Race Car Prices - Quick Question!

Race Car Prices - Quick Question!

Author
Discussion

RobbieL

Original Poster:

599 posts

189 months

Wednesday 4th March 2009
quotequote all
I've been offered a drive in this year's sports 2000 series and I'm looking at buying a car in the Pinto class.

It has just had a fresh engine rebuild and is going for 14k.

My first question is, does this price seem about right for the car?

My second question, do race cars tend to hold their value? I'm terrified of paying 14k now and then having the ar5e drop out the market and it be worth 6k in a few months or a year from now?

Thanks in advance

Simon Mason

579 posts

274 months

Wednesday 4th March 2009
quotequote all
I'm in a similar boat at the moment. You can't really tell to be quite honest. Cars and series go in and out of fashion all the time and ultimately a race car is ONLY worth what the volume of people looking to move into the series have to spend.

Sports 2000 is one of the more secure series at the moment and I have to say £14K sounds very cheap... what chassis is it, whats the engine life, gearbox life and parts sourcing like? For that little money I would assume the car is a bit untidy or the engine/gearbox are tired but a may be wrong since I'm not an expert on S2000!!

Ultimately its always a calculated gamble. The worst thing you can do is not look after your car properly i.e no expense spared approach as best you can. If you get a reputation for "winging it" your car will be worth nothing in relation to other similar cars come re-sale. The winners car go first (if priced sensibly), then the tidy ones IF your lucky the sheds go at the end.

lanan

814 posts

233 months

Wednesday 4th March 2009
quotequote all
Robbie,
I think that the Pinto engined cars will have pretty much stabilised by now.
So the value of the car should be fine. The resale value will be reflected by the performance, level of preparation and presentation through the year.


A good friendly championship.

You will have a ball.beer
If you need any help, give me a call

Graham

Edited by lanan on Wednesday 4th March 17:44

RobbieL

Original Poster:

599 posts

189 months

Wednesday 4th March 2009
quotequote all
Cheers for the replies guys.

Graham, if you don't mind would I be able to give you a call?

I'm desperate to take part in this years series, however I haven't got a huge budget and can't afford to lose huge amounts on a car.

RobbieL

Original Poster:

599 posts

189 months

Thursday 5th March 2009
quotequote all
Simon Mason said:
I'm in a similar boat at the moment. You can't really tell to be quite honest. Cars and series go in and out of fashion all the time and ultimately a race car is ONLY worth what the volume of people looking to move into the series have to spend.

Sports 2000 is one of the more secure series at the moment and I have to say £14K sounds very cheap... what chassis is it, whats the engine life, gearbox life and parts sourcing like? For that little money I would assume the car is a bit untidy or the engine/gearbox are tired but a may be wrong since I'm not an expert on S2000!!

Ultimately its always a calculated gamble. The worst thing you can do is not look after your car properly i.e no expense spared approach as best you can. If you get a reputation for "winging it" your car will be worth nothing in relation to other similar cars come re-sale. The winners car go first (if priced sensibly), then the tidy ones IF your lucky the sheds go at the end.
The car I'm buying is a Royale RP39 and it is having the engine re-built at the moment so I'm hoping to get some testing in before the season starts. AngloAmerican Racing will be doing all the race prep and set-up of the car.

Wanstead

171 posts

240 months

Thursday 5th March 2009
quotequote all
The historic championship has really taken off, so the cars eligible for that have seen quit strong values. Some cars are now worth quite a bit more than they were a few years ago. All this goes to help strengthen the championship as a whole, so the other pinto cars have maintained values quite well. (I think your Royal will be Class B) As with all cars the market has changed over the past year or so, but Sports 2000 is as popular as ever so I see it as very low risk compared with some.
As has been said before, if the car is well presented and looked after properly I cant see you loosing out, 14k does sound a cracking price, get some good results and you may even be able to sell it at a profit.
Let me know if you need any further help .

lanan

814 posts

233 months

Thursday 5th March 2009
quotequote all
RobbieL said:
Graham, if you don't mind would I be able to give you a call?
No problem.
Contact details thru' my profile.

Graham

.

m3psm

988 posts

226 months

Saturday 7th March 2009
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Glad you managed to find a car and series to get you out on track Robbie beer

Enjoy biggrin

RobbieL

Original Poster:

599 posts

189 months

Wednesday 11th March 2009
quotequote all
Cheers Paul!

Just a shame I couldn't stretch to buy yours or any other in the Kumho - was just a little out of my league for this year but who knows in the future!!

Are you still going to race yours again?

m3psm

988 posts

226 months

Wednesday 11th March 2009
quotequote all
RobbieL said:
Cheers Paul!

Just a shame I couldn't stretch to buy yours or any other in the Kumho - was just a little out of my league for this year but who knows in the future!!

Are you still going to race yours again?
No prob smile

Doc says my leg will be healed by mid June so will do test day or two in July and if that goes OK I'll race at Brands and Donington in August cool

pstreat

3 posts

186 months

Monday 16th March 2009
quotequote all
Hi,

Just to back up what the others have said, 14k sounds pretty good in today's market for a pinto S2.

If it is a Royale then check the chassis numbers and year of manufacture. All the cars from the S2000M through to the RP42 run effectively the same chassis and mechanicals, just bodywork and cooling that has changed. Therefore there are a few that have been rebodied and stated as being a 38 or 42 when they are an earlier car.

Reason to check is that if it is 1982 or earlier you may be able to convert it back to S2000M spec and run in the historic series too. As andy (wanstead) says, the Historics are worth a fair bit more at the moment as well.

No worries if not - the Royales are good cars having won the overall championship a couple of years ago (42 spec) and the historic one in 07 (S2000M spec).

I look forward to seeing you out with the club this year - will you make it to Silverstone for the first round?

And Wanstead - I hope that Shrike is well sorted, I'm coming after you this year.....

Wanstead

171 posts

240 months

Monday 16th March 2009
quotequote all
Ah Paul, so you are coming after me are you? That suggests that I’m already in front before the season has even started, lets keep it that way. biggrin

RobbieL

Original Poster:

599 posts

189 months

Thursday 19th March 2009
quotequote all
pstreat said:
Hi,

Just to back up what the others have said, 14k sounds pretty good in today's market for a pinto S2.

If it is a Royale then check the chassis numbers and year of manufacture. All the cars from the S2000M through to the RP42 run effectively the same chassis and mechanicals, just bodywork and cooling that has changed. Therefore there are a few that have been rebodied and stated as being a 38 or 42 when they are an earlier car.

Reason to check is that if it is 1982 or earlier you may be able to convert it back to S2000M spec and run in the historic series too. As andy (wanstead) says, the Historics are worth a fair bit more at the moment as well.

No worries if not - the Royales are good cars having won the overall championship a couple of years ago (42 spec) and the historic one in 07 (S2000M spec).

I look forward to seeing you out with the club this year - will you make it to Silverstone for the first round?

And Wanstead - I hope that Shrike is well sorted, I'm coming after you this year.....
It was originally an RP39 which was then upgraded to an RP42. Doing my ARDS this weekend at Mallory so providing there's no disaster there I should be well in line to be on the grid at Silverstone in April and I literally cannot wait now!

pstreat

3 posts

186 months

Thursday 19th March 2009
quotequote all
Great - good to see new joiners. If you pm me and tell me who owned the car previously I can dig out its history over the last 10 years (lap times, results, owners etc.) as I have a database of all the club results.

And Andy - lets work on the theory that you will be staring at my exhaust pipe this year - I'm fed up of staring at yours! Are you out as Silverstone?

Wanstead

171 posts

240 months

Thursday 19th March 2009
quotequote all
Yes we will be at Silverstone for the first round, we’ve made some minor mods to the rear of the car just to give you a different view.
Will you be there for testing on Friday?

RobM77

35,349 posts

239 months

Thursday 19th March 2009
quotequote all
Racing cars are normally pretty safe from depreciation, but the main thing that hits values is if a championship finishes (i.e. any of the one make series out there) or if they stop running that type of car (i.e. K series Caterhams are now being replaced with Duratec). That's your main worry, but on those lines I think Pinto engined S2000s are fairly well established and will keep going? I'm no expert, but they seem to have such a big following I can't see it stopping. The Duratecs don't seem to be replacing the Pintos, moreso doing their own thing as an alternative but similar series.

pstreat

3 posts

186 months

Friday 20th March 2009
quotequote all
Tshk tshk - cheating on Friday? Mods to the rear? I might have to complain to the authorities!

We had lots of plans for the swift this winter. However it is still sat in the garage damp from Donington so it will be out in its usual tatty state for the season. Might be forced to run it briefly somewhere but wont be at Silverstone until the Sunday.

Mind you a flatscreen at the back of yours would be good - give me something to do....

Wanstead

171 posts

240 months

Friday 20th March 2009
quotequote all
I wasn’t saying that I would be there of Friday, just wondered if you were planning to go.
MSR have done quite a bit of work on the Shrike over the winter; I can’t wait for battle to commence.
Anyway as the current Sports 2 Champion you must have been in front of me more often, otherwise that big lump of silver would be on display in my house now instead of yours. As for ’09 …………well maybe RobbieL will be showing us all up.