Weiner auction live feed

[Stuart Cyphus]

 Pound-for-Pound it's no real difference to 1997. Now as then, the enthusiast will go on enthusing, the investor will go on investing, the rumours will go on ruminating and the world will go on turning, same as it always has done, same as it always will do. It's just another chapter in the history of these things we call microcars...   

[karonut]

Well we've been here before in 1997.

The REAL enthusiasts will ignore these values and carry on restoring and driving their cars.

Well some of us will!

[piatti]

It is interessing, that this "new microcar enthusiast" were most interested in restaured (better then new) cars. All original unrestaured cars have not met this very high prices.

For example the KR175 - No. 243 just sold for 20K. I don't thinks that anyone will be able to find a better early KR175 for less money.
On the other hand, my old KR175 - No. 270 made 32K. This car had a perfect unwelded bodywork but was badly painted by the previous owner in white.

So I suggest we concentrate on the untouched cars and leave the full restaured cars to the others...

Oliver

[richard]

do i not recall reading that , in Bruces earlier sale ,the Bruetsch Rollera - surely one of the best looking of all micros - was sold at a huge price . when Bruce started collecting again he re-bought the car having been used as a childrens  plaything in a sandpit. does anyone else recall this ?

[Bob Purton]

 I have tried to focus on the good things that have come out of this.  
[/quote]

Which are??

The only good thing I can imagine coming out of this is that some of the lower valued cars may actually get driven by there new owners or is that wishfull thinking?.

Yes it is bad news that all the good stuff is staying in the USA!

[richard]

i dont see any bad things resulting from the sale . i didn't actually watch any of the auctions but have seen the forum with it's regular updates -thanks to all concerned , some cars that weren't mine sold on to someone else who wasn't me . it happens every day doesn't it . buyer/seller it's how the world goes round and i don't see any losers . all this despite the crazed activity . who has lost out ? where are the negatives ? beyond me

[Bob Purton]

You will soon find out Richard next time you want to buy an unusual microcar.   Stuarts comment saying nothing will change is in my view erroneous! Was he buying microcars before the Christies sale? No, was he buying them shortly after the sale, no!  I was and there was a world of difference, prices inflated  quickly! Peoples attitude changed towards microcars, owners that were once happy to sell cars on now started to think, hand on a minute, microcars are worth big bucks now, I read it in the paper.

[richard]

your opinion bob , i only stated mine . i don't feel that in 6 months time the average Bond , Heinkel Isetta etc will be any higher than last month . my opinion Schmitts have been silly money for a while really haven't they - and TGR's say no more . i don't think your Inter will sell for any more now than before - why should it without the hype ?

glad you withdrew comments about me being naieve bob - even if you still think it  there is a difference between this sale and the Christies sale . the Christies sale did increase awareness of micro new values ,  but by now surely few regard them in a poor light as years ago . it's a long while since those opinions were widely held .

[steven mandell]

I have tried to focus on the good things that have come out of this.  


Yes it is bad news that all the good stuff is staying in the USA!

Bob - your countryman had equally opportunity to buy cars and bring them home.
I am in an airplane flying back to Los Angeles.  Its not that dissimilar a cost or inconvenience.
If anyone wanted a car badly enough they didn't even need to get off their duff.
They could have bidded by internet or telephone.
So who id to blame for the card staying in the USA?

[Bob Purton]

Well time will tell, I'm just reasoning that if the first Weiner hike did the hobby no favors how can the second?  There is nothing wrong in getting our opinions off our chests, thats what forums are for.

Re  " it is bad news that all the good stuff is staying in the USA"   Apportioning no blame to anyone at all, just stating a fact from where a European enthusiast stands. The same as it was a fact when all the good stuff was in Story Germany from an American enthusiasts view.

[Jim Janecek]

Yeh, I'm pretty touche too when he has just sold my Inter for  $140,000 !

I think it stopped being your Inter when you sold it.

[Bob Purton]

Of course, slip of the finger, I mean  my X Inter.
You are forgetting Jim that BW was telling people that the cars were going to be held in a trust so that he could not sell them. Surely you can understand why now some of us may be feeling a little miffed?

[Jim Janecek]

The Tiger sold to Russia for $280,000, so mine is now for sale for $250,000 including a bottle of vodka, must be a bargain !         Nick.

I have to update that as the Russian Bidder was in the room and it was won by phone bidder.
Of course the phone bidder could have been Russian too...

[Chris Thomas]

Dear friends

Every quarter I do an analysis of sales of Microcars, mostly on Ebay, and I see that there are some lovingly restored cars that go for relatively high sums of money. I also see that there are cars ripe for restoration at the other end of the scale for under £1000 (as low as £125). In the middle ground there are still a lot of presentable cars that can be purchased within most peoples budgets.

Now for those people who are good at taking a cheap car ripe for restoration, and turning it into a fully restored car, the prospect of getting a good price for it should be a bonus, not a disincentive.

As Bruce has said recently, it is the thrill of the chase he like. So seeking out the unrestored cars should be our aim, and getting them back on the road, before Bruce come looking again.
 
Now before anybody points any fingers, I will admit that I am not qualified or experienced at car restoration. But then again I am not looking to make money out of what I own, I want to preserve what there is.

If Bruce can get people to buy his collection at sky high prices. Good luck to him. It may distort the market for a short period. But everything reverts back to its true value. Hence learing about the South Sea bubble, the Dutch Tulip bulb scandle, and the value of certain financial derivatives (!)

What we are seeing is history in progress, measured in money. Learn from other peoples success and mistakes, that is what history is all about.

Thanks for all the information JIm it has been interesting. Safe journey home and keep up the good work.

Chris Thomas
Rumcar News

[jean-do]

of course Chris, but when he looked for cars to fullfill the museum, knowing he was " an maérican" ... stepped prices to an unreasonable top prices ..... each seller ask enormous price ( on ebay or lbc) trying to fish BW and make money ..... now that this event , may be translated in many magazines, tv motor show  , will be known by all , prices will be upgraded ... " that the price the latest one was sold in museum !! ... yes but this one you sell is quite rusty .... nevermind thats the price !!!!! ...
i told yet, that my inter was the last one bubblecar a bought ( such enough to restore and repear )  but may be for " money cause " the real last one !