Fast Marina Magazine

Okay, I've wilfed this from over on the eBay bit because as a discussion I think it needs a better Forum position...

MGBV8 wrote:Is this not a good thing that values are going up?
The notion that a 70's icon is only worth a few hundred pounds is ridiculous - the more they rise in value the better. If nothing else it'll ensure the preservation of the remaining few.

Classic car values have increased across the board. MGB V8 values have risen by a third in the last year and MGC prices have almost doubled. Have you seen Rover P6 prices lately? 4 cylinder cars have tripled in value in the last 12 months and the V8's have quadrupled. Personally I'm delighted. A far better return than putting your money in a bank and there's pleasure to be derived from it every day of the week you choose to get the thing out.

The increase in values is a good thing because of several reasons;

1) Viability - not long ago a car with 'minor issues', either cosmetic or mechanical would be either broken or bangered because the repairs would cost more than the vehicle was worth. As prices start to rise, the costs become viable for the long-term repairs and running of the vehicle, even to a degree some quite major surgery.

2) It sorts out 'the men from the boys'. If you are willing to put a good wedge of cash towards a car that needs work you are serious about it and its future, not just looking at it as a cheap runaround for a year or so before you scrap it. It also starts to dissuade some of the more destructive members of the community form reducing the gene pool as the price of 'restoration cases' starts to climb. After all, where will you get another one? (Apart from TG of course, but they are using your licence fee to wreck stuff so it doesn't matter to them...)

3) Support services - If a car is worth getting parts for then the 'suppliers' will soon sniff out a profit if one is to be made. Will we see more parts being remanufactured, other than MMOC bits? Possibly.

4) It makes the Minor boys parts raping more bloody expensive (which is always a Good Thing)!

After the sale of that van, I've even gone back to looking at getting my Ital Estate back on the road; even my Mrs agrees its now more viable to do the repairs and get a proper paint job done!

Must admit Mike you are pretty much spot-on with your analysis, prices on the up for Marinas has got to be a good thing in the long run, i know it makes it tough for those looking for a first time classic that is cheap to run...but then there are still plenty of moggies out there for that after the moggie has become boring they can move into the 70`s with a Marina .
Higher prices will hopefully stop some of the` buying to break ` culture that has decimated the Marina survivor numbers in the past.

your not wrong chaps just look how much you have to pay for a hc viva not to mention over priced fords
marina prices had to start to move up in the end they have been ridiculously cheap in the past

I completely agree, it has to be good for survivability.

ial7202 wrote:it has to be good for survivability.

Could argue the same the other way, if they were all £1 I could save them all

It's definitely good values are rising, it will mean the best cars are out of reach for banger racing etc, and I suspect the number of cars now being bought by dealers shows a slight shift in attitudes towards Marinas and treating them with more respect.

I just hope there will still be the odd bargain or two for me

Hi,
I totally agree, apart from my own car getting worth more, as there is a Viva HC for sale locally for £3495!. Yes!
When applied to more modern motoring then a quick flick through eBay shows a similar pattern. Lets take my daily driver, a Pug 406. A year or two ago one could pick 406's up a short or expired MOT for buttons. Now even a scrapper is commanding good money at the bottom end of the price scale which sadly make my own high miles model more expensive to replace. Even my own which Ive had for 4 years and hammered is still worth a good percentage of the price I paid in 2008.
If Marinas continue to rise in price then the status of the car will too.
For those of us who were used to these in the day know that the competition was just as good/bad/rusty and the status of having a good Capri or Cortina (just chuck away cars at one time) these days will make for a good investment. Its easier agonising whether to spend or not on your car if you know that in the worst event you could recoup the cash for a rainy day scenario.
T