Talk Morgan Forums Community The Malvern Arms Trad prices ..versus owners dreams..

I have lost count of the number of years I have been predicting that as we baby boomers loose our grip on the perch, the machines that our cohort determine to be classics will loose their value. OK, OK so I ever plan for the worst while hoping for the best, but given the long running TV series Bangers and Cash seems to exhibit just about every variation in the many reasons baby boomers their partners or offspring are trying to cash in their memorabilia and machines classics.... Fortunately I am not at the stage I need to sell mine, though never say never...?

Just thought to add last night, after a very and unusually dry day, I took a quick run out in both my 991 and Morgan, only a few miles covered but enough to get their engines up to normal running temps and wwith a bit of dual carriageway involved a few miles at 70 is ever achieved. I have my cars taxed and MOT`d all year round, to enable me to engage in these runs on dry fays when there has been no salt spread, or id salt has been spread i wait till the rain washes it away followed by a dry ish day.... That way it kind provides a bit of exercise to all systems, as opposed to them perhaps seizing up to any extent, and in the case of the 991, I also get a little concerned that it`s multitude of complex systems might just not wake up if allowed to slumber too long...!!!

Just thought to add, that on my drive last night the time spent in the old Mog was the favourite.... I can well understand those who have sold their Morgans and may now suffer a degree of sellers remorse.... Even if you don`t drive it or ride a machine, it can provide a sense of inner well being as garage art on a variety of levels....

As always, each to their own.

Thanks for all the comments. I guess mum is just saying odd things but it was interesting to learn about "over the brush".


Yes I certainly think so and hope so, but I feel I might as well use the car and enjoy it rather than try keep it based on some potential future value.


I was most attracted to a +4 or 4/4 but the MGB with very similar specifications to a +4 Supersports worked out very well for me.

I visited a collector a few weekends ago as his 1967 Mercedes was broken and he wanted me to have a look. He owns a lot of old stuff, good stuff in his opinion and he spent a lot of money collecting it, he has about 40 pushbikes from around 1890 to 1920, about 100 oil cans etc.. He is single with no kids and said his sisters kids are all brats and not really worthy of being given anything. But he really worries about what will happen to his stuff when he is gone. I suggested selling stuff to other collectors while he is alive if he is that worried about all his good stuff not being sold for what it is worth after he is gone. He went berzerk, saying if I sell something I will never see it again, all I will have is the photos from the E-Bay ad. I was very surprised to see how attached to his things he is. He also was very critical of my MGB saying I should have bought a real MGB for less money and other classic cars, he also feels I have spent too much on my house and should have classic cars as they are such a great investment, he was also very upset when he visited me and noticed my grandfathers oil can from about 1900 was still being used for what it was made for, "that is not a tool it is a collectors item and should be treated with respect". The funny thing is he will go on about what great investments old cars are but whinge about the cost of some repair a car he owns will need like he just needed a new diff for his 1969 Alfa, he also has a 1961 E-Type in a million pieces that needs a lot of time and money before it can be driven. He does not own a TV, his Fridge was made in 1954 (I had to fix it last year when the wiring broke) and I am pretty sure his 1969 Alfa is the newest thing he owns.

After working out the Mercedes issue and having him so me every oil can etc. I left thinking no women would ever agree to live in one of the cheapest houses in the cheapest areas of town surrounded by 100 pre war oil cans and pushbikes etc. I also thought how just like prices verse dreams of a Morgan is all his stuff actually worth anywhere near what he has spent and thinks it is worth? I was also confused if he knows no-one he wants to leave his stuff to why he cared so much about it.

After thinking about it my view for myself is deciding between what I want to buy just for enjoyment and what I want to leave my son and grand children. But know that anything I buy for enjoyment is for me and not care less if it goes up in value or not. If I want to leave more inheritance buy blue chip shares rather than cars or other collectables.

If he is that cantankerous, I wouldn't give him any help.

He is the one in most need of help is he not

You can understand why sometimes people come across hoards of vehicles, often in varying states of decay, barn finds for the want of a better expression, often looking lost and forlorn not used in years for the purpose they were intended.

For some people the focus is the sheer possession of something, often unfortunately at a cost to themselves they don't always appreciate, until its too late and for some not even then. Rather sad.

We need a flowchart, because all of this is super complex.

With any car, you should derive pleasure from looking at it, sitting in it, and driving it. If that means 200 miles a year, and it makes you happy, who cares?

You see on the TV on various programmes like Bangers & Cash, and Shed & Buried, the enormous variety in "collectors" and mindsets. Collectors get hung up on values, and that's just the way it is. But then you get all the fake stuff, the fake oil cans, the fake enamel signs. If you like the look of an enamel sign, does it matter if its fake? Railwayana is full of fake stuff. Prices are stupid. But people go full on at it. Go to an autojumble, witness the buying frenzy. It doesn't stay the same, it just morphs with time.

I was once taken to a vehicle hoard in North Yorkshire by an acquaintance. Round the back of an unassuming cottage were barns and large plastic greenhouses packed full of "ordinary" cars, in "ordinary" condition. There must have been 100, just standing there, not in the open, but close enough. Is there a point? No idea.

The one common feature is the sheep/herd mentality. Announce a fuel shortage and you get instant queues at filling stations, and then a fuel shortage. Announce classic cars are losing value and immediately the market gets flooded as those who are just "investors" try to offload. That just reduces values even more. It's laughable. Life is short. Enjoy what you have. Whatever it is. Loook at it, polish it, drive it, but ignore all the bullshit in the press, motoring or otherwise.

That sums it all up, there are far more characters than there are car types for one reason only, one mans meat is another mans poison but don't get in the way of either man if it's their thing.

I have two very close friends who refurb and show vintage tractors and two happier men you would struggle to find and we all respect and admire the others passion, as that's what we are talking about here.

Dave,

Between you and I I have heard whispers from an undisclosed reliable source, with regards to the classic car market and Morgan in particular, in that it is both a buyers and sellers market, quite unique, The only real difference being is in price you get for selling as opposed to what price you pay to buy one. Apparent a rare occurrence, so I'm lead to believe.

So what you really are saying is that nobody is really aware of the market reality or informed , reason being they are both in freefall as several of us have predicted.
I don't believe it will ever recover to a position that will align with the sellers aspirations, all cars included here hence the thread.

In part Richard,

I was being a little facetious, obviously not very well. I was trying to state the obvious in that no matter what cycle the market is in you traditionally get less when you sell a car as opposed to paying more when buying one.....................