Beautiful 73E for sale on Ebay Motors

[epilot]

Hi All
beautiful 73E for sale on US Ebay Motors.
Not to draw too close a parallel to the RHD 73E that has just sold in Sydney but is this car worth $50k USD, say $75k AUD landed, would seem like a good buy. Are we always going to pay a premium for RHD cars? cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1,1&item=280010620342&ih =018&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWA%3AIT

[TonyC]

see below

[TonyC]

That is a REALLY authentic looking original car as far as one could assess from web pix.

Craig you raise some interesting questions.

If you were to buy it your immediate dilemma would be...do I preserve it, or do I drive it? I have recently contemplated and confronted this very issue, and it isnt an easy one.

As far as the LHD v. RHD debate goes it is ultimately about personal preference, and my personal view is that an original Oz delivered RHD car will always command a premium here over any other incarnation. But the market is also increasingly globalised - you could perhaps sell a pristine LHD 73RS on the international market for more than you could sell an equivalent RHD car here. Or maybe not, given the last recorded sale price!

My own heirarchy goes like this, assuming equal condition and clear provenance:

1. Aust delivered RHD
2. Overseas delivered RHD (NZ/SA/UK)
3. Dry climate US delivered LHD
4. Euro or US delivered LHD
5. LHD to RHD conversions.

Having said that however, IMO condition is everything - a super condition original LHD from the US is in my mind far more valuable than an Oz delivered modified rust bucket.

Also there are other divisions to consider - eg is an "original" car worth more or less than a "faithfully restored"car? If you are to take recent prices achieved for original vs restored cars, my view is the market will always pay more for a great original than a great restoration. But it depends what you want the car for - as a collectible commodity or as a driver. I sold my E recently in Sydney because my interests have slowly moved from the former to the latter. ( I think it is the one Craig is referring to in his post).

What does everyone else think?

tonyc

[epilot]

Tony
I agree with you pecking order, oz delivered cars will always command a premium mint original, concours or rust bucket.
Looking on the web at Autofarm and Classic911 UK delivered cars also appear to fetch a premium in the UK.
What I am trying to understand is why that premium does not apply to US delivered cars for sale in the US? Do they not appreciate what they have?
That E really is a beautiful colour dont you think?

[TonyC]

Craig

As far as the US market goes maybe early 911 price structure is simply a reflection of supply/demand. There have probably (until recently at least) been more cars available to chose from there. Small places like Oz only imported a few handful of cars in the first place, hence they have always been hard-to-find commodities.

Yes that E is a very nice colour - looks like Gemini Blue metallic to me.

tonyc

[Porsche]

1. Aust delivered RHD
2. Overseas delivered RHD (NZ/SA/UK)
3. Dry climate US delivered LHD
4. Euro or US delivered LHD
5. LHD to RHD conversions.

I agree with that.

Although if I want a daily driver I may have LHD to RHD conversions rank just after an overseas RHD.

[epilot]

Chat on the Early 911S website suggests car sold to Europe for $45k USD, about $62K AUD, landed here about $70K AUD, seems like a lot of car for the money?

[TonyC]

Craig, it depends what you would want to do with it, doesnt it? If it was to on-sell I would be very unsure of asking over $70K for a LHD E here, but if you were buying it to own and drive, then maybe yes. But then you would have to be pretty sure about sitting on the wrong side wouldnt you!

There is also a bit of talk on the U

tonyc

[TonyC]

Craig, it would depend what you wanted to do with it, wouldnt it? If it was to on-sell I would be VERY nervous of asking over $70K for a LHD E here, but if you were buying it to own and drive, then maybe yes. You would have to be pretty sure about sitting on the wrong side though, wouldnt you!

There is a bit of talk on the US Boards about softening prices for discretionary items like these cars arising from interest rates, oil prices, war in the Middle East. I think there is definitely something in that.

tonyc

[epilot]

Tony
clearly never again will you buy a RHD 901 of the same standard as this car for $70k AUD, there wont be much change from $100k i would suggest. As a keeper I would have been prepared to pay the landed cost of around $70k about a 50% discount on the equivalent RHD car, bargain. Overtaking is always interesting driving a LHD car in a RHD world...

[TonyC]

Craig
We are making a lot of assumptions about that US blue car though - you wouldnt truly know its condition unless it was actually physically inspected. There are some aspects that would warrant caution if you were after originality eg the door hinge pins are sprayed or over-sprayed blue, which indicate that the car has been re-painted. So it doesnt have original paint, and is therefore at least a partial restoration. Does that reduce value? I don't know, but if it is a beautifully restored car it is entirely probable that equivalent or better examples will at some point appear on the market in the future.

tonyc

[epilot]

tony
assumptions being the mother of all f**k ups you are absolutely right.
again on the early 911s reg website there was chat about the overspray and the weld on the hinge being original. i bought my car sight unseen, having said that it was not $45k USD. would i spend $45k USD without a reputable PPI, not a chance, and as you say there will be restored cars around/ to be had, even if you look a the chat on this website alone. anyway like you i have a car that i cherish and i can use(soon), got to be happy about that.

[TonyC]

amen

[Terminator]

I sold a LHD 46,000 mile 71T for $59,950A without too much effort. Left or right if the car is original, not retored, it will always pull a significant premium.

I'd rather have a decent LHD than an Ausie delivery rust bucket anyday!

[TonyC]

thats true Clyde, but the odds are that LHD's are more likely to be rust buckets.

Interesting though...you achieved $A60K for a fantastic original condition LHD 71T, how much more for a LHD 73E in same condition? I would have thought $10K for the 2.4 and $10K for the fact its an E. So $US80K wouldnt be unreasonable.

BUT, is the blue car that sold last week in the US as authentic as the car you imported? That is a BIG question indeed.

tonyc