MGBGTV8
Condition is the major
factor determining V8 prices, particularly of the bodywork, because
major bodywork refurbishment, or a more serious rebuild, is usually
very costly. So if a buyer is able to find an V8 with good bodywork,
generally they are to some extent flexible over body colour.
The V8 body colours chosen by the British Leyland group in
the early to mid-1970s are, by today's tastes, seen as brash and they
attract some strong feelings for and against. The popular colours
with enthusiasts with relatively conservative tastes are seen as Damask,
Teal Blue and Glacier White. Another group of bright colours - typically
Bronze Yellow, Bracken, Flamenco Red, Tahiti Blue, Aconite and Black
Tulip - are seen as giving a V8 a period appearance. A further group
of less bold colours - typically Harvest Gold and Tundra - is seen
as near neutral, but there is a group of colours which many regard
as the least popular choice - for example Citron Yellow (commonly
known as "puke green"), Chartreuse and Mirage (which some
feel looks like gloss undercoat). But these comments do not attract
universal agreement! Many members are very fond indeed of Citron,
Tundra, Chartreuse and Mirage!
Chrome bumpered cars attract a slightly higher price as they
tend to be the preferred choice of most buyers. Chrome bumper conversions
of cars originally produced as rubber bumper models are often seen
and also with "Sebring" type conversions. A close inspection
of the quality of the workmanship of the bodywork changes is essential
with those conversions.
Condition - a growing preference for Condition 1 V8s
has resulted in a significant price differential with Condition 2
cars. Consequently sellers of Condition 2 cars will be tempted
to describe their car in terms which might suggest Condition 1 (they
may genuinely believe their car is in the Condition 1 category), so
buyers will need to inspect a car very thoroughly and if required
get a specialist inspection because serious corrosion in areas like
the cills may not be obvious to an untrained eye. The costs of replacing
cills and the consequential restoration work could easily lift the
resulting overall cost of poor Condition 2 car above the value of
a Condition 1 specimen. This is the main factor behind the price differential.
In addition the full cost of major restoration or a rebuild is very
rarely seen in the resulting value of the car. With Condition 3
cars the high cost of major restorations or rebuilds and the economic
attraction of breaking V8s for spares, mean many Condition 3 cars
are at increasing risk.
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MG
RV8
Prices depend very much on condition, body colour,
specification and mileage.
Condition is a clear factor in RV8 prices but the fundamental
advantage the RV8 has is the bodyshell and panels were manufactured
with a corrosion resisting phosphoretic coating, so the incidence
of rust both cosmetic and structural is reduced in a major way.
Colour - there has been a premium for colours (Other Colours)
other than Woodcote Green, particularly for Nightfire Red and Oxford
Blue, but it has reduced over the last few years. The premium had
been because some 64% of RV8 production was produced in Woodcote Green,
very nearly all of which went to Japan with 11 RV8s in Woodcote Green
the UK or the European export market. So only 402 RV8s were produced
in an "Other Colour", some 21% of the production run.
Specification - the other major factor is whether the car is
a UK or Japan specification car. UK spec cars have tended to attract
a premium, which is slightly puzzling as the Japan spec cars include
air conditioning fitted as standard. But a possible explanation is
that only 307 cars were supplied to the UK market with the balance,
almost 80% of RV8 production, exported to Japan. Over recent years
the flow of RV8s leaving Japan as reimports to the UK and as exports
to Australia and New Zealand has had a major effect on prices in the
UK and Australia. For details of the numbers of cars in the various
colours and specifications (UK/Japan), see our production statistics
note. More
Mileage
- curiously cars exported from Japan often tend to have relatively
low mileages. Those reimported to the UK and Mainland Europe markets
have tended to condition buyers to expect RV8s offered for sale will
have low mileages. The checks we understand have been seem to show
these low mileages appear reasonable and we have seen no proof of
any general mischief in engineering false mileage readings.
Exceptional cars have achieved high prices. An RV8 in Le Mans
Green with a low mileage sold at around £40,000 through the
V8 website, well over our Condition 1 price guide figure. Other exceptional
RV8s have been offered in recent months at prices over £29,000.
Updated: 230507 |