winch cook (that adds to value)?

I don’t know if the winch can cook, but I’ll ask the owner who’s thinking of selling his car.

 

[John Turney]

Old Cars has a '58 '100-6' #2 car for $63,700. Does the winch cook (that adds to value)?

Is that a winch or wench?

 

[Patrick67BJ8]

Is that a winch or wench?

The Trailer has a winch. No wench goes with it.