Some classic cars weren't that much cheaper 30 years ago
12/13/2017
While rummaging through the archives, an old "Markt - Automobil Spezial" booklet with classic car prices came to light. Exciting! The market prices published back then are now almost 30 years old. Of course, the euro didn't exist back then and the prices were listed in DM, which at the time could be exchanged for around 0.87 Swiss francs.
When leafing through the magazine, you come across some surprises, and it's not even the low prices, but rather the small differences (especially in absolute terms) that existed between individual models within a brand, whether coupé, convertible or saloon.
Want some examples?
An Alfa Romeo Giulietta Berlina cost DM 10,100 in condition 2 at the time (all subsequent valuations are also given in condition 2), the Giulietta Spider DM 21,200, the Giulia 1600 SS DM 22,600. Today, these models are much further apart!
At BMW, the most expensive eight-cylinder saloon of the post-war period was available for DM 23,100 (3200 S), the Coupé 503 for DM 55,000 and the Bertone 3200 CS for DM 27,300.
And the Lancia Fulvia cost DM 6000 as a sedan and DM 11,100 as a 1600 HF coupé.
The cabin scooters were still really cheap back then: the BMW Isetta 300 was listed at DM 5500, while the BMW 600 cost DM 7300. A Goggomobil T250 cost DM 4000, a Heinkel Kabine 154 was available for DM 6500, and the Messerschmitt KR200 for DM 10400. As you know, the DM was replaced by the euro in 1999, which was worth DM 1.96. So all valuations were roughly halved. All valuations can therefore be roughly halved from today's perspective.
Even the VW Beetle cost only a fraction of today's value back then: a Beetle Export from 1960 to 1965 was quoted at DM 4400, a VW K70 LS cost practically the same. A VW 1303 LS Cabriolet in condition 2 was estimated at DM 13100.
In comparison, the post-war MGs were actually relatively expensive, or rather not that much cheaper than today: a TC cost DM 37,100 back then, a TF 1500 DM 41,200. Of course, you can no longer get these models for this money today, and if you do, they are probably in much poorer condition, but the price development of these vehicles has lagged well behind other classic cars.
Compared to today, people were much more open to young cars, the latest vehicles shown were only about ten years old, such as the Alfa Romeo Alfasud Sprint 1.3, listed for DM 5700. In general, the younger versions were often more expensive than the older ones, even with the Jaguar E-Type, a 4.2-litre Series 1 Roadster was listed at DM 51,900, which was more expensive than its earlier 3.8-litre counterpart at DM 48,100. The much younger Series 3 V12 was even more expensive at DM 59,400.
And the super classics of the day, the Ferrari sports cars, the Porsche 911 RS or the Lamborghini Miura? They were all missing from the magazine at the time, as were Rolls-Royce vehicles and many pre-war classic cars. However, the Mercedes-Benz 300 SL from the W198 series was already on the list at the time, with DM 225,000 listed for the Gullwing and DM 152,000 for the Roadster. A 190 SL was listed at DM 38,700, the 280 SL as a Pagoda at DM 37,100, which means that valuations were probably around a fifth to a tenth of today's prices.
But last but not least, the magazine, which was completely in black and white, only cost DM 6.00 (CHF 6.00) at the time and did not contain 300 pages but only 146.
