[twowheeladdict]

I bought the least expensive "work truck" in plain white. Hand crank windows, no remote entry, heck, no electric locks LOLA

Rubber flooring, no cruise, cheap am radio...

Everything else we added, mostly via used parts from eBay. And the paint was about a grand thanks to me painter.

Ahh. Sounds like my wife's '08 2500HD. Love the sound of that 6 liter though.

I recently had to add fender flairs and a grill insert because all her girlfriends are buying Raptors. Add a little at a time whenever she makes noise about replacing it. Of course I bought it in January '09 when GM was dumping vehicles for pennies on the dollar. OTD I paid half the MSRP of the truck.

 

[ChopTop]

I've been noticing a lot of generic coupe ads lately. Rare, 1266 coupes produced, rare, X amount of autos/manuals, rare, never driven in winter, rain, or sunshine. Babied, climate control garage, always covered, future collectible, Hagerty says, etc.

Since the forum members (that would be me) were the ones who were fanatical about figuring out final production numbers and options, I guess we don't have anyone to blame but ourself that everyone seems to be drinking the Kool-aid, and asking the prices being asked. :lol:

 

[Kerfuffle]

Here's a low mileage coupe coming up for auction in a few weeks. Curious to see what kind of price this gets.

 

[RedOne07]

Wasn't this one for sale a few weeks ago at Mecum. it did not sell.

 

[DaveOC]

Wasn't this one for sale a few weeks ago at Mecum. it did not sell.

This is a different car than the one at Harrisburg which did not sell (Silver, 8500 miles, 9Y000844).

9Y001000, 2009 Pontiac Solstice GXP, White, Auto, 16800 miles. Includes soft top.

 

[DaveOC]

This is a different car than the one at Harrisburg which did not sell (Silver, 8500 miles, 9Y000844).

9Y001000, 2009 Pontiac Solstice GXP, White, Auto, 16800 miles. Includes soft top.

Sold today @ $30,000

Buyer has to come up with $35073 (Bid + Buyer's Premium @ 8% + Dallas, Tx sales tax @ 8.25%)

Seller get $27,600 (Bid less commission @ 8%)

Mecum pockets $4800 less expenses.

.

 

[Shadofax]

Sold today @ $30,000

Buyer has to come up with $35073 (Bid + Buyer's Premium @ 8% + Dallas, Tx sales tax @ 8.25%)

Seller get $27,600 (Bid less commission @ 8%)

Mecum pockets $4800 less expenses.

.

:dunno: Why 27.6 to seller? Thought you stated before that it sold for 30k bid + Buyer's Premium + sales tax?

So wouldn't the seller get 30k, then the buyer has to pay the 8% meccum sales fee and any applicable tax, total around $35k?

In the end, the buyer paid about $35k for the vehicle.

How does that Meccum ad/sales fee work? 8% of agreed sale price is $2400? They would not collect off state sales tax as well, only sale price.

 

[DaveOC]

:dunno: Why 27.6 to seller? Thought you stated before that it sold for 30k bid + Buyer's Premium + sales tax?

So wouldn't the seller get 30k, then the buyer has to pay the 8% meccum sales fee and any applicable tax, total around $35k?

In the end, the buyer paid about $35k for the vehicle.

How does that Meccum ad/sales fee work? 8% of agreed sale price is $2400? They would not collect off state sales tax as well, only sale price.

Seller pays commission of 8% of sales price. $30K less $2400 is $27,600.

Buyer pays 8% premium in addition to the gavel price plus the Sales tax.

Mecum ends up taking 16% of the gavel price, 1/2 from the seller and 1/2 from the buyer.

.

 

[Shadofax]

Seller pays commission of 8% of sales price. $30K less $2400 is $27,600.

Buyer pays 8% premium in addition to the gavel price plus the Sales tax.

Mecum ends up taking 16% of the gavel price, 1/2 from the seller and 1/2 from the buyer.

.

Ah, ok, guess you wouldn't want to use them unless you really wanted to move the vehicle, costly for both parties.

 

[DaveOC]

Ah, ok, guess you wouldn't want to use them unless you really wanted to move the vehicle, costly for both parties.

Barrett-Jackson has higher Buyer's Premiums: 10% if the buyer is present at the auction, and 12% if the buyer is online or on phone.

 

[Rusty Boltz]

Seller pays commission of 8% of sales price. $30K less $2400 is $27,600.

Buyer pays 8% premium in addition to the gavel price plus the Sales tax.

Mecum ends up taking 16% of the gavel price, 1/2 from the seller and 1/2 from the buyer.

.

In addition, Mecum charges $100 to register to bid; $25 to register just to look.

 

[ChopTop]

Soooooo, I recently posted this coupe that's advertised for sale and it appears to be one of the lower priced coupes, and naturally the discussion turned to coupe values/collectibility. So what say you, do folks still think coupes are a collectible investment.

Hmmmmm..........price is suspect.

2.4, Auto, Mysterious, 65,000 miles, $10,500, Miami/ Kendall, FL
https://miami.craigslist.org/mdc/cto/d/miami-2009-pontiac-solstice/6841944450.html

Rare: 1 of 388 made with a removal Hard Top. Clean Title, 65k original miles, 1 OWNER (I purchased the car from dealer in 2009, power locks, power windows, good tires and cold AC. NO mechanical issues, all service has been done at the dealership. For any questions please feel free to call Gary at show contact info

For the record, I bought our coupe simply because we liked it looks. Value wise, it's probable lost 40% of the price we paid, and I expect its value to continue to drop for the foreseeable future. But I don't think about that when I look at it, or take if for the for the first time of the driving season.

 

[wspohn]

So what say you, do folks still think coupes are a collectible investment.

Still? I never thought they were. At best they are more desirable and accordingly priced a bit higher than convertibles, but that just means slower depreciation.

For an 'investment' a commodity has to be likely to increase in value, and that isn't likely to happen for a long, long time, if ever in regard to the coupes.

 

[RMarion]

I don't question that the coupes are collectible BUT very few cars are good "investments" when you look at the total cost of ownership and appreciation. However, all of the sports cars that I've owned over the past 50+ years are now selling for far more than I ever paid for them (except for the S2000) and I couldn't afford those same cars today. Some of those cars are selling for foolish money (IMHO) AND my Solstice GXP is a far better sports car. So for me, I'm just going to enjoy the ride and not worry about if they are "collectible investments". The Solstice is a great sports car...pass it on.

 

[Shadofax]

I don't question that the coupes are collectible BUT very few cars are good "investments" when you look at the total cost of ownership and appreciation. However, all of the sports cars that I've owned over the past 50+ years are now selling for far more than I ever paid for them (except for the S2000) and I couldn't afford those same cars today. Some of those cars are selling for foolish money (IMHO) AND my Solstice GXP is a far better sports car. So for me, I'm just going to enjoy the ride and not worry about if they are "collectible investments". The Solstice is a great sports car...pass it on.

Agree, Collectible, this is not an investment. But a fun car to drive, rare numbers, no more Pontiac. That car was a 2.4, not real impressed with that motor, and 65k.

 

[phil1734]

...However, all of the sports cars that I've owned over the past 50+ years are now selling for far more than I ever paid for them...

But does that include your adjustments for inflation, insurance, maintenance and storage costs?

What about the additional cost of owning another vehicle that you actually drive and enjoy in order to keep the miles super low?

And my favorite kicker - have you ever looked at what other investment opportunities would have done over the same time? A 12 month CD renewed ten times between 2009 and 2019 for the initial $35,000 spent on a coupe would now be around $43,000 of ultra-low risk federally guaranteed funds.

Had you been more gutsy with your investments at the time and put it all on Ford stock, you'd be pocketing over $200,000 before dividend payments, which would probably be another $50,000-$70,000.

Or if the automotive world at that time was too unstable, investing in the online bookstore "Amazon" could have net you $750,000, down from $850,000 a few months ago... :crying: Not even the highest priced vintage Ferraris could beat that return.

 

[phil1734]

Oh - and lets not also forget how little the younger generations (myself) care about vehicle ownership.

The collector car market peaked a few years ago, and it will almost certainly trend more and more steeply downhill as baby boomers run out of time to spend their life savings on a dream retirement car. Gen X never had the "glory days" of drag racing and big block muscle cars to get bit by the automotive bug, and don't seem to care as much. And anyone younger doesn't want to drive their own car, let alone something that requires you to shift your own gears.

 

[RMarion]

Hey Phil, you may be young but I won't hold that against you because I agree with you. But read what I said..."very few cars are good investments" for all of the reasons that you mention...no argument at all. I had some cool cars. I owned a MB 190SL back when they were just cars. I bought it for $1500 in great original condition. Check out what they are selling for today...but still I don't think it would have been a good investment. I also had an AH 3000 BN7, yes the real 2 seater of which only 1700 were produced in 1959. I paid $3500 for it and they're $80 to $100k now. All that aside, not one of the cars that I've had were as good a sports car as the Solstice. I think that you are right in saying that the current collector car market will nearly disappear because younger people will have little interest in these relics from years gone by. They may always hold some fascination as a curiosity but very few will want to drive a manual shift car. And time passes by.

 

[skersfan]

Enjoy the car, 10 years from now you won't be able to drive it on the road. All Electric and will look like light bulbs. Plus no one will know how to drive it anyway. And certainly not a stick. We are a dying breed guys.

I made pretty good money on my Mallett, but only because the idiot gave it away. No expectations of making anything on any of mine. As stated, you have to pay the license fee, the smog tax, insurance, fuel, tires and the rest of the upkeep. I keep mine in a storage facility that costs me 180.00 a month. Loser for sure. But I like it when it runs.

 

[RedOne07]

Enjoy the car, 10 years from now you won't be able to drive it on the road. All Electric and will look like light bulbs. Plus no one will know how to drive it anyway. And certainly not a stick. We are a dying breed guys.
. . . . .

I agree, just as no one ride horses, steam engines and 100 year old cars anymore.