A couple of you guys touched on it.
Like alot of assets, prices rose and fell with the boomers.
It is the biggest economic force in America.
Good and bad.
Now that a lot of them are thinking about white shoes, with no socks, and a small convalescent home in FL, the overall muscle car market has taken a hit - along with that grinding depression / recession we went through, which eviscerated HECOs, and made people think twice about spending vs saving.
And people are generally tapped out anymore.
Wages have been flat for over 20 years.
Crappy replacement jobs.
High levels of debt.
Rising costs of basics.
No financing for such a purchase. And that's how people buy cars nowadays - No down / 60, 72, 96 months or whatever. Stupid crazy.
Nervousness about the economy in general
So, overall, these trends all have their effect to depress prices.
It is - a middle class toy.
And the middle class has taken a pounding - economically speaking.
Now some young guys are still into cars, although like Coach said, not nearly like when we were young.
But think about if for a minute - what are they into?
Ricers, Hondas, Imports, etc etc.
Not that I have a problem with it, it is what it is.
Muscle cars? Not so much.
Like the other poster - I also have always said people will spend 3 times as much on a rat box Chevelle or Mustang - since that's what the in thing is to have.
But I don't think the 50's and 60's stuff is getting the kind of money it used to though.
But of course - I don't pay much attention either.
And truth be told - while most people will stand in awe of a Grand National, some / alot of people will go (maybe privately) "Ewww...it's so...Eighties"
These TR's are a niche of a niche.
But - back to the original topic - I still say - if it were right here and now - Mike - 17K - top of the range.
Tops.
And most of the obsessed TR guys are always fishing for that "deal"
So it would have to be a newbie at 17K.
But think of it this way - if you got 17K - that is what the car sold for new 25 years ago.
That's pretty darned good - for a car. Not counting cost of ownership.
Considering, they are depreciating assets.
$9500 - last year - drove it home from Delaware. Flawless. Wouldn't have known it was a 25 year old car..
5K of mods.
Of course - another TR that got sold on the cheap due to a "woman"; i.e. divorce situation.
So when I say 17K - I lie - since you see how much I would pay.