MGA prices in UK

Just for interest I thought I would post this:
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=120491079599&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT#ht_854wt_1167
To show the value of cars needing restoration here. This is in no way unusual and is typical of the price cars like this fetch on eBay. It's equivalent to $6,785 US. That seems much higher than the prices talked about on this forum for similar total restoration cases.

Is it time to import some more cars?

Hi Neil

I think that car would bring $3000.00 to $3500.00 here so let me know when to start sending you cars for re sale in the UK... Seriously.

Ricky

I do not think this is a specific issue for the MG´s, has to be for all the cars or in general for all the products, also may be related to the cost of living, I understand England is more expensive than other countries, so all the economic factors are related, What about VAT, import duties, these are higher than the US taxes.
USA: Minimum wage is around $ 8.50 dlls., VAT is 8%, Import duties below 5% (general consumer products) in some cases none! (depending Country of origen).

Raul, you are absolutely right.

The point here though is that cars needing total restoration are worth much more, but once restored the cars have more similar values.

Yes, I've always been envious of the MG prices I've seen in the USA compared to those in Australia. Then I came across this!
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/MG-MGA_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQhashZitem4a9c549e5dQQitemZ320450371165QQptZUSQ5fCarsQ5fTrucks

Been around for a while and got ripped apart on one of the forums. For that money one would expect a complete MGA not a "bitsa".

The US received 81,153 units. UK received 5,869 units. 13.83 to 1 ratio.

We have more rotting bodies than you do.

I agree with John. Supply and demand drive the prices and values. A few years ago the when prices were skyrocketed, exotics and even mundane were being flipped around the world and never leave there homes. When the bottom fell I think a lot of people got "stuck" having paid too too much.

John,
When you says: UK received 5869 units, are you refering to units produced and not exported (MGA´s?).
That´s a big ratio and yes I agree why the demand of MG´s is so high!

Raul
The US got roughly half of all UK sports cars...more in some cases with the bulk of the rest going elsewhere in the world. Further the sports cars allowed most of the manufacturers the profit to continue making sedans for the home market. At the same time R&D of sports cars was mostly an after thought the thinking being they could use sedan parts to build the cars.
The MGA was a prototype in about 1951 and would have beaten both TR2 and AH 100 slab side designs to the market. But the management went so far as to intoduce the TF as a ploy to delay tooling up for the MGA in 1954. The TF was NOT well accepted in its day.

Raul - here's the link to all the MGA models and where they went -

http://www.mgcars.org.uk/MGA/mgaprod.html

John

John,

Interesting information from your link, I see why is so difficult to find MG´s in their own homeland!

Regards,

Wow a 1600 DE LUXE COUPÉ is certainly rare, from the link above.