INt SP on Collecting Cars auction site

[Pymmie]

With the owner spending £129k & having another SP currently being restored , surely he can’t take a hit of over £80k !

Won’t help prices of decent cars being sold in due course…

John P

[Mick g]

Surely it would have had a reserve? I know things are slow at the moment as I’m trying to sell my car but at that price it’s worrying. That’s this one and the silver FF 2 that didn’t break £50k!

[Mark1Stu]

Ouch!

Selling while the market is in the doldrums and especially at this time of year is to my mind, heroic. That said, it provides the seller the opportunity to do good things with the space and the cash.

So congratulations to the seller - and buyer in particular.

I’m holding onto the knowledge that an excellent MK3 Interceptor sold recently for circa £70k and a lovely MK11 FF for £125k not so long ago. Furthermore, with the sad passing of the Jensen restoration maestro Colin Holley, there’s no way you could restore either for those figures today.

[Mr.Mini]

If Paul Tootill is reading this message , can he please contact me .

Best regards , Harald

[DPP]

There are lessons to be learned here from anybody trying to sell any model of Jensen at auction.

I find auctions usually better for cars that have problems i.e a rusty body with new shiny paintwork and not for cars that are in good condition, this SP and Zacs old FF have highlighted what can happen at auction with no reserve.
I would never want to put any car up for auction when both the market (for most classics) is struggling and added to that just before Christmas makes it crazy and although disappointed at the result I am not surprised.

Also as many have commented even if you like the wheels on your car others may not so a couple of hundred pounds spent having them diamond cut would have in my opinion resulted in more interest and a higher sale price.
The wheels made the car look far from standard, which it wasn't and this was highlighted by an enquiry i had about the car with the prospective bidder asking did it have the same suspension as a JIA car and what engine/gearbox were fitted when in fact it was a pretty standard car but with many of the upgrades that many Jensen owners carry out.

Auction sites want cars with either a low reserve or no reserve as they make money as long as it sells, somebody got a great car for a fraction of its real value and Ive had a few people message me they would have bought it if they realised it would sell at such a low price.

[David Davies]

DPP is probably right in everything he says.

While I am still a great Jensen fan, I think quite a lot are now overpriced to be attractive to a potential bidder like me. Much of what is on carandclassic has been on there for some time and not sold. Of course I was spoilt when I bought my two CV8s years ago for 11k a piece when they were about 25 years old but I just don’t find a CV8 at £69.5k in a dealer currently an attractive buy nor one at £42k that needs at least £50k of work. It’s an awful lot. Equally as a potential buyer wanting a fully sorted car £70k for an Interceptor, £85k for an SP or £115k for an FF just doesn’t do it for me. Some 541s have become very attractively priced but they are not a very practical classic space wise for me - can’t accomodate a wheelchair.

I’ve become more attracted to some of the modern classics that are now 20-25 years old and much better value for money. Prices of top of the range Merc CL 600s or CL55d and Bentley Continental coupes have really bottomed out and in pristine form throughout with FSH can give a lot of pleasure. I recently bought my 2001 V12 Merc CL600 in absolutely fabulous condition for well under £20k. And the Merc main dealership is just up the road for any servicing or repairs, though the 24 plugs have just been replaced! I had an S class saloon of that era a year or two back and I can confirm the service costs were quite modest and they were very obliging. Most important the CL while being a very attractive coupe also has a wheelchair sized boot.

[slotcarone]

One thing I noticed about this car was that the right rear wheel arch was replaced and the shape was very different than the correct left side rear wheel arch. Otherwise from what was shown a nice car. All those photos and no underside photos.

[Grant]

This SP and Zacs old FF have highlighted what can happen at auction with no reserve.

But Dave, it did have a reserve on it didn't it?..then it disappeared in the last minutes, so the reserve must have been set low like that was it not?

[Mick g]

For what it’s worth, I didn’t think it was excessively priced around £90k and would have been interested BUT, I’m still trying to sell mine. It’s a difficult market and from what I’ve been advised, it’s a case of patience, don’t panic and auction it.
Whilst age has helped me to be patient I’m also aware that I’m not getting any younger

[Peter Rothery]

One thing I noticed about this car was that the right rear wheel arch was replaced and the shape was very different than the correct left side rear wheel arch. Otherwise from what was shown a nice car. All those photos and no underside photos.

Symmetry and Jensen are words that rarely go together even from the factory. Cropredy used replacement panels from Boes of Nottingham back in the day and some of these were dreadful in terms of fit and finish. Few will be concerned or even notice the apparent front valence swage line differences...

myh osf.jpg (200.49 KiB) Viewed 499 times

myh nsf.jpg (134.56 KiB) Viewed 499 times

I'd also have to put the brake light warning light in the right way up...but that is just me!!!!!

[interceptor@joc.org.uk]

Is it me or does this SP have a later MKIII Front Bumper as it has the curved undersides to allow the lights to shine through where the earlier cars have no curved underside on the Front.

So does this mean the Front has MKIII valence and front side/indicator lamps not slightly covered by the bumper.

I have no idea why the MKII/III bumper switched over and when it did switch over.

So please does this SP have the correct SP front bumper please ?

Thank you
Neil

[Mark1Stu]

Richard Calver’s excellent book ‘Original Interceptor’ will be a good source of information on this subject, Neil.

[Peter Rothery]

The change took place at approx chassis 8060 according to Calver. This is 8057 I think?. Inconclusive?

[jsngold]

I’ve just fitted Harrington stainless steel bumpers to SP 4505, they seem to be modelled on the later ones which also have a different bracket set up. Perhaps this has the same,

[johnw]

Interesting comment about the reserve briefly being not met. That explains the auction not saying no reserve. You expect bargains at auction. It is difficult and time consuming to sell a Jensen for good money. Every 3 to 4 months there is at least one “bargain” like this. Cannonball’s FF, Peter’s FF, Keith Andrew’s FF, Zac’s old FF getting bid to £90K+ not sold, listed no reserve and then making just £50k. My perception is that FFs sell for more than SPs and convertibles. So this isn’t that surprising statistically, and theoretically the seller should be able to get another Jensen bargain within a year probably not an SP though! His latest SP looked stunning on Facebook.