Beta Vaules

[Nigel Mackay]

Hi Beta Forum readers,
I'd like to return to Beta ownership, I've had 1600, 2000 coupes and a Spider that was a 1600 that, when the cam belt snapped after 8 minutes of ownership, became a 2000 as that was all Beta-Car had. Plus I fancied more zoom. (Bonnet never did shut properly after that)

Any way, what are these things worth these days. I dont know if I want a Spider or coupe. I've seen the Silver 1986 / Creg Volumex coupe on this forum's For Sale section. It's up for £3800.
With 39,000 miles and "very cood condition" is this not still a bit too much money?
Then theres other seemingly nice examples for a few hundred quid.

I'd really appreciate your help. Perhaps knowledge of recently completed sales, or good sources.
Many thanks in advance
Nigel

[alan cooper]

A lot depends on peoples idea of excellent/good condition, i would say that a good rust free and mechanically sound vx coupé must be worth all that money if not more, HPE's are a quite a lot cheaper but the only cars you'll find under £1000 are likely to be pretty ropey. I doubt that you'd find a straight-ish mot'd restorable coupé vx for less than about £1500 and they are not at all common. Not sure about spiders they are very very prone to corrosion and very few of them are in anything approaching original order so it makes prices very difficult to judge, most of the ones advertised seem to be neither fish nor foul being useable cars but far from original, the sills on spiders are always a good sign as to the overall fitness of a car; they are wider than coupé sills and have a slight outer ledge on them topped by a black trim strip, on mediocre cars this is often incorrect.

[Nigel Mackay]

That's helpful, Alan, thanks. It's good to be reassured that the cheapies are probably crap. Do we have anyone out there has spent a decent amount on a Beta coupe recently? Thanks.

[alan cooper]

all I can say is that I am spending a LOT of money putting my VX back into pristine order.....so I might have an interest in values!! Actually it is pretty true that condition is in the eye of the beholder and it is easy to be deceived by the prices of cars unless you have seen their true condition. In truth most remaining Betas are pretty dog-eared these days and there aren't many left with decent trim etc. i think the beta is going through the same phase that the fulvia did some years ago where all the cars bought as cheap day to day hacks have or soon will bite the dust, this is the time when they disappear from the roads and suddenly they gain a bigger element of desirabilty, i think it will be a few years yet before they have full recognition but at least all the lancisti 'bangers' are now dedras and themas

[Chris]

I got my silver hpe volumex (bodily straight, mechanically excellent with new mot and low miles) for 1200, and my black hpe vx (bodily excellent, mechanically alright but definately not great with no mot or tax) i would probably value it at at least 14 or 15 hundred as its body is so good and the mechanics are no biggy (slightly noisy valvetrain and second gear synchro). Plus it has a lot more history and all that kind of gear.

[Hamish]

I think it's a mistake to generalise over price as there are still bargains to be had, I know of someone who has bought a mint early 1600 coupe for less than a grand when in my opinion it should have cost at least 4 times as much. Ultimately any car is worth what the buyer will pay and no beta is exempt from that. Alan and I - and may other restorers of Betas - will put a hell of a lot more cash into getting the cars on the road than they are worth at the moment, but thats not what it's all about; is it?
I reckon I'm £3k into my car and I've still to respray it and put on new arches.... when its done it may be worth as much as £4500 but I'd be surprised.

[alan cooper]

I would think my car will be worth no more than about £3000 when finished, an original unmolested vx coupé would fetch more but probably not more than £4500 and I only know of one truly original and unmolested car in the UK (but of course there may be a few more). I believe that bargains are quite rare but they might be found, more likely to find a bargain if the car is not a VX.

[Nigel Mackay]

Thanks Chaps, this is all helpful. I have been away so apologies for not replying sooner. So, conclusion is. If one thinks it's worth it, buy it. If you dont then don't spend the money?