Nice Resprayed 4th gen

[bb1boy]

Don't get me wrong here lads, I think it is a very clean and tidy Prelude, I'm just saying that in my opinion it's too expensive (but that doesn't matter because I'm not buying it). Of course, it's worth whatever someone is willing to pay for it and to some people, £2k for that car would be a bargain!

It doesn't matter what the respray cost, he could have had a deal where he got it for free or he may have been ripped off and paid £10k for it - it may change what the car physically owes him, but it doesn't change what the car is actually worth.

At the end of the day, someone will love that car and probably put thousands of extra pounds into it, and I really hope they do - too many 4th gens are dying off lately.

[NafemanNathan]

I'm just saying that in my opinion it's too expensive

It isn't too expensive, you're just used to Prelude's going cheap. It's all in relation... Compared to Civic's the asking prices for what you get in a Prelude makes Preludes too cheap. Then the other way around Civic's are too expensive for what you get, but as you said it's all about what the person is prepared to pay/accept at the end of the day. (There just happens to be a hell of a lot more fools with too much money out there). But with that said, we need to stop dissing Prelude asking prices, because compared to nearly every other car of its era and type the Prelude is drasically under-priced.

80% of the time Prelude's are put up for sale by non-forum members who don't know a great deal about their car and also know other people don't really know how good they are either. I like the fact our cars are under-rated and unknown, but it does shoot us in the foot when it comes to selling. I bet you if we all started asking nearer the £5000 mark for our cars (in mint condition) they'd start getting the recognition they deserve

[bennyboy]

^^ Agreed. The worm is turning...it's starting slowly but you're starting to see higher demand for clean examples. Higher demand = higher prices.
Had all this before with the mustang. A guy I know in the owners has a genuine GT500. Has had it for about 25 years, paid about the same as a rusted arch lude for it.... Try buying it for less than 50k now, you'll be laughed out of the place.

The price is the VALUE. People ('us', it starts with the clubs) are starting to value clean ludes because they are scarce. Hell, a clean MK1 escort is bloody 15k now....

[Gayno]

Everyone has their opinion for sure, and they are entitled to it.

However, say someone has seen this on ebay, next thing they will do is look for an owners club/forum to ask some questions before considering buying it.

They search and they find us (of course!), then they find this thread. As the more knowledgable members, this person will now listen to what we say. If we are saying "That needs about £600 knocking off the price"......this is what they will go to the seller with, thereby reducing the value of the marque.

We are all here for the greater good

[chrismc]

It's all down to opinion guys

I'm actually with bb1boy. There is no 'it is' or 'it isn't worth £x' definitive answer Nathan

For me I see a tidy but garish example but not a lot else adding any major £££'s value under the skin.

[NafemanNathan]

I'm actually with bb1boy. There is no 'it is' or 'it isn't worth £x' definitive answer Nathan

I think you've got our views muddled up bud bb1boy has actually said it's too expensive. I've simply said Prelude asking prices are generally too cheap and that when there is a Prelude for sale asking above the average asking price we shouldn't mock it

Too me that Prelude although sporting a few "choice" mods is easily worth £2000. It's had the body work sorted to erradicate it of rust (quality of work to be determined sure), and it's had a full respray (One could assume it's pretty mint). Sure I could pick up a lude with simular mileage for £500, but I can assure you it wouldn't be mint! Yet I want a mint prelude. First of all I need to have the the rusty arches of my £500 lude sorted, so add £500, and whilst they're at it I want a full respray to make the whole thing mint as desired, so +£2000 on top. Oh wait! That's this guys asking price!

It's simple maths to me

[chrismc]

I'm actually with bb1boy. There is no 'it is' or 'it isn't worth £x' definitive answer Nathan

I think you've got our views muddled up bud bb1boy has actually said it's too expensive. I've simply said Prelude asking prices are generally too cheap and that when there is a Prelude for sale asking above the average asking price we shouldn't mock it

Too me that Prelude although sporting a few "choice" mods is easily worth £2000. It's had the body work sorted to erradicate it of rust (quality of work to be determined sure), and it's had a full respray (One could assume it's pretty mint). Sure I could pick up a lude with simular mileage for £500, but I can assure you it wouldn't be mint! Yet I want a mint prelude. First of all I need to have the the rusty arches of my £500 lude sorted, so add £500, and whilst they're at it I want a full respray to make the whole thing mint as desired, so +£2000 on top. Oh wait! That's this guys asking price!

It's simple maths to me

I see what you are saying- but whether prelude prices in general are 'too cheap' (as is your opinion) or not is the questionable bit...

The reason most Ludes (especially 4g's) in general are so cheap nowadays is that the vast majority are pretty unloved (flakey arches/tatty bodies) They never had the cult following of those models with 'type-r' badges thus residuals are pretty weak and you get a lot of car for your money. Maybe tatty to look at but sound in wind & limb for well under £1k

Good news for those 'in the know' of course.

For £2k you could go and get a half-decent ATR (such as what Alex has just done) so it's all down to personal choice tbh

£2k on the face of it for a cosmetically well sorted 4g isn't a huge amount- but the car could be hiding other nasties of course. It would need to be very very good for that money to tempt me

[bb1boy]

Yes, in my opinion (and that's the important bit), it is too expensive. Regardless of money spent on mods. If I paid £200 for a battered 10yr old Fiesta and then spent £15k on some giant rims, Lexus lights and a pink and yellow paint job, does that make it worth £15,200 on the open market? No. To me it would be worth that much because that is what it would owe me, to anyone else its a nasty pink and yellow 10yr old Fiesta. Now, had this Fiesta been restored to a mint condition with OEM parts then it would appeal to more people and therefore be worth more money - with clean examples raising the price of the marque, as has already been said.
Generally speaking, cars are modyfied to their owners' personal tastes so the chances are it is not going to appeal to everyone. Some, admittedly, will love it and pay through the nose for it - it's all about finding the right buyer.
So yes, if someone came to me and said, "what do you think about this Prelude?" I would say, "Ithink it's about £5-600 too expensive - but if you like it, want it and can afford it, then buy it!" That isn't me mocking the sellers asking price, that is me saying what I think. Best of luck to the guy, the car is obviously his pride and joy so I hope he gets the full asking price. He just wouldn't get it from me - and that is OK!
C'mon guys, I thought we were allowed to have and express our own views and opinions on this forum...

[bennyboy]

I love how u all say its a 2k paint job. Its exterior only. Engine bay still silver. Cars worth 1200 max due to the fact the body work looks clean. Ive said it before and ill say it again until the insurance value of ludes goes u then even us as enthusiasts have to accept they arent worth all that much.

But the point is the insurance WONT go up, until WE as enthusiasts start to value them higher.
TBH, it probably starts with people like me getting an agreed value for a given car, they have agreed 3k without question, I can get an assessment if I want it higher.

IMHO, it has nothing to do with age now, since they are all old enough for that not to matter, it's condition.
It can't speak about that car without seeing it, but if I wanted a solid sorted chassis, I would go and look at it for sure.
It's not the paint job newkid, it's the work beforehand that's so costly. I had ONE arch done last year to an excellent standard, cost me £700 for the work, NOT including the cost of the arch panel...
TBH, until you've been down the road of knowing what it actually costs to get a given lude up to a given standard, you'll never know the true 'value' - you don't get that knowledge from buying and breaking them.
Incidentally, when I say 'you' I mean 'one' not a dig at you or anyone else. Since opinions are like arseholes, I thought I'd show you all mine

[chrismc]

Benny

Trouble is mate there just aren't enough really good ludes about nowadays to affect insurance values/residuals. Just a sad fact

Incidentally something like your car would tempt me to pay strong money- very tidy, standard looks, great engine, money spent in the right areas etc.