Lancia Beta Forum

nice piece in Classic and Sports Car this month
page 183, thanks to our own Mr Andy Collins  :)
(http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8313/8013001522_8c1ab614bd_b.jpg)

The saloon price hike had me scratching my head a bit, I don't think that's more than a short term glitch at most, shame that the others are still said to be in the  doldrums it baffles me why a beta coupe its worth so little when you see the prices that contemporary piles of junk make

"£4000 for a tidy saloon" and "the best coupes can command £5-6000"

Where are these prices coming from?  I've seen a few advertised at that price but nothing sell?

 

Now that is interesting point and I would have agreed with you until I read this thread on the mainly US centric site.

http://www.lancisti.net/forum/showthread.php?6507-1979-Lancia-Beta-Zagato-Spider-LIKELY-THE-VERY-BEST-ORIGINAL-EXAMPLE-IN-THE-U-S (http://www.lancisti.net/forum/showthread.php?6507-1979-Lancia-Beta-Zagato-Spider-LIKELY-THE-VERY-BEST-ORIGINAL-EXAMPLE-IN-THE-U-S)

$13k for a coupe, admittedly in supposedly pristine condition and the Zagato (Spyder) was bid to $9.5K and not sold, so I guess it depends on where you are. For sure the UK is typically a lot lower than mainland Europe from what I can tell and you can still pick up really cheap cars in the US, but like the rest of the market really good quality versions appear to be hitting new heights. I guess some of this is the realisation that to restore to that level takes serious money.

One oddity in the US is that Coupes appear to be worth more than Zagatos (Spyders).

Peter

£6k is about right for an excellent original condition volumex coupé, most that are advertised don't fit that description (although they might be described that way  by the seller especially if on eBay). Not sure about berlinas, has one really been sold for £4k?? compared to coupé or hpe values just doesn't sound right to me

On the other hand talking up the value of the cars won't do any harm!

I'm with Stuart on that one!!   And Andy C  ;D

Yeh but what about spider coupe and hpe Andy seems to have only talked up berlinas!

Hi All

Bit of a devil's advocat here....

So let me understand, you want the price of the cars to go up, however you already have your cars and if they are more expensive folk will charge more for the spares in the same way that silly Fiat X19 parts which happen to fit a Stratos have an extra '0' added to their price. Also if you want to buy another car, they are not silly money again unlike other cars of the same era.

No, quite happy for cheap spares and the fact that no one is going to steal a Beta to make money from them as far as I can see.......

That is not to say they should be worthless, and for sure they will increase over time, simply because of their period as have the 60s cars now.

Peter

What surprises me is the frequency that Berlinas get in the press compared to the Coupe, HPE or Spider.  No doubt Andy C's influence plays a big part in this and is in no way meant as a complaint or whine.

If the Coupe or HPE does manage to get in the press then it's pretty much only cars that sport a VX badge. While I can understand the press' obsession with break horse power, I think that a trick is being missed with the S1 and S2 cars, especially with the earlier cars with the more unique colour options for interior and exterior. 

The Spider not having ever having a VX engine from the factory stands even less of a chance at press coverage.

I still would like to see that 4k berlina although Walkers do advertise a rather less than original Trevi for crazy money

Guys

You should ship all your good cars to Australia, people are asking ridiculous amounts for them here.....just go to carsales.com.au ...(http://img.tapatalk.com/d/12/09/26/pu9uhe2y.jpg)(http://img.tapatalk.com/d/12/09/26/ugunu2e2.jpg)(http://img.tapatalk.com/d/12/09/26/turemame.jpg)
But if you have an Integrale it's even better news!!(http://img.tapatalk.com/d/12/09/26/tu8a7ebu.jpg)

Hi

Very impressive, but are they actually achieving those sorts of prices?

I know importing into Oz is not so easy which is I guess why they are high. I think you have also had a big hike in living costs as well over the last few years unlike most of the rest of us (house prices etc)?

Peter

True, the cost of living has gone crazy in the last few years, and the resources "boom" has had a lot to do with it.
I work in the mining industry, and wouldn't have had the extra money to throw at my Beta project had I not got into it, though wages in my home city of Perth have had to increase to try to keep up with the money being earned by working out on site.
I payed next to nothing for my '77 Coupe, but it will need many thousands of dollars and years of work to make it right again.
Factor in a 1 1/2 year old and domestic duties and she doesn't see a lot of love but it's getting there.
There is a 79 Coupe for sale here in Perth that has had the price dropped down significantly in the last month or so, but is another basket case that needs a full restoration.

The prices are very inflated but so are parts too, most if the so called Italian car specialists want an arm or a leg and I have imported most if my parts from the UK or USA.

Most of the cars on carsales have been there for a while.....as ever the basket cases come up quite frequently, but as mentioned cost thousands to restore...

Importing a car into Oz will cost around 4000 pounds, but if you are migrating you are allowed to bring it in duty free...

It is always interesting to see the finished article when a journalist calls for  info when writing a piece on Betas! I think what i actually said was that my S1 Berlina has an agreed value of £4k. Quite different from me saying that Berlinas sell for £4k!! However, A very nice S2 2000 Berlina recently sold on eBay for nearly £3k, so maybe we are finally getting there.

So, surely, if the press want to tell the general motoring public that a Beta saloon is worth £4k and a coupe £6k, that has to be a good thing for us?

For too long in Lancia circles, and especially in Beta world, we have been our own worst enemies in talking down the values of our cars. Why not start to have a belief in these great vehicles. Tell people that they are fetching good money now and that there is a demand. Yes, I do beat the Berlina drum - that's because they are my personal favourites in the range. But there is nothing to stop anyone else out there making contacts with the classic car press about the other models in the range. We have done a huge amount of work recently raising the awareness of the entire Beta range, so lets all support this!

Look at Fulvia values over the last few years, and Aurelia, and Aprilia. All cars that were in the doldrums and now riding high. Off the back of these the whole Lancia awareness and desirability increases and values lift accpordingly. Look at Gamma - unsaleable not that long ago, yet a nice Coupe has just sold for £6k, and last year a good Berlina sold for £4k.

So come along guys - have belief in your cars!

Maybe you should have mentioned to the journalist "there's a Trevi for sale at £5000" (http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C253086 (http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C253086)) and he would have printed "Trevis sell for £5000"!!  ;) ;D ;D ;D ;D

Contrasting fortunes for two that have sold or are selling recently;

A good sounding HPE VX  - £1800
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/261109893805?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649 (http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/261109893805?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649)

A vice US Spider currently $8,100 (£5k)
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ebaymotors/1979-Lancia-Beta-Zagato-Spider-34K-MILES-AC-BEST-ORIGINAL-ZAGATO-IN-THE-U-S-/261108854283?forcev4exp=true (http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ebaymotors/1979-Lancia-Beta-Zagato-Spider-34K-MILES-AC-BEST-ORIGINAL-ZAGATO-IN-THE-U-S-/261108854283?forcev4exp=true)

Hi Stuart

On the Spyder/Zagato I think that is its second time around and made $9000 last time, but not the reserve. The company also sold a Coupe recently for $13000 which was supposed to be mint original. I guess it is similar to the more exotic cars, the perceived really mint ones far outstrip the average to poor ones, especially at the low end due to the cost to restore.

Peter

Problem with Ebay is that they all look mint in pictures and sound good but what are they really like?
I feel that it distorts the perception of the true value of good cars