Raise the price of spiders

[Curly]

Just as a point of comparison. Spiders over here usually fetch a couple of thousand dollars more than a similar condition MGB. Very nice Spiders are asking anywhere between AUS $18 and 20,000+ and you don't see any under $10,000. (And our dollars aren't that dissimilar at the moment)
It's amazing how scarcity increases the value.
It's also been mentioned here a few times that all the Aussie Spiders that appear on this forum seem to be in top condition. This is not necessarily the case, but because of their value, the owners are less likely to baulk at spending larger sums of money to keep them in good order, than somebody in the US might.
124 Coupes, however, are around half the price of equivilent Spiders because they were imported here and are still relatively common.

[kristoj]

For instance I see brand new Hondas badged with "dohc" on the side like its something new and I think about how the spiders have been that way for decades

Fiat introduced the world's first DOHC engine in 1912 (!) Though it had onl;y 2 valves per cylinder at the time.

[dinosabella]

The Japanese sent engineers to Italy who were allowed to tour the Fiat and Alfa factories where they sketched the design of the twin cam engines. They returned to Japan with countless sketches and from that they created the Toyota twin cam.

Although our cars arent extremely rare they are somewhat rare. I think total production was approx 200,000. This is what some companies produce for one model in a year today.

With time and with the return of ''affordable'' Italian cars we will see good conditions Spiders fetch a healthy price. But for now us die hard Spider fanatics are involved in a labour of love.

[pope]

Why would a competing company allow espionage to take place in the factory unless money traded hands. Would it not have been much easier for the Japanese to buy a car and tear the engine down and measure the pieces?

[Leesfer]

The Japanese sent engineers to Italy who were allowed to tour the Fiat and Alfa factories where they sketched the design of the twin cam engines. They returned to Japan with countless sketches and from that they created the Toyota twin cam.

Although our cars arent extremely rare they are somewhat rare. I think total production was approx 200,000. This is what some companies produce for one model in a year today.

With time and with the return of ''affordable'' Italian cars we will see good conditions Spiders fetch a healthy price. But for now us die hard Spider fanatics are involved in a labour of love.

Where did you find this info? It would be an interesting read if its true

[spidernut]

Production of Camaros and Mustangs were much higher than their sister cars the Firebird and Cougar. Which sells for more in most cases? The more common car. Why? Image...purely a case of image. AMC Matadors are quite rare, yet are only collectible to a handful of people. Production numbers and scarcity play a role in valuation of collector's cars (especially in the long run) but are not the only factors in valuation.

After spending 20 years in marketing, I've realized that car purchases are not "logical", but "emotional." People buy cars to project a certain image - it elicits a certain feeling. You buy a Ferrari not because it is the fastest car, most rare car or best riding car. You buy one to exhibit your economic success.

Fiats haven't done well in the aftermarket due to poor reputations for rusting and electrical issues. This has been stated and will always plague Fiat's reputation in the US market. That alone isn't enough to stifle the rising prices of collectable cars. Look at the old 6 volt cars - very unreliable yet highly collectible. Look at early Corvettes - they were dogs and Chevy almost cancelled production (making them rare of course) yet they command major prices.

Predicting demand for collectable cars with any certainty is difficult. I never would have expected the Honda CRX (designed to be an economy car) to be collectible - yet they command some pretty nice prices in the youth market. Conversely, you'd expect a fairly rare and recognizable car like a Delorean to really be highly collectible. Yet the Manheim Gold value of a show condition Delorean is less than what it cost in 1981.

Cars are like Beenie Babies - they're only worth what someone will pay you for them. When our Fiats start demanding higher and higher prices, celebrate it! Though you may never sell your car (or buy one at that price) is irrelevant. The buyers set the value of cars...not the sellers.

Happy motoring my friends! I hope my Spider is worth a billion dollars some day!

[So Cal Mark]

the day your Spider is worth 1 billion is the day we'll be paying $1 million for a gallon of gas

[Gunsmith]

John wrote,
"After spending 20 years in marketing, I've realized that car purchases are not "logical", but "emotional." People buy cars to project a certain image - it elicits a certain feeling."

John is absolutely right. It basically works the same in the firearm industry. Just because a gun is rare does not make it valuable. It might have been a limited production gun because nobody wanted them back when they were new. Now if someone famous had one or if it was issued to them in the military then it will be sought after. Even old Sears or Savage firearms that sold for a few dollars and weren't that great are worth 20 times what they were sold for just because of the memories of their youth when they had one or the fact that their father or grand father taught them how to shoot with one makes them desireable now. We restore many of these not so well made guns into wall hangers(Trailer Queens) just for that reason.

I purchased the Fiat I have now not because it is the best car out there but because I restored one in my youth and enjoyed it very much. Now I do think we get a lot of bang for our buck with these cars but that still doesn't make them "collectible". When people see our Spiders they almost always say "Cool car what is it?" or "Nice car is it a (whatever)"? This is actually why they aren't $20-30,000. It's all about recognition. When people see a Vette or Mustang they instantly recognize it in the main stream. They may never have had one when they were young but they always wanted one so now that they have the means they will pay the price that's asked for their youthful dreams.

So if we would like to raise the value of our little Italian toys it's going to take the California Fiat owners to make it happen. All you guys have to do is get it in a few movies driven by some people that most people want to be and the value of our babys will sky rocket. So get to work guys, even if I don't plan on selling my Spider I will at least look more successful driving it!:P

[spidernut]

Mark,
$1,000,000 per gallon for gas? Sounds about right lately.

So if we would like to raise the value of our little Italian toys it's going to take the California Fiat owners to make it happen. All you guys have to do is get it in a few movies driven by some people that most people want to be and the value of our babys will sky rocket. So get to work guys, even if I don't plan on selling my Spider I will at least look more successful driving it!:P

Great idea...my car is in California and is available for rent or lease to any major studio for a feature film highlighting the Spider as a "cool" car to own. Contact me at this forum for pricing options and corporate sponsorship opportunities.

[adrians]

Price of Petrol ( aka Gas ) has gone through the roof here

$1.50AU per litre in Sydney $9.00US per gallon ( or thereabouts )
$2.00NZ per litre in New Zealand

I'll have to stop driving my 5.7l Holden Calais and take the Spider instead !

[BaronKen]

Ebay listing: 1982 Fiat Spider 2000 for $17,999!

I can't picture ANY Fiat Spider worth that much, let alone this one. There are far too many defects IMO.
Maybe they just hit the '9' key one too many times?

** if the owner is a member of this board... I'm sorry, but do you honestly think you'll get that much for it??

[rlux4]

Yeah, I saw that too. Maybe even with the flaws the seller is thinking low miles and turbo makes it worth that much. I gotta agree though, I don't think so. But hey, suprise me.
Ron

[radiopilot]

In the latest magazine Classic Motorcars... a 1979 Fiat Spider sold for $12,000 in one of the auctions if that's any consolation and of course the interior was nothing to brag about... but a well kept spider should at least fetch that much or more with good prominance/records.

I hope my red spider after my interior mods will bring the value close to that, but of course you'd have to sell the car to realize the price of the car.. something I'm not doing.. I figure the car is a good investment for my son and the red spider a good investment for my daughter later on when I'm old and decrepid and can't drive the car... which is NEVER!

Nick

[DploydAgain]

I just purchased my '81 Spider (-my first...Yeah, I'm a "Fiat Virgin") for under $5000. Looks like it has all the stuff you guys discuss regularly ( very minor surface rust, leaks a bit, etc.). As far as these "problems" go, I look forward to stepping up to the challenge! I can finally (at 40-something) afford a toy or two, and I am eager to get my 10 and 8 year old boys under the hood with me.

[mdrburchette]

They're fun cars to learn on. I'm sure your boys will enjoy it as much as you do! Dang, did I say that?