USA Today article on Vintage SUV prices

[Broncitis]

http://www.usatoday.com/story/drive...olet-blazer-jeep-toyota-land-cruiser/2078021/


That old SUV cluttering up your garage may be worth some serious money.

You know the one: the International Travelall under a tarp that once toted many a Boy Scout troop, or the Toyota Land Cruiser with the rusting winch on the front bumper. We suspect many old SUVs are just sitting around lots these days, driven little because of the high price of gas.

But there is cash waiting for their owners. Reason: Auction watchers say that old SUVs are becoming classic-car collector items.

At the big January auctions in Scottsdale, Ariz., 11 vintage Toyota FJ Cruisers went on the block. One, a 1981 mustard-yellow FJ-40, went for an eye-popping $88,000, according to Hagerty Insurance, which tracks auction prices.

How prices have gone up on vintage:

•Ford Broncos. Up 61%, from $15,700 in 2008 to $25,250 in 2012.

•Toyota Land Cruisers. Up 35%, from $23,000 in 2008 to $31,000 in 2012.

•Jeeps. Up 21%, from $12,700 in 2008 to $15,450 in 2012.

•Chevy Blazers. Up 18%, from $12,250 in 2008 to $14,400 in 2012.

"With so many young collectors opting for modern SUVs as their daily drivers, we're seeing a shift in perception of what makes a vehicle cool," says McKeel Hagerty, CEO of Hagerty, an insurance agency for classic vehicles. "Broncos, Land Rovers and other similar vehicles from the '60s and '70s were, for the most part, once seen as utilitarian. But vintage SUVs are becoming more and more collectible."

Because the trend is just starting, he says it's a good time to get in on the front end of the trend.

So, maybe that faded Ford Explorer (Eddie Bauer Edition, of course) really deserves a wax job after all these years.

 

[Broncitis]

Not so sure about the trend just starting and getting in on the front end, but if it makes others out there think it is time to go all in and invest in these, them I'm all for it, makes ours worth even more! ;D

 

[74NJBronco]

Good find. Who knew we were trend setters!!!!! I just wanted a classic car and decided that a classic truck would be more orginial and fun. That and the open top just makes my day.

 

[BroncKrawler]

So, maybe that faded Ford Explorer (Eddie Bauer Edition, of course) really deserves a wax job after all these years.

That part of the article made me laugh, I really doubt the old '91 - '94 Explorers will be worth much in the coming years...

 

[ugly74]

I always knew that we were ahead of the curve

 

[Crude dude]

Oh lord, please dont let my wife see this

 

[HELLFIRE]

The only down side to this is people who have rusted out POS ones that aren't worth anything will now think they are worth $10,000. And will start making it harder for the average person, that actually wants one for themselves, to afford one. I have seen the same thing happen to the muscle cars. People see totally restored muscle cars going for $100-200,000 so they think the rust bucket they have had sitting under a tree for 20 years is worth $20,000. They don't understand that it takes $100,000 to get some of those cars to that condition.

 

[pnavarro170]

good find, gotta show my girl so that she understands the money going into it better.

 

[thepunisher]

I agree with hellfire. For the business great for them. But for me, drives the price of the parts up, people askin more than their worth. I'm in it for the love, not the dollar....

 

[MartyG]

The only down side to this is people who have rusted out POS ones that aren't worth anything will now think they are worth $10,000.QUOTE]
Like this guy?
http://santabarbara.craigslist.org/cto/3697875852.html

 

[azslim]

The only down side to this is people who have rusted out POS ones that aren't worth anything will now think they are worth $10,000. And will start making it harder for the average person, that actually wants one for themselves, to afford one. I have seen the same thing happen to the muscle cars. People see totally restored muscle cars going for $100-200,000 so they think the rust bucket they have had sitting under a tree for 20 years is worth $20,000. They don't understand that it takes $100,000 to get some of those cars to that condition.

Thanks! I was going to list mine tomorrow for $10,000.00

 

[HELLFIRE]

I agree with hellfire. For the business great for them. But for me, drives the price of the parts up, people askin more than their worth. I'm in it for the love, not the dollar....

Me too. I have had mine for 13 years now and don't ever plan on selling it. No matter what the prices go to.

With all these car shows on tv these days, every person thinks they can slap some paint over some rust and sell it for a fortune. Because the other idiots with money, who never were into cars and don't know anything about them, are now paying big money for average condition cars with candy paint and a some bolt ons.

Same thing is happening right now to one of my other hobbies, guns. All this hype on TV made everyone run to the store to buy guns they had never even heard of before the hype. (And all the ammo) Meanwhile it makes the people who love to do it, and have been doing it for years, have to pay 2x the price for ammo or guns.

 

[HELLFIRE]

The only down side to this is people who have rusted out POS ones that aren't worth anything will now think they are worth $10,000.QUOTE]
Like this guy?
http://santabarbara.craigslist.org/cto/3697875852.html

Exactly. Now dont get me wrong. I still think the price for something like that has gone up in the past few years. Because more people are hanging on to them and not selling them. At least in my area. But thats still way high for something that if you wanted to go all the way with a restoration or resto-mod, you would spend another $10,000 just to get the body right and painted.

 

[bmc69]

I always knew that we were ahead of the curve

If there is a curve, there is no way I'm ahead of it. %)

 

[rmiller747]

Cool Article. Thanks for posting....

 

[BRONCOBERT]

Sure you could sell your Bronco for 61% more but when the dollar collapses and becomes worthless your gonna wish you had your Bronco back. Haha!

 

[WheelHorse]

OK, so who on here would spend 88G on an FJ-40?

I would think some of the better off blokes might be able to drop 25-35 on a minty survivor or fully decked out Bronco, but I don't see most of us dropping 88G.

 

[WheelHorse]

http://www.usatoday.com/story/drive...olet-blazer-jeep-toyota-land-cruiser/2078021/



"With so many young collectors opting for modern SUVs as their daily drivers, we're seeing a shift in perception of what makes a vehicle cool," says McKeel Hagerty, CEO of Hagerty, an insurance agency for classic vehicles. "Broncos, Land Rovers and other similar vehicles from the '60s and '70s were, for the most part, once seen as utilitarian. But vintage SUVs are becoming more and more collectible."

I thought young people wanted Priuses and green fuel sippers to go to coffee shoppes?

I wasn't aware that young collectors had a clue on how to actually work on old rigs, seeing that most of these require regular maintenance above and beyond what local garages seem to understand anymore.

 

[AZ73]

I thought young people wanted Priuses and green fuel sippers to go to coffee shoppes?

I wasn't aware that young collectors had a clue on how to actually work on old rigs, seeing that most of these require regular maintenance above and beyond what local garages seem to understand anymore.

That's just media propaganda. All my kids live in Riverside, CA. I think the entire county sits on a 5.5 inch lift.

 

[wheelsblank27]

The only down side to this is people who have rusted out POS ones that aren't worth anything will now think they are worth $10,000.QUOTE]
Like this guy?
http://santabarbara.craigslist.org/cto/3697875852.html

Ha, this article made my day.
I've seen that bronco for sale on craigslist for awile. Probly worth 1/2 what the guy is askin ( it does have a few cool options) I can imagine the cost to refresh everything would be a lot though. That's what the average guy doesn't understand is the amount of time and $ that goes into every fix big or small , I do everything my self and still I have a stack of receipts that scares me