Beautiful 69 on Ebay - He's Looking for $17K

[Danno]

Brad, you know I love a beautiful old Fiat, and I hear what you are saying on one-owner and unmolested, but it's still a Fiat. He's about $5,000 over insane, $7,000 over misguided, and $8,000 over proud. I'll watch this auction, but I don't see it bringing more than 7K , and that's even with the right couple of guys who have got all giddy with bid-fever.

[Exit98]

A few months ago I posted a verifiable auction sale of a plain jane 78 Spider that sold at one of the big auctions for $25K. It was just crazy and unexplainable.

There’s this guy on the West Coast that claims to have a ground up, number one, perfect, big time award winning 69 that he started out asking $55K.

It’s been on Ebay 3 times now, down to a Buy It Now of $27,000 and I think the highest bid ever was $15K. You can still see the last auction here: http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1969-Fia ... v4exp=true

He’s also got it all over the California Craigslist.

And it is restored, not original.

So if this car is as stated, original, and totally stock, and near perfect, then I’m with Brad, it should be worth a bundle, but only to the right person, and that’s the rub.

I don’t want it even though it’s beautiful. My pretty little 76 is out in the parking lot right now. I drive it all the time. If somebody bangs a door into it, I’ll be pissed, but it will just be one more scratch. What would I do with an original low miles 69? Truck it around to shows? Drive it around the block once a month in the summer. That’s not why I own a Spider.

Both these cars should be brought to one of the big auctions in Calif, AZ or Las Vegas. The big time buyers with the fat check books (and sometimes no common sense) are all there, and they’ll decide how much they are really worth.

Lately top quality TR6’s, MG’s and even MGA’s are going for $20 to $30+ K. Early quality Spiders should be in the same arena.

[giuliot60]

I agree with you (and Brad). I was almost going to go with an MGB, until I started comparing apples to apples. The Spider offers much more for essentially the same price range.

[IndyMark]

Correct me if I'm wrong but those aren't the original bumpers for a 69 are they?

[spiderrey]

Those are correct bumpers. What makes you think they are wrong?
Ive seen that 69. I showed him some things on it that were wrong a couple years ago. And a few things that were missing.

[divace73]

did the 69 have head rests? And when did the centre console come in, I have seen some very rearly spiders with the heater controls under the dash but don't kow wen the centre console was introduced?
Still a lovely car, I love the early models.

[spiderrey]

The center console was 66-67. Never made it here. One was for sale here a few years ago though. Not sure on the head rests though.

[giuliot60]

I was wondering about the head rests myself.

[maytag]

Lately top quality TR6’s, MG’s and even MGA’s are going for $20 to $30+ K. Early quality Spiders should be in the same arena.

"Should" is a big word. The fact that MG's and Triumphs are fetching that kind of money only proves that people who like British cars are even stupider than you thought.

When a guy can buy a "nice-driver" 308GT4 or a Mondial Coupe for $17k, then I have NO IDEA why somebody would spend $17k on a Fiat Spider.
really; no clue.

I probably don't have any friends left here, and this is sure to alienate them if I do; but a HUGE part of the appeal of these cars, to me, is that they provide a good-looking-ish top-down base that accepts modifications easily, and their price of admission is cheap. They have also been relatively easy to find parts for.
When they cease to be 'cheap', then the car has little or no interest to me.

I would much rather see these things continue to be undervalued. I don't need the market to validate my choice in car by seeing it increase in resale value.

Here's my kind of Spider deal:
http://www.ksl.com/auto/listing/14386495

if anybody wants it, I'd be happy to go take a look. this is about an hour from me.

[CajunMike]

I probably don't have any friends left here, and this is sure to alienate them if I do; but a HUGE part of the appeal of these cars, to me, is that they provide a good-looking-ish top-down base that accepts modifications easily, and their price of admission is cheap. They have also been relatively easy to find parts for.
When they cease to be 'cheap', then the car has little or no interest to me.
I would much rather see these things continue to be undervalued. I don't need the market to validate my choice in car by seeing it increase in resale value.
Here's my kind of Spider deal:
http://www.ksl.com/auto/listing/14386495
if anybody wants it, I'd be happy to go take a look. this is about an hour from me.

It's still going to be some time before spiders appreciate. With so many made and imported here it's hard to imagine any kind of upswing when you can still get eBay or other running fixer uppers and parts are still readily available. I've had my spider for 28 years and i have hardly seen any increased interest in them over that time span. Dunno maybe the 40+ year mark will be different.

[georgeramos]

Last weekend I saw a group of british cars in Silverton, OR. Mostly triumphs including Tr3, 4, 6, spitfire and even tr-7. Show cars all. Beautiful and flaweless but honestly not as well "designed" as our Spider. Each has a "clunky" aspect to its design, hard to describe but I can see it. If those cars are going for big bucks then this drop dead gorgeous 69 seems worth the $17k to me.

I prefer for them to remain undervalued as it makes the hobby more affordable. Heck ive even found 3 of them at pick & pulls this year. If I had $14k Id make a bone fide offer...

George

[giuliot60]

There definitely is a decent size price range for Spiders, mainly on the lower end because of condition. But when someone drops $3-5K on a motor, $2K on suspension, $3-5K on a quality paint job, etc., etc, and not to mention labor. The cost gets very close to the mid teens. Granted most of us enjoy the journey/process, but I think if someone wants to sell their project, they should be able to get compensated for it.

That doesn't mean that my $3K car is going to triple its value overnight. It would just feel a little better knowing that if I drop 5 grand on the car, I can get back what I put into it.

That said, I'm not planning on selling anytime soon. And I am a fan of the TR6, and wouldn't mind owning one. A neighbor of mine has a decent '73, and would sell it for $10-12K

[maytag]

....but I think if someone wants to sell their project, they should be able to get compensated for it.

There's that "SHOULD" again.

...It would just feel a little better knowing that if I drop 5 grand on the car, I can get back what I put into it.

That will never happen. Not with ANY car, but especially not with Fiat Spiders. But no matter WHAT car you sink money into, you will NEVER recoup the investment. Muscle cars that sell for $50k have $75k sunk into them. Ask ANY car guy: Cars are never good investments.

And as to the comment about people not realizing they are going to have to put money into the car; it's not that people don't want to pay $10k for a rust-free, nice car; it's that most people can't free up $10k in cash to buy an old car (the ones who can are mostly not interested in Fiats, see posts above). But they CAN free-up $3k for a driver that will need $7k in work over the next several years, that they can fit into their monthly / annual budgets.

[giuliot60]

I know you're generally right maytag, but wouldn't you say the values for Spiders are going up not down?

That said, I didn't buy a Spider as an investment, well, maybe an investment in fun.

[maytag]

I know you're generally right maytag, but wouldn't you say the values for Spiders are going up not down?

That said, I didn't buy a Spider as an investment, well, maybe an investment in fun.

yes, they are certainly on the climb. and I don't like it.