Let’s discuss car prices… ONLINE STORE - etsy.me/2zluIiC Web - www.theironempire.com.au Instagram - @theironempire_ Facebook - The Iron Empire Email - mark@theironempire.com
i am a spray painter mark and you are right most people have no idea how much time and effort hundreds of hours to paint a car or restore one and the stress of trying to make it perfect so all their friends that cant do it pick the shit out of it
I use to think it wouldn't be that hard to do, but dam after doing a few panels rust repairs and shit it takes ages! A good paint job is an art and its worth putting the time effort and money into doing it, worth every dollar for a good quality respray
The only problem is that when they're trying to sell the car that's been restored the owner expects you to pay for "sentimental value not retail value" 😂 I don't care about your feelings towards the car or how it got you from A to B or how much $ you've spent etc just sell it for what it's worth
Your right mark..I've a gt hardtop..has cost a fortune doing it up..I don't care. It is what it is.. and yes there is a demand and limited numbers so naturally the price is up thete..to those who want 1980 prices..they obviously still have 1980 money and are not financially savvy people.
You are right on target with this rant. A lot of people can't understand the value of things because of lack of knowledge of associated costs to be in the game. Scarcity, Labour, Storage, Transport and freight , Maintainance, Government fees just to name a few.
Totally agree, many people don't understand or realise the amount of time, money and effort, putting into restoring a car. It's an art in the trade itself that only few people see.❤
Not only the cost to get the work done, but finding good people to actually do the (good) work is extremely hard. The time, money and labour of love doesn't come cheap. Most likely 90% watching this video is in the age group that our dad's had these cool classic cars. Or we had one when were younger, we are dad's now wanting to relive our younger days or get that nostalgic feeling of dad's old car. Those fortunate enough to share the classic cars with the next generation is key to keep the classic cars alive. The next target market that I for see grow huge over the next 20 years is the JDM scene.
My Dad paid $9,000 in 1978 for his GS Rally Pack update. I have spent nearly $60,000 on restoration. A three bedroom home in 1978 was around $50,000 and now is around 500 thousand. The value of the dollar has declined over the years and so the price of these things are around the same.
@@Low760 Lol, It seem's you don't get the concept of supply and demand either. Negative gearing has nothing to do with house prices rising out of step - its simple too many people not enough houses and they intentionally keep it that way so there mates at the banks can clean up. But I'm guessing you ae a hard cores labor or greens man so you wont get that concept because its racist or some shiiite like that.
It is NOT worth what a seller is asking for it. It is ONLY worth what a buyer is prepared to pay. As far as your FB seller and buyer rant, some sellers are wankers putting stupid ridiculous prices THINKING their POS is worth a lot of money when they’re NOT. Plain and Simple.
Late model HSV are sky high in prices and there are literally 1000s built ,more than demand that exists in fact. Not as simple as supply and demand. The supply side and demand side hasn't really changed that much but the value of our money has. Governments printing trillions of dollars out of nowhere which is diluting our currencies, the people at the top are driving asset prices north for at least 4 or 5 years.This inflating trickles down to everyday suburban houses ,old cars ,new cars and even groceries.
Absolutely fantastic video mate. I turned 60 years old in January this year, and I’m one of the older guys that trashed a few cars and sold a few cars very cheaply that would be worth a significant amount of money nowadays . (2 HG GTS Monaro’s and one HT GTS Monaro come to mind…). However, exactly as you said, back then they were worth nothing. One of the HG GTS Monaro’s I bought from the five ways wrecker in Gawler (I’m originally from South Australia, was a “Lyndoch Lad”), I paid $300 for it in 1982. Genuine 308 4 speed GTS car. No motor, box, guards bonnet, bucket seats or dash, but had very little rust and was very straight with no accident damage: still had the 8.2 factory 10 bolt in the back with the hump 16.5 gallon fuel tank. I joined the army the same year, (1982) and was posted to Brisbane so the car sat in my parents garage after having had $700 worth of panel work done to repair the rust areas. (those pesky felt strips inside the rear quarters near the windows). After a few years, I bought my own house and went back to South Oz to collect it., with a factory HK 307 powerglide premier I bought for $1000 with registration from a friend. I bought a car trailer down there, loaded it up and found that the trailer had so much weight in it I couldn’t do more than 80 km an hour l, or I would get horrendous speed wobbles/fish tails. So about a three day journey back and the car sat in the backyard of my house. At the time I was doing an LH SLR Torana up, converted it from 253 Aussie four speed banjo rear end, to 308 Saginaw four speed 9 inch rear end with a sniff of nitrous. I couldn’t afford to do both cars, so sold the Monaro, which had an absolutely mint body, it was basically exactly the same as a 350 Monaro, with the exception of it having a 308 5 litre Holden motor. How much did I sell it for? You’re going to cringe and a lot of people scream at me: $200. However, back then in the mid 80s it was just another Monaro, was unregistered, had no motor or gearbox and I needed the money. I actually still have old school photographs, developed at Kmart 1hr photo express 🤣 of me in outback New South Wales towing the trailer with the HK and Monaro on the back, and arriving at home. I really enjoy your channel, really enjoy your builds and enthusiasm. Hopefully I’ll get back to visit family in South Australia this year, will have to chase you up and have a cold beverage or three if you’re interested. P.S. I was lucky enough to pick up an HK GTS Monaro about 11 years ago, had no motor or gearbox needs numerous rust repairs, and I paid 18,200 for it. And I’m not complaining.
Spot on Mark. Did everything you mentioned. 500 dollar cars , 3000 to 6000 monaros 300 dollar paddock bashers but you cant keep them all. And being a X panel beater the cost of restoring a car of financially mentally and health wise is why a lot of people got out. And cars are supply and demand. 100 %. 👍
Only issue I have with cars having a high value now, is the younger people already struggling to buy houses etc, probably aren't going to get into these things. I have young kids and I can't see them getting into this hobby. Even some of the cars I own now I probably couldn't even afford to buy if I had to buy them now. Apart from that I agree with all your points.
Mark, loved the honesty in the video and the raw emotion. We need to see more of that on CZcams so full credit to you!! The only one point you missed is the people you are talking about(let’s call them maggots) they are just the type of people to complain about everything… Plus they are also keyboard warriors… they wouldn’t come to your house and tell that to your face they say it online as it’s easier to do than in person. Love ya work the honesty and passion is what all us car community love! Keep it up! As they say don’t let the bastards get ya down!!
We were buying Chargers in the 80’s for $250-$500 a car. Same with LJ Torana’s. To put that into perspective 20 years time people will be lamenting how cheap you could buy a BA Falcon or VY Commodore for in the 2020’s The only downside I see to the current pricing is the used parts price you have to pay to keep your pride and joy looking good.
Feel your obvious frustration Mark. The value of any vehicle is supply and demand and also subjective. A lot depends on a lot of individual reasons. I have Andreas CM Wagon and I've had some pretty ordinary comments made about it. I've sunk many thousands now into the mechanical side of her because I love it and as the custodian of her she deserves it. The value..... I honestly don't care about the monetary value of it. Not everything in the world is about money. For me it's the smile on my face when I drive her. That's worth more than anything to me. My kids can worry about the $ value when I'm gone if they need too. For me I don't give a rats arse what dollar figure wants to put on her, or any other car I have . They all make me smile. I've worked hard all my life and will enjoy my fruits this way. Certainly everyone has different circumstances but everyone should remember that we are all very fortunate to have the lifestyle we have, and part of our community is appreciating others and respect them. Restore, patina, show car, it's up to you and we simply don't need to dictate others choices. I'm like you, I think a car on the road and running, regardless of its condition is better than a wrecking yard anyway. I respect others for their choices and opinions and I trust others will do the same for me. Let's be positive and stop trying to bring everyone down so we can feel better for doing that. Be the bigger person and lift everyone up. And keep these cars on the road.
Some great points Mark, when I was first getting into cars, we would buy something for a few grand, spend 10k then sell for 5k a cpl years down the track, now if you buy smart, do some work yourself, you can come out atleast even or even make a few bucks, so even though cost of entry is high, fucking around with cars has really never been better financially, 2 sides to everything i guess.
At the end of the day the Australian car market dose not make sense..You can buy any old banger in the states for cheap..fix it up..have FUN in it..and sell it on for a little bit more..and on to the next one. You can't do that here in Oz..rusty shitboxs from 8 to 15gs is a joke..bottom line is it isn't FUN anymore.and definitely not affordable to mess around with cars in general.
I buy and sell a few classics and one thing I've noticed is a lot of 50+ year olds are mortgage free, have good jobs and have disposal income. They'll pay close to advertised prices as well as pay good money for rusty stuff and send to shops to have built they way they won't.
VH Valiant Pacer. Remember those? Just another 4-door Val back in the late 1970's that were wrecked for their dashboards and running gear, nearly every wracking yard in Adelaide had one sitting there half stripped out. Well, I own one. It's a beauty. The rarest of the rare, being one of 16 optioned with an automatic transmission. In 2007 I turned down 30K for my Pacer. I'd spent 9K on it at that point. A year later I was offered $3500 for it! I told them I've declined 30K, and said come back with 50K and the answer will still be NO. Not for sale. I recently googled VH Pacers for sale ATM. None available. Saw two adds from a few years ago, one Pacer went for 55K and another one went for 64K. The days when a Pacer was 600 bucks are long gone. I'd need to see at least 80K to even consider parting with my Pacer, but even then, where would I find another one? Maybe I'll wait and see if it reaches 100K. Until then, it stays with me.
Amen brother 🎯🎯🎯 The majority of the time it’s the people that have never touched a car let alone an old car. They have no idea of the time, money and effort that is required to get them back on road. They have nothing better to do than give those people shit cause their salty they never had what it takes do it themselves 😂
Government pushing up taxes on everything! I'v sold back in the day LX SLR 5000, LH SLR 4.2, and a bunch of other cars over the years, Z900, Z1000, the list goes on, most i bought new, virtually gave them away🤑🤑
Cars are worth what someone is prepared to pay for them. If you don't want to pay an asking price, leave it for someone else and the market will sort itself out if it is too high. The problem is when cars have tens (or hundreds) of thousands of dollars' worth of restoration works being sold alongside the cars you spoke about last episode. A lot of people won't appreciate the difference between these two categories. Also, the more money you put into a car restoration, the less chance of getting all your money back.
💯 Spent 5yrs building mine to the condition its in now... sat since 1999 before that!definitely resonate with understanding how much time and money it takes to DIY paint and panel on a classic, many hours learning, practising and to listen to all the naysayers along the way 🙄 big 🖕 when your finally cruising around and they're still sitting on the couch staring at the idiot box 📺
Such a true video in regard to costs. I build auto transmissions , a recent parts order for a build was 300 bucks more than I expected, then people go, " whoa that's a lot" when they get a ballpark price to build. I'm not making a huge profit lol
Agreed 💯 Mark. The market dictates the prices- supply and demand as you said. I buy the cars I can afford and do as much work as my skill set allows and just have fun. I can’t afford an xb coupe or Monaro but I can buy a valiant or hz ute and still enjoy it. Thanks for keeping us inspired with our builds mate!
Great comment, I am the same, can’t afford the big dollar cars so I aim lower and sometimes a little rusty but. It has built my knowledge and skills along the way and I can honestly say I’m as satisfied with finishing an XD GL Falcon as I would be with a an XB coupe, still 4 speed 351 car just cheaper to do overall? 🤷♂️🤷♂️
Decent Rant Mark! I like it. Here are some numbers to think about. I bought a slightly rusty HZ kingswood 11 years ago for 700 bucks, it was a steal for sure. I've slowly been restoring it and I estimate that I've spent at least 500 hours on paint and panel. Now, most decent body shop hourly rates start at $120 per hour. So there's $60k in labour alone. Not even looking at parts and supplies yet. If you are paying a restoration shop less than 100k for a full nut and bolt resto, you're either getting a great deal or a poor quality job. It is crazy that living costs so much, but if you break it down, it does make some sense. Everyone has to eat and have a roof over their head.
I bought an Au fairmont Ghia V8 a year ago because I wanted a xr8 but couldn't afford 12-14 K asking prices I seen on market. This one cost 4k . You gotta stick to your budget and prepare to fix as you go and maybe upgrade later. The Monty sits proudly next to my zg Fairlane. Great video.
You’re 100% right, bro. I sold some cars with worth an absolute fortune nowadays but I don’t have them so now I have to deal with that. I don’t have them but I still have my XC falcon GXL and it’s going up in value which is cool but I’ll never sell it
Well said Mark. The bloody hours spent on paint and panel is insane. I have two mint Holdens and one was a 15 year labour of love to get it where it is.
Well stated Mark, totally agree with your discussion regarding supply and demand , and how it dictates the market on these older cars.. The only issue I’ve had over the years has mainly been with the paint side of things.. Finding someone to do a quality job for the $ is the biggest issue, not paying the money..
i recently sold an EL, put heaps of work into it, even though i listed it much higher than what it went for in the end, it was as you said Mark at 8:46 i realised why and dropped the price accordingly. Having said that: i was still absolutely inundated with antagonstic comments on the marketplace listing with people who either seemed to take it personally, or were wanting have a laugh at my expense. Was rather disheartening i must say.
Awesome points mate. Deffinately been guilty of sooking about prices from time to time... Also my own fault for leaving a lot of money on the table because I rathered a quick sale. Currently saving a $1200 xf sedan. Donk was stuffed, manual swapped it too, putting some rubbers through, fresh dash, rebuilt the carb (first time) and almost finished with the rust in the lower rear quaters.... would have been smarter to buy something a bit nicer, but... one more saved.
The way the prices are today also reflects on the builds- look at the rotary scene- yeah you could buy a rx3 for 20k around 20 years ago- but it wasnt tubbed, it would overheat, bodywork wasnt perfect… you get what you pay for, thats it, and if you have a problem with it, put pen to paper and work out how much it would cost you to build, IF you know the right people… and how many years you are going to wait to get it done.
As an accountant who has only really got into classic car scene in the last 5 years (I'm late 40's) I hear exactly what you are saying Mark. I've now got good mates who do panel, paint and wiring etc. Never once do I ask for "mates rates". I tell them to charge me what its worth. Why should I pay good money to someone I don't know, but instead give it to my mates to lose money/time doing it cheaper for me? I want my mates to be paid what they are worth. The other point I will make is the skill in the industry (esp panel and paint) is dying. Everyone wants to fit and paint. I've seen firsthand the skill of a mate (who is Filipino) make any shape panel you want. We are losing this skill across the country. I hope to learn more skills to do more myself. At some point there has to be enjoyment and satisfaction. Otherwise why bother. Keep up the great work mate.
Bought my first car in 1992 aged 15. It was a 1977 mini for $700. Worked hard at the local franklins store to save. Ive built endless minis since. Im nearly 47 now. Just sold my last restored 1963 cooper s tribute with all the good gear for $48,000. Good luck to the dude who bought it off me as it was a quality build.
A good rant buddy and I agree with you . I to am trying to rebuild a car but I was shocked about the price's for panel and paint but but so worth it at the end of build
100% spot on mate, I'm an early commodore enthusiast and I'm so sick of hearing things like VN SS's aren't worth 30-40k etc (especially from the boomers who think if something isn't chrome bumpered it will never be worth money). Well if they are selling for 30+k then that means they are worth 30k. The market decides the value of a car, not the keyboard warriors. If the demand is there for a car, the price will go up.
IMO, the reason why "classic" Australian cars are so dear is because there are no cars made here anymore, making old Ford's, Holden's and Chryslers so dear now. All of a sudden, people are bemoaning the loss of our automotive manufacturing history. As a 61 year old, I'm spuing that I didn't keep the car I learnt to drive (my Dad's XT Falcon 500, 3 on the tree and bench seats, My Mk1 @ 2 Escorts, my 1600 Datsun, EF Fairmont, BA2 XR6, BF2 XR6T and my HZ Kingswood SL. All worth some coin now and I love my current FG XR6II. As for the whingers about cost's, anything to do with restoration comes with huge costs, get over it. That why I admire people like yourself that keeps these great cars on the road. Much respect Mark.
Cars have started to return to normal with cars that were never worth it. They are dropping In the ass. Yes the classics are staying up the rest are dropping
Yes love it, I got a xa coupe in the shed , had it for over 30 year ,paid $500 very very little rust, I've never had it on the road , filled up a shed with parts , that took 30 years to find , and YES it would take crazy $$$$$ to get it off me , that's my retirement project with son or fund ??? Dream car
I regret selling my VL and I regret selling a couple other cars that have exploded in value……but guess what, that’s on me and good luck to those who held on to them and are now selling them for big $. I agree with you on every point
🤣 crystal clear mate! And I agree. The cost of living is the same for all of us. So often I see “important” people expecting bargain discounts for premium service. Yet, if they were doing some “consulting” they expect us to pay in time blocks of 5 or 15 minutes. The same people then want their toys restored at cheap prices, when they have zero skills themselves. Just wrong. It’s the same as CZcams or social media trolls. 1. If ya don’t like it don’t watch it. 2. If ya did watch it, and u didn’t like it, why would you think any of the rest of us care what you think. Sorry, rant over. Just sayin 👍🍻🎯🇦🇺
Totally agree Mark. Ive done a lot of resto work and the time that it takes in just man hours alone is hard to explain to anyone that hasn’t done it themselves. I generally restore cars and then on sell them and always cop flack for the selling price, particularly on facebook. I wont advertise anything on facebook now and just go with Carsales to avoid the comments from idiots who have no idea. I totally get your rant and I’m with u there mate 👍
Hey Mark, you were kinda all over the show there mate :) and I agree with most of your points. If someone spends 500 hours plus materials on a paint job, damn straight it needs to cost 40k. Yes, classic cars, chrome bumper, are getting harder to find, so they demand a higher price and people will only pay what they see as its value. But, you weren't exactly comparing apples with apples, when you compared the price of a 70s car sold in the 80s and the price now. I understand why people who sold there cars in the 80s whine about the value today, but not because of the value of the car they sold, but the equivalent today. 20 - 30 year old cars are over priced on the back of classic car prices. For example, when I got my licence, 1989, you could buy a HQ, XW, Mk2 Cortina, TC Gemini, LC Torana, HR, XA and the like for less than $1000, an untidy but solid good driver for $500. The converted rate of $1000 in 1989 to 2024 is $2600. The dollar had an average inflation rate of 2.67% per year between 1989 and today, producing a cumulative price increase of 151.88%. Today, you can't find decent, not skidded or absolutely flogged VN-R, EA-L for less than $3-5k good ones, or special ones for $15,000 That's the disparity I don't like and think is over valued, the price of run of the mill emerging classics. This is why kids are bombing around in VEs and BAs And ..... people selling projects not understanding the value, or cost, of restoration. A rusty HZ SL Kingswood sedan for $15k is a bad investment if it is going to need $50k to restore. I guess I kinda got on a typing rant, haha my 2c over :)
Back in the early nineties everyone thought I was a Hogan for having an EH Pano, a HT Ute with 253 and gets bonnet and gaurds, a 1 owner xb wagon with a 302 and many others. I bought them cheap and cruised them while doing them up. Wish i could have kept them but times and life changes. I keep an eye on the market and still look to own another steel bumper car. Got a few classic bikes and it's easier to store them and cheaper rego. Thanks Mark for keeping these cars alive! If you ever selling the Doom sled hit me up! Cheers.
Fair point,but I'd also say that once upon a time people were lucky to get half what they'd spent on a car,now many people want everything back or close to it ,often for a car that is now only considered a "classic" because its somewhat rare on the road,and not a special car at all. Although at the end of the day people can ask whatever they like,whether they get it or not is a different story,but there's no point in bagging them for it. There's lot's of people that overpaid for cars during covid when interest rates were low,with a "just put it on the house " mentality, and are now trying to get their money back, basically pushing prices up. But prices appear to be dropping rapidly now due to the cost of living,a nd that will in turn put some people off paying tradesmen prices to resto cars..
When people ask 10k for a car that only has vin plates and matching motor worth saving if the driveline runs and the body is completely riddled full of holes
I agree with your rant, i have not a lot of money but it is all about supply and demand. If you are trying to sell a car and you are too high with price then it will sell when someone sees its worth, if it does not sell then the price will eventually have to be lowered. I want to build a street cruiser so i bought a 1968 XT Falcon ute from a farmer in Mid north SA. Proudly showed it in a Facebook group and was told it's a wreck.... So in a year or so i will be driving this "wreck" that has not been started in 20 years. People need to learn these hot old cars come from somewhere!! Hey, by the way great channel, just discovered it now i have plenty of content to watch!!
One of the biggest things that shits me is the scum that go around sxrewing people down buying parts, then readvertise the parts at beyond ridiculous prices. Then they know they are asking a ridiculous price and would prefer their stuff sitting there in a shed rotting away instead of selling parts at a decent price to help get more old cars back on the road. Just like the people that have yards full of old cars but wont sell anything because they (MIGHT) rebuild it one day. Everyone knows that will never happen🤬
I'd hate to do rust, body panel and paint for a living but I've spent years learning the skills to do it. A "budget" build is still do-able if you have the right mindset but you have to be dedicated and able to think outside the box. I can think of multiple project cars that are around the 5k mark close enough to me to be realistic builds. Heck my next project cost $400, its not my dream car but on the list even though it will require years of work. Just how bad do you want a cool old car?
Quick story. Bought a cheap Torana. Needed a bit of body work and paint so stripped it all down and got it media blasted. Took it home and had no idea how to fix it but borrowed my uncle's welder and learned as I went along. Same with the paint. Good paint and panel repairers are worth every cent. So many people think many jobs are a quick 5-10 min thing where you can churn out big volumes of work. That expectation is why there are so many dodgy repairs out there.
I'm not paying $6k for a 30 year old car that doesnt run. If I'm the one buying thats my standards. I have every right to tell everyone asking big money for a hunk of crap. We are heading into a period where cars will have to be cheaper someone is gonna get caught holding the bag.
Mate, I've been a mechanic for 40 years and in that time building and racing and selling them. This is not a cheap hobby. It's a way of life. If you love it you spend it. Simple.
You are somewhat right Mark, in my opinion. Working on cars doesn’t always mean money at the end. The quality of the work done is so important. Many spanners laid on a car is usually bad news. The issue is - was the work done well?? You know more than me. But have fun - it is an interest for many which is great - relax and enjoy life!
I'm a trimmer in Melbourne and i haven't taken on a full interior in the last 12 months cause no one wants to pay me what it's worth, i just stick to road worthy repair work it's not worth the time and effort to just break even on a trim just to have work in my shop, get your crap cover kit and do it yourself and don't come knocking when it looks terrible lol
Hey I am in Melbourne in need of a trimmer. Looking to get front and back bench seats done from a Dodge Phoenix in vinyl. What would be the rough cost of that?
100 percent correct if u dont like what its going for no one is telling u to buy it now when i sell cars ring me a make an appointment and if im asking 50 grand for a car dont come and offer me 25 because yr not gonna leave a happy person
i hate that the price is so high and that there are so few of them around only because it means i won't be able to afford a lot of the cars i'd like to own and there's not enough of them getting around but supply and demand is exactly the point
It's kinda good that car prices are coming down (thanks to the Covid tax of only a few years ago). I was looking for an XD rolling shell at one point; 10k for something that had zero panels/ interior/ drivetrain (except diff & steering gear), and I was like nope. On the flip side; a vehicle is what it's worth to someone else; id be happy to pay 10k for an unmolested XD (for example) as long it was 95% complete. Fuck- I bought a brand new BF2 XR8 sedan 6 spd manual; GT500 engine swapped it+ suspension and other shit; probably owed me 120k; got 11k for it as they weren't really worth anything
Australia's standard of living is dropping, dollar is falling, imported parts are going up in AUD, prices of popular cars follow international prices so appear to be going up. Good rant Mark.
I live in western nsw and its good to see the old cars getting saved before its too late years ago when prices were down the scrappys came tru and demolished the amount of old cars good cars getting squashed it was terrible. They took about 70 to 80 percent of the stock
Hearing ya Mark, my Vg Val owes me more than it will ever be worth. And the cost to do so is even more when I can’t do it myself. The enjoyment vs the cost outweighs a shit tonne
Same with my CM! I’ve kept every single receipt of what’s been done to it or what I’ve bought for it in the last 7 years,the most expensive item was the diff! Cost me 5 grand to get that how I wanted it. If I ever tally up all the receipts I think I will be shocked! I have seen other cm regals for over 30k but I don’t know if that’s realistic or not? Hard to put a price on it really even if I was thinking of selling.
Mark, I take what you are saying on board and in most cases, I completely agree with you. However, the part I disagree with is, the reason most of us starting to tinker with our cars in the first place was that we did not have the money to pay tradespeople back in the day what their skills were worth, even back then to do what we needed to have done. Also, the part about tradies not devaluing other tradies?! They certainly do! It is rife in the construction industry for starters! How many times do you hear one shop bag another shop?! Honestly? All the time! I will also say this, if you think it is ‘stiff shit’ to those people complaining, the flip side is if you don’t like people complaining, thats a case of ‘stiff shit’ as well. It is supply and demand and I personally think some of those lower models being worth more keeps them from being parted out and reducing the overall numbers even further. Plus, sometimes a gorgeous old grandpa-spec ride is much more interesting than another replica GT OR GTS If I’m being honest, I also don’t know too many people that actually build a car for themselves, that calculate what they are being ‘paid’ for the work they are doing. Personally, I think you saying that, in that manner, showed that your focus is on the buying and selling projects you are trying to finish. Just my 2c. Have a cracking weekend!
Like with anything ,you don't appreciate something until you have put time money and effort into it . Yes we all would have liked to have had the foresight to buy a couple of collectable muscle cars back in the day but as you said Mark those days have pretty much gone and if you want to now get into that part of the car scene then unfortunately you have to either pay the going rate or do some research and buy a project and put in the effort Cheers Trev
Yeah, supply and demand is kinda correct, it's a generalisation though, and easy to quantify. If the economy shits itself, and wheelbarrows are worth more than the cash they carry, then you could technically say that a phase 3 is now worth $10,000 because there is no demand for them now if SHTF. But there are so many factors missing in that equation. The value of things is a tough one to sum up in a simple equation.
The final word made me laugh about the free car show. Mark most Aussies have been bitching since the beginning of time about high prices. Just let it go over your head mate because I don't think it will change. I'm watching the old car market carefully ATM because of the rising prices. I will get myself a 20 year old car now and keep it as a daily that will be worth a skwillion in another 20 years. I love what you do,, if they can be saved then let's keep them on the road. Cheers Mark
I did bodywork on a food van cash in hand for $25 an hour. It was just over 12 hours not including product. The guy was happy. He thought it still cost a fair bit. I said I could’ve been a lazy bastard and took 48 hours and you would’ve had the same job And you would’ve had to waited for a panel shop to have time to do the job he was happy with the job, but I should’ve took my time because end you don’t get paid for working quick Still ended up the guy was whingeing even though he got quoted $$1700 probably won’t help out anyone ever again with bodywork
When you pay for a stright car, your paying for the years it took to hone the skills to do the job....not just the hours your specific job took. If it was easy everyone could do it🤟
the price of old school metal is going up because everything new that is suppose to be cool SUCKS! everything sold now is under capacitied(?) and over boosted, it's hard to feel like a boss in a 1ltr fwd compared to say a 351c with a lumpy a$$ cam so lumpy that it spits fuel and has trouble idling but can lift its front tyres and stop the world turning when you ask it too, i could go on a rant aswel don't get me started lol but there are very few modern cars i want to buy but A LOT of old school ones i want purely because of the charm of these engines and the way they make you feel!
Pretty much right cars are worth what people are willing to pay not what we think they should be worth. The fact you can’t just walk into a yard and buy what you want out of these old cars means you will pay much more when you find one whether it’s pristine or clapped out, if you want something that has had a fair amount of work put into it then you will pay what feels like crazy money but nobody works for nothing so it is what it is. In saying that there is merit when saying that the car isn’t worth the money when you compare it to what you can buy for the same money out of a new car and what the new car has but you can’t compare new to old cars period and I agree those that bitch about it are just jealous for what ever reason
Great rant mate. Totally understand where you are coming from. Recently just sold a couple of bikes. If I had of sold them during lock down. I would have made alot more. Keep saving those cars. It is only good for the industry. That is the reason most state govt. bought in historic rego.
i am a spray painter mark and you are right most people have no idea how much time and effort hundreds of hours to paint a car or restore one and the stress of trying to make it perfect so all their friends that cant do it pick the shit out of it
I use to think it wouldn't be that hard to do, but dam after doing a few panels rust repairs and shit it takes ages! A good paint job is an art and its worth putting the time effort and money into doing it, worth every dollar for a good quality respray
The only problem is that when they're trying to sell the car that's been restored the owner expects you to pay for "sentimental value not retail value" 😂 I don't care about your feelings towards the car or how it got you from A to B or how much $ you've spent etc just sell it for what it's worth
People.who take hundreds of hours to paint a car have no business painting fcking cars.
Your right mark..I've a gt hardtop..has cost a fortune doing it up..I don't care. It is what it is.. and yes there is a demand and limited numbers so naturally the price is up thete..to those who want 1980 prices..they obviously still have 1980 money and are not financially savvy people.
True brother. I can't weld or paint for shit compared the the pros.. but my answer is always, where the f#@!s your car? Haha
I worked in bodyworks industry 43 years no one ever wanted to pay the proper money
You are right on target with this rant. A lot of people can't understand the value of things because of lack of knowledge of associated costs to be in the game. Scarcity, Labour, Storage, Transport and freight , Maintainance, Government fees just to name a few.
Totally agree, many people don't understand or realise the amount of time, money and effort, putting into restoring a car. It's an art in the trade itself that only few people see.❤
Not only the cost to get the work done, but finding good people to actually do the (good) work is extremely hard. The time, money and labour of love doesn't come cheap. Most likely 90% watching this video is in the age group that our dad's had these cool classic cars. Or we had one when were younger, we are dad's now wanting to relive our younger days or get that nostalgic feeling of dad's old car. Those fortunate enough to share the classic cars with the next generation is key to keep the classic cars alive. The next target market that I for see grow huge over the next 20 years is the JDM scene.
Definitely, already happening with i.t guys spending way too much on them.
My Dad paid $9,000 in 1978 for his GS Rally Pack update.
I have spent nearly $60,000 on restoration.
A three bedroom home in 1978 was around $50,000 and now is around 500 thousand.
The value of the dollar has declined over the years and so the price of these things are around the same.
Yes and no. House prices have risen out of step with the economy thanks to tax laws changing incentivising making houses investments instead.
@@Low760 100% - $50 is around $260k in todays money. And $9k for the GS is around $43k today
LOL you are full of sht if you think an average 3 bed house was 50k in 1978.
@@Low760 Lol, It seem's you don't get the concept of supply and demand either. Negative gearing has nothing to do with house prices rising out of step - its simple too many people not enough houses and they intentionally keep it that way so there mates at the banks can clean up. But I'm guessing you ae a hard cores labor or greens man so you wont get that concept because its racist or some shiiite like that.
It is NOT worth what a seller is asking for it.
It is ONLY worth what a buyer is prepared to pay.
As far as your FB seller and buyer rant, some sellers are wankers putting stupid ridiculous prices THINKING their POS is worth a lot of money when they’re NOT.
Plain and Simple.
Late model HSV are sky high in prices and there are literally 1000s built ,more than demand that exists in fact. Not as simple as supply and demand. The supply side and demand side hasn't really changed that much but the value of our money has. Governments printing trillions of dollars out of nowhere which is diluting our currencies, the people at the top are driving asset prices north for at least 4 or 5 years.This inflating trickles down to everyday suburban houses ,old cars ,new cars and even groceries.
Absolutely fantastic video mate. I turned 60 years old in January this year, and I’m one of the older guys that trashed a few cars and sold a few cars very cheaply that would be worth a significant amount of money nowadays . (2 HG GTS Monaro’s and one HT GTS Monaro come to mind…). However, exactly as you said, back then they were worth nothing. One of the HG GTS Monaro’s I bought from the five ways wrecker in Gawler (I’m originally from South Australia, was a “Lyndoch Lad”), I paid $300 for it in 1982. Genuine 308 4 speed GTS car. No motor, box, guards bonnet, bucket seats or dash, but had very little rust and was very straight with no accident damage: still had the 8.2 factory 10 bolt in the back with the hump 16.5 gallon fuel tank. I joined the army the same year, (1982) and was posted to Brisbane so the car sat in my parents garage after having had $700 worth of panel work done to repair the rust areas. (those pesky felt strips inside the rear quarters near the windows). After a few years, I bought my own house and went back to South Oz to collect it., with a factory HK 307 powerglide premier I bought for $1000 with registration from a friend. I bought a car trailer down there, loaded it up and found that the trailer had so much weight in it I couldn’t do more than 80 km an hour l, or I would get horrendous speed wobbles/fish tails. So about a three day journey back and the car sat in the backyard of my house. At the time I was doing an LH SLR Torana up, converted it from 253 Aussie four speed banjo rear end, to 308 Saginaw four speed 9 inch rear end with a sniff of nitrous. I couldn’t afford to do both cars, so sold the Monaro, which had an absolutely mint body, it was basically exactly the same as a 350 Monaro, with the exception of it having a 308 5 litre Holden motor. How much did I sell it for? You’re going to cringe and a lot of people scream at me: $200. However, back then in the mid 80s it was just another Monaro, was unregistered, had no motor or gearbox and I needed the money. I actually still have old school photographs, developed at Kmart 1hr photo express 🤣 of me in outback New South Wales towing the trailer with the HK and Monaro on the back, and arriving at home.
I really enjoy your channel, really enjoy your builds and enthusiasm. Hopefully I’ll get back to visit family in South Australia this year, will have to chase you up and have a cold beverage or three if you’re interested.
P.S. I was lucky enough to pick up an HK GTS Monaro about 11 years ago, had no motor or gearbox needs numerous rust repairs, and I paid 18,200 for it. And I’m not complaining.
Spot on Mark. Did everything you mentioned. 500 dollar cars , 3000 to 6000 monaros 300 dollar paddock bashers but you cant keep them all. And being a X panel beater the cost of restoring a car of financially mentally and health wise is why a lot of people got out. And cars are supply and demand. 100 %. 👍
Only issue I have with cars having a high value now, is the younger people already struggling to buy houses etc, probably aren't going to get into these things. I have young kids and I can't see them getting into this hobby. Even some of the cars I own now I probably couldn't even afford to buy if I had to buy them now. Apart from that I agree with all your points.
Mark, loved the honesty in the video and the raw emotion. We need to see more of that on CZcams so full credit to you!!
The only one point you missed is the people you are talking about(let’s call them maggots) they are just the type of people to complain about everything…
Plus they are also keyboard warriors… they wouldn’t come to your house and tell that to your face they say it online as it’s easier to do than in person.
Love ya work the honesty and passion is what all us car community love! Keep it up!
As they say don’t let the bastards get ya down!!
💯 spot on
Majority of people have absolutely no idea of the amount of time that goes into fixing up cars and the cost of it
We were buying Chargers in the 80’s for $250-$500 a car. Same with LJ Torana’s.
To put that into perspective 20 years time people will be lamenting how cheap you could buy a BA Falcon or VY Commodore for in the 2020’s
The only downside I see to the current pricing is the used parts price you have to pay to keep your pride and joy looking good.
Feel your obvious frustration Mark. The value of any vehicle is supply and demand and also subjective. A lot depends on a lot of individual reasons.
I have Andreas CM Wagon and I've had some pretty ordinary comments made about it. I've sunk many thousands now into the mechanical side of her because I love it and as the custodian of her she deserves it.
The value..... I honestly don't care about the monetary value of it. Not everything in the world is about money. For me it's the smile on my face when I drive her. That's worth more than anything to me.
My kids can worry about the $ value when I'm gone if they need too.
For me I don't give a rats arse what dollar figure wants to put on her, or any other car I have .
They all make me smile.
I've worked hard all my life and will enjoy my fruits this way.
Certainly everyone has different circumstances but everyone should remember that we are all very fortunate to have the lifestyle we have, and part of our community is appreciating others and respect them. Restore, patina, show car, it's up to you and we simply don't need to dictate others choices. I'm like you, I think a car on the road and running, regardless of its condition is better than a wrecking yard anyway. I respect others for their choices and opinions and I trust others will do the same for me. Let's be positive and stop trying to bring everyone down so we can feel better for doing that.
Be the bigger person and lift everyone up.
And keep these cars on the road.
Agreed mate. I feel the same way about my CM (on my channel). Don’t care what it’s worth! I just love it.
Some great points Mark, when I was first getting into cars, we would buy something for a few grand, spend 10k then sell for 5k a cpl years down the track, now if you buy smart, do some work yourself, you can come out atleast even or even make a few bucks, so even though cost of entry is high, fucking around with cars has really never been better financially, 2 sides to everything i guess.
At the end of the day the Australian car market dose not make sense..You can buy any old banger in the states for cheap..fix it up..have FUN in it..and sell it on for a little bit more..and on to the next one.
You can't do that here in Oz..rusty shitboxs from 8 to 15gs is a joke..bottom line is it isn't FUN anymore.and definitely not affordable to mess around with cars in general.
Fukin bang on. It's memories n nostalgia...worth it!
I buy and sell a few classics and one thing I've noticed is a lot of 50+ year olds are mortgage free, have good jobs and have disposal income. They'll pay close to advertised prices as well as pay good money for rusty stuff and send to shops to have built they way they won't.
VH Valiant Pacer. Remember those? Just another 4-door Val back in the late 1970's that were wrecked for their dashboards and running gear, nearly every wracking yard in Adelaide had one sitting there half stripped out. Well, I own one. It's a beauty. The rarest of the rare, being one of 16 optioned with an automatic transmission. In 2007 I turned down 30K for my Pacer. I'd spent 9K on it at that point. A year later I was offered $3500 for it! I told them I've declined 30K, and said come back with 50K and the answer will still be NO. Not for sale. I recently googled VH Pacers for sale ATM. None available. Saw two adds from a few years ago, one Pacer went for 55K and another one went for 64K. The days when a Pacer was 600 bucks are long gone. I'd need to see at least 80K to even consider parting with my Pacer, but even then, where would I find another one? Maybe I'll wait and see if it reaches 100K. Until then, it stays with me.
Amen brother 🎯🎯🎯
The majority of the time it’s the people that have never touched a car let alone an old car. They have no idea of the time, money and effort that is required to get them back on road. They have nothing better to do than give those people shit cause their salty they never had what it takes do it themselves 😂
But I don't expect to get my money back from restoring a car.
Government pushing up taxes on everything!
I'v sold back in the day LX SLR 5000, LH SLR 4.2, and a bunch of other cars over the years, Z900, Z1000, the list goes on, most i bought new, virtually gave them away🤑🤑
Taxes are lower now though.
Cars are worth what someone is prepared to pay for them. If you don't want to pay an asking price, leave it for someone else and the market will sort itself out if it is too high. The problem is when cars have tens (or hundreds) of thousands of dollars' worth of restoration works being sold alongside the cars you spoke about last episode. A lot of people won't appreciate the difference between these two categories. Also, the more money you put into a car restoration, the less chance of getting all your money back.
💯 Spent 5yrs building mine to the condition its in now... sat since 1999 before that!definitely resonate with understanding how much time and money it takes to DIY paint and panel on a classic, many hours learning, practising and to listen to all the naysayers along the way 🙄 big 🖕 when your finally cruising around and they're still sitting on the couch staring at the idiot box 📺
To say something is expensive can simply be a reflection on what it used to cost. Take a chill pill Mark 😂
Such a true video in regard to costs. I build auto transmissions , a recent parts order for a build was 300 bucks more than I expected, then people go, " whoa that's a lot" when they get a ballpark price to build. I'm not making a huge profit lol
Agreed 💯 Mark. The market dictates the prices- supply and demand as you said. I buy the cars I can afford and do as much work as my skill set allows and just have fun. I can’t afford an xb coupe or Monaro but I can buy a valiant or hz ute and still enjoy it. Thanks for keeping us inspired with our builds mate!
Great comment, I am the same, can’t afford the big dollar cars so I aim lower and sometimes a little rusty but. It has built my knowledge and skills along the way and I can honestly say I’m as satisfied with finishing an XD GL Falcon as I would be with a an XB coupe, still 4 speed 351 car just cheaper to do overall? 🤷♂️🤷♂️
Standing ovation to you mate, you nailed it. Love your passion and what you do buddy
Spot on bro. I have 2 old cars but I do feel a little sad for someone who wants an old car but can't afford it. This is not the industry's fault.
Spot on, I couldn’t say it any better! 👍
Mark 100 per cent correct!!!! I could not agree with you more Gr8 ep. So true
Decent Rant Mark! I like it.
Here are some numbers to think about. I bought a slightly rusty HZ kingswood 11 years ago for 700 bucks, it was a steal for sure. I've slowly been restoring it and I estimate that I've spent at least 500 hours on paint and panel. Now, most decent body shop hourly rates start at $120 per hour. So there's $60k in labour alone. Not even looking at parts and supplies yet.
If you are paying a restoration shop less than 100k for a full nut and bolt resto, you're either getting a great deal or a poor quality job. It is crazy that living costs so much, but if you break it down, it does make some sense. Everyone has to eat and have a roof over their head.
I bought an Au fairmont Ghia V8 a year ago because I wanted a xr8 but couldn't afford 12-14 K asking prices I seen on market. This one cost 4k . You gotta stick to your budget and prepare to fix as you go and maybe upgrade later. The Monty sits proudly next to my zg Fairlane. Great video.
You’re 100% right, bro. I sold some cars with worth an absolute fortune nowadays but I don’t have them so now I have to deal with that. I don’t have them but I still have my XC falcon GXL and it’s going up in value which is cool but I’ll never sell it
Well said Mark. That’s all. Keep going. You are doing a great job. Thanks.
Well said Mark. The bloody hours spent on paint and panel is insane. I have two mint Holdens and one was a 15 year labour of love to get it where it is.
Agree totally, I am a mad keen enthusiast but have tended to buy U.S vehicles in the last ten years simply because of value for money.
Well stated Mark, totally agree with your discussion regarding supply and demand , and how it dictates the market on these older cars..
The only issue I’ve had over the years has mainly been with the paint side of things..
Finding someone to do a quality job for the $ is the biggest issue, not paying the money..
i recently sold an EL, put heaps of work into it, even though i listed it much higher than what it went for in the end, it was as you said Mark at 8:46 i realised why and dropped the price accordingly. Having said that: i was still absolutely inundated with antagonstic comments on the marketplace listing with people who either seemed to take it personally, or were wanting have a laugh at my expense. Was rather disheartening i must say.
Awesome points mate. Deffinately been guilty of sooking about prices from time to time...
Also my own fault for leaving a lot of money on the table because I rathered a quick sale.
Currently saving a $1200 xf sedan. Donk was stuffed, manual swapped it too, putting some rubbers through, fresh dash, rebuilt the carb (first time) and almost finished with the rust in the lower rear quaters.... would have been smarter to buy something a bit nicer, but... one more saved.
Spot on buddy if U want old car it's Gunna cost
The way the prices are today also reflects on the builds- look at the rotary scene- yeah you could buy a rx3 for 20k around 20 years ago- but it wasnt tubbed, it would overheat, bodywork wasnt perfect… you get what you pay for, thats it, and if you have a problem with it, put pen to paper and work out how much it would cost you to build, IF you know the right people… and how many years you are going to wait to get it done.
As an accountant who has only really got into classic car scene in the last 5 years (I'm late 40's) I hear exactly what you are saying Mark. I've now got good mates who do panel, paint and wiring etc. Never once do I ask for "mates rates". I tell them to charge me what its worth. Why should I pay good money to someone I don't know, but instead give it to my mates to lose money/time doing it cheaper for me? I want my mates to be paid what they are worth. The other point I will make is the skill in the industry (esp panel and paint) is dying. Everyone wants to fit and paint. I've seen firsthand the skill of a mate (who is Filipino) make any shape panel you want. We are losing this skill across the country. I hope to learn more skills to do more myself. At some point there has to be enjoyment and satisfaction. Otherwise why bother. Keep up the great work mate.
Bought my first car in 1992 aged 15. It was a 1977 mini for $700. Worked hard at the local franklins store to save. Ive built endless minis since. Im nearly 47 now. Just sold my last restored 1963 cooper s tribute with all the good gear for $48,000. Good luck to the dude who bought it off me as it was a quality build.
That wasn’t a rant man, that was all FACTS.
A good rant buddy and I agree with you . I to am trying to rebuild a car but I was shocked about the price's for panel and paint but but so worth it at the end of build
100% spot on mate, I'm an early commodore enthusiast and I'm so sick of hearing things like VN SS's aren't worth 30-40k etc (especially from the boomers who think if something isn't chrome bumpered it will never be worth money). Well if they are selling for 30+k then that means they are worth 30k.
The market decides the value of a car, not the keyboard warriors. If the demand is there for a car, the price will go up.
No way a VN is worth nothing and if you pay that well good luck wait to interest rates really start to hit home.
@@grimreaper6112 and you are exactly the type of person Marks talking about, thank you for proving his point.
I often wonder if those vn’s are actually selling for that money
IMO, the reason why "classic" Australian cars are so dear is because there are no cars made here anymore, making old Ford's, Holden's and Chryslers so dear now. All of a sudden, people are bemoaning the loss of our automotive manufacturing history. As a 61 year old, I'm spuing that I didn't keep the car I learnt to drive (my Dad's XT Falcon 500, 3 on the tree and bench seats, My Mk1 @ 2 Escorts, my 1600 Datsun, EF Fairmont, BA2 XR6, BF2 XR6T and my HZ Kingswood SL. All worth some coin now and I love my current FG XR6II. As for the whingers about cost's, anything to do with restoration comes with huge costs, get over it. That why I admire people like yourself that keeps these great cars on the road. Much respect Mark.
Spot on
Cars have started to return to normal with cars that were never worth it. They are dropping In the ass. Yes the classics are staying up the rest are dropping
Yes love it, I got a xa coupe in the shed , had it for over 30 year ,paid $500 very very little rust, I've never had it on the road , filled up a shed with parts , that took 30 years to find , and YES it would take crazy $$$$$ to get it off me , that's my retirement project with son or fund ??? Dream car
I regret selling my VL and I regret selling a couple other cars that have exploded in value……but guess what, that’s on me and good luck to those who held on to them and are now selling them for big $. I agree with you on every point
🤣 crystal clear mate! And I agree. The cost of living is the same for all of us. So often I see “important” people expecting bargain discounts for premium service. Yet, if they were doing some “consulting” they expect us to pay in time blocks of 5 or 15 minutes. The same people then want their toys restored at cheap prices, when they have zero skills themselves. Just wrong.
It’s the same as CZcams or social media trolls.
1. If ya don’t like it don’t watch it.
2. If ya did watch it, and u didn’t like it, why would you think any of the rest of us care what you think.
Sorry, rant over. Just sayin
👍🍻🎯🇦🇺
Totally agree Mark.
Ive done a lot of resto work and the time that it takes in just man hours alone is hard to explain to anyone that hasn’t done it themselves.
I generally restore cars and then on sell them and always cop flack for the selling price, particularly on facebook.
I wont advertise anything on facebook now and just go with Carsales to avoid the comments from idiots who have no idea.
I totally get your rant and I’m with u there mate 👍
Hey Mark, you were kinda all over the show there mate :) and I agree with most of your points.
If someone spends 500 hours plus materials on a paint job, damn straight it needs to cost 40k.
Yes, classic cars, chrome bumper, are getting harder to find, so they demand a higher price and people will only pay what they see as its value.
But, you weren't exactly comparing apples with apples, when you compared the price of a 70s car sold in the 80s and the price now.
I understand why people who sold there cars in the 80s whine about the value today, but not because of the value of the car they sold, but the equivalent today.
20 - 30 year old cars are over priced on the back of classic car prices.
For example, when I got my licence, 1989, you could buy a HQ, XW, Mk2 Cortina, TC Gemini, LC Torana, HR, XA and the like for less than $1000, an untidy but solid good driver for $500.
The converted rate of $1000 in 1989 to 2024 is $2600. The dollar had an average inflation rate of 2.67% per year between 1989 and today, producing a cumulative price increase of 151.88%.
Today, you can't find decent, not skidded or absolutely flogged VN-R, EA-L for less than $3-5k good ones, or special ones for $15,000
That's the disparity I don't like and think is over valued, the price of run of the mill emerging classics. This is why kids are bombing around in VEs and BAs
And ..... people selling projects not understanding the value, or cost, of restoration. A rusty HZ SL Kingswood sedan for $15k is a bad investment if it is going to need $50k to restore.
I guess I kinda got on a typing rant, haha my 2c over :)
Valid comment, same as groceries, how can a run of butter more than double in 12 months?? That’s not inflation that’s profiteering! 🙄
I agree with what you are saying. Lots of people out there haven't got a clue. Without whingers we wouldn't have people to put shit on.
Well said I sold my XW GS 2 yrs ago for $75K in 2 days I owned 16 yrs and would never believe the value but go find one cheap
Exactly
Back in the early nineties everyone thought I was a Hogan for having an EH Pano, a HT Ute with 253 and gets bonnet and gaurds, a 1 owner xb wagon with a 302 and many others. I bought them cheap and cruised them while doing them up. Wish i could have kept them but times and life changes. I keep an eye on the market and still look to own another steel bumper car. Got a few classic bikes and it's easier to store them and cheaper rego. Thanks Mark for keeping these cars alive! If you ever selling the Doom sled hit me up! Cheers.
Fair point,but I'd also say that once upon a time people were lucky to get half what they'd spent on a car,now many people want everything back or close to it ,often for a car that is now only considered a "classic" because its somewhat rare on the road,and not a special car at all.
Although at the end of the day people can ask whatever they like,whether they get it or not is a different story,but there's no point in bagging them for it.
There's lot's of people that overpaid for cars during covid when interest rates were low,with a "just put it on the house " mentality, and are now trying to get their money back, basically pushing prices up. But
prices appear to be dropping rapidly now due to the cost of living,a nd that will in turn put some people off paying tradesmen prices to resto cars..
When people ask 10k for a car that only has vin plates and matching motor worth saving if the driveline runs and the body is completely riddled full of holes
I agree with your rant, i have not a lot of money but it is all about supply and demand. If you are trying to sell a car and you are too high with price then it will sell when someone sees its worth, if it does not sell then the price will eventually have to be lowered. I want to build a street cruiser so i bought a 1968 XT Falcon ute from a farmer in Mid north SA. Proudly showed it in a Facebook group and was told it's a wreck.... So in a year or so i will be driving this "wreck" that has not been started in 20 years. People need to learn these hot old cars come from somewhere!! Hey, by the way great channel, just discovered it now i have plenty of content to watch!!
One of the biggest things that shits me is the scum that go around sxrewing people down buying parts, then readvertise the parts at beyond ridiculous prices. Then they know they are asking a ridiculous price and would prefer their stuff sitting there in a shed rotting away instead of selling parts at a decent price to help get more old cars back on the road. Just like the people that have yards full of old cars but wont sell anything because they (MIGHT) rebuild it one day. Everyone knows that will never happen🤬
I'd hate to do rust, body panel and paint for a living but I've spent years learning the skills to do it.
A "budget" build is still do-able if you have the right mindset but you have to be dedicated and able to think outside the box.
I can think of multiple project cars that are around the 5k mark close enough to me to be realistic builds.
Heck my next project cost $400, its not my dream car but on the list even though it will require years of work.
Just how bad do you want a cool old car?
Well said Mark totally agree 👌
Quick story. Bought a cheap Torana. Needed a bit of body work and paint so stripped it all down and got it media blasted. Took it home and had no idea how to fix it but borrowed my uncle's welder and learned as I went along. Same with the paint.
Good paint and panel repairers are worth every cent. So many people think many jobs are a quick 5-10 min thing where you can churn out big volumes of work. That expectation is why there are so many dodgy repairs out there.
I'm not paying $6k for a 30 year old car that doesnt run. If I'm the one buying thats my standards. I have every right to tell everyone asking big money for a hunk of crap. We are heading into a period where cars will have to be cheaper someone is gonna get caught holding the bag.
A dollar isn’t a dollar anymore people need to realise even cars are worth more especially with supply demand as you said
Mate, I've been a mechanic for 40 years and in that time building and racing and selling them. This is not a cheap hobby. It's a way of life. If you love it you spend it. Simple.
You are somewhat right Mark, in my opinion. Working on cars doesn’t always mean money at the end. The quality of the work done is so important. Many spanners laid on a car is usually bad news. The issue is - was the work done well?? You know more than me.
But have fun - it is an interest for many which is great - relax and enjoy life!
I'm a trimmer in Melbourne and i haven't taken on a full interior in the last 12 months cause no one wants to pay me what it's worth, i just stick to road worthy repair work it's not worth the time and effort to just break even on a trim just to have work in my shop, get your crap cover kit and do it yourself and don't come knocking when it looks terrible lol
Hey I am in Melbourne in need of a trimmer. Looking to get front and back bench seats done from a Dodge Phoenix in vinyl. What would be the rough cost of that?
100 percent correct if u dont like what its going for no one is telling u to buy it now when i sell cars ring me a make an appointment and if im asking 50 grand for a car dont come and offer me 25 because yr not gonna leave a happy person
100% correct about tradesman rant!!
Bingo! cuz.
i hate that the price is so high and that there are so few of them around only because it means i won't be able to afford a lot of the cars i'd like to own and there's not enough of them getting around
but supply and demand is exactly the point
It's kinda good that car prices are coming down (thanks to the Covid tax of only a few years ago).
I was looking for an XD rolling shell at one point; 10k for something that had zero panels/ interior/ drivetrain (except diff & steering gear), and I was like nope.
On the flip side; a vehicle is what it's worth to someone else; id be happy to pay 10k for an unmolested XD (for example) as long it was 95% complete.
Fuck- I bought a brand new BF2 XR8 sedan 6 spd manual; GT500 engine swapped it+ suspension and other shit; probably owed me 120k; got 11k for it as they weren't really worth anything
Exactly.
Australia's standard of living is dropping, dollar is falling, imported parts are going up in AUD, prices of popular cars follow international prices so appear to be going up. Good rant Mark.
Spot on Mark
The sooks and wringers don’t own a classic of any description
💯 %
I live in western nsw and its good to see the old cars getting saved before its too late years ago when prices were down the scrappys came tru and demolished the amount of old cars good cars getting squashed it was terrible. They took about 70 to 80 percent of the stock
You are so correct I used to wreak heaps of classics in the past they weren't worth anything
Hearing ya Mark, my Vg Val owes me more than it will ever be worth. And the cost to do so is even more when I can’t do it myself. The enjoyment vs the cost outweighs a shit tonne
Same with my CM!
I’ve kept every single receipt of what’s been done to it or what I’ve bought for it in the last 7 years,the most expensive item was the diff! Cost me 5 grand to get that how I wanted it. If I ever tally up all the receipts I think I will be shocked!
I have seen other cm regals for over 30k but I don’t know if that’s realistic or not?
Hard to put a price on it really even if I was thinking of selling.
Well said Mark.👌🏼👍
Hey Mark just wondering if your going to be getting hoodies back in stock like the one your wearing today? Cheers buddy keep up the great work.
Mark, I take what you are saying on board and in most cases, I completely agree with you.
However, the part I disagree with is, the reason most of us starting to tinker with our cars in the first place was that we did not have the money to pay tradespeople back in the day what their skills were worth, even back then to do what we needed to have done.
Also, the part about tradies not devaluing other tradies?! They certainly do! It is rife in the construction industry for starters! How many times do you hear one shop bag another shop?! Honestly? All the time!
I will also say this, if you think it is ‘stiff shit’ to those people complaining, the flip side is if you don’t like people complaining, thats a case of ‘stiff shit’ as well.
It is supply and demand and I personally think some of those lower models being worth more keeps them from being parted out and reducing the overall numbers even further. Plus, sometimes a gorgeous old grandpa-spec ride is much more interesting than another replica GT OR GTS
If I’m being honest, I also don’t know too many people that actually build a car for themselves, that calculate what they are being ‘paid’ for the work they are doing. Personally, I think you saying that, in that manner, showed that your focus is on the buying and selling projects you are trying to finish.
Just my 2c. Have a cracking weekend!
Advertised price and worth are two totally different things. A lot of cars sitting around unsold.
Facts 💯
Like with anything ,you don't appreciate something until you have put time money and effort into it . Yes we all would have liked to have had the foresight to buy a couple of collectable muscle cars back in the day but as you said Mark those days have pretty much gone and if you want to now get into that part of the car scene then unfortunately you have to either pay the going rate or do some research and buy a project and put in the effort
Cheers
Trev
Yeah, supply and demand is kinda correct, it's a generalisation though, and easy to quantify. If the economy shits itself, and wheelbarrows are worth more than the cash they carry, then you could technically say that a phase 3 is now worth $10,000 because there is no demand for them now if SHTF. But there are so many factors missing in that equation. The value of things is a tough one to sum up in a simple equation.
You’re 100% correct mate 👍
The final word made me laugh about the free car show.
Mark most Aussies have been bitching since the beginning of time about high prices. Just let it go over your head mate because I don't think it will change.
I'm watching the old car market carefully ATM because of the rising prices. I will get myself a 20 year old car now and keep it as a daily that will be worth a skwillion in another 20 years. I love what you do,, if they can be saved then let's keep them on the road. Cheers Mark
Biggest regret, HX premier we got rid of 1988, lol. Thanks for taking the time to film and show us the cars you work on.
I did bodywork on a food van cash in hand for $25 an hour. It was just over 12 hours not including product. The guy was happy. He thought it still cost a fair bit. I said I could’ve been a lazy bastard and took 48 hours and you would’ve had the same job And you would’ve had to waited for a panel shop to have time to do the job he was happy with the job, but I should’ve took my time because end you don’t get paid for working quick Still ended up the guy was whingeing even though he got quoted $$1700 probably won’t help out anyone ever again with bodywork
When you pay for a stright car, your paying for the years it took to hone the skills to do the job....not just the hours your specific job took. If it was easy everyone could do it🤟
Nailed it 100%
💯 agree mate
Thanks Mark. Cheers. Good points.
Bang on! Supply and demand determines price on everything! House prices, grocery prices, everything.
the price of old school metal is going up because everything new that is suppose to be cool SUCKS!
everything sold now is under capacitied(?) and over boosted, it's hard to feel like a boss in a 1ltr fwd
compared to say a 351c with a lumpy a$$ cam so lumpy that it spits fuel and has trouble idling
but can lift its front tyres and stop the world turning when you ask it too, i could go on a rant aswel
don't get me started lol but there are very few modern cars i want to buy but A LOT of old school ones
i want purely because of the charm of these engines and the way they make you feel!
I paid $150 for a bog roll back in the covid days 😂
Spot on ,not everyone can see a cars potential that’s why they complain about how much time and effort it takes to bring these cars back from the dead
Pretty much right cars are worth what people are willing to pay not what we think they should be worth. The fact you can’t just walk into a yard and buy what you want out of these old cars means you will pay much more when you find one whether it’s pristine or clapped out, if you want something that has had a fair amount of work put into it then you will pay what feels like crazy money but nobody works for nothing so it is what it is. In saying that there is merit when saying that the car isn’t worth the money when you compare it to what you can buy for the same money out of a new car and what the new car has but you can’t compare new to old cars period and I agree those that bitch about it are just jealous for what ever reason
Great rant mate. Totally understand where you are coming from.
Recently just sold a couple of bikes. If I had of sold them during lock down. I would have made alot more. Keep saving those cars. It is only good for the industry. That is the reason most state govt. bought in historic rego.