LHD 240s on eBay

[richiep]

That car reached a high teen selling price a couple of weeks ago - and then gets relisted again. Make of that what you will. Will it pop up again soon?,,,

I'm actually beginning to think the LHD import market is running into a bit of a brick wall at the moment. E.g. that UK-reg 240z for £8990, road ready and MOT'ed but still on eBay weeks later. What happened with John's 260Z, etc. I've not made up my mind exactly what the dynamics are at the moment, but I reckon once you get above 4-6k project level (where the car starts to be a bit too nice or complete to entertain pulling apart for a RHD conversion) whether it's going to get what the seller wants it to becomes a bit of a crapshoot. Are we getting oversaturated with imports? How attractive are they to the wider Z aspiring buyer? Going to be an interesting year ahead I reckon.

 

[SeanDezart]

I reckon once you get above 4-6k project level (where the car starts to be a bit too nice or complete to entertain pulling apart for a RHD conversion) whether it's going to get what the seller wants it to becomes a bit of a crapshoot. Are we getting oversaturated with imports? How attractive are they to the wider Z aspiring buyer? Going to be an interesting year ahead I reckon.

I've been saying the underlined for ages now !

Better than project Lefties need to be marketed to their majority.....market !

 

[neil240z]

E.g. that UK-reg 240z for £8990, road ready and MOT'ed but still on eBay weeks later.

Yes Rich but if you read that ad that car needs a complete respray, for it to be done properly and stripped and back together could be 3k, I would think this is why it's still for sale

 

[chrisvega]

That car reached a high teen selling price a couple of weeks ago - and then gets relisted again. Make of that what you will. Will it pop up again soon?,,,

I'm actually beginning to think the LHD import market is running into a bit of a brick wall at the moment. E.g. that UK-reg 240z for £8990, road ready and MOT'ed but still on eBay weeks later. What happened with John's 260Z, etc. I've not made up my mind exactly what the dynamics are at the moment, but I reckon once you get above 4-6k project level (where the car starts to be a bit too nice or complete to entertain pulling apart for a RHD conversion) whether it's going to get what the seller wants it to becomes a bit of a crapshoot. Are we getting oversaturated with imports? How attractive are they to the wider Z aspiring buyer? Going to be an interesting year ahead I reckon.

Sure Rich, well you know from my experience that is exactly the case. Anything under £ 10k is a relatively easy sale even here in Devon ( not sure why that car in Wilts hasn't sold, may be worse than you think ? ) but anything over that figure, no matter how nice is sticking. Maybe as Devon off the beaten track but hard to say ? Will bring a couple of Zs up North to Cheshire in a couple of weeks and see if get more interest in more central populated area but not exactly the right time of year for selling classics. Not too bothered as will keep them around rather than sell them at a price that doesn't do justice to them. Can safely tell everyone ( as JohnyMD also knows ) there is not a get rich quick market in importing Zs from States on a commercial basis, heart rules the head in my case. Will just send them all to Sean if all else fails, he has a much bigger market in Europe and will keep him in Vin Rouge for a long time

 

[richiep]

Time of year will play a role no doubt. Less people will want to buy a classic to have it sit in the garage till next spring.

I wonder if that Wilts car would fare better if priced more like 7k than 9k. I suspect those couple of grand would make a big difference on a car like that.

 

[SeanDezart]

Can safely tell everyone ( as JohnyMD also knows ) there is not a get rich quick market in importing Zs from States on a commercial basis, heart rules the head in my case.

11 years of experience here tells me that !

Will just send them all to Sean if all else fails, he has a much bigger market in Europe and will keep him in Vin Rouge for a long time

I've got people wanting project but preferably running cars all the time - seems a shame to send them all up to Holland to pay their large margins when there're some good cars just across the water....

Time of year will play a role no doubt. Less people will want to buy a classic to have it sit in the garage till next spring.

Z and parts sales are seasonal !

I wonder if that Wilts car would fare better if priced more like 7k than 9k. I suspect those couple of grand would make a big difference on a car like that.

I guess that it would make a big difference to the seller - cars have become expensive out there at the source !

 

[Matt Long]

As said, the wilts car is nearly 9k and needs a 3k paint, my yellow one that's coming from Cali is well under 9k imported and in its original paint.
If you want to make money out of our cars, you should be looking at parts and spares, not cars, IMHO

 

[johnymd]

I've looked at quite a few cars recently from the US and most of the good ones would work out around £9k. Trouble is, they could all do with a repaint. Even if its just to remove the pop riveted side trim. It will also accumulate a few scratches and dings on its journey over here too. They all look superb in the pictures but once you get up close and see all the scratches and chips you will want to paint your otherwise immaculate rust free car to do it justice. If its original paint then so is all the weather-strip so that will all need redoing. Before you know it your into a full restoration so you may as well have bought one you knew needed painting in the first place.

I'm not saying you bought the wrong car Matt. I think this is just the car to buy and you will love not having to get rust fixed but don't expect it to not need restoring. They all do.

The green car is a good example. No rust anywhere but lots of bare metal underneath and all the suspension. That's why I've stripped and repainted all the floors and chassis rails then sealed for the British weather. All the lovely rust free suspension is stripped off and going to be powder coated and anything rubber replaced along with trackrod ends and ball joints. This will need doing on pretty much all imports if you want them to stay nice. None of this is all that expensive if you do it yourself but is time consuming.

I've had a change of mind with my collection and will not be giving up my IT business to import and sell cars. I'll restore them all over the winter period so they don't deteriorate due to our climate and paint them as and when I have the money. I can then build them as I want and enjoy them all. The market isn't ready for them yet so why bother letting them go. The sale of the orange 260z never went through and despite e-mails and messages, I never heard back from the buyer or the person who bid. This is now UK registered and I shall enjoy it until the markets ready fully appreciate these great cars.

 

[SeanDezart]

As said, the wilts car is nearly 9k and needs a 3k paint, my yellow one that's coming from Cali is well under 9k imported and in its original paint.
If you want to make money out of our cars, you should be looking at parts and spares, not cars, IMHO

The Wilts one is sold as far as I know. And agreed except for the caveat : cars that have been restored/prepared with a sure end-client.

 

[SeanDezart]

I've looked at quite a few cars recently from the US and most of the good ones would work out around £9k. Trouble is, they could all do with a repaint.

The sale of the orange 260z never went through and despite e-mails and messages, I never heard back from the buyer or the person who bid. This is now UK registered and I shall enjoy it until the markets ready fully appreciate these great cars.

Agreed John with the first point.

Very sorry* to hear about being faffed about with - who is it in France so he can be avoided please ?

* But it was going too cheap and the idiot is a sucker not to have bought her !

 

[Rob Gaskin]

......... The sale of the orange 260z never went through ...........This is now UK registered and I shall enjoy it until the markets ready fully appreciate these great cars.

Good news I reckon John. Fate worked in your favour IMO.

As had been said a few times to me S30s alone don't supply enough work and customers to make a living out of. That's why we are short of specialists.

 

[SeanDezart]

And somebody got a bargain : http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Datsun-24...D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

 

[johnymd]

Yep. Have to agree with you Sean. So who bought it?

 

[datsfun]

And somebody got a bargain : http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Datsun-24...D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

With the increased supply of LHD car in recent months, ( in all states of condition), I get the feeling that the market has now settled. Buyers now perhaps don't want to go that extra mile and outbid each other on the hope that something else is likely to pop along later and I guess this I now reflected in closing values attained?

 

[Alphabettispaghetti]

I know someone who looked at that one. They didn't buy it! They bought a much much much much better LHD import for £8.5k.

 

[johnymd]

As has been said for years with regard to s30's, buy the best shell you can afford as it will sa e you money in the long run.

 

[Mr Tenno]

It's an interesting quandary. If you're after a project, do you overpay for a solid shell with a good paintjob you don't need, or do you pay less for a shell with a poor paintjob that needs some welding.

- One I'm still wrestling with!

 

[tel240z]

Another thing to bear in mind is complete car, not much fun trying to locate rare little trinkets like windscreen trim, roof gutters, centre console, etc

 

[Mr Tenno]

Absolutely! Looking at the price of all the little interior bits it's not a small cost to consider. Especially the radio!

 

[SeanDezart]

It's an interesting quandary. If you're after a project, do you overpay for a solid shell with a good paintjob you don't need, or do you pay less for a shell with a poor paintjob that needs some welding.

- One I'm still wrestling with!

No, you pay well for a solid shell - the aint job is irrelevant.......OEM radio ? Get real.