[SoonerSSR]

I know that this has been touched on in other threads, but I was interested in getting other perspectives on maintaining the values, or minimizing the depreciation of our vehicles. It seems as though putting miles on our SSR’s may hurt the value for ‘resale’ should we have future plans to sell them. Since mileage doesn’t seem to play as big a role in other ‘special interest’ or ‘classic vehicles’ based on what we see go through the auction, I’m not sure why the depreciation factor would apply to a vehicle as unique as the SSR. I also was wondering about the effects of adding modern accessories/touches to these vehicles to their values. Things like special paint, upholstery, digital gauge applications, custom wheels and custom lighting. These things can add a lot of ‘sizzle’ to an already unique vehicle. But is this something that future SSR owners will be looking for? This all seems to be a mystery. I wouldn’t want to go and do anything that could ultimately cause a potential new owner to see less value in owning one of these great machines. From what I can tell in watching the auctions, nice trucks are bringing top dollar. I think that should play out in our favor, as we all seem to take really good care of our SSR’s. I would hope that this would help the ‘resale’ values as some ‘Fanatics’ look to sell their vehicles. I didn’t mean to make this so lengthy, but I know that there are a lot of folks on here that will have very well thought out responses and opinions.uzzled: Thank you for your time.

 

[xoxoxoBruce]

I wouldn’t want to go and do anything that could ultimately cause a potential new owner to see less value in owning one of these great machines.

This doesn't worry me, I'm more concerned with the logistics of digging a big enough hole to bury me in it.

All the parts I've replaced I've retained, unless they were irreparably broken. Things like the trans pan, differential cover, and radiator fan are squirreled away for no reason other than I can't bring myself to trash usable parts.

Or maybe to drive my 11 year younger sibling nuts when he has to deal with this junk.:lol

I think first you have to decide if you're a collector, investor, or a driver. Certainly less mileage along with the inevitable wear&tear that goes with it should bring more money if you're an investor. The magazines stress how much is original on each barn find or survivor. But are you going to wish you had driven your SSR less, or hadn't replaced the radio, on your death bed?

 

[Auggie Doggie]

Right now these are drivers and if you don't drive them they start to fall apart so low miles will not help eventually. Most collector cars are 40 or more years old before they are valuable. Most of us will be dead before that happens so drive it, and enjoy it. Use it but don't abuse it. I think most of us can get just about what we paid for our R"s and not many vehicles hold their own like that. You bought it, it is your money, so do what you want with or to it but if you think it will be a big money maker and make you rich, FA-GETA-BOUT-IT.

 

[shakatak]

Unless they are a true classic 70's and older for the most part I say make them what you want/like drive them and enjoy.
I don't think most of us bought them as an investment, other than I've invent a fair amount of money fixing things the factory should have.
Permagrins are priceless.

 

[Blur'd Vision]

Another Opinion,
I've been buying cars and trucks for 50 years. I've owned about 150 of them. I've built, rebuilt, modified MANY of them from the ground up. 1st rule is, UNLESS you bought the vehicle DIRT CHEAP and I mean DIRT CHEAP then a vehicle is NOT a smart investment. My opinion is, You bought a vehicle that you like, USE it, change it, modify it to YOUR TASTE then DRIVE IT! If you worry about the next owner you'll lose out. We all have different opinions. If they made the SSR in 100 different colors you'd be able to find someone for every color that thinks his/hers is the best color ever and the other 99 colors are crap. I read on this forum that Redline Red is the bestest color ever. I think Aqua Blur is, Who's right? We both are.... Take a look at ebay, there's a Yellow one on there with a mouth and teeth for a grill and nostrils built in the hood and a goofy dragon design on the tailgate- The person that paid to have that done thought that was cool.
If we all had similar taste there would only be Chocolate Ice Cream!
Gosh I sound like an OLD MAN! Oh Wait, I am! HA!
calook1967

 

[xoxoxoBruce]

Old men are (usually) wiser men. No plastic slip covers on the couch either.

 

[SoonerSSR]

I am enjoying hearing the various viewpoints and opinions. I think we all are pretty much on the same page. I would have to say that buying a vehicle like this was one of the things I had on my ‘bucket list’. My granddaughter enjoys riding with ‘pop’ with the top down, and that makes it worth every penny I paid to me. So no regrets for me at this point. I also think the Fanatics are an added bonus to owning one of these vehicles.

 

[Studmuffin]

I agree that you shouldn't stress over what the next owner may or may not think. Someone loved it enough to buy it new,
You loved it enough to buy it again.
Someday someone new will set their eyes on it and love it in their own way.

If you're really worried about the resale value of it being a stock truck, there is a simple rule you can use, that being,

Never do something to it that you can't easily undo.

There are people on here who have added badges and tints to their trucks, made them extremely original, unique and customized to them, but if need be can strip it back to a stock truck
in half an hour.

You love it your way, and the next owner will love it in their own way, however extravagantly or cautiously it may be. They'll take care of themselves when the time comes.

 

[Flassh]

I agree that you shouldn't stress over what the next owner may or may not think. Someone loved it enough to buy it new,
You loved it enough to buy it again.
Someday someone new will set their eyes on it and love it in their own way.

If you're really worried about the resale value of it being a stock truck, there is a simple rule you can use, that being,

Never do something to it that you can't easily undo.

There are people on here who have added badges and tints to their trucks, made them extremely original, unique and customized to them, but if need be can strip it back to a stock truck
in half an hour.

You love it your way, and the next owner will love it in their own way, however extravagantly or cautiously it may be. They'll take care of themselves when the time comes.

Conventional wisdom is that keeping a vehicle original brings the most value. The last few Barrett Jackson auctions, and especially the latest Scottsdale auction have shown that high quality resto mods are far outpacing highly desirable originals. Two resto mod 63 split window Corvettes brought over $350000 each, whereas a fully restored split window brought $135000.

Top 10 Chevies from BJ Scottsdale.

https://www.barrett-jackson.com/Media/Home/Reader/chevy-top-10-chevrolet-top-sellers-scottsdale-2019/?utm_source=website&utm_medium=eblast&utm_campaign=PB19&utm_term=Article&utm_content=1252019

Mine could never be returned to stock. I tossed the original suspension, oil pan, intake manifold, shifter, clutch, valve covers, crossmembers and on and on. Sold the stock wheels and tires.

I think well optioned, tastefully modified trucks will hold the most value in the future.

The other very obvious stat from Scottsdale is that manual transmissions carry the day. Price spreads between manuals and automatics is increasing. Not out of line to suggest a 50k difference on mid to late 60s muscle cars.

 

[REBEL]

GEE good to hear, because I have a hole in my hood.

 

[tennesseecozydog]

These are ABSOLUTELY 9 of the BEST Posts or Threads that I have ever read about SSR Values or Non Values !!! If 4 Rubber Tires, a Motor and a Plastic Body sittin' out there in the garage, is all I had to worry about, I would feel like I had died and gone to Heaven !!! :smile2: :smile2: :smile2: When did the 55, 56 & 57 Chevy's get collectible ... about when they were 30 years old. So if ya' got an 003, maybe in 2033 they might take off. So since I got an 005, in 2035 I would be 95 and you think I'm worrying about the value of an SSR at today's market. I'll be 79 February 1, 2019, so all I'm worrying about is a) getting to 80 and my health, b) 4 Grandchildren 16, 14, 13 & 12 c) wife's health, d) a fantastic Daughter and a great Son, not a damn SSR !!! As I've said before, had our's nearly 10 years and put 70,000 fun miles on "Red Molly"

That's my opinion and I'm stickin' to it !!! As one of the above said "Be a Collector, an Investor or a DRIVER" It's your call and you're entitled to it. Be like the Guys & Gals in Florida "HAVE FUN in the SUN .. drive 'em and when the breakdown fix 'em !!!

 

[tennesseecozydog]

I am enjoying hearing the various viewpoints and opinions. I think we all are pretty much on the same page. I would have to say that buying a vehicle like this was one of the things I had on my ‘bucket list’. My granddaughter enjoys riding with ‘pop’ with the top down, and that makes it worth every penny I paid to me. So no regrets for me at this point. I also think the Fanatics are an added bonus to owning one of these vehicles.

"My granddaughter enjoys riding with 'pop' with the top down and that makes it worth every penny I paid for mine" SoonerSSR ... YOU SAID IT BEST !!! I got 2 Grand Daughter's 16 &12 and riding with them in the SSR with the top down is a some kind of pleasure. You cannot wipe the grin off their face when they get in, strap down and hear that motor roar. They know they're in for a fun ride, if only around the neighborhood. I even let the 16 year old one drive and that is when you should see the grin on her face. GRAND DAUGHTER'S are SPECIAL ... Sooner, thanks for your post.!!!

:smile2: :smile2: :smile2:

 

[HALSSSR]

Hello SOONERSSR: I do believe you got it! What this unique, one off design creation by Chevrolet has done for each and every SSR Fanatic is a personal treasure onto ourselves for sure! You and your family, first, and the biggest bonus without a doubt is our SSR Fanatic Family,words can't truly express the love that is and will always be experienced by all who are the fortunate custodians of these cool factory retro rods from Chevrolet. Enjoy the memories always!

PS: Quick story for all age groups that have a love affair with the "SSR", AKA, "R".
This past fall our great grandson, Cooper(3)yrs. came with his parents to visit Great Grammy and Papa for dinner one evening; after dessert, I came into my office where I have a Cabinet full of mostly 1/18 scale die cast fifty's cars and trucks etc. A few moments later I see Cooper coming into the office, like a magnet he stands in front of the glass cabinet, bends over a bit and points to my die cast yellow SSR in the cabinet and starts yelling, that's my most favorite fast car, Papa, as he jumps up and down, I had no idea a little guy of three years old even knew what a SSR was, so I had his Daddy take him out into our garage and show him the real deal, the look on his face was so priceless, would have made a fantastic Chevy commercial I thought, was so funny to see his reaction, not at all expected! Those are the bonus's we get to file in our memory banks, yes priceless!

 

[Gr8XLr8r]

Right now these are drivers and if you don't drive them they start to fall apart so low miles will not help eventually. Most collector cars are 40 or more years old before they are valuable. Most of us will be dead before that happens so drive it, and enjoy it. Use it but don't abuse it. I think most of us can get just about what we paid for our R"s and not many vehicles hold their own like that. You bought it, it is your money, so do what you want with or to it but if you think it will be a big money maker and make you rich, FA-GETA-BOUT-IT.

Ask yourself, what were you thinking when you bought the truck? I guess for some it could have been an investment idea, but they may have bought at the top of the market. Some it could be the uniqueness, is their anyone who wouldn't like to own a mint condition original Corvair or Gremlin X puke:, I'll bet they would probably bring a better return than an "R". There are those I'm sure who loved the concept, a factory custom. They are rare in relation to production numbers but how many do we have to see meet the bone yard before that reflects the price of survivors ? We live in a consumer marketplace, many purchases aren't meant or built to last. If I can keep mine running and in good shape until my drivers license is taken away then I will have the privilege of handing it off to a family member who will love it as I do. I have a granddaughter who is 22 and I suspect that if I left the keys in it she'd steal it, she is that crazy about it. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. I wasn't thinking about buying an "R" until I saw the one I now own and I can't see myself owning a different one. I worry far more about losing my "R" to a crash and having an insurance company writing it off than having to sell it for any reason.

 

[Stlhotrod]

I got mine to drive and both of them with what in the R world would call high mileage. This keeps them from being collector status and I can go out and enjoy them. I try to keep the engine and transmission well lubricated and that includes running it up to the red line from time to time when no one is around. I buy vehicles for me. I have been a poor investor in vehicles over the years so why try to start now. And the thought of having something and not getting to enjoy it makes no sense to me. I feel as I got into them for less than I would spend to build a comparable v8 truck of late 60 or early 70s vintage and if something did happen to it, the insurance company would pay off on it easier than they would on say a 68 Chevy C10 with an LS 6.0 over drive and 4 wheel disk brakes. If I had to get collector car insurance on the same C10 I couldn't drive it like I do the SSR so the SSR was a wise investment to me.

I also look at my trucks as if something goes out I can rebuild them and improve anything and still be money ahead. If an engine dies, I am going to build something bigger and better. Transmission goes out I will go with a 4L80E. That is what Hotrodding is all about. Will mine be worth more when I am done? Maybe not, but if I have had fun doing it, then it was worth what I spent on it. I don't have any other hobbies so this is my one to spend my money on. I talked to my accountant and he told me I can afford to retire 2 months and 3 weeks after I die, so I am going to do what I enjoy till they put me in the ground.

 

[12Pack]

I bought my SSR to drive around and brag that I finally got one. I've been swapping all the normal parts out and every time I take it apart, I can't wait to get back together so I can show it off some more

 

[Studmuffin]

I got mine to drive and both of them with what in the R world would call high mileage. This keeps them from being collector status and I can go out and enjoy them.

This is an actual inquiry from myself,
Is there a defined mileage where the value starts to drastically depreciate?

For those who are thinking it,
the number I'm asking about
is in the tens of thousands,
Not the number 1.

 

[BlueStreak]

This is an actual inquiry from myself,
Is there a defined mileage where the value starts to drastically depreciate?

For those who are thinking it,
the number I'm asking about
is in the tens of thousands,
Not the number 1.

I was hoping it was in the HIGH Hundreds of Thousands but it really does not matter I reached it a while ago, Now I am hoping that the average of both of mine will save my heirs from heartbreak.

 

[VI Ken]

"Now I am hoping that the average of both of mine will save my heirs from heartbreak."


Kinda self serving, but I am less concerned as to heirs and future values. We all bought our R's because we thought they looked cool and brought a smile to our face. IMHO, drive it now and enjoy it. Heirs be damned ...



Ken, Vancouver Island

 

[Firetruck]

Drive, drive and then drive some more! Future value? Maybe someday but you'd be better off investing the cash if you want to leave something of value to your heirs. You never know what tomorrow will bring, heck our R's maybe banned from the roads because they're not electric or self driving anyway. So put the top down, step on the skinny pedal and enjoy the ride!