R107 with 5,100 miles

[DieselPaul]

Originally Posted by Skid Row Joe

Depends on where the car was parked - sun or garaged, and also the amount of exposure to salt and road chemicals, as well as airborne pollutants. In that condition and those miles, it's non-issue.

I would not have thought that a car with their reputation of engine-fires as being a collectable? The interest would have to be small, I would think. I care about my car's value, and I drive it enough for it's value to not be effected by it's miles. That way, I can enjoy driving it - as well as owning it.

Okay well when I buy that R107 I'll just pop off the moldings.

I am not comparing the value of a Fiero to a R107, I am merely stating that from my perspective as someone who owns an abnormally low miled car, I do not drive it. I have a friend with a 70s Chrysler 300 with 35k miles and he doesn't drive that. There is a large following for fieros and there are collectors for anything. People collect plates, people collect porn, people collect cars that catch on fire, people collect cars that rust too. A heat shield fixed the fieros fire problems. What actually makes my '84 interesting is that it is has none of the anti-fire recalls done to it. Dangerous, sure, but it is one of the few cars left that has the original parts left on it. Making it rarer. We could debate fieros burn rates, which was actually lower than that of ford thunderbirds of a similar vintage which never was know for fire problems, but no-one wants to listen to that.

[Skid Row Joe]

Unless you're willing to not drive either of those two SLs for sale, they're certainly not a daily driver value. That is unless you want your car to lose it's value like crazy. The guy (forum member here) that bought and posted pictures of his Silver/Grey 560 SL in Denver, CO. with as I recall about 130K - 140K? miles on it - has a sharp looking car, and he can drive it without suffering loss to his principal - all for $2K out-of-pocket. That to me is value when buying an old car. If you're willing not to drive a car, then that in itself is a cost. It has then lost it's utility value, which of course is transportation.

[450slcguy]

Originally Posted by DieselPaul

Its a shame the '89 has those chrome over fenders.

I have a 10,210 mile Fiero, I cannot drive it. Unless R107 cars were my life and blood I wouldn't buy either car. I'd rather have a 50,000 mile unit I wouldn't mind taking out for sunday coffee and cruising.

I don't know why so many people don't like the wheel arches. I think they look great and compliment all the other bright trim work on our cars. For me, untrimmed wheel arches look spartan, like they left something off at the factory.

[rowdie]

It is a personal taste item. Altough they have been known to cause problems.
If you have money and want a car to trailer to shows buy one. I like to drive and work on them. I have always loved the 107 styling.

[Skid Row Joe]

Originally Posted by rowdie

If you have seen one I guess you have seen them all.
'86 560SL 2,3?? miles. Only 4 hours left.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=270564792189&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

Auction ended, 'Reserve Not Met' - why am I not surprised.....he probably had the Reserve at $50K or more. In this economy - he's dreaming. LOL!

[DieselPaul]

Originally Posted by 450slcguy

I don't know why so many people don't like the wheel arches. I think they look great and compliment all the other bright trim work on our cars. For me, untrimmed wheel arches look spartan, like they left something off at the factory.

It wouldn't be a problem on a 5k mile car but in my experience when you pull them off a 20 year old car they were either put on to hide rust, or they sealed in crap when they were put on 20 years ago and caused the rust. If you keep the car clean (like an SL) this isn't a problem but whenever you pull them off an old 300D sitting in someones backyard you find rotted out wheel arches.

Unless you're willing to not drive either of those two SLs for sale, they're certainly not a daily driver value. That is unless you want your car to lose it's value like crazy. The guy (forum member here) that bought and posted pictures of his Silver/Grey 560 SL in Denver, CO. with as I recall about 130K - 140K? miles on it - has a sharp looking car, and he can drive it without suffering loss to his principal - all for $2K out-of-pocket. That to me is value when buying an old car. If you're willing not to drive a car, then that in itself is a cost. It has then lost it's utility value, which of course is transportation.

Aren't we saying the same thing? I'd rather buy a really nice 50-60k mile, hell 140k mile car that is mechanically sound, nice paint, nice interior that I have no inhibitions about hopping in on any nice evening after work and going for a cruise. I'd think twice about every mile I put on a 5k mile car especially when I paid a 500% premium to have that low mileage. I buy my cars to drive them. I stumbled into the fiero because I have an 88GT that my grandfather bought new and a '87 3800SC fiero I am the fiero guy around so I got a call on the '84 and bought it for damn near nothing. Would I have gone out and paid what the '84 is worth... NO!

[Skid Row Joe]

I don't think the two can be compared. A 5K miles Mercedes-Benz SL, is not the same as a 10K miles Pontiac Fiero. If you have sentimental ties to the Pontiac with 10K miles on it - that's fine. But it's not a Mercedes-Benz. I just don't see a 10K Fiero gaining the value a Mercedes-Benz with 5K miles will. The Pontiac line is either defunct - or soon to be. That's a huge negative as it's been discontinued - not a plus. I don't see the value you would ever gain on a 10K+ mile Pontiac - to the extent you're afraid to even drive it even one mile. To me, it sounds like you've lost perspective on the car, and because you won't drive it - it's lost it's utility value.

If your Pontiac had no miles on it - it would be something to revere in value - but your 10K might as well be 20K, 30K, or even 40K miles - I don't see the difference in it's value on sale day.

I know two collectors of cars and motorcycles one in Phoenix and one in Nebraska - both multi-millionaires not because they started collecting - that each have dozens of examples - all with less than 100 miles on their prize possessions. Some have no miles on them at all. These no miles cars/motorcycles are indeed very valuable - not vehicles with any more than even 1 thousand miles on them.

[meltedpanda]

I found these two last year with zero miles on them , never driven

[Skid Row Joe]

Absolutely stunning! I like 'em both!

These cars are very valuable because they have NO MILES on them!

Originally Posted by meltedpanda

I found these two last year with zero miles on them , never driven

[DieselPaul]

Originally Posted by Skid Row Joe

I don't think the two can be compared. A 5K miles Mercedes-Benz SL, is not the same as a 10K miles Pontiac Fiero. If you have sentimental ties to the Pontiac with 10K miles on it - that's fine. But it's not a Mercedes-Benz. I just don't see a 10K Fiero gaining the value a Mercedes-Benz with 5K miles will. The Pontiac line is either defunct - or soon to be. That's a huge negative as it's been discontinued - not a plus. I don't see the value you would ever gain on a 10K+ mile Pontiac - to the extent you're afraid to even drive it even one mile. To me, it sounds like you've lost perspective on the car, and because you won't drive it - it's lost it's utility value.

If your Pontiac had no miles on it - it would be something to revere in value - but your 10K might as well be 20K, 30K, or even 40K miles - I don't see the difference in it's value on sale day.
.

I'm comparing states of mind, not the value of the cars. I am not stupid, a Mercedes benz most definately carries a certain intangible air and class about it that my fiero will never have. HOWEVER, they are both VERY obtainable and the only thing that separates either of them from any other car on ebay is the mileage. Read my posts in their entirety, not search for what immediately can be negated. I own a low miled car, do you? I am stating my opinion, that as an owner of a car that have traveled less than 500 miles per year I choose to not drive it. I have driven it before. That is my opinion and how I choose to treat my "rare" car. I am actually considering selling it but I will wait until it is worth a bit more. As for its value, you have your opinion, I have mine, neither matter and neither are on topic, there is a niche market for everything, including 5k mile SLs that will never get driven. I'll have no trouble finding a buyer. I have about 6000 square feet of storage so I'm okay with holding onto it for another year or another 20 years I may just park it next to my 88 (both are white), put up my Pontiac sign and have a little display in my collection, the first and the last.

The last word on this is yours, I tried to agree with you but you want me to be wrong really badly.

[meltedpanda]

last I heard they wanted north of 60K for each of them !!

[rsmartin]

just remember that age deteriorates regardless of miles. just sitting is very hard on a car

my 86 560SEL w/ 53K when I bought it 3 years ago has required thousands of $$ in replaced rubber, suspension parts, and the like. after having spent so much on it, i decided to hell with a museum piece. i'm gonna drive all i want to and wear it out!!! it now has 82K on it. i've put more on it in less than 3 years than the first owner (i am the second) did in over 10 years.

[alabbasi]

I'd take a well kept car with 100,000 miles on it over those any day. Rubber dry rots if it does not move and I bet that his car will have to be gone through at pretty high expense if it's going to make any kind of driver.

Either that or it will remain a trailer queen for the rest of it's life.

[Sev]

i'd take a fiero with 100K miles on it over a well-kept low miles r107 ANY DAY of the week

[Skid Row Joe]

Originally Posted by meltedpanda

last I heard they wanted north of 60K for each of them !!

With no miles, they are each worth every penny of $60,000.00+

I would have no problem with buying either of them - were I to want one...

Mercedes-Benz SL automobiles with zero miles, are actually highly collectable cars. Unlike most all others with miles.
Especially a recent defunct brand that failed.