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MG MGA - not wanted

After a two year runing restoration spent, I have one of the better 1500 A's in Aust.I bought it because it had a restored rust free body with matching numbers. After spending over $10k on the mechanicals ,I'm now told that nobody wants a car that is not standard. I have fitted a brake booster, high level brake lights, anti whip lash head rests, seat belts, new electronic distributor, exstractor manifold, a heater, a front sway bar, a thermo electric fan. not to mention rebuilt G/box, diff, engine, splined hubs new starter etc., etc. One classic car outlet says $15k ,another $22k less selling costs. The car is for sale owing me in the upper $30s, do I have to give it away here in Australia ? Sean
S Sherry

Sean, you will find that these types wanting a an "original" car if they are serious will be looking forever, as there is no such thing! True, they might want something that resembles the "original", but they are probably the "trailer Queens" as they call them in the States. I too have done all what you have done, and would have no trouble selling my car here in Queensland for a reasonable price..after all, 100% of the mods/additions are all removable if required...but who would want to take the car back to the 60's in terms of safety on the roads today?

My new MGA, which is the Honda S2000 one, has every modern addition, and I have already had offers to buy...someone wants the retro look with modern mechanics.

Avoid selling via the dealers, just advertise in all the main MG Club mags, plus Carsales.com.
Gary Lock

Hi Sean I sympathise with you, but I thought those offers from a dealer were not too bad for the following reasons.

Dealers have to try and sell cars that frankly are as close to original as possible because of 2 reasons.

1 generally they are dealing to first time buyers who do not understand the problems and WANT original cars.

2 they are slated each time they advertise a nice car by the "tyre kickers" on sites like this one, who simply try to criticise the car from every angle.

From your point of view to try and get a better price you need to sell privately to hopefully someone who understands that a car capable of giving immense joy will not be an original trailer queen. Well said Gary.
Bob Turbo Midget England

Sean
Regretfully here in the UK you will not nescassarily get back what you spend on restoring an old car unless it is especially rare or unusual.
The previous owners of my MGA Coupe spent around £30k on restoring the car I was able to buy it for £13k !!
However the pleasure of doing ones own restoration cannott always be measured in monetary terms
Paul
P D Camp

Here in the US it is very unlikely that the person restoring or upgrading a car will make money or break even on it when selling. Most of the time it brings significantly less than was invested. The exception might be if one buys at a low price, does all of the work (mechanical, body, paint and upholstery) themselves to a high standard, you might make a small profit. Personally, I would not want an MGA with a lot of "modern" upgrades. I drive them for the retro experience. Consider also that you spend $20K-$30K for a new car and are lucky if it's worth half that in 10 years time. I'm not unsympathetic, but that's reality.
Cheers,
GTF
G T Foster

Hi Sean , your mofifications don't sound as though they are too extreme and can probably easily be returned to standard. I think you will find that things like the anti-roll bar , seat belts,brake servo, cooling fan and electronic ignition enhance that car rather than making it non-standard. It sounds as though the dealers are spinning you a line to make more money out of the deal . Far better to sell it yourself privately. A$30k is around £15k which is at the bottom end of restored car prices here in UK.
Cam Cunningham

This is why you don't customize something unless you intend to keep it for a long time. It will be worth what you have into it to exactly one person, and he already has one.
Del Rawlins

Wouldn't buy currency from you Cam you are Dick Turpin! :)
Robert (Bob) Midget Turbo

Ignore Bob, I'll happily buy Australian dollars from you Cam!!!

A$30k would cost me over £18,500 at my local bank!

Which incidentally is a good price here for a private sale of an MGA.

Seriously though, it is a fact that buyers will predominantly want originality.
Neil McGurk

Hi Sean,
If you are interested in selling, send me details and I will list in the Victoria MGA Register newsletter (we get a lot of enquiries from people wanting to buy As - is it red?) or alternately you can list on our club website for a small fee.
http://www.mgcc.com.au/wanted/sell.shtml
Mike
Mike Ellsmore

Thanks Mike, The car will be in the next issue of Unique Cars and is also on the VSCC web site. I'll see how it goes. I'm in no hurry to sell it and the market will tell me what it's worth. As per some of the other comments ' it's a matter of getting the right person, who like me, some one who wants all the protection they can get in todays traffic. Sean
S Sherry

Nice one Sean best of luck and someone will get a great car.
Bob Turbo Midget England

Generally there is a trend that classic cars are more desirable if it is "original" from the outside and has modifications that make the car more useable in modern traffic. These include 5-speed gearboxes, disk brakes, electronic (1-2-3) ingnition, power steering and suspension/shock absorber upgrades.

You'll never get your costst back but, maybe except for the headrests and the high level brake light, all your modifications should make your car at least easier to sell to a growing group of buyers that want to USE the car. I agree with CAM that the dealers might be trying to sqeeze something extra from the deal?
Willem vd Veer

Good luck with the private advertising Sean
Bob, Neil - I did say "around £15k" - 18.5k is around 15 isn't it - very roughly !!
Cam Cunningham

MGAs are in the transition phase between "old cars" and "classic cars." The more "classic" they become, the more their originality will be valued by purchasers. Customizers may bemoan that fact, but it is a fact.
David Breneman

This thread was discussed between 30/09/2010 and 01/10/2010

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