The Samuri topic in general will run and run and to be honest after a few posts we just revert back into the same old discussion.
At the end of the day nothing gets sorted or made any clearer. As usual with Classic Cars (or any secondhand car really) the buyer has to make sure he knows what he is buying and why he is attracted to that particular car. I wouldn't spend £48k on a Classic Car that has had 'valued added' unless I was certain that value had been added.
Very often cars are sold at a 'premium' just because someone famous has owned them. To me that doesn't really add value but there again I don't understand the 'private number-plate' business either.
Sean, you showed interest in the Viva and wondered if it was a Brabham Viva, why? Because it was slightly different, mildly tuned and was associated with a famous name - just like a Samuri. So perhaps that explains why people are prepared to pay more for a Samuri. However if a Viva was painted to look like a Brabham Viva that is different.
I don't know if the Samuri at the NEC was a genuine car and indeed if was any better for having a Samuri 'certificate' but what I do know is that I wouldn't have paid £48k for it. The car 'looked' very good on the pictures but in my mind I could only value it as a good 'restored' 240Z. I believe it had issues but I've no idea what they were or whether they were obvious to a Datsun Z 'first timer'.
There are lots of people around who don't know how to get a return on money that would previously have been invested in other ways. They are affecting Classic Car values and indeed turning most Classic Car discussions around so that we now talk about value rather than enjoyment. To be honest I am the same these days, I used to enjoy my track car as a fun drive, I now look at my 240Zs as investments - sad. But I am a massive Datsun Z enthsiast and I can't believe how much time I spend thinking, talking and writing about Datsuns - it's ridiculous really.
I'm sure prices will drop again and so I would not spend any more than £20k on a 'nice' 240Z. Having said that I wouldn't sell either on my cars for that much so I'm a hypocrite in some ways.
At the end of the day nothing gets sorted or made any clearer. As usual with Classic Cars (or any secondhand car really) the buyer has to make sure he knows what he is buying and why he is attracted to that particular car. I wouldn't spend £48k on a Classic Car that has had 'valued added' unless I was certain that value had been added.
Very often cars are sold at a 'premium' just because someone famous has owned them. To me that doesn't really add value but there again I don't understand the 'private number-plate' business either.
Sean, you showed interest in the Viva and wondered if it was a Brabham Viva, why? Because it was slightly different, mildly tuned and was associated with a famous name - just like a Samuri. So perhaps that explains why people are prepared to pay more for a Samuri. However if a Viva was painted to look like a Brabham Viva that is different.
I don't know if the Samuri at the NEC was a genuine car and indeed if was any better for having a Samuri 'certificate' but what I do know is that I wouldn't have paid £48k for it. The car 'looked' very good on the pictures but in my mind I could only value it as a good 'restored' 240Z. I believe it had issues but I've no idea what they were or whether they were obvious to a Datsun Z 'first timer'.
There are lots of people around who don't know how to get a return on money that would previously have been invested in other ways. They are affecting Classic Car values and indeed turning most Classic Car discussions around so that we now talk about value rather than enjoyment. To be honest I am the same these days, I used to enjoy my track car as a fun drive, I now look at my 240Zs as investments - sad. But I am a massive Datsun Z enthsiast and I can't believe how much time I spend thinking, talking and writing about Datsuns - it's ridiculous really.
I'm sure prices will drop again and so I would not spend any more than £20k on a 'nice' 240Z. Having said that I wouldn't sell either on my cars for that much so I'm a hypocrite in some ways.