Real world value of ZT 260

[tapped]

I'd agree.

I have some sympathy with the imbalance between what an owner thinks one should be worth and what it actually is worth because oftentimes there is a gulf between these two figures! However, price guides never work for small volume/small population cars (by definition they can't due to relying on large sample sizes and frequent auction entries to set them....).

I have owned one, I sold it for nearly what i bought it for (and was very fortunate in doing so) and enjoyed every moment that I had it. I would simply love to have another and to be honest, if you want to keep it, then pay for the absolute best you can get and appreciate that if you do ever need to sell it then it could cost you a few quid. On the other hand even if it lost £3k in a year you'd still be doing well in terms of smiles per pound and be way ahead of most depreciation curves on newish dull cars!

If you do ever need to sell just don't panic; the worst thing about needing to sell one of these is also the best thing. There are very few buyers out there....but there are also very few cars!

[juzza0]

Originally Posted by tapped

I'd agree.

I have some sympathy with the imbalance between what an owner thinks one should be worth and what it actually is worth because oftentimes there is a gulf between these two figures! However, price guides never work for small volume/small population cars (by definition they can't due to relying on large sample sizes and frequent auction entries to set them....).

I have owned one, I sold it for nearly what i bought it for (and was very fortunate in doing so) and enjoyed every moment that I had it. I would simply love to have another and to be honest, if you want to keep it, then pay for the absolute best you can get and appreciate that if you do ever need to sell it then it could cost you a few quid. On the other hand even if it lost £3k in a year you'd still be doing well in terms of smiles per pound and be way ahead of most depreciation curves on newish dull cars!

If you do ever need to sell just don't panic; the worst thing about needing to sell one of these is also the best thing. There are very few buyers out there....but there are also very few cars!

Good advice there too... the other thing is that most of the buyers that will turn up to view a 260 probably are only looking at 260's so owning a good one means you will get a price based on the cars true value not a book value

Originally Posted by slickster

Great words there Juzza.

I notice your location is down as Notts. Have you seen this one, which is quite local? It's been there for what seems like a while now and I'm tempted to go and have a look. Obviously relatively high mileage, but one owner etc.

I've seen it advertised but not seen the car. I have to go to Leicester in the week and can pop by Loughborough for a look if you want?

[Duotone]

Originally Posted by black olive

but I would wager the Aurora one being a mark 2 on an 04 is one of the facelifted press release cars, vin number 21 something ish

Steve, your guess at the vin was close, its ending 207

Today as SWMBO was shopping in Batley Mills I too took the chance to have a look at this Aurora MG ZT 260.

As juzza0 says the front bumper is covered in stonechips and the wheels need refurbing.
It looks pretty tired but could be brought back to life with money spending on it.



Dave T

[re-tread]

That Aurora car belonged to Ash over on the 260's and was the one used on Top Gear for the review. He sold it about a month ago.

I am somewhat amazed when I read reports about so called high milers when they have done over 50k. The engine and running gear on the 260's is bullet proof and should be good for over 200k !!!!

I agree that feeding the car with fuel will be expensive but pay £5k more for a mundane "green" car or put that £5k in a 260's tank and it will take you about 25k miles. Thats 2 years running on average then look at what the return on the two cars would be. No contest.

[Dan1971]

Originally Posted by Duotone

Steve, your guess at the vin was close, its ending 207

Today as SWMBO was shopping in Batley Mills I too took the chance to have a look at this Aurora MG ZT 260.

As juzza0 says the front bumper is covered in stonechips and the wheels need refurbing.
It looks pretty tired but could be brought back life with money spending on it.



Dave T

Stonechips. Without one of those front nose covers, there's no avoiding them if you do any mileage on fast roads ! Best not to have any but they are a necessary evil as far as I'm concerned. I've got a few, but with 68K on mine, I reckon it's expected.

Needs a re-furb .... Could get that done for £170, then come face to face with an idiot down a narrow road ... back to square one.

What puts me off buying a car, are things like interior wear. Seat bolsters, foot pedals, that sort of thing especially.

V8 for me if I keep mine for 18 months. Having a monogram car now, and getting used to all the attention it gets, it's gonna be a challenge to get a "normal" one again. Gonna be hard waiting for 18 months too, as I'm seeing too many other decent cars around for reasonable money.

[Jules]

Here's my angle on Values!:
This applies to any make of "special car" really

Yes they are available cheap (below 5K)
But usually tatty unloved examples etc.

If you want the best example available (possibly with the view of hoping it will be a collectors/classic car one day) then paying "Top Dollar" for one will save you money in the long run.

Put it this way if you buy a sub £5k cheapo example & decide somewhere down the line you are going to restore it, possibly to concourse standard, it's going to cost ya big bucks (10k -20k) in new parts & Paint etc to achieve it.
(and that's excluding labour)

Always been amazed when I've viewed restoration projects how much the bills add up to, and the seller never really recoups this on re sale. (unless there's only 2 left in the world & every man & his dog wants one!)

[Duotone]

A quick look on .org. has shown that the forum administrator has bought the ZT 260 shown below.

I hope he enjoys this very nice looking car..and least its gone to an enthusiast



Dave T

[baldybloke]

That's good... and I like that colour (even though I'm not a fan of red).

[black olive]

I wondered why Steve Childs was mooching on the 260's and asking about lpg