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Reatta market drying up?


bikemikey

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When I surf the net I'm always looking for how the Reatta market is doing on Craigslist. Usually there will be about three or four moderate priced Reattas in the state of Texas. It seems like in the last couple of weeks those cars are gone, leaving only the higher price convertibles. Either the owners have dropped their ads, or people are buying up these cars. There are still some out in Indiana and other places but it seems like the numbers are dwindling . Sure glad I got mine. Just thought I'd pass that along.

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The times they are a changing....... Last fall a report from R.L.Polk showed there were 20% fewer Reattas registered in the last 2 years. Some of the unregistered cars may still be around as parts cars but after 25 years, time is taking its toll on the daily drivers. It is getting harder to find cars in the 50 to 100K miles. There are still very low mileage show cars around and there are those with over 100K (that is only 4K per year) Your observation is probably correct.

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Guest PontiacDude210

I've observed the same phenomena over the last year. The price of a good low miles Reatta has spiked sharply locally as well. Luckily low miles never meant much to me...

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Guest my3buicks

I agree on there being a lull, that said some of the ones that have been available have been extremely nice examples. I think the ones we will be seeing will be more quality cars (well kept) and the junkers (less desireable ones) will become parts cars or be sold off to kids wanting to make them into something that resembles a rice rocket that will be beat and abused and end up as not even good parts cars.

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Guest PontiacDude210
I think the ones we will be seeing will be more quality cars (well kept) and the junkers (less desireable ones) will become parts cars or be sold off to kids wanting to make them into something that resembles a rice rocket that will be beat and abused and end up as not even good parts cars.

Hey now, I resemble that statement!

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Slim pickin's around STL and surrounding metro area. Local craigslist shows 3 presently, one of which is a non-local (over 50 miles away) listing. Most expensive is a nice looking red over grey 88 with aftermarket sunroof (glass panel) listed several times over last 2+ months. Has been asking 3500-4500 at different times and now is offering trade/cash combo as well. Seems not to be much action on it given the repeated relisting and change of price.

Ebay seems slim as well versus historical norms over the last several years. I look routinely just to see what is out there and there is no doubt the selection has dwindled as late.

The culling of the herd is picking up steam and that is a big part of it. A now former owner locally that I know recently sold his 88 white over burgundy for $6000, which impressed me. It was a nice car but I was somewhat surprised to learn it fetched that price in light of the current market such as it is. I suppose that is a good thing.

KDirk

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Last night I was on a craigslist muti listing site. There were over 100 listed. Which to me seems right for this time of year.

As I am sitting on 3 [two of which have over 225,000 miles on them] I not worried about appreciation. The 'vert which has 112,000 miles on it MAY appreciate, but frankly I am not too worried about it. My plan is that I will drive the Black until it dies as a winter car, then the Red is up as a full time year round car until it dies. By then I hope to be retired with one car for me and my wife and the 'vert for special days or on the rare occaisions when we need two cars on the same day.

I'm mostly concerned about parts drying up...

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Guest PontiacDude210

There hasn't been anything I would make the drive for in lower peninsula MI since last fall.

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Guest my3buicks

If you look at the hundred on the Craigslist multi listing, Half of them are the same Cars listed in 10 different areas.

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If you look at the hundred on the Craigslist multi listing, Half of them are the same Cars listed in 10 different areas.

I saw some repitition and mentally noted it, but still thought [without doing an actual count] that there still seemed to be plenty out there.

However my earlier comment still holds. Parts and how scarce they will become. It has been commented numerous times that certain Reattas will be bought and kept to be future "donor" cars.

I bought the Black just to be that car, however 5 years later I am still using it as my "winter" car and thought so much about it as a great "daily driver" that I put a different tranny in it to keep it going. I do watch the local Craigslist and have bought and intend/will buy another one as a "parts" car only. I think it is smart to buy a beat up running car for $500.00 or so, pull as many parts as possible out of it and then have the local salvage yard pick it up and still get $300.00 for it.

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Dave and I are of much the same way of thinking here. The availability of parts and their cost will be the major concern of long term owners and collectors going forward. I have stockpiled a lot of stuff already (tail lamp housings and reflectors, vent windows and other glass, interior trim parts, modules, ipcs and crts and quite a few other items) and still pickup odds and ends as the opportunity presents itself.

I also own four running Reattae so need to have parts on hand to keep them decent without the downtime of searching for and acquiring parts. I did intentionally end up with identical 88's (white over burgundy) to make stocking spare interior and cosmetic parts easier to manage. Those parts that are color keyed or are unique to 88 models will fit both cars reducing the number of unique parts I need to keep on hand. Worst case is that I could sacrifice one car to maintain the other one. I have two 91's, a coupe and a convertible so there is some interchange there as well. If I were to buy another Reatta I'd make every effort to ensure it was another 88 or 91 for just that reason.

I've not taken to keeping spare body panels yet, but may consider doing so in the next couple of years before finding them reasonably becomes difficult. The challange is in storing all these things. Having committed to owning a particular car however, I am also determined to do what is needed to keep them on the road for a long time to come.

It only makes sense that at 25+ years the availability of cheap and plentiful cars and parts will start to evaporate. I'm a bit surprised it has taken this long. The Reatta clearly has had a large unofficial "fan club" that kept many of them in running condition far longer than would be seen with an ordinary, common car that held little interest. Thus, the lifespan of these cars has been extended quite a bit, and yet now we are seeing the inevitable decline as the marginal examples finally succumb to the fate of old, used up cars. It just took 5-10 years longer than normal for it to happen.

KDirk

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Here is a car in Fl......Neal called yesterday wanting a value and I gave him a range. 1990 red convertible tan interior 160,000 miles he will probably take $5000 727-366-0308

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Guest WEB 38

Maybe some of the shortage is the limited numbers that were made, And some of us are buying and hoarding 3 or more of them. Bill

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Guest Corvanti
Personally I feel the recent drop off is due to the season. Winter. People just aren't putting them out there right now. I think it will start picking up again in the next month.

i agree.:)

the other make i follow is Studebaker. their sales in various "markets" are just now starting to pick up...

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