The 260 market drying up? Some worrying observations.

[Peter260]

I can only comment on the European market for a LHD ZT-T.

Roughly 3 years ago, I started looking for one again (I owned #0800 from new till 2010).
Thinking there is no point looking only in the Netherlands so searched for European offerings using Mobile, autoscout24 and local marktplaats.

Any car in the 20-25K upwards I more or less ignored as I wanted a car to use for fun.
Not worry about loosing value simply because I drive it.

There was 1 car on offer in Germany that I really liked, but due to Covid could not go and see in person. The seller did not want to keep the car for me, even if I paid in full (I am fluent in German so it was not a matter of communication. He simply did not know how long Covid restrictions would last and was convinced he would sell it anyway).
The car got sold a bit later, so if it was impossible to sell, I would think they would have tried a bit harder.

Earlier this year my old ZT-T came up for sale. (240.000 km on the clock. I did the first 160K).
Interestingly the seller phoned me up after I bought the car on paper and made the downpayment etc. He had another interested buyer whether I would be willing to let it go?
(I did not, but he actually commented he sold it too quickly as he would have made more money on it).

Just my experience.

[David]

A lot of cars are being offered for sale at very high prices at the moment in Europe, and not many of them are selling, perhaps as a result. Certainly nothing less than Euro 30k available anywhere for a LHD 260 or R75V8 now. No, not a mis-typing, albeit that both are in France.
My dear old 'Olive' is looking concerned!

RHD cars which were still "fair game" in Germany a couple of years ago, have fallen from favour there recently, and proving difficult/impossible to sell on the continent. Some/most no longer have a UK 'title', which means re-importation into the UK to be able to be sold there, and that would be very expensive too post Brexit. Leaves them a bit in a state of limbo.

Your car was a bit of an exception, Peter, being 'pure Dutch', and the Starlight Silver ZT-T in Germany, if that's the one you refer to, went to France in the end, where prices are the highest at the moment. The same was the case with #721, the Royal Blue Tourer. The German owner of #719, the ZT-T in Moody Blue, steadfastly stuck to his guns for years, despite receiving (I think) reasonable offers, eventually dropping well below those offers to sell. Being stubborn is not always the best tactic. OK, that was a commission or 'consignment' sale I believe, which generally does little to serve the interests of any of the 3 parties at the and of the day, I think.

In the case of your car, #800 ...

...he actually commented he sold it too quickly as he would have made more money on it ...

... OK, 2 weeks on sale is not a lot, but I think he can't really complain after what he paid for the car!

A little bird tells me a that a certain rather nice Finnish registered LHD Aquamarine (Goodwood) Green ZT-T may be up for sale again too. Currently unofficially 'holidaying' in Belgium. Being LHD, non-EU, non-UK could be a problem? Anyone potentially interested can be put in touch, if you would like to PM me.

David