USA Prices

[felixkk]

Do you mean Jensen prices or in general? Are FFs for example too expensive in your opinion? You and I don't make the prices, we can influence them minimally by us propagating our marque. Is that something we shouldn't do, so we can keep the prices down? I'd have to ask our members what they think. I can't really see many of them saying their cars should be worth half as much as they are, let's work together to make that happen. Investors, I agree to a certain extent. On the other hand, a person I met a while back had two 911s when they were abot 30k. He never drove them because he didn't want to devalue them. I see cars on the road all the time worth more than 100k, both new and old.

What bothers me is if the value of our cars were to be misrepresented- especially those in excellent condition. Say your newly restored car gets hit by another car. Your car may be covered for 120k with your insurance. But the other insurance says, we're not paying that: every valuation puts the very best example at half of that value. Could that happen?

[colin7673]

There are those that use their cars and will travel many miles not worrying about the cost or value of their car.
I think the clubs have a lot to do to better promote what members are doing with their cars and where they are traveling to. A few photos and a write up in a magazine that only is available to members isn't enough.
Better organisation and details of past events and trips on social media, after all any club with a webpage for any Mark is the clubs "shop window" more information will dispel some of the unreasonable myths about a classic car brand
All this will help to bring a brand more desirable and in to the classic cars enthusiast mindset.

[Richie]

I think the profile of the Jensen marque, in the UK at least, been raised significantly and features regularly in the classic press. Indeed, there is a Healey in the current issue of C&SC which also featured a C-V8 as recently as December. The Interceptor and FF were there in January 2020. Given how few models there are to choose from, I think that's pretty good going.

Whilst increased press exposure may help increase values, we need to be careful what we wish for as increasing prices take the cars away from enthusiasts and to 'investors'.
There's many a car owner who feels that their car is undervalued.

Looking at Interceptor alternative contemporaries, though cheaper when new, a Jag XJ12 may offer a similar experience and from a bespoke manufacturer with motorsport heritage - a good version of even the rare coupe version of one of those will only set you back around £25,000. Talking of motorsport heriatge, no manufacture could claim to rival Ferrari in that field, but instead of spending say £40,000 on an Interceptor, how about a Ferrari 400 instead? If its prestige you want, many Bentley and Rolls Royce products fare even worse - a collection of these could be bought for the price of a good Interceptor. A good example of the (thankfully) rare Carmargue, once the most expensive car in the world could now be yours for around £40,000. Same applies for the utterly gorgeous Bentley Continental R of the 1990s. A saloon Turbo R even less. I don't think we can expect the values of Jensen cars to be wildly different from the alternatives that may be considered. And there are many.

Conversely, look at what has happened to the price of once cheap disposable runabouts. I've not noticed greater exposure to Ford Escorts or Cortinas but the price of these Dagenham Dustbins has gone crazy, especially if they only have two doors. Similarly, Mini Coopers - no more exposure but £50,000 for an S no longer raises an eyebrow. The S is perhaps a bit special but the price of classic Minis has risen hugely. Perhaps there's an element of lower running costs leading to higher purchase costs. And vice versa.

Great news for the investor - but less so for the enthusiast.

Though I agree entirely that now wouldn't be the time to sell, I think that the prices are, on the whole, about right as they're generally on a par with comparable alternatives and, Healey aside for obvious reasons, are thankfully no longer in the same price bracket as MG Bs, great cars though they are.

Best concentrate less on the financial value and focus instead on enjoying our classics. That's what they were built for after all - only the manufacturer built them to make money.

[felixkk]

Whilst increased press exposure may help increase values, we need to be careful what we wish for

I'm not sure it's a reply to my post.

What I'm wishing for is not all that relevant, I want to find out the true sales prices. We've been approached by someone who wants a concours LHD Interceptor and is willing to pay the price. That buyer just doesn't exist in the valuations. Nor are there any cars available for him to buy.

increasing prices take the cars away from enthusiasts and to 'investors'

You're saying that Convertible and FF owners are less enthusiasts than Jensen-Healey owners?

There's many a car owner who feels that their car is undervalued.

I agree, we see many cars that are overpriced...

[colin7673]

That's in the press. But what about clubs webpage and car exposure, if I see something in national news paper then look company's webpage and what you are looking for isn't their, it is disappointing.

You must remember that the next generation up and coming are going to be the next custodians of these cars or of any classic car, we know that the per war cars are finding it hard to find new owners and our cars could be in the same predicament in 20 years or so, so clubs should start utilising social media better then they are doing.
You can not just rely on national press to do the job.

And did you sell your car at the right time or the wrong time, Richie ?

[Steve Payne]

Best concentrate less on the financial value and focus instead on enjoying our classics. That's what they were built for after all - only the manufacturer built them to make money.

Well put Richie, cars are to be driven and enjoyed. Drive them while we still can with minimal restrictions. Personally I find any exscuse to drive my classic cars.

Steve

[felixkk]

I don't know where you guys find the nerve on judging others who's an enthusiast and who isn't, based on the money invested in their cars (the less the better), on the number of miles done. "Manufacturer built them to make money." ??? Seriously? I'm out of this discussion.

[Richie]

No offence was meant and I'm not sure why any has been taken. I'm not equating the value of a car to an owners enthusiasm. Exactly the opposite in fact. Sincere apologies if any has inadvertently been caused.

It may be the case that I've got the wrong end of the stick and addressed a point that wasn't initially being made. I was largely addressing the point made that Jensen cars aren't more valuable and that the club should be doing more to change that.

The point I was trying - and clearly failing - to make is that Jensen cars have generally risen in value recent years and rightly so, having finally caught up with the "competition". Hopefully, prices will remain comparable. But do we want them to continue rising? As owners, maybe but if they rise too far, there is that risk that the cars are no longer used and are instead pushed away from those who want and can enjoy classic cars intrinsically and toward those who want them to instead enjoy financial returns at the expense - no pun intended - of the enthusiast.

And that will be very sad for enthusiasts such as all of us who post here.

[felixkk]

Richie, I'm the private me on one hand, but also the secretary of our club on the other hand. I cannot, like you, judge others. Some of our members have one car, some have 5, some 20, some 100, some 200. Who of those is a enthusiast and who isn't? What do I know, or care, who am I to judge? Noboby who has a Jensen, that I know, is in it for the money. Most realize that they'll suffer quite a bit of damage if they were to sell their car if they spent a great deal of money on it. Some drive theirs, some don't. The point I'm trying to make for the 100th and last time, is that I have reason to believe that the prices published for our cars are not accurate. If someone gives me a good explanation why this is good for us, then I'm more than happy to accept that. But honestly, enough is enough.

[Richie]

I'm judging no one Felix.
And am at a bit of a loss as to how you've concluded I am.
As I conceded, my first post on this topic was a replyabout the club not doing enough to raise values of the Jensen marque.
So, as is often the case, I think this topic has, like many a good conversation, headed into a different direction. And I apologise for encouraging any divergence or offence. None intended. And certainly no judgement because we're all enthusiasts here and long may Jensens, and indeed classic cars, be owned exclusively by enthusiasts.

Amen.

[felixkk]

My apologies if I've misinterpreted your posts, and sorry for hijacking this thread. It seems like this issue just isn't important and I'd rather spend my time with other things.

[johnw]

Are FFs for example too expensive in your opinion?

I do think FFs are very cheap compared to some more common cars like the Porsche 911. I'm not saying the 911 is overpriced either. This is my opinion only.

Back in the real world I would imagine that we are about to see some cheap FFs go under the hammer.

[Joe Schiavone]

One of the best threads that I have read in a long time. Drive the beast. Enjoy the beast. Saving your Jensen from use is only good for the next owner. You deserve the thrill the Interceptor may give you