Classic Buick car values

[Rooster]

Which website valuation guide (s) do you think gives the most accurate estimate for our older Buicks ?

Ken.

1929 tourer

1954 hardtop

[NTX5467]

Actually, there are several websites you can peruse on this subject. Other than the Old Cars Price Guide, there are also websites for NADA (New Car Prices, Used Car Values, New Car Reviews & Car Buying Guides - NADAguides.com Official Site ?), Kelly Blue Book (New Cars, Used Cars, Blue Book Values & Car Prices - Kelley Blue Book ?) and a few others I can't recall right now. In the USA, a major value information provider for the used car dealers is "The Black Book", which compiles actual auction results for vehicles . . . which are significantly lower than the price guides you'll find on the newsstands. Their condition rating format might be a little different from the OCPG, but many of the prices are similar. Some will list values as "Trade-In" and "Retail", too.

There is also the website for the AutoTrader, plus New & Used Cars for Sale, Auto Dealers, Car Reviews and Car Finance Advice, to see what people are asking for their vehicles. In some cases, the Black Book and the AutoTrader numbers might be better as they reflect the actual market rather than "derived" figures.

A key thing might be to look at several websites/publications rather than try to rely upon just one or a few.

Just some thoughts,

NTX5467

In the many years of following values on some of the cars I own, and others I don't, it seems that there is some formula which OCPG uses to arrive at their figures, based on age, possibly. It might also include natural attrition, too, in some manner. It does seem that their published values

[Thriller]

There's also Collector Car & Truck Market

Ultimately, I always look at a few since some always seem to be consistently higher (or lower) than others. Another thing to keep in mind is that some sites simply don't list older cars. I think the one I linked above is strictly post-war.

[Guest gunjeep444]

The above had prices for cars, but ran from #5(lowest) to #1. What does each # refer to?

[Rich Morton]

gunjeep444,Fyi The numbers listed,ie 1-5 represent the overall condition of the vehicles.#5 would be considered very rough or a parts car needing a total restoration,and #1 being a mint, museum quality car or truck.Most of the nicer cars you would see would be # 2 0r # 3 cars.That has always been my understanding of those numbers. If you ever come across an Old Cars Price guide they would outline this within the text.Hope that is some help.

[Guest gunjeep444]

Okay thanks. GUess mine might be a #3. New tires/brakes/exhaust and some other stuff done. DOes need paint/upholstry.

[Thriller]

The magazine isn't called "Old Cars Price Guide" any more (unless they changed it back). It is now "Old Cars Report Price Guide"...I guess that isn't much different, but for those of us who buy them off the shelf occasionally, it was a bit of a surprise.

[Rich Morton]

Thriller,Thanks for the news.Does the format look the same? It has been some time since I've purchased one. Thanks again,Rich

[bhclark]

I agree with Derek...I always use Collector Car & Truck Market. They seem to have the lowest valuations....that way I figure it's hard to get hurt. Everyone else seems to incorporate the auction sales, which distort the valuation for "driver" quality cars.

[Thriller]

No problem Rich...it pretty much hasn't changed, except for the name. I was actually most disappointed a couple years back when they dropped the pre-1930 cars though. I can see that they wouldn't have many examples, but for those of us with earlier cars, it makes it harder to track what the value is doing.