Reply to "Pantera Prices"

I have read these postings with interest. It has been my experience that most owners sell their cars out of financial necessity and generally the sale is time sensitive. We have only had a few sellers that are willing to wait until they receive their price (assuming that the price is somewhat market correct). What we are seeing is that the majority of buyers do not have much knowledge about the marque, condition of cars, weak points, upgrades and so forth. As a result, when weak cars enter the market at low prices, these are often times used as a "comparable" as compared to a car that is very strong and worth significantly more. Very high end cars, cars worth 40-80K will in fact sell if the quality of the workmanship exists. We have sold numerous Panteras in this price range and in fact, they represent a value when considering the expense of rendering a high quality paint job, body work, powertrain and interior. The people that can make the stretch to these superior cars are often times wiser than the person who is new to the hobby and purchases an eBay special or the car that is marketed for $25,000 or less. As a buyer of Panteras, there are few that I actually buy due to body and mechanical deficits. I spoke with a gentleman last week who purchased a car shown on eBay from a Texas seller for around $15-17K. His initial joy was quickly decimated when he discovered end stage rust throughout the car and an engine that didn't even run. G-d only knows what the condition of the ZF is! How much money do you think will have to be spent to bring that car up to even average condition? Better yet, the car may be better off broken up for parts. As a final comment, I have been aware of a strong undercurrent that runs through some Pantera owners of almost resentment towards sellers of Panteras that are priced at the upper end of the market. I have never understood this logic and I am confident that the people I refer to decide to sell their car, that they will have no hesitation to seek a premium price. And why not? Just look at how a strong Pantera compares in price to an early 308 and what about the Porsche 928? Vipers as well. Their prices seem to fall like an anchor! When a person pours $30 grand into a 928, what do you think they will recover upon sale? Compare that to a Pantera after upgrading. Those people who were smart enough to buy a Pantera have made very, very good investments in terms of the fun quotient and what you may receive upon sale. Since we have opened PI Motorsports in 1996, I cannot recall any comparable period of time that there has been more interest from buyers who want good cars. I predict that we are only starting to view the beginning of a major price escalation of these cars. What do you think? Thanks for listening, Paige, Linda and Dave Adler