Another ULEZ casualty.

[Moomoo]

Originally Posted by Familyman 90

He messaged me back.

It's been getting advisories on 4 x aged and cracked tyres on the last MOT, so will need 4 boots if that hasn't been done. Otherwise the MOT history is pretty decent, mainly clean passes and the few fails have been minor stuff.

I'll keep an eye on it and if the bidding is sensible I'll snipe at the end.

Has to be worth a look, it is local!😀

[Othen]

Originally Posted by Moomoo

Can’t statistics be fun😂

My dad will be turning in his grave but I’ve always thought money has just one purpose, when there’s enough of it!👍

Everyone to their own Andrew. That was exactly the type of calculation I did when I was looking for a motor car like the RB. I noticed (at the time) that the 1978 and earlier cars all sold for in excess of £5,000 (because they were qualified as historic vehicles at that time), so I deliberately targeted 1980 motor cars. I reasoned that I'd have a nice project to sort out a car for a year, then it would become first MoT, then tax exempt and would appreciate considerably.

The rest in history: the plan worked perfectly in that the RB turned out to be a good motor car in need of a bit of TLC and parts - and is now worth £5,000-£6,000 as predicted.

That strategy wouldn't suit everyone (one has to be patient), but it has given me an interesting project and entrance to historic vehicle ownership without paying a large premium.

Alan

[Moomoo]

Originally Posted by Othen

Everyone to their own Andrew. That was exactly the type of calculation I did when I was looking for a motor car like the RB. I noticed (at the time) that the 1978 and earlier cars all sold for in excess of £5,000 (because they were qualified as historic vehicles at that time), so I deliberately targeted 1980 motor cars. I reasoned that I'd have a nice project to sort out a car for a year, then it would become first MoT, then tax exempt and would appreciate considerably.

The rest in history: the plan worked perfectly in that the RB turned out to be a good motor car in need of a bit of TLC and parts - and is now worth £5,000-£6,000 as predicted.

That strategy wouldn't suit everyone (one has to be patient), but it has given me an interesting project and entrance to historic vehicle ownership without paying a large premium.

Alan

Again, a nutshell.

My choices were influenced by car condition and LACK ( hopefully) of maintenance, in any major way. No guarantees in my strategy but maybe more likelihood of finding a car needing less TLC.

Tinkering, love it, lying on back welding, can’t do it any more.

We’ve both hit our targets!😎

[Othen]

Originally Posted by Moomoo

Again, a nutshell.

My choices were influenced by car condition and LACK ( hopefully) of maintenance, in any major way. No guarantees in my strategy but maybe more likelihood of finding a car needing less TLC.

Tinkering, love it, lying on back welding, can’t do it any more.

We’ve both hit our targets!😎

Exactly Andrew - circumstances were different and I remember us discussing this when you were looking for a motor car.

Historic vehicle ownership is not for everyone - but I still like the laying on my back welding bit and consider it part of the experience :-).

Alan

[Familyman 90]

Ill turn my hand to anything, but im wary of welding. Not that I mind doing it at all, but buying a car that needs welding means youre inevitably going to end up doing at least double the welding that you thought you would and I have neither the time, patience or hips to be grovelling about unnecessarily when it could be avpided.

This 240 has never failed an MOT on corrosion, which is a good starting point for avoiding those woes.

Less than 7 years until it can claim historic registration, which on 6 months annaul tax and MOT is still under a grand, so that doesn't really factor for me either. A small orice to psy for a solid shell.

I'm not saying this is the one, but watching closely how the bidding plays out. There are some smart 240s about at reasonable money at the moment so if it goes too far I shan't bother.

Id really like a 164, but don't want to selling my motorbikes to fund a near 5 digit asking price...yet.

[Othen]

Originally Posted by Familyman 90

Ill turn my hand to anything, but im wary of welding. Not that I mind doing it at all, but buying a car that needs welding means youre inevitably going to end up doing at least double the welding that you thought you would and I have neither the time, patience or hips to be grovelling about unnecessarily when it could be avpided.

This 240 has never failed an MOT on corrosion, which is a good starting point for avoiding those woes.

Less than 7 years until it can claim historic registration, which on 6 months annaul tax and MOT is still under a grand, so that doesn't really factor for me either. A small orice to psy for a solid shell.

I'm not saying this is the one, but watching closely how the bidding plays out. There are some smart 240s about at reasonable money at the moment so if it goes too far I shan't bother.

Id really like a 164, but don't want to selling my motorbikes to fund a near 5 digit asking price...yet.

That is super duper of course - whatever suits you. The 240 looks like an okay motor car, it only has a few days MoT left, but enough to drive it home. It would be worth a look at it first though (unless it goes for under a grand perhaps, then it is worth a punt).

We have a friend on the 140 section (I forget his name but it is a recent thread) that is interested in the 144 in Alloa that you went to see last week - it might be kind to give him your opinion of the motor car from first hand experience?

Good fortune wit that 240 saloon - get it bought!

Alan

[Familyman 90]

I don't think id want to press it straight into use. It'd be wheels off and up in the air for a comprehensive removal of any plastics, paint, old underseal and rust, bare metal the whole belly before retreating it properly. Then put the suspension back on with new rubbers, then I can forget about the undersides for a while beyond yearly checks and tpuch-ins.

Being realistic with everything else thats going on (I've got an extension to finish building!) It would be well into the summer before I'd finished that so I'd look to get a new ticket just before the season ends. Works out well timing it like that - if it passes, great, its ready to go immediately in the spring. If it fails I've got all winter to worry about it.

I want something cheap around the 3 or 3.5 gee mark that is solid but needs work, or something with everything taken care of for much, much more. Ideally the former.

The middle ground around the 5 or 6 large mark that costs a bit of real money but which still requires some proper work isn't really where I want to be at.

At the right price this 240 could well fit into the former category, but there's an increasing amount appearing over the last month so if this dog doesn't bark for me then i'm sure something else will pop up. I'm in no hurry - I'm still blessed with more Volvos than I can drive at once, as Mrs Familyman is so quick to point out!

[BicycleBoy]

Only squinting on a phone, but it looks like the tyres have been done, at least in the first picture.
The drivers side scuttle just under the (original, nice!) windscreen would be worth inspecting carefully. Windscreen edge looks suspect too.

Otherwise looks very nice & original, sensible starting price to get the interest going, but who knows what the reserve is set as? There are too many hopefuls cluttering up the classifieds with 240s for silly money that don't sell. The sensibly priced ones don't hang around long enough to be noticed so the "market" value of the cars appears inflated to a casual observer.

Or mayby I'm talking out my arse and there is a demand for knackered £5k+ volvos...?

[Othen]

Originally Posted by BicycleBoy

Only squinting on a phone, but it looks like the tyres have been done, at least in the first picture.
The drivers side scuttle just under the (original, nice!) windscreen would be worth inspecting carefully. Windscreen edge looks suspect too.

Otherwise looks very nice & original, sensible starting price to get the interest going, but who knows what the reserve is set as? There are too many hopefuls cluttering up the classifieds with 240s for silly money that don't sell. The sensibly priced ones don't hang around long enough to be noticed so the "market" value of the cars appears inflated to a casual observer.

Or mayby I'm talking out my arse and there is a demand for knackered £5k+ volvos...?

The Enfield motor car will have only 4 days worth of MoT left at the end of the auction - the seller didn't mention that in the ad and I think should have (it would probably be reasonable grounds for a buyer not to complete the sale if it came to it). It will certainly need 4 new tyres (£250) to pass another test. It does look like a nice motor car in the photos, and it is in the 'cars' rather than 'classic cars' section, so that may limit views by interested parties. I think if that motor car sold for £2,000 it would be a very good buy (having not seen it of course - it may be a bucket of rust underneath!).

I'd agree about 240 prices, there are plenty of folk hawking around late 80s motor cars at daft prices, these are just old cars and there is no particular reason why they would make such good money. As motor cars reach the 40 year old point they inevitably attract the historic car premium; Volvos are no different to all early 80s cars in this respect (Fords are even more so and attract very serious money indeed).

Good points - you are right.

Alan

[BicycleBoy]

Originally Posted by Othen

I'd agree about 240 prices, there are plenty of folk hawking around late 80s motor cars at daft prices, these are just old cars and there is no particular reason why they would make such good money. As motor cars reach the 40 year old point they inevitably attract the historic car premium; Volvos are no different to all early 80s cars in this respect (Fords are even more so and attract very serious money indeed).
Alan

Having driven several late 70's/early80's Fords into the ground, I'd say they were worth whatever inflated classic prices they attract, solely on longevity. They were universally rustbuckets: Mk1 escort needed undercoating after two years, Mk2 lasted a whole 15 years from new despite spending 3 in Cyprus & the rest in a garage. Mk1 fiestas were worse...

But I digress, the Enfield 240 has cleared it's £1000 reserve, so top marks to the seller. Guess it's game on now, four day's MOT is enough to drive it whereever it's new home will be, and still bank the savings on one with a 12 month ticket.

I bought a nearly identical one recently with worse cosmetics but much better history for two grand, so whatever this one goes for (and I'd guess 2k) there are Reasonably Priced Cars out there. £1.5k for an estate in Hackney ferregsample...