First-Gen Riviera Market

[lrlforfun]

OK Riviera People: I see a slug of First-gen Rivs on the market. Many are in the 20-30K range and not selling. Under 10K seem to get the lion's share of bidding.  65's seem to be dwarfin' the 63s and 64s with fewer examples offered..   What's goin' on?? Mitch

Edited September 15, 2016 by lrlforfun (see edit history)

[alini]

I've been looking at the quality of the cars a lot.  More times than not under 20 isn't bad considering what needs to be done.   They are road worthy factory original cars but definitely worn.  Most of the ones I saw don't seem to be well maintained and based off the online car valuation tools most are priced right 

with my listing starting at 25 I think is a fair price considering it is a flawed rebuild.  It's a twenty footer that rides well. But with every component new in the car I expect a bit more for it.  Most

of the car you see still have points.  The alternators are original. The at is questionable. They may need brakes if not know soon.  They look great cosmetically. It mechanically there are too many unknowns to expect a top dollar .  Almost all the cars that went thru barrett Jackson the past five years have gone for on avg over 25k and even the highest ones are only tipping 40k and I have seen all the ones in Vegas and except one they all needed work. It auction value and actual street value are two different things.  Which is why I won't go that route to sell

[alini]

The other thing I noticed is ALOT of the sellers are just trying to offload the car and price them for a quick sale rather than what it's worth.  Just saw two awesome cars for under 10 but when you read it they just wanna get rid of it.   If they sold them for what they are worth it would take them a while 

[bodayguy]

Do you mean on eBay? There isn't a huge market for Rivieras. They're not Porsche or Jag or Corvette or even GTO.

I think at 10-20K these are a great value. I know if I sold mine (very nice condition), I wouldn't let it go for less than 20 unless I was facing living in a cardboard box. But that doesn't mean anybody wants to pay that  

[jframe]

My car is a 63,000 mile original. I say "original", but the headliner was replaced, it rides on radials, and the last owner replaced the factory air with Vintage Air. I added a CustomAutosound radio, but I still have all those factory componets for the A/C and radio. With that being said, IF I was going to sell my "original" that is well maintained by at least two long term previous owners, I wouldn't take a penny less than $25,000 for it. May not bring it, but it is worth at least that to me.

[dr914]

I think that our cars are WAY undervalued.  With the quality of the build being FAR superior to any of the muscle cars of the day, ANY Ford product of the day (don't get me wrong these days I am a Ford man because they did not take a bail out) and the performance, style, and comfort, superior, one of these days people will finally appreciate the cars and the values will go up towards the hundred grand mark for a low mile 65 GS.  Everyone likes the last year of the first generation because of the epitome of style being slightly longer, the tail lights in the bumper, the hideaway headlights (roadhouse) and the elimination of the fake side vents, coupled with all of the GS equipment.  I always wanted a 65 GS, had one at one time but it was misrepresented by a Buick dealer from whom I purchased.  SO have to be content with the car my Dad and I purchased in May of 64 when I was 12

[jframe]

2 hours ago, dr914 said:

I think that our cars are WAY undervalued.  With the quality of the build being FAR superior to any of the muscle cars of the day, ANY Ford product of the day (don't get me wrong these days I am a Ford man because they did not take a bail out) and the performance, style, and comfort, superior, one of these days people will finally appreciate the cars and the values will go up towards the hundred grand mark for a low mile 65 GS.  Everyone likes the last year of the first generation because of the epitome of style being slightly longer, the tail lights in the bumper, the hideaway headlights (roadhouse) and the elimination of the fake side vents, coupled with all of the GS equipment.  I always wanted a 65 GS, had one at one time but it was misrepresented by a Buick dealer from whom I purchased.  SO have to be content with the car my Dad and I purchased in May of 64 when I was 12

That is MORE than content! I would give ANYTHING to find Dad's Midnight Blue 65 he bought new!

[lrlforfun]

3 hours ago, jframe said:

That is MORE than content! I would give ANYTHING to find Dad's Midnight Blue 65 he bought new!

OK JF:  You didn't post your location. If it was in an area I was living in at the time me or someone might have recognized it.

 

With 30K 65 Rivs made and quite possibly a 10% survival rate you never know. I'd post as much info as possible here and like Winston, keep your fingers crossed.  Mitch

[alini]

I just received a message thru eBay from a guy who wanted to point out e has followed these cars for years and the more original it is the higher the price.   Well that's why I didn't start the bidding at 40k silly.  I know it's not original.   So he already things $25k is too much for a fresh rebuild 

[bodayguy]

Have you thought about selling it on Bring A Trailer? It's only $250. But the reserve might not be where you'd like it. I sold my Jeep on there a few months ago and it was really fun.

[jframe]

9 hours ago, lrlforfun said:

OK JF:  You didn't post your location. If it was in an area I was living in at the time me or someone might have recognized it.

 

With 30K 65 Rivs made and quite possibly a 10% survival rate you never know. I'd post as much info as possible here and like Winston, keep your fingers crossed.  Mitch

I am in Northwest Alabama, where Rivieras of ANY year seem to have always been few and far between. Just bought this beauty in February after wanting one for FORTY YEARS (first car I ever rode in as a newborn), so it would take a pretty spectacular '65 to take it's place. Love this car, love the build quality and the ride and driving experience. Dad's Midnight Blue 65 was bought new by him at Krejenke Buick in Hamtramck, Michigan, and was traded in in 1971 at Al Long Ford in Detroit on a new '71 LTD.

Edited September 16, 2016 by jframe (see edit history)

[jframe]

8 hours ago, alini said:

I just received a message thru eBay from a guy who wanted to point out e has followed these cars for years and the more original it is the higher the price.   Well that's why I didn't start the bidding at 40k silly.  I know it's not original.   So he already things $25k is too much for a fresh rebuild 

Most people don't appreciate the time, money, and effort that goes into the job, and how truly NEW the car is now that it's finished.

[petelempert]

It's really hard to place value across the entire run of first gen Rivs. There are a few generalizations I've noticed:

 

1. Rivs of all vintages still don't command the money they probably should given the quality they offer though that seems to be improving slightly.

2. 65's, even skanks, will always command a little more for the reasons mentioned above.

3. There are a lot of mixed quality customized first gens out there and I think that confuses valuation. 

4. There are a lot of "parts only/dead" cars out there that are dragging values down.  

5. There are a lot of decent "well preserved Riv drivers" selling for $10K that are really just nice old cars with issues consistent with age.

6. To break the $35K threshold, it's got to be a breathtaking car.

 

So whats the deal? We are comparing ourselves with a very heated muscle car market. Muscle cars appeal too a much broader, often younger market demographically. Desirable, limited production muscle cars are more rare than Rivs. Popular muscle cars are easier and cheaper to restore than Rivs. I don't think anyone on this forum would debate that a 69 Eldorado is probably a better car pound for pound that a 69 Chevelle, but guess which one usually gets the higher gavel price. PRL
 

[lrlforfun]

OK Riviera People:  Speculation is always fun but....Supply and Demand will never fail to take over. The market tells us what they'll pay, always.   A few things to consider with a First-Gen Riv (and most other popular cars)....

 

Overpriced vehicles do not sell. Why? Legitimate prospects are really allergic to drama and avoid it when ever possible.

 

Craig's list vehicles worth the money are usually snapped up fairly quickly and all that's left are the overpriced postings.

 

Many people price their cars according to their reality which may NOT be the market's reality.

 

Just because a car is, has, had or "whatever" doesn't necessarily add or subtract value. 

 

We love to hear our cars are worth more than we think. It caresses our ego.

 

Personally I believe the First-Gen Riviera market is very good now. When these cars are priced at market they sell. When they are priced over market they don't.    Simple, as that! 

 

Now, want to sell a car?  Do homework on market conditions, give a good and honest presentation, don't get too personally involved if possible, be respectful and let the market tell you what they will pay. If you don't have to sell, don't. If you do....the market has spoken.  Mitch

 

 

[60FlatTop]

Since I bought my car, in 1978, there have been a lot of market changes associated with collector cars. The one point that always surfaced was that first generation Riviera owners don't sell their cars very often. When they don't come up for sale it is hard to get a market value. I paid either $1900 or $2100, don't remember, for mine. And May 2017 will mark 39 years of ownership. That's one that ain't in the market. And a lot are in the hands of similar collectors. They were recognized early, well maintained by very conservative original owners, and many passed on within the same family as a wife's transport with first ownership in the 20 year range. If the first owner didn't take it to 20 years the second owner did, for sure.

 

They have popped up infrequently over the last 40 years. Because car people know me, I usually heard about ones for sale in my area; not many.

 

They really are fairly fresh on the national market scene, with the internet sales driving the exposure. I expect to own mine another 30 years unless something major breaks on the car or me. So it essentially has no value. No plans to sell, only insure.

 

If I was in the market for one I would be looking at the $8,000 to $12,000 car that needs redoing. (I am looking for that in another model). I wouldn't be interested in the so called restored one because I am too familiar with "work done by others". I will buy one that needs work and do it myself. That doesn't do any good for the market statistician but it makes me feel a lot better.

Bernie

[Seafoam65]

              Bernie, I agree with you on restored cars.......if they were restored by a professional restoration shop, they are usually

horribly expensive, and if they are amateur restorations, the car is usually a mechanical and or cosmetic money pit, with lots

of money to be spent to correct things that weren't done right in the first place. The old car in the barn or rusting away in the driveway is a hopeless money pit. That leaves the low mileage well cared for babied all it's life unrestored and unmolested cars....the holy grail of old collector cars. It took me 10 years to find mine, and as you pointed out.....I would never sell it. 

Edited September 16, 2016 by Seafoam65 (see edit history)

[rodneybeauchamp]

Great thing about this Forum and the ROA is that you soon learn that there are lots and lots of variation in the same year model in first generation Riviera. 

 

Different trim levels, manual vs power windows and vents, power seats, cruise control, air conditioning, correct colours and the list goes on. These are what helps determine for me the value of what I would pay.

 

Mitch sums it up nicely in saying that fair priced vehicles sell quickly and overpriced ones just hang around. I also wish to add that if the seller really knows the car, their advert will reflect that knowledge. So many advertisements have mistakes, which can be very misleading to the newbie.

 

And Bernies comment about " work done by others" is so very true when you find broken bolts, missing screws and patched up repairs as you start doing your own maintenance.

 

When I started looking to buy one, I had very little idea about the Riviera variations,  but air conditioning was a priority. I now have a much much better idea what to look for, how to decipher the build plate and so much more, thanks to these two sources.

 

Looking at what has been for sale since I purchased mine, I think I got lucky.

 

jmtbw Rodney