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What are these guys thinking???
Posted: Mon Jan 14, 2013 8:49 pm
by BryanM
Hi
Came across this while browsing around.
http://www.hamptons.co.za/pages/showroo ... eetle_1300 . Honestly this beetle is not worth half what they are asking. I have seen ones from going 20 to 35k that look better.
Re: What are these guys thinking???
Posted: Mon Jan 14, 2013 8:53 pm
by Tony Z
thats an awesome joke
black with racing seats.... "that'll sell"
Re: What are these guys thinking???
Posted: Tue Jan 15, 2013 7:29 am
by AKG1600
I have a question. How does one put a value on these sorts of things?
Tony Z for instance, you've invested oodles of time, effort and money in your jam jar, how do you place a value on it? I'm not defending the advert, I'm not qualified; but I'm amazed by how little value is placed on the effort put into many of the projects.
Re: What are these guys thinking???
Posted: Tue Jan 15, 2013 8:15 am
by Hubcap
Hamptons are crazy - if you look on their web there is an Audi Coupe for sale. The owner has been trying to sell it for around R40 000 for the last few years unsuccessfully - now they get hold of it and are trying for R139 900.
Re: What are these guys thinking???
Posted: Tue Jan 15, 2013 8:21 am
by Tony Z
its simple in my opinion and many people do not like my opinion.
Anything, a car, a watch, a phone.... is only worth what the buyer is willing to pay.
If you need money and you cant find a buyer, then it isnt worth a cent.
That car looks clean, but lets not forget, it is for sale by a dealer.
I am not quite sure what they are trying to hide with the vinyl in the front.
To me that car looks like nothing but work. It needs a front end drop
The rear lights are shiv
fancy mags but no disc brakes
racing seats (crap type that will need replacing before they break) but a stock engine
done properly it might sell for 60K, but I would say it needs 30K put into it before it will warrant that price.
Re: What are these guys thinking???
Posted: Tue Jan 15, 2013 8:22 am
by Tony Z
Hubcap wrote:Hamptons are crazy - if you look on their web there is an Audi Coupe for sale. The owner has been trying to sell it for around R40 000 for the last few years unsuccessfully - now they get hold of it and are trying for R139 900.
and the sad thing is that because they are a dealer, the average Joe trusts them. They only need to sell 5 or 6 cars a year with that kind of markup to stay in business. Some overpaid father will see that beetle and think it will be a great car for his kid.
Re: What are these guys thinking???
Posted: Tue Jan 15, 2013 8:38 am
by MarshallGTi
the eyelids are skew

Re: What are these guys thinking???
Posted: Tue Jan 15, 2013 8:58 am
by Thumper
I know that we will never get back what we put into our cars. I have done a Cal looker, a hot Watercooled VW, a fibreglass kit car, Thumper1, and never made my money back on any of them.
Some try, they add all the invoices for the parts fitted, paint, bodywork, engine build, labour etc. Then add a bit and 'put it out there' hoping for a bite.
Very rarely will the buyer see the same value as the seller. IMO.
As a potential buyer of a car/project, I look at how solid the bits are that will remain after I turf all the unwanted stuff off. I then consider the amount I am going to spend, to make it 'my car'.
Re: What are these guys thinking???
Posted: Tue Jan 15, 2013 9:01 am
by riaanj
Yup!..
Look at some of the finishing on this car, not a bargain in my opinion..
Re: What are these guys thinking???
Posted: Tue Jan 15, 2013 9:25 am
by AKG1600
Thumper wrote:I know that we will never get back what we put into our cars. I have done a Cal looker, a hot Watercooled VW, a fibreglass kit car, Thumper1, and never made my money back on any of them.
Some try, they add all the invoices for the parts fitted, paint, bodywork, engine build, labour etc. Then add a bit and 'put it out there' hoping for a bite.
Very rarely will the buyer see the same value as the seller. IMO.
As a potential buyer of a car/project, I look at how solid the bits are that will remain after I turf all the unwanted stuff off. I then consider the amount I am going to spend, to make it 'my car'.
I hear you. I guess many of us, if not, all of us are about building a car that is 'my car'. A big reason for why we do it.
In my naivity, I just think it would be nice to get fair value for all the hard work when it's time to move on.
Again, not defending the ad, but the thread did raise a question I've been wanting answered for a while because I see a number of good works here that I think are worthy.
Re: What are these guys thinking???
Posted: Tue Jan 15, 2013 11:39 am
by VW0007
I think - we all lost the plot..
I do MTB - and 60k BUYS one a decent mountain bike --
I know when Beetles were new and we all laughed at the old ladies driving them - they cost R2000 - off the floor..
I just dropped a huge chunk of cash fixing my RAT baja -- initially i bought the Baja for under 8 --- then the work and spares and time and accessories all mount
Before you wipe your eyes and see a 100 completeD VW Beetle - you drop a good 50 K ---
I build up bikes as a Hobby too - as well as ride the BIKES until I break -- which as Ive got too close to half century - seems to happen often --
We drop chunks of change of bicycles -- almost as much as Ive done on the Baja -- Maybe more some times for a good carbon bling bike --
If the seller of any personal item like a car or bicycle or motorbike -- believes its worth a good chunk -- someone else will too --
Believe me -- I sold an old bicycle to get me started on my first passion = VW's --- and I think when i compare prices --
for eg --
I x set decent mountain bike wheels and tubless tyres = R8000 - Mid Range -- 2 bicycle wheels and tyres
My set of 4 mags and tyres for the Baja = R3500... - Good steel mags - tyres and caps ---
I by decent Mountain bike saddle = R2900 1 X SADDLE FOR A BICYCLE
I set decent reclinable bucket seats = R2000 -- 2 X SEATS FOR A CAR
COULD GO ON BUT YOU SEE WHAT I AM GETTING AT...
I bought new 4 x slave cycl and Master cyc with brake shoes and hoses for the Baja = R 1500
I x set mid range Brake levers and calepers for a Mountain bicycle = R2000 = No brake rotors (Discs)
In short every hobby has its good and Bad --
I think to drop 60K on any ones hard work and if its a good job - NO MATTER if its a bike, bicycle, car -- its cost someone bllooood sweat tears and money --
Yes a car in my opinion is way more value for money --
So let the man dream and sell his Beetle
I think i could get 50K for my Baja -- after the ride Sat -- was offered this twice -- within the 60 min ride i did..
Someone who does not like rat rods or beetles wouldnt give me 5k..
Re: What are these guys thinking???
Posted: Tue Jan 15, 2013 3:46 pm
by riaanj
VW0007 wrote:I think - we all lost the plot..
I do MTB - and 60k BUYS one a decent mountain bike --
I know when Beetles were new and we all laughed at the old ladies driving them - they cost R2000 - off the floor..
I just dropped a huge chunk of cash fixing my RAT baja -- initially i bought the Baja for under 8 --- then the work and spares and time and accessories all mount
Before you wipe your eyes and see a 100 completeD VW Beetle - you drop a good 50 K ---
I build up bikes as a Hobby too - as well as ride the BIKES until I break -- which as Ive got too close to half century - seems to happen often --
We drop chunks of change of bicycles -- almost as much as Ive done on the Baja -- Maybe more some times for a good carbon bling bike --
If the seller of any personal item like a car or bicycle or motorbike -- believes its worth a good chunk -- someone else will too --
Believe me -- I sold an old bicycle to get me started on my first passion = VW's --- and I think when i compare prices --
for eg --
I x set decent mountain bike wheels and tubless tyres = R8000 - Mid Range -- 2 bicycle wheels and tyres
My set of 4 mags and tyres for the Baja = R3500... - Good steel mags - tyres and caps ---
I by decent Mountain bike saddle = R2900 1 X SADDLE FOR A BICYCLE
I set decent reclinable bucket seats = R2000 -- 2 X SEATS FOR A CAR
COULD GO ON BUT YOU SEE WHAT I AM GETTING AT...
I bought new 4 x slave cycl and Master cyc with brake shoes and hoses for the Baja = R 1500
I x set mid range Brake levers and calepers for a Mountain bicycle = R2000 = No brake rotors (Discs)
In short every hobby has its good and Bad --
I think to drop 60K on any ones hard work and if its a good job - NO MATTER if its a bike, bicycle, car -- its cost someone bllooood sweat tears and money --
Yes a car in my opinion is way more value for money --
So let the man dream and sell his Beetle
I think i could get 50K for my Baja -- after the ride Sat -- was offered this twice -- within the 60 min ride i did..
Someone who does not like rat rods or beetles wouldnt give me 5k..
You know, you might actually be right with all of us losing the plot, I just got all the goodies together to redo my brakes, brake lines, M/C & wheel bearings on the 1303 with all new parts and sofar I've spent R8000-00

Re: What are these guys thinking???
Posted: Tue Jan 15, 2013 6:33 pm
by retrovan
In my opinion, there is only one way to get your money back on a project.
That is if you put it back to Full Stock, as it came off the factory floor.
This way you will attract the most buyers, the buyer has the least amount of things that he will not like, and the least amount of things that "he" feels need reworking.
BUT all of us are MAD as we fit individual taste to
OUR CAR and spend BIG bucks to get that special item that rings our bell.
Like me with my type 4 engines and Weber carbs, money that you spend, that the new owner feels a devaluation as he now needs to dump it and replace it with what he wants.
Think we just have to live with the idea that its fun to build, nice to drive and tear jerking to have to sell, so me thinks you all need to build bigger storerooms to house this addiction, and leave it to the kids to sell when you gone.....
What I have spent on the Fastback, I can get a brand new VW for, what I spent on the Beetle, is halve of what I still want to spend on it and am already into R50 K with it now.
BUT, is the car not now NEW, is it not now BETTER then a new car, and will you ever be able to buy a NEW car like this in the future.
Yes the price is right, but our mindset is not, we should hold out for better prices.
Herman
Herman
Re: What are these guys thinking???
Posted: Tue Jan 15, 2013 8:39 pm
by 62vwbeetle
So what if u go down over 100 k on a Vw , it's a hobby, and hobbies are expensive and never done for profit, purely pleasure and yes you will sell what u have built , and yes maybe you make some cash on it but that not the reason u did it. Buy a decent camera u in for 10 k, then add one lens and u up to twenty , so there u go.... Hobbies
Re: What are these guys thinking???
Posted: Wed Jan 16, 2013 3:35 pm
by AKG1600
Quite right on all counts. It is a hobby and the reward is being able to produce something you love and can enjoy. Therein lies the satisfaction.