How to Assess the Value of Abandoned Classic Cars

There are tiers or levels; the condition of the car also has an effect along with how well the car is; the more complete/better the car, the higher the price; this is all outside of demand.

A Chevrolet Impala like the picture above will fetch a high price; the car is original, and all the spare parts are complete. You will find it hard to find spare parts, let alone some things that are obsolete. Even something as simple as hubcaps and mirrors can be an important factor for classic cars. The main reason is the possibility that you can’t get it anywhere or the price is expensive.

I happen to meet some classic cars that are immaculate and very expensive. I mean, it is almost impossible for such a car to be sold cheap. Usually buyers are willing to pay a premium for it because they know such opportunities are not easy to find. You can always get a new car at the dealer, a classic car? not so much, especially those that are still intact and stock.

As far as I know, those kinds of cars are in the first tier of classic cars and are expensive; basically, it’s a perfect example of a car.

The second are B-tier; usually this is a car that is used or not in perfect condition; it can range from a few scratches to many things missing from dings or accessories that are nowhere to be found, but the car is still running even if you have to do some repairs.

The interior is usually not much different, between incomplete or a combination of mismatched parts that may not be pleasant to look at, but the car is functional and in some ways quite complete. Usually enthusiasts will call such cars project cars; the car is not perfect but functional.

For cars like this, the price usually depends on the condition; the better the condition, the more expensive the price, although it will not be included in the A category. Maybe if the immaculate Impala costs USD 70,000, this kind of car costs less than USD 30,000 because the restoration takes time and money. Some also like original cars because they believe it can only happen once.

But still, this can still be saved, and some people are willing to pay a little more.

And this is the last; usually it's a car that is not running and has many parts missing; some may only sell the shell without the engine; the paintwork is probably gone, and you will have to repaint those along with patching any rust that may be present. I suppose this is the lowest point of such a car.

The interior is usually incomplete, ranging from dirty to gone, but most are gone along with other things that you may have to find again if you expect the car to be complete. Such a car may have entered the scrapped stage, and most people don’t want that. Those who buy it usually know about cars or restorers and junkers; basically, cars are not good, and only junkers or restorers want to buy them.

It is at the bottom and is cheap; maybe for an Impala like the example above, it won’t cost more than $10,000, depending on what the car is like and what condition it is in, but it will definitely take time and money to fix it.

Even so, there are many valuation books that you can use to see or assess the price of a classic; they are compiled by those who know and have researched it in depth. I think there are many companies or institutions that do so. The goal is so that you don’t buy the wrong vehicle.

So, how do you determine the value of abandoned classic cars? By looking at the condition, of course, a car left in a closed garage will cost more than one left in the field and exposed to air and humidity. Finally, the condition affects the price, and the better the car, the higher the price. It’s that simple.