sag in hot rod hobby prices/parts demand ?

I just spoke to a Carlyle parts vendor this week, he said fall show was the worst ever he attended for sales. I'm seeing prices sag on Ebay and other net outlets- is it just me, or has hot rod parts prices gone down a lot recently ?

seems like it's hard to even give the stuff away now

 

I think it depends on what you are buying. Around here all 32-36 Ford parts are still getting the big bucks, the **** not so much.

 

i'll take whatever 32 ford parts you want to give away.

-danny

 

I've seen prices sag on Ebay, but it seems like sellers are making up for it by drastically increasing their shipping charges.

 

like anything else I believe prices got a little unrealistically inflated for a while and things are starting to come back down

 

It seems to be a buyers market now and especially if a buyer is good at talking down the price. A lot of car guys need money for other things now and there are some good deals out there. Quality still brings top dollar though from what I have been seeing.

 

wonder if the fact that 99 banks so far have failed in 2009, up from 24 in 2008. that is right from the FDIC site.

 

Take it from me, shipping costs have drastically increased lately! Due to changes in UPS and USPS billing, some things cost me a good 50% more than they did last year to ship. I have some parts in the cl***ifieds right now that I can't seem to move. The kind of stuff that I've been selling regularly up until about 3 weeks ago. Even '32 stuff seems to have come down a bit. I just bought an original grille/shell on Ebay for $450, the grille is nearly perfect and the shell needs a few small repairs, but has not rot. I don't think that would have happened just a few months ago...


I think my Pug smells a good deal...

 

I have sold off some stuff on Ebay lately and believe me shipping has gone way up from what it used to. I have sold stuff for $5 and had shipping be $11-14! crazy.

On another note being on the other side of the fence being a buyer things are good!

 

I used to work as much as I want 60+ hrs a week at the shop, Ive been reduced to 32 hrs a week not too bad, Some of my friends are only working two days a week. Even know a few to move back home, unemployment run out ect... I have a few things Id like to sell Im holdin on for now, I can still aford to buy peanut ****er and bread after my bills are paid.

 

I'm no professional so this downturn in prices is something I welcome.

 

Yay!!!! the people and this traditional turn the people are nutz bj has screwed up this hobby so bad , every body thinks there stuff is gold and are goin to own it or hourd to their grave it was nice to see some resonable prices at our local meet last weekend my 2 cents

 

Agree. Have found great deals at local swaps recently on stuff that was really expensive or even unavailable a year or two ago, and the swaps have been much larger in size.

 

The primo stuff seems to be holding the line, but the rest is way down. I've had to p*** on some killer deals myself because of my own belt-tightening.

 

YAY! Junk is junk again....
I know it ****s for the guys planning on retiring on iron oxide, and I sympathize, really I do...but, its getting better for my broke ***...

Things WERE artificially inflated, all around, but, hey folks met the $$$, so, artificial becomes reality...
A second look by consumers puts some things in perspective, I think lately...

Top dollar stuff, like top dollar guys, will never notice the swirlling at the bottom of the pond, so they stay the same...

Shipping has become a JOKE!
I don't even bother selling anything anymore I have to ship, because its not worth it...come get it, or forget it...

Hell, most things I could just drive to the buyers home myself, for what it costs to ship...

 

If prices are down, it must be time to buy.

 

The things everyone wants, like early Ford sheet metal, is still selling. Cars aren't going very well and I've bought a couple of trucks recently that were priced right. Even for good deals, it's hard to find buyers that are willing to spend the money for vehicles, so cash talks. This is a great time to buy, not so good to sell unless you are priced right. I sold everything I took to the last swap meet except a milk crate of parts and 2 late steering columns because I wanted it gone-swap meets are not a business for me. The guys that make their living at swap meets are hurting, but the buyers are happy. Quality will bring money, but just be off a bit and your stuff will just sit there.

 

i've seen and some good deals and made some good buys at swap meets lately...check out the thread on the Twin Cities Roadsters Swap by ***us. i swapped at St Peter last month and couldn't hardly give stuff away , people are being very caucus. i had stuff that was worth $10-$15-$20 a year ago marked $1 and they had to think hard before buying

for new parts from hot rod parts suppliers , i believe they are hurting too. me and a couple friends needed some parts recently and were able to pool our order together and get an excellent deal...and had free shipping thrown in

 

Now is the time to buy if you've got the cash... The nice part is that car stuff will hold it's value over time, and it's fairly liquid. I'm cleaning out my extra stuff now so I can afford to keep the important stuff. I probably shouldn't be buying stuff but damn there are some deals out there.

 

Shipping rates are BRUTAL, so are e-bays rule changes. Could this mean the SWAP MEETS will return to businesss as usual, I sure hope so.

 

Supply and Demand are swinging in the Supply direction. The market is flooded with closet treasures all over. There's alot of stuff out there not selling because nobody has the scratch right now. If they have it they are holding on for later. Same in housing, I'm an Appraiser and there are alot of sad sad stories right now. But if you've got the scratch buy now and cash in later. I'm not in that category, but man I wish I was. I'm still trading some things though so it all works out. In times like this most folks sort through what matters and what is fluff. Hang in there America we are not geared for failure and will definantly steer back into what's right for us, regardless of what the halfwits and facemen are attempting.


Tim

 

no money honey ! ................ steve

 

wow... i think i'll have a peek at the cl***ifieds!

 

Prices seem down--have put alot of misc Tri5 stuff on ebay--tired of stumbling over it-some sells, but shipping is a killer now--lately just been giving it away to guys who can use it and even throw some in the garbage weekly just to make it go away--when the 57 FI car is done, I'll really get rid of a bunch of stuff that has ac***ulated in the past 30+ years.

 

The m***es don't have the $$$$ to spend. Only demand is down. Like already said, good stuff is still good stuff and priced as it should be. What is down is small block muscle and generic old stuff. Things that the un-informed plowed too much dough into and are now sorry. Carlyse was slow I heard as well but most of the Hershey vendors with good stuff had a banner year. On the other hand I broke a personal swap meet record at Bellville, MI this year. A 30+ year record in sales...ZERO!!!! Never happened before, not to me. Nobody wanted what I had I guess. I took it home. No fire sale here.

 

I have had a great 40 Ford Sedan Delivery project that I have been trying to sell for months. I have dropped the price down to a very fair price and still all I get are dreamers. Man. I guess folks don't want(or can afford) a project at this time. I'll just hang on to it till I'm ready to do it myself.

 

I can't seem to convince anyone to buy my '32 stuff, and it's all pretty decent (some even extremely nice).

Steve

 

Ebay reports profits are down 29%. Must be fewer sales.

 

Your original post mentions Carlisle, and I'm not sure that's a good barometer. Carlisle is not what it used to be. You find the occasional deal, but it's changed so much from the old days that a lot of guys either don't bother going, or just go to take a walk around. I was a vendor at Hershey and easily made enough to pay my costs (of course, I wasn't eating steak every nite, either). Sure, I could have sold most of it on theBay for more $, but it was Hershey.

 

I've sold a lot on e-bay.
You can use a flat rate box and ship cheaply for a lot of items.
and I've filled flat rate boxes pretty heavy too.

but larger items cost more, and postage has gone up.

The economy has taken away a lot of discretionary spending.
If you have some money to play with, now is the time to buy, people still are making deals.
But "right" cars, the most desireable parts, are still high.
A friend of mine picked up a 4 door 64 Valiant for next to nothing. He could have drove it home. Great hobby car, for under $500.