What's a good 240z really worth?

[shamus1980]

It's probably a biased question in this forum but being in the process of building a 240z from bare metal I have occasionally found myself thinking I would have been better off saving my pennies and buying one already done. But then I see nice restored examples for sale on the net for Aus $20000 to $24000 and questionable or unrestored cars for $10000 to $15000.

Do these cars sell for this or are they "cheap advertising" prices waiing for a sucker to come along?

I've always valued a good 240z at about Aus $10000 to $15000 but have things changed. It might be a totally different story in the US.

It's funny I wouldn't pay $20000 for a 240z but when I've finnished mine I probably wouldn't sell it for $30000.

[Weasel73240Z]

I can't speak at all to the Z market in Australia. But I know that when I started mine, I figured I'd have it done for way under $8,000 and have a car worth quite a bit more. In the end, I've spent about $10,000, I'm not quite done, and I probably couldn't sell the Z for that.

But I wouldn't sell it for $10,000 even if I could, and I have no regrets about the money every time I turn the key.

[bobc]

Shane,

Hard question to answer because of all the variables:

1. Condition of the car probably being of foremost importance. That's why you can see cars go from $1000US to $20-$30KUS.

2. Rarity - low VIN, Vintage Car, etc.

3. Degree of Restoration, original parts, original motor, etc.

I wouldn't let mine go for less than $25KUS, but then again I don't want to sell it! What most of us know is it's really hard to restore a Z right and make any money on it, so I tell most people don't plan on it. Plan on enjoying the car.

So what's a Z worth. IMHO, depends on the Z.

Best,

Bob

[=Enigma=]

As many have said before, ultimately a car is worth whatever the buyer is willing to pay for it. This depends on many factors such as the condition of the car, the desirablity of the particular model, year, VIN, factory options, originality, the economic conditions in your area, the demand for the type of car in a particular region (locally, nationally, and globally), and much more. In order to answer this question with any accuracy, all of these things will have to be quantified and understood. One good way to do this is to talk to a professional appraiser who's familiar with these cars and the collector car market in your area.

Edited May 2, 2009 by =Enigma=

[LowCarbZ]

I bought for $8,000 CAN, promptly put close to another $2,000 into it. Drove it for a year and put another $2,000 into it. Now, not all of that money was "necessity" some of it was just personal tastes etc. It's worth $12,000 on paper I suppose but I doubt i'd ever find the right buyer. But i'm not looking at all. I love it. It's a great car, with little rust. Very difficult to find up here in Canada. Plan is to drive it a few(several) more years, then strip it down and rotisserie it for a full restoration.

[Travel'n Man]

If I had it to do over I would find a great restored project that somebody has gotten tired of and purchase it. Naturally I would fly to the location and personally view the car before the purchase.

By the time you buy a car, complete a restoration-refresh of some sort, replace body panels, replace interior parts, work on some engine issue, exhaust, and so forth- take two or three years to complete, and spend much more that you budgeted it would be a lot easier to take your time - and purchase somebody elses project.

So- Whats a Datsun 240Z worth - It's worth (to you) whatever you have in it!!

So - would I do the restore-refresh again - IN A HEARTBEAT!!

Edited May 3, 2009 by Travel'n Man
Edit

[psdenno]

As =Enigma= stated above, a Z is worth only what a buyer is willing to pay. You'll generally be money ahead, and on the road sooner, buying someone's completed project rather than reviving a tired Z on your own. Of course, it's hard to put a value on the pleasure, or pain, you'll get from completing a project car.

Most of us are dreamers who search for the one time good deal or fantasize about completing a total restoration under budget and on time. It makes life interesting. Good luck with your search!

Dennis

[26th-Z]

Check out this tread http://www.classiczcars.com/forums/showthread.php?t=31271&page=3&highlight=240Z+sale+values

[Oiluj]

I echo the above posts. Value is dependant on a number of factors. Several years ago, collectible cars were worth about 30% more than in today's economy...

Condition is a key factor, as is rarity and location.

From my perspective, it's what you are willing to spend or need to get from your vehicle. I'll have about $24 K in mine when finished. Of course, I paid a premium for mine during an "up" market. Still, smarter shopping on my part might have saved me $5 K.

I'm not planning to sell mine, so it really doesn't matter...

Just my 2 cents...