[V8] Market prices on the rise

[Roger M. Woodbury]

I had an interesting discussion with my mechanic the other day. I had 
stopped by his shop to give him a little check that cleared my account 
and as usually does at the end of the day, we sat and chewed the 
automotive fat and other things. Comes of doing business with the same, 
four-man-and-an-officegirl shop for fifteen years. Anyway.

The subject matter was his parts car, a '97 A6 Avant and my '94 100 
Avant Quattro which is enjoying the exhaust system (and a few other 
things!) from that 90,000 mile parts car. The 100 Avant is an oddity 
now. It is VERY old, has nearly 200,000 miles and is a bit tacky looking 
from closer than 50 feet. But John has maintained it since 39,000 miles 
and the car has had every little rubber grommet or other gizzie it 
needed as the car pounded itself over Maine's, frost-heaved roads.  The 
car is the perfect "beater"...goes anywhere any time, carries all sorts 
of stuff, including ten foot long 2X4s and 80 pound bags of Sacrete. 
(Ask me how I know!).  Better still, up on the lift, the car is NOT, 
repeat NOT, rusty.

And as it does, the conversation went around to the V8, which sits, 
tethered to a battery minder, in the garage.

Both cars need an a/c compressor and I am thinking that the V8 will go 
back on the road later in the spring.  The V8 is now designated as the 
summer car I think. I told him that the V8 had zero market value. His 
comment after I explained the net zero result of the BAT promotion last 
fall was, "Well the tire kickers asked if you would give it to them, and 
found out. There is no point in just giving it away."  He was right.

His only reservation about the V8 was the potential for some part just 
not being available, and I'll admit, I am concerned about that right 
now. The last time I started the car in the fall, I noticed the 
windshield had a crack right up the center of the driver's side.  And 
yep, right there, just above the windshield wiper was a little ping from 
a stone, probably thrown the last winter I drove the car in 2011:  
finally spread. When I asked the dealer the parts guy just laughed.

So, my only ace in the hole is that my insurance company has this deal 
with Safelight and Safelight manufactures their own windshields. I doubt 
that USAA will want to total this car and Safelight will produce a 
windshield.  The other parts I am not so concerned about right now, 
because the car at 90,000 or so miles is still relatively young, and at 
three to five thousand miles per year max, I should get some use out of 
the car and there is nothing better for summer use in Maine, other than 
perhaps a 911 Targa provided we have a hot summer and not a cold, wet 
one that happens a lot, too.

And maybe if I hold it ten more years it will be worth ten grand to a 
collector!

Roger


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