Price Guide: Avantis value is increasing...

[J Boyle]

I just received the new 2014 Winter/Spring price guide from Sports Car Market magazine (the guys that report on all the auctions).

For a #2 car they say:

Low $18,000 High $28,000 and they give it 4 stars which means they expect it to outpace the general (i.e. not vintage Ferraris or older Porsche 911s which are very "hot" now) market and gain 10% or more in the coming year.

For comparison here's what they said in

2013 Summer/Fall

Low 15,000 High 26,000

2013 Winter/Spring; 2012 Summer/Fall; 2012 Winter/Spring; 2011

Low 14,500 High $25,000

Yes, we all know price guides aren't always worth the paper they're printed on....but allow me to look at this like a glass that's half full: It's nice to see some upward movement. For years Avantis have been undervalues, the same car with a Ford or GM badge would bring triple what Avantis now bring.

[Gunslinger]

As you said, price guides aren't worth much when it comes to actually exchanging cash, but it may be of help when it comes to insurance values.

I believe some of this might be due to other, far more popular cars becoming simply out of the range of beginner collectors and are looking for less expensive alternatives. The Avanti fits right in that market. The trick there is new owners don't know how deep the doo-doo they're in when they find out how expensive rebuilding an Avanti can be. As in other makes, that brings the rise of resto-mods. I can appreciate that as it can save what would end up otherwise as parts cars.

[J Boyle]

Hopefully, any serious old car buyer (at least those who can read) will head the caution..."Buy the best one you can afford".

Rebuilding/restoring any car isn't cheap, and a long out of production orphan especially so.

There are enough nice #2 or 3 quality cars out there for very reasonable money that no one should even think about bringing an Avanti back from the dead...unless itis a special car or has sentimental value to the owner.

[Guest dapy]

If supply and demand count there have been fewer and fewer Studebaker Avantis for sale in the last six months. Always more later models, but very few right now. The 2002 convertible at eBay just sold for $29,500 second time out. iMO about right.

Price guides say they get their numbers from known trades. Most trades are unrecorded and the market for Avantis is so thin that price guessing and wishful thinking prevail.