Zed valuation

[john-h]

I'm thinking of selling my 260z but I don't know what it is worth. The prices listed in magazines for cat1 cars seem very low. With so few cars up for sale how do I judge its value.
It is a late 260 which is totaly standard including flat top carbs.I have a photographic rebuild history and all bills and a comprehensive rebuild story/ inventory. It has had almost no structural welding done and had a bare metal respray in factory silver.The body work is excelent. The only items which are not stock are electronic ignition from a 280 and replacement carpets. The interior is excelent and unmodified. I have rebuilt the car myself from a mountain of parts and it runs very well (it will outrun my dad's 944) new dunlops on polished stock rims. I also have a spares car which is well canibalised but has engine, gearbox, front and rear suspension and good rear arches as well as a fair amount of trim. How do I establish a value? Do club valuations lead prices? Since the car is virtualy unmodified is it best to aim to sell it as a Classic Car?

 

[pmac]

It always seems like a smug answer to say thet your car is worth what someone will give you on the day you want to sell it. But it is true . Value and worth are not the same thing either.
Eg. I know several people who have 260 2+2s and 280ZXs "valued" at over £10,000.(for insurance).
None of them however are "worth" that figure as no one is going to pay that amount to purchase one.
The other difficulty is finding a buyer who agrees 100% with your spec. For example if I were to think about buying your car I would immediately reduce any price by the amount of money I would need to spend to replace the flat top carbs and the standard wheels as I wouldnt want either of these items.
The prices quoted in the magazines arent perfect but they are the only guide we have around.

 

[Nigel Brook]

Interesting one this John. As with any item, demand dictates price and with my relatively minimal experience of Z prices I don't see the 260 having the same appeal to a potential buyer as a 240 probably because of the 240's history and hence desirability. However, there are people who specifically want a 260 for whatever reason. As with most things I personally would'nt listen to the general concensus on prices and in particular not to Practical Classics magazine and ask a price relative to it's overall condition, performance relative to other cars of it's era and it's longetivity in relation to your input of restoration, new parts etc.
I would question the use of the word "classic" with regard to a great number of cars but the Z surely is one. Advertise it as a classic and ask top price, say £6000-£7000, you'll always be knocked down and we all have a vested interest in keeping prices up! Incidentally what is the club valuation? Best of luck finding a buyer but I would suggest pre Xmas is maybe not the right time.

 

[grolls]

well for whats its worth, if a car was in extremly good nick and the carbs work as they were designed to....id be very happy and pay a little more for an "original car" but as pmac says its all about finding a buyer that counts!

i think the easy way to sell the car is to make up your mind what you want as a minimum and dont budge..... after all you if you dont sell it continue to enjoy it unless its a raise cash or bordem issue!

 

[john-h]

Classics magazine quotes only £4000 for a cat 1 260z. I don't expect a fortune for it or ever to recoup the 200 hours I've put in but that doesn't seem enough for such a beautiful, powerful, rare and fun car. I understand the wish to modify the car for all the right reasons but I had a pile of standard parts in good order and have gone down the road of keeping the car standard. The car appeared in a magazine as well in the eighties which I have a copy before it was laid up dry for 14 years.
I know the car is only worth what someone wants to pay but I was looking at where to pitch it.
I'm thinking of selling it because another project car has come up I can have for free and I'm itching for another rebuild. It isn't a zed but is a 6 cyl 60's motor.

 

[grolls]

well i shall tell you that i looked at a few 260 2+2s that are sopposed to be worth less than a 2 seater for around the 3 grand mark and they were shit! if yours is as good as you say it is yours is cheap!