michael hilsabeck

How can you guys sell your cars for so little money? I have been putting a 1969 Oldsmobile Cutlass S Convertible together and i have alot of money in it. If I Sell it I probabiy wont make my money back. I probably make more salling parts. .I love my car but I love my money to. I am not selling my car I am just asking.

svnt442

Sorry but I have to do this....

Spelling and grammar go a long way to getting your questions answered.

Use a spell check please.

People sell their cars when they need to or want to. And they will usually take what they can get for them depending on how desperate they are to sell them.

michael hilsabeck

Sorry I dont have spell checker

MDchanic

As we learned in high school economics, prices are set by the interaction of supply and demand:
High supply and low demand = low price
Low supply and high demand = high price
... and vice versa.

There are not a ton of Oldsmobiles out there, but there isn't very much demand, either, relative to other factors, such as the cost of upgrades and modifications.

- Eric

rocketraider

Soft economy and low demand.

I don't know many people who have made their money back on a car unless they built it specifically to flip and took shortcuts in its construction.

joe_padavano

Glenn is unfortunately correct. It is cheaper in the long run to buy an excellent condition, complete car than to restore one. Even if you do all the work yourself and value your time at zero, you are unlikely to make money on the sale. Personally I'm not doing this for resale, I'm doing it for my own enjoyment. To me, these are just 1:1 scale model car kits.

oldcutlass

A sale is when a seller and a buyer agree to a price. A car, generally is not a good investment. In most cases people fix up a car for personal enjoyment (priceless). The market price of a car is set by not what most people ask for a car, but what people pay to purchase the car. Browse the ebay completed listings and see the percentage of cars that do not sell in any area at any given time.
My point is if your looking for an investment auto, then you need to see which cars are in hi demand, as stated above. I cannot speak for the rest of the people on here, and I have spent alot of money and labor hours fixing up cars over the last 35 years, and in most cases either lost money or broke even. This does not take into account for labor. When you factor in the entertainment value and the pride in ownership, I believe I've come out ahead!!!!

Bluevista

Buy the right car and keep it for long enough and eventually you'll make money.
The trick is knowing what car to buy, and being real lucky.
My GTO is realistically worth almost triple what I paid for it and I haven't put 4 grand in the car since I've owned it, nobody wanted '68's in '95, they do now.
I'll never sell it so I won't make any money on it.

citcapp

X2 If you in this hobby for the money be sure to keep your day job you'll need it

billykissell

drive it. you either have to cut corners on the build or acquire the car for a song to make a profit. the times i've seen folks make good money is when they bought the car from someone who had no idea what they had for sale. the classic "little old lady" scenario.

J-(Chicago)

Keep in mind, They're all worth $300 per ton in scrap.
Any value above that, comes from filling a want or need.
Whether you want to look cool in it, or need it to get to work in order to feed your family.

lshlsh2

For me it is a hobby, I know I will never make back what I put into it. This is something to do with my son and that is more valuable than money. Also it is so different than work it is my form of relaxation. The car I am working on right now, needs more work than anything I have attempted before. This weekend I put back on the driver's side door and fender. They are both on and the door opens and closes without hitting the fender. That was very satisfing for me. Only a few #$@&^'s and no blood. I thought I was doing good.
Larry

aliensatemybuick

Nothing is worse than selling a beloved vehicle not by choice, but because circumstances require it, EXCEPT selling it for too little. Its a bad time right now to sell anything, let alone as unnecessary an item as a classic car. That forces people to make tough choices.

auto_editor

[If this comes out small I apologize as I couldn't find a way to make it bigger.]

This is the 2010 price guide from Sports Car Market Magazine, but Olds values for 2011 didn't change (except for the '70-'71 W30 convertible, which it says is down 17%):




I have included the description page so you know what the letter- and star-grades are.

I tend to believe their numbers over anyone else's as they use real, actual sales (mostly at auction) to establish prices. These prices are also based on a good "Number 2" condition car (not concours flawless but needing nothing).

Their sample is limited to cars with "great collector interest," so don't feel bad if yours isn't listed (mine's not). Also, keep in mind that these figures on cars that ARE listed are just a guide/for info only. While you cannot guarantee that your car is worth this, you can't prove that it's not, either.

[And don't shoot the messenger. I'm certainly not making money--in any sense--from what I've scanned and posted here. ]

A 1968 GTO coupe is listed as "77,704 built; low: $17,000, high: $23,000; Grade C; **"; with Convertibles as "9,980 built; low: $22,500, high: $32,500; Grade B; **".

Don't know how that fits into your financial planning, but there it is...

Higgins

Thats cynda rood.

michael hilsabeck

Thank for all the info. And by the way my computer is new and they don't have spell check for 64 yet . So when I hit ABC check it don't work

stevengerard

I think that pricing is still out of line 150k for a 70 W30 convertible with top price of 300k and then a 442 convertible is worth 34,500. I know Olds are not a "favored" make but only 2,999 442 convertibles were made in 1970 I'm betting less than 500 - 600 still exist. I don't see how a W30 version can be worth 215k more.

71 Cutlass

[quote=svnt442;261465]Sorry but I have to do this....
Spelling and grammar go a long way to getting your questions answered.quote]


Actually not true..check this out:

Olny srmat poelpe can raed tihs.

cdnuolt blveiee taht I cluod aulaclty uesdnatnrd waht I was rdanieg. The
phaonmneal pweor of the hmuan mnid, aoccdrnig to a rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy,

it deosn't mttaer in waht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are, the olny iprmoatnt tihng is taht the frist and lsat ltteer be in the rghit pclae. The rset can be a taotl mses and you can sitll raed it wouthit a porbelm.

Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe. Amzanig huh? yaeh and I awlyas tghuhot slpeling was ipmorantt!

Boh2k

[quote=71 Cutlass;261702]
......Daammmn! This is why I love this place.

UnkleMarc455

That was cool, couldn't understand why i couldn't stop reading it!
When Barret-Jackson first started Oldsmobiles were the High price items. Didn't matter if it was a 442, w-30 or Cutlass they brought the money. The weirdest thing to me is Chevy has the cheapest parts from bumper to bumper and people pay the most for them. You could almost rebuild a chevy drive train for the price of a Ram-air hood, and you can't even compare the styling of interiors. I laugh when i see chevelles with woodgrain interior, lets face it we get the best of both worlds with the style and performance.

michael hilsabeck

Some of you are *** holes.So I spelled some words wrong I didnt say that i was smart.So how bad *** are you you cant say it to my face . That why your talking **** . so if you dont like what i was asking or understand. Why do you talk **** ? Are you just a punk? JUST GO TO ANOTHER POST.Just like woman bitch bitch ! What ever.

71 Cutlass

Michael H,
I think perhaps you've misinterpreted the last few posts. First off, I'm on your side, I don't think spelling is that big of a deal, that's why I posted that little gem above. No one's calling you dumb, and even if they did, remember, a good heart outweighs one's ability to spell.

MDchanic

I hope you show the women around you more respect than that.

And, yes, all the car guys on here are real "bad ***." That's why they write all these tough, macho posts about all the drinking and fighting they do.



- Eric

TRW

It's funny, I was looking at a few Olds back in 1993, but I couldn't afford one! I ended up with a 66 Chevelle SS that I rebuilt (and still have). When I saw the prices were a bit more in my favor lately, I picked up my 68 Cutlass Conv. Love the car. The Olds definitely have a bit more luxury to go with the muscle.

Tom

Alb

Like Joe said in an earlier post. This is a hobby. I am rebuilding a 69 cutlass right now. Other than having someone sand blast and powder coat the frame and help with the motor. I have done it all myself. Which included taking the body off of the frame. Completely replacing all the bushings, brake and gas lines, the whole front end and replacing all the wiring. I did buy the interior from ledgendary, but I put the covers on myself. I also painted it. First time with a paint gun in my hands in 35 years.So I can see how you can get a lot of money into a project like this.Especially if some one else is doing it.So now I have a $15,000 to $18,000 car that I would have to sell for $ 50,000. To break even but, to me it was worth every bit of the blood,sweat and tears. Oh also a lot of swearing and walking away before I did something stupid. Just my 2 cents worth.
Alb

oldcutlass

So now I have a $15,000 to $18,000 car that I would have to sell for $ 50,000. To break even but, to me it was worth every bit of the blood,sweat and tears. Oh also a lot of swearing and walking away before I did something stupid. Just my 2 cents worth.
Alb[/quote]

Wow, your personal labor rate is really high, joking, your right its hard to recoup the cost of fixing up a car!!!!

VikingBlue

Let me somewhat correct the supply/demand and also the 'choose a high-interest' car points above. The crux of this matter, and for resale of anything, is to buy below market value.

Suppy/demand pricing only sets market value..and low-interest cars may still be very profitable if gotten for less than market value. A brown Cutlass 4 dr would be very profitable if bought for $100.

oldcutlass

Suppy/demand pricing only sets market value..and low-interest cars may still be very profitable if gotten for less than market value. A brown Cutlass 4 dr would be very profitable if bought for $100.[/quote]

I don't believe that the brown cutlass even if they paid you 5000 to take
it would be profitable. Not a good example, lol!!!!!!

However point well taken!!

Longhorncutlass

No wonder so many Americans can't learn a foreign language, these young dipshits can't even master their own native tongue.........

TRW

Normally I just sit back, read the posts and ignore the little bickering. But, I like this site and would hate to see it turn into what you see on some of the other message boards. Lots of good info here and some great Olds experts.

That being said, Longhorncutlass, I'm hoping your comment wasn't directed at Michael. I'm thinking that would be a bit harsh and unproductive. I'm not sure why people feel the need to correct peoples spelling in these public forums. What's the big deal?

Tom

priests442

no matter how you slice it....this is exactly what you hear at swap meets, car shows, and diners....we are rough and tumble folks and like it....and feel if you dont....well...

the porblem is that there are those who dont love it as much or feel paying somebody to rebuild a car for them makes them a restoration expert....tough business we're in walking the fine line of hobby and sickness....aint it great though!

Hey Alb, I hope I get an invite back out east to see that lass when she is road worthy!

MDchanic

NOT to become involved with discussing whether Longhorn's characterization was appropriate, I will mention it only to say that I try to avoid taking my own discourse to that level, even when I may feel like expressing myself that way. It contributes nothing, and makes the environment unpleasant. I reacted negatively when Mr. Hilsabeck posted something that seemed inappropriate several days ago as well.

To answer your question, though, Tom, I am annoyed by exceptionally poor grammar, punctuation, or spelling because I am offended by the assumptions inherent in the comfort the poster seems to feel in posting it.
The assumption is that he can neglect the work of composing and typing his post carefully because hundreds of readers will each do the extra work of divining the meaning of his contorted prose.
He avoids work, I do extra work.
It's just plain rude.
I work hard to compose and type my posts properly as a courtesy to my readers. It's the decent thing to do.
I expect the same from others (and am generally rewarded with well-written posts when perusing these boards, in contrast to some other forums).
Obviously, one cannot hold non-native speakers to the same standards, but I find it irksome, to say the least, when someone who clearly speaks English well won't (not "can't") take the time to write as clearly as he speaks.

- Eric

edit: and, before someone responds with an accusation that I think I'm smarter than other people, that's just my point. I'm NOT smarter than everyone else, and I'm not smarter than the OP here. I just take an extra few seconds to write more carefully. Anybody can do it.
It's not brains, it's care in doing a job (communicating) well.

joe_padavano

At the risk of taking this thread even further off topic, let me say first that there's no reason to be uncivil in responding to posts. I do feel that it is important to get spelling, grammar, and punctuation correct when posting, however. Yeah, we all make mistakes occasionally, but think about it. You're asking total strangers for help and you can't be bothered to take the time to make sure your question is legible and understandable? Why should I take the time to wade through it to provide an answer? If you're asking for help, you should impose the least amount possible on the people you're asking.

In the larger picture, I'm also concerned about the "dumbing down" of America. It's pretty scary at times.

OK, sorry, rant mode off.

jpc647

Well that takes a special person. I haven't done anything to my car in almost 2 years because I don't want to be upside down.

Rickman48

I guess 'proofreading' is the answer - how many actually do it??
I HAVE TO, AS THE L ON THIS KEYBOARD SOMETIMES HAS TO BE HIT 4-5 TIMES, TO WORK!
I can usually figure out what someone's trying to say - if I can't, I skip it!
Know what you mean about 'dumbing down' though - while managing a restaurant, couldn't find a cashier who could make change, as we used an antique register that didn't tell them what to give back!! Basic math!!
And I have a pocket dictionary within reach for the hard ones!

Higgins

Went to MickyD's today. Bill was $3.18, gave her a $5 then saw I had a Quarter in the console, so I gave that to her. She had already rang it up so didn't know how much change to give me. She stood there for a moment and started to walk off, I think to ask someone. I had to tell her she owed me $2.07

MDchanic

Drives me nuts, too.

I'll give a cashier $5.10 on a $3.08 sale, and they'll look at me like a deer in the headlights.
Ummmm... Just give me $2.02, for Heaven's sake.

- Eric

lshlsh2

At work people look amazed at me when I add everything up and do sales tax in my head. With big orders I will double check but usally I'm right.
Larry

joe_padavano

Yeah, here in VA it's 5%. Pretty easy to calculate. The new thing is restaurants that print "suggested tip amount" on the bill, because apparently people can't calulate 15% either.

auto_editor

I do! I gots a kollege edgermikation and all!...