Seriously?

[Wagon Sailor]

My boss thought he was doing me a favour by giving me an Allegro as my company car. He wasn't so happy when I told him I'd taken legal advice and yes, his gesture could be construed as constructive dismissal.

[Laird Scooby]

Originally Posted by Bob 1967

When these came out, I lost my mind.
I thought they bore no relation to the Princess I had the pleasure of being a passenger in, on way to holiday in Rush Co. Dublin (before it became a housing estate )as a young boy.
https://www.bonhams.com/auctions/19288/lot/503/

My father was a Chauffer and coach driver at the time.
We were asked " Is that a Rolls Royce? " by the locals.
"No" we replied proudly "It's a Princess".
We had fun doing the Royal Wave as we passed!

That thing looks like an inflated Fiat Ritmo.
I'd buy it just to crush it.

Ah, but it's not a Princess 4-Litre R! The "R" stood for Rolls-Royce who supplied the engine in those (later) models.

As for the Fiat Strada/Ritmo aka Seat Malaga in certain markets (the first and last LHD car i've driven and will remain so!), the shape is where the similarity ends between those and the Princess/Ambassador range of BL/ARG cars.
Purely out of interest, not far from me is a bloke who seems to have several classics, one of which is an 83 (i think) Fiat Strada Convertible. Actually looks like quite a nice car and unlike many other Italian cars of the time, doesn't need to be swept up because it's rusted to nothing.

I've always fancied fitting a T series engine in an Ambassador, perhaps even the T16T which would make it a lot more rapid. Maybe if i win the lottery some time soon i'll have a blue one with 200bhp of turbo power.............

[Othen]

Originally Posted by Othen

Following my research into 700 series motor cars, this quite nice looking 760 from 1989 failed to get a single bid at £3,250:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/394327175...mis&media=COPY

I suppose this one will reappear at a lower price.

Originally Posted by 360beast

It has been listed at that price a few times I believe, I can only think it is because it is a saloon it isn't attracting the bids. I doubt one that tidy will come up again any time soon especially with such a rare interior!! If I could afford it and had the space I'd be all over it, I wish I hadn't broken my first 1988 760 turbo saloon for parts now and instead kept it. I broke it as an engine donor to turbo my 360 which never happened and has now been sold. I have fitted the 531 head to my 940 though so part of it lives on.

It was a pale metallic green 1988 turbo saloon, slushbox with tan interior, absolutely gorgeous car that ran very smoothly, the biggest automotive regret I have is breaking that car

This old friend has appeared yet again:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/394363051...Bk9SR7DzmeacYQ

... the seller is trying it again at £2,650, having failed to get a bid at that price (and I think a few higher prices) previously.

Ho hum

[Othen]

Originally Posted by Othen

This one might be a good test of the bottom of the market:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/354428701...p2471758.m4703

Bobwalkin time.

PS. Bob and I are back home. This one is another 'barn find', it hasn't been run since 2018 and the registration plates have been removed so I can't check the MoT history. It looks a bit rough, and one has to wonder why it was shelved 4 years ago. Bidding seems to have gone along briskly, but in small increments so I wonder whether there is a friendly (to the seller) bidder nudging it along a bit to get things started. I'd say this one would be much more risk than Phil's estate that sold for under £500 a few days ago, so if bidding goes over a monkey I'd suspect a bit of shill action

... £530 already and brisk bidding, I'll start watching

[Moomoo]

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/374393246...Condition=3000

Well, well!🧐

[Othen]

Originally Posted by Othen

That pile of parts that might one day resemble a Comet 500 (plus some Villiers bits) made £6,517 at auction. Not cheap!

Alan

Originally Posted by Moomoo

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/374393246...Condition=3000

Well, well!🧐

Ah! Now that is interesting! Almost certainly shill bidding in the auction, then chumney decided he could do a bit better and wants 9 grand for his pile of bits. I think that is pushing the price hard, unless the seller can show there is nothing missing from the Vincent (the Villiers is of negligible value in comparison) as when restored it would only be worth 20 grand.

It looks (from the pattern of bidding at the previous auction) that the genuine bidding dried up at about £6,200, and this bidder:

8***mFeedback score (107)

Nudged it on all the way from £3,500. I still think £9,000 is an ambitious price for a pile of single cylinder bits and won't leave any profit margin.

[Othen]

Originally Posted by Othen

Good morn chaps,

Ebay reminded me that this one had been relisted.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/325448067...&segname=11011

... I'm pretty sure (from memory) that it was previously for sale with a SP of £3,500, it must have failed to find even an opening bid at that that price, and has appeared again starting at £3,300.

I still think that is too expensive for what it is, my observation is that 740s don't sell well (compared with 240s) and this one is nothing special. It is a 1987 motor car, so a few years until it qualifies as an historic vehicle and has a bit of a patchy history. The 740 had a rest for a couple of years from 2019 to 2021, and the Nov 19 MoT failure report is a bit worrying:

Repair immediately (major defects):
Nearside Front Direction indicator not working (4.4.1 (a) (ii))
Offside Front Suspension component mounting prescribed area excessively corroded significantly reducing structural strength (5.3.6 (a) (i))
Offside Front Suspension component mounting prescribed area excessively corroded significantly reducing structural strength (5.3.6 (a) (i))
Brake cable damaged (1.1.15 (a))

Repair as soon as possible (minor defects):
Registration plate lamp inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources (4.7.1 (b) (i))

Monitor and repair if necessary (advisories):
corrosion inside nsf arch . not prescribed area
osr sill corroded
Offside Front Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (5.2.3 (e))
Rear Brake pad(s) wearing thin (1.1.13 (a) (ii))

I'm not sure what the motor trader's story would be to cover that, but if I were a potential buyer (I'm not) I'd take some convincing. Maybe someone fixed all the corrosion issues, then spent thousands of ceramic coating for the paint and 'underside protection' - or perhaps someone put some filler in the rust holes and gave it a thick coat of underseal? It seems odd (to me) that someone spent so much on the motor car's appearance but didn't bother to fix the leaky footwells, sagging headlining, fuel gauge and sunroof.

To me it looks like a polished turd that is worth 2 grand. Clearly the vendor disagrees.

I've just noticed the asking starting price has just been cut to £3,150 (still no bids). If that called a 'falling auction' where the price keeps getting reduced until someone buys?

I still think it is too expensive for a polished turd.

[Laird Scooby]

Originally Posted by Othen

I've just noticed the asking starting price has just been cut to £3,150 (still no bids). If that called a 'falling auction' where the price keeps getting reduced until someone buys?

I still think it is too expensive for a polished turd.

Dutch Auction?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dutch_auction

Seems to closely resemble what's happening!

[Othen]

Originally Posted by Laird Scooby

Dutch Auction?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dutch_auction

Seems to closely resemble what's happening!

Ah yes, I remember now, I've heard the term Dutch auction previously.



PS. having just read the description though, this isn't quite the same. Only the starting price is being lowered, a Dutch auction would be where the 'buy in now' price was dropping.

[Laird Scooby]

Originally Posted by Othen

Ah yes, I remember now, I've heard the term Dutch auction previously.



PS. having just read the description though, this isn't quite the same. Only the starting price is being lowered, a Dutch auction would be where the 'buy in now' price was dropping.

I have always thought of it as a "catch-all phrase" that covers most eventualities Alan so i would use it in this situation although i agree, it seems to not quite fit this time. Each to their own though.