Price of 87-88 Cougars

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Price of 87-88 Cougars

July 12, 2007, 10:22:34 PM

I'm watching what people are selling them at and I think they are crazy. Examples:

88 XR-7 in NY $15,000. Many performance and cosmetic mods
88 XR-7 in Detorit $11,000 too many mods to list
88 XR-7 in Dallas $3000, 150,000 miles, no mods or leather
88XR-7 in CA $6500 must see, 81k miles
87 XR-7 in CA $3800 116,000 miles

Is this a trend? New sellers in the summer, don't get buyers and either lower the price or decide to keep it. Or is this a new trend.

I still see a few under $2000.

Price of 87-88 Cougars

Reply #1 – July 12, 2007, 10:58:02 PM

It's been a rising trend across the board for 83-88 Birds/Cats. I've been preaching it for 18 months.

Price of 87-88 Cougars

Reply #2 – July 12, 2007, 11:07:35 PM

anyone want to buy mine!!!!!!!

lol;)

Price of 87-88 Cougars

Reply #3 – July 12, 2007, 11:48:21 PM

It's not a trend. It's people asking what they think their car is worth. There is no substantial basis for any of their pricing.

Have values gone up significantly at Kelly Blue Blue or NADA? No.

Have any of these cars been shown any kind of interest at car auctions? No.

There are no facts to support a supposed rise in value.

And Mike, before you even start, for every Cougar that you've seen on Craigslist that has a high value, I'll show you ten that are still in the basp00get pricing neighborhood.

Don't get me wrong. I want these cars to have a higher value as much as the next person. I think the 1987-88 cars have a better shot at going up due to their short two-year production run, a general streamlining of the shape, the high list of standard equipment, the power moonroof option, the 20th Anniversary model, and the seemingly large supply of parts available. I've said this for many years. I believe in it. I want it to happen. But so far I haven't seen it anywhere, not in the U.S., not in Canada.

Also note that the prices given are from very large U.S. cities. The price of cars in general there are high, because their cost of living is higher, their wages are higher, and their insurance rates are higher. I can't speak for all the modified vehicles, but those will always be the exceptions to the norm due to desirable high-performance parts.

What IS happening is that, nationwide, salvage yards are crushing a lot of these cars because s prices have gone up considerably over the past few years. Actually, that's happening to me right now. I still have that POS '88 Blue Max. Called a few places to come and tow it away. They don't save them anymore...it's going to get crushed. I was told this outright. It kind of hurts to know that...so I am going to strip it as much as possible, leave all the rusty parts in, and call it a day.

Anyway...fewer cars in the yards = harder to find parts. Normally.
On any given day, though, there are plenty of 1987-88 Cougar parts on eBay. Much more so, in fact, than the 1983-86 cars.

Maybe it's fear. Maybe it's nostalgia. Maybe it's being in the right place at the right time. Eventually, the prices will rise. It is about the correct time for this to happen.

But those prices are definitely out of line with the norm. It's not happening yet. Could possibly be the beginning of something. But it's definitely not in full swing by any stretch.

Don't believe me?
Full U.S. nationwide 1987-88 Cougar search here. Obviously, ignore the Tiffany pricing. Look deeper...only 5 cars above $2500. Where are 3 of them? Of course, at car dealers, who always jack up pricing to build in profit on a used car.

I count 15 other cars under $2500. Several others don't have a price listed, but you can bet they're in that same price range.
Therefore I can't see how 2 cars (one highly modified, one barely over the $2500 threshold) can consitute a "trend".

The evidence speaks for itself.

Price of 87-88 Cougars

Reply #4 – July 13, 2007, 12:00:31 AM

Thanks Eric. I should've clarified "Trend". I didn't mean an upward trend in value. I meant a seasonal trend. Where at the beginning of the summer people decide to sell their cars for what it's worth to THEM, not what they could actually sell it for. Then later they sell it for what they can get for it.

I agree there is no trend upward in value, just upward in dreamers.

I regret not being ready to buy the 50K 88 xr7 in Phoenix for $2500 last year.

Price of 87-88 Cougars

Reply #5 – July 13, 2007, 12:03:17 AM

Quote from: Aerobird Motorsports;160454

It's been a rising trend across the board for 83-88 Birds/Cats. I've been preaching it for 18 months.

Of all places, Seattle is a great place to buy 87-88 XR-7s. There have been at least 5 or 6 I would've bought had I lived up there. All of them under $2000. So the upward trend isn't happening up there.

Price of 87-88 Cougars

Reply #6 – July 13, 2007, 12:07:55 AM

Eh, IMHO 20ish year old cars, who cares about em, aside from Buick Grand Nationals? Needs more time.

Price of 87-88 Cougars

Reply #7 – July 13, 2007, 12:42:01 AM

87 and 88 XR-7's do seem to pull a higher price than the others... TC's on the other hand have no median price.. you pay less than $3000 or pay $8000 or more..

Price of 87-88 Cougars

Reply #8 – July 13, 2007, 01:27:15 AM

Eric has the right idea.
Often people look at "asking" prices and say "I dident know it was worth that much!"

It's not, thats simply what there asking!

I could post mine on craigslist or E-bay for $10k... that doesent mean I would sell it for that. Yet is Would be what I was 'asking"

On that list you made Xjeffs, those appear to be "asking" prices (based on comments such as "must see, 81k miles") go back and check those adds you saw and see if anyone actualy bought them for those prices.

what is the "Purchase" price, not the "Asking" price

I sure HOPE so, but I would be suprised.

Price of 87-88 Cougars

Reply #9 – July 13, 2007, 02:10:59 AM

I guess I should have clarified more :D

87-88's, ESPECIALLY TC's have seen the beginnings of a price increase. All the way. And not just the low-mileage stuff. The rare models (moonroof cars, 20th Coug's, 30th Birds, etc) are showing strong "value". The others will follow suit. By 2010 these cars will have strong prices across the board.

I used to be able to trip over $100-$200 running cars every day. I bought most of them too. Now any 83-88 that runs seems to be 500+. Most good, rust-free cars are bringing $1000, even the V6's. The very top and very bottom are seeing increases. It's only a matter of time before the "middle" cars do.

Price of 87-88 Cougars

Reply #10 – July 13, 2007, 02:12:28 AM

I'm always looking at prices on these cars myself on Auto Trader online. Yes, there are rare overpriced ones out there, but most can still be had fairly cheap. There seem to be allot of 87-88's around allot more than the 83-86's like eric said. Take a look at auto trader on line sometime.
Here's a couple links for on line car sales. On auto trader there is only one page for 83-86's, but at least two pages, sometimes three for 87-88's. There are still plenty of foxes on the roads of Ohio it seems also. On ThebigLot, smaller known site, there is just one 87', and autohopper has no foxes.
I've noticed some of the mid to late 70's models are starting to climb, in asking price anyways.

http://www.autotrader.com/
http://www.thebiglot.com/
http://www.autohopper.com/

Check this out in Columbus, Ohio: http://columbus.craigslist.org/car/367470323.html
Another nice 88' $700.00, with white turbines, in Cleveland, Ohio
http://cleveland.craigslist.org/car/365776422.html

Price of 87-88 Cougars

Reply #11 – July 13, 2007, 02:55:20 AM

Quote

anyone want to buy mine!!!!!!!

lol

Yes, I do. But I can't give you more than a hundred for it right now..:D

Price of 87-88 Cougars

Reply #12 – July 13, 2007, 10:01:34 AM

There are two significant factors holding the value of these cars back:

1) They were dismal performers, even by 1983-1988 standards. 155 or less horsepower from a 302 cubic inch V8 might have been acceptable in 1983 when all manufacturers were just starting to dig themselves out from under smog regulation and fuel crises (yes, that's plural), but by 1988 it was shameful. Had these cars been offered with the HO V8 as an option (maybe a Thunderbird GT and definitely the Cougar XR7) they'd be every bit as collectible now as a Grand National, Monte Carlo SS, or even a Mustang.

2) While they are 20 or more years old, they don't look 20 or more years old. When you look at an '87 Monte Carlo you know you're looking at an old car. When you look at an '87 Turbo Coupe you don't look twice because it looks like any number of cars produced through the 90's. With the G-bodies people look at 'em and think "They don't make 'em like that anymore". There is nothing distinct about these car to make somebody think they're looking at a "classic" car.

These cars were so ahead of their time, especially the 87-88 models, that you could very easily convince somebody that isn't into cars that a mint '88 Cougar or T-Bird is only three or four years old. I've often had people say "Really? That's an '88?" about my car. Unfortunately that doesn't translate well into "collectible". Nobody is willing to pay premium prices for an old car that looks like a new car (in style, not condition). If people want an old car they want it to look like an old car.

In other words we have old cars that look like new cars but perform like old cars. Not exactly a recipe for collectibility.

Price of 87-88 Cougars

Reply #13 – July 13, 2007, 10:29:58 AM

^^^ GOOD point that you've brought up before and the comparison to the gm g-bodies is a good one! I get the same thing, friends are surprised when I tell them how old it is. As much as these are good-looking, the bland "boxy" styling is the essence of the 1980s and seeing it tugs on the heartstrings of people who were around brand new cars in that time.

Price of 87-88 Cougars

Reply #14 – July 13, 2007, 10:37:32 AM

Then why do 150hp Tiffany Classic Cougars (an old car built from a new car that looks like a REALLY old car) routinely go for over $25,000? That's what chaps my ass. You mean to tell me that, in order to have higher value, we have to Frankenstein these cars? That defies all logic, man...I'd love to know why those things are regarded like they are. Yeah yeah, they're limited production, blah blah blah...the fact is, they were created from a stock Cougar, and are even more polarizing than the Cougar was to the T-Bird when they were new. And they never got a horsepower increase, which, with a 342" wheelbase or whatever, you think it would have had some kind of extra power to push around that extra weight. Total anomalies.

Carm, I agree totally with your logic. People are always surprised that my cars are as old as they are (maybe they haven't realized how old they themselves are getting LOL). It just sucks that we are figuratively "paying the price" for having cars that were ahead of their time. Going by a pure Spock theory, logic dictates that the values should be going up.

The values of Turbo Coupes seem to be increasing. That's a good sign, but if it doesn't trickle down to the pedestrian versions, then the TCs become anomalies too.

Personally, I like owning a "sleeper" brand of car. It's subtle, sublime, slips under all the radar, yet has its own character. Those that pay attention, get it. Those that don't can at least appreciate that the car has survived yet is preserved better than most. They don't appreciate the initial quality of the cars, the excellent choice of materials used, the improved build quality vs. the GM competition, the smooth steering, etc. Those are things that, as owners, we enjoy but don't necessarily communicate to everyone. For me, at car shows, it's all about enlightening people one at a time. We do what we can...it's not for lack of trying. That's what this board, and Carm's site, and my site, are all about.

And that goes for power, too. I remember liking my first '84 V6. I respected it from day one, never missing an oil change, always maintaining it, because that's what my father taught me to do. And that car always treated me well. Then I test drove the black '86 V8 car...and I realized what was missing: power and torque. I didn't stop loving the '84 even after it sold, but I gained a lot of respect for the '86 as a platform for building power. Now everything has come full circle for me, and I have a 112hp V6 car right next to a 280hp V8 car. And you'd think, "Man, this is a no-brainer". But dammit, there's something about that V6. It's not fast, by any stretch...but it's so light on its feet, so responsive, so surprisingly full of torque where it's needed, you almost forget the fact that it's so horsepower challenged. It's actually FUN to drive. OK, I don't like the 20:1 steering rack, but that will be eventually changed. Otherwise it's a blast to throw around (TC sway bars front and back, new gas shocks/struts, new directional hi-perf tires). Throttle response is very good for CFI. I never thought I'd be saying that again!

So did Ford get it right with just 112 hp? You can always say a car needs more power, no matter when it was built. But for what it is, at face value, I'm having a lot of fun driving the car because I respect it for what it is. If I want power, there's always the other car. Still, I find myself looking forward to hopping into the '84 because it begs me to drive it. It wants to hit the freeway. It's almost like having a real cat...it knows what it wants, I give it to it, it's happy.

What other car from the 1980's can do that? Not many.

THAT is why we're all here. Now if we can just convince the general public...