To ''Save or not to Save'' ?
Let me start with asking you to ponder something whilst you read my thoughts on the saving/scrapping debate. (if you are interested that is lol)
Remember the, Ford Granada, Citroen CX, Citroen XM, Toyota Crown, Vauxhall Omega, Renault 25, Peugeot 605, Talbot Tagora, I could go on, but you get the idea.
The scrapping/saving debate, well it is simple. If someone wants it, if they have the cash and is willing to spend it, let them, congratulate them for buying a 75, support them for any problems they have, as we all have received and hopefully continue to receive. It is their money, not mine or yours......
Now back to those cars above, when they were all around 7 or 8 years out of production, how many were left then as a percentage of the number built? How much were they worth? How much would you have paid for one as say 10 years old? How much would you be prepared to pay for one now? (of course rust protection, build quality etc all play a part in their survival back then, but a similar argument could be made about ECU problems of modern cars could be the equivalent of rust back then)
The majority these cars would be perhaps worth little more than scrap to most of us, even in great condition. I believe 75/ZTs are the same. The value of our cars is really as much as you are willing to pay. Some people will be willing to pay what some others would consider too much, but whose business is that? Those cars at the top, would you be like me, and congratulate, admire the car and talk to, an owner? They may have spent their hard earned, on it, from new, or as a 30 year old 'classic' .But it is THEIR hard earned they have spent.
As for the car in the original post, to me, it is little money even if you had to spend a grand on it, for what is a decent car, I think most of us will all agree on that. Now this is where I think the problem arises.
Currently for similar money, or not much more, you can get a similar car in running condition. Still great value too.
Fast forward 20 years, our cars will be like the ones I mentioned above. But, who then will buy one, or want one and be willing to pay, what we think they will be worth then? People will talk about the 75, or a ZT wistfully. My dad had one of those, I remember those, how many of those do you see now? The majority of those wistful thinkers, will still not part with the £8000 price tag for a 35 year old 75/ZT , it is still a 35 year old car. £8000 would likely buy you a 5 year old reliable hybrid, with recently replaced battery pack/fuel cell
. Of course then will likely only be a weekend driver, so it is going to be a limited audience, someone looking for such a thing. Of those who would want a 75/ZT?
Again, back to my point, those that do pay the money, it is none of my business, it is not my money. But I hope to be able to say, ''Ah nice car, mine is Starlight Silver, are you aware of the 75 and ZT club?''