[V8] What's it worth.....

[Scott Justusson]

 Well said Roger!  In reality that number of true v8q buyers (that's those shopping with cash) may be less than zero.  A few reasons for that IME.  The non financed cash car market (2500-5000USD market) has never been so competitive in choices, in any class.  The guy that spends 10k in cash, is not shopping for a v8, he's likely already bought his S8.  In the v8 engined luxo class, the 740 series BMW has more value to the dollar spent than the Audi v8.  Taking a gander there, 100k cars abound in the <5000 cash range.  Wax poetic the virtues of awd, a good set of snows these days overcomes that unfair advantage pretty quickly.  My own personal experience with the v8q market in brokering and selling/buying, indicates it sucks way beyond any admission here.

I've had a 91 v8 auto with 110k on it on Audifans a couple times with few nibbles and no bites....  It's almost to the point of taking the donation is easier than hassling with it.  I'm sure that's also the reason we see fewer and fewer v8q's on the road.  The only place virtual value meets the prices I see bantered here, is when the 1-800donatethepos truck shows up.  

Too many folks confuse 'actual cash value' with price.  At the upper end of a cash buyer price, the $5-6k range, a 10year newer 740 with choice of color, starts to look too attractive to pass up.  That's reality, any argument to the virtues of a v8Q becomes ego, (rule 1) ego doesn't sell cars.  Nor does the ego of adding toys (4.2 conversion 5spd) add value to the market.  It may or may not overcome the car's other shortcomings (blue interior?). But if you go back to the choice to actually do the conversion, as an investment it's a loser the day that check was written.  

Which really means the v8q buyer honey-hole is right here.  How many are buyers today?  I suggest the numbers that are willing to sell at 'value' price, are more than looking to buy at actual cash value = less than zero.

Scott J
91 v8 auto 3.6 albatross
92 v8 auto 4.2 ABT Chipped

 

-----Original Message-----
From: Roger M. Woodbury <rmwoodbury at fairpoint.net>
To: V8 <V8 at audifans.com>
Cc: toml99 <toml99 at todomundo.com>
Sent: Wed, Mar 28, 2012 3:52 am
Subject: Re: [V8] What's it worth.....


I wonder how many people right now are watching and waiting to find that perfect 
V8 to buy?  How many are sitting there, reading this and other lists, pouring 
through eBay, Autotrader.com, Cars.com and the local newspaper classifieds 
looking for a PERFECT Audi V8 Quattro to buy?  They have all the money 
necessary, and are willing to drive to see, arrange a mechanics prepurchase 
inspection for the right car, and can close the deal as soon as they see the 
car?  

How many?  One, two, five, ten, a thousand?  I’ll bet the number right now, when 
I am typing  this, and tomorrow morning when sane people are awake, 
approaches....ZERO.  

So the value of any one Audi V8 Quattro, automatic or stick, 4.2 or 3.6, white, 
green, black, panther black, red or otherwise is......well, look it up in the 
book, any book, and that is as good a number as any.  Certainly that is a number 
that the insurance company would use to pay off a total loss.  

But unless you have a buyer stamping his feet, hand shaking with anticipation, 
pen poised above an open checkbook, the car is only worth what it is worth to 
you, right now, key in hand ready to drive it.