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US Muscle Cars going to Europe/Australia

A recent post by RSCamaro made me go back to something that is a bit troubling. He was saying that he felt $4500 was "Out of the Question" for an '71 El Camino SS.

I run a vintage car dealership, and at present about 40% of the cars I sell are going overseas. One of the main reasons is that the collectors there seem to place a higher value on US muscle cars than buyers in the US do. They are willing to pay asking price plus shipping for these cars, while US buyers spend most of their time trying to convince me the cars are worthless and I should give them away.

The sad part is that once these cars are gone, they are gone. It is not likely that they will be shipped back to the US. In the last year I have sent numerous cars to northern Europe, Germany, the UK, Australia and New Zealand. I have great customers there, and I am happy to have them, but it still seems sad to see these cars go.

Thanks CCC

Reply to
<cccentral
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I think you are barking up the wrong tree. Most people here aren't into buying and restoring the classics. There may be a few, but surely there is some other places folks go to buy the kind of cars you offer. I don't like to see cars like that go overseas myself, but it's a buyers market. I think it is interesting that the cars that were built in the US in the

50's and 60's are so desirable that collectors overseas are picking them up.
Reply to
Scott

I guess you don't haggle or bargain sell your cars. Hey, that's great, more power to you, just don't expect someone who knows what they want and what they are looking for to be buying from you any time soon. Unless the price is right of course.

I understand what you are saying and I too am saddened that cars are going overseas. The car goes where the money is so I'm not that upset about it. Say what you will about the American buyer but they are paying more for muscle cars in poor shape than I can believe or understand the reasoning behind. Credit is a wonderful thing to these people I guess.

After the buyer pays $4,500 for that 71' El Camino that may or may not have been an SS optioned car they have to restore or restify the car into something that pleases the eye or at least makes it look decent. If that person is someone like myself that has the tools and experience to do the work then they may be able to break even on the deal. If on the other hand they have to send the work out to professionals it could cost them an extra $30,000 depending on the work they want done to it.

NADA guide states that a 71' SS El Camino general price will be between $6,500 and $19,500, low to high pricing. NADA also shows a non SS low end pricing of $5,000 to $15,700 or so, and that is for a car that is mechanically sound and not in need of a sheet metal shop to bring it up to daily driver status.

...Ron

--

68' Camaro RS 88' Firebird Formula 00' Mustang GT Vert
Reply to
RSCamaro

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