Low mile 1988 Countach Quattrovalvole up for auction, VIN ZA9CA05A8JLA12322: 1988 Lamborghini Countach 5000 QV | Arizona 2015 | RM AUCTIONS
I was in the market when that car was available in 2011. They wanted around $140K (if I remember corrrectly). I thought at the time it was way too much. I cant wait for all the auctions this month to see if things will settle down a bit or continue to be silly.
Time changes, and so do the prices on these cars! I bet you should have bought this one? It looks nice indeed and the mileage is extremely low for being a pre 25th car.
I am still blown away by the number of these cars that come up for sale or auction that still have that Gargantuan front bumper mounted to them! Mike
Ask yourself one question: Would you rather buy a 308 at $100K? Well would you (expletive!).. ? lol you missed the boat but again, that car is not meant to be driven. In fact I saw that car a few years back and it gets trailed for attending gatherings. That tells you the owner is quite mindful to keep it low miles.
Looks like keeping it low mileage is paying off for the seller... Mileage is said to be 520 km. We'll see how it goes in about a week.
Very nice car. I went to see it in person in 2011 at Manhattan Motor Cars. I offered $125k but they wanted $145k firm. That was a lot for that car back then. The UGLY bumper should stay on the car from both a value standpoint and preservation aspect. As bad as it looks, and it looks the least hideous on a black car, it should stay as it left the factory. As these cars go higher and higher in value there will be a large emphasis $$ placed on originality, the good the bad and the ugly. A low mileage car that is say 95% original like this one, makes no sense to start taking factory original parts off. Don't get me wrong, I'm like everyone else, I think the front bumper is really ugly but it's a U.S. car and that's how they came. If you have a driver and you want it to look better then by all means take it off as it's pretty simple to put back on by Countach standards. I think this car brings over $500k all in.
Mecum will have a '91 Diablo for auction in Kissimmee. This is the first time I've seen a Diablo advertised for auction. Hopefully just the begining.
RM's Auctions America had quite a few Diablo's go through in 2014: Auctions America - Collector Car Auctions - Auction Search
You make a good point about the preservation aspect. Its a simple matter-of-fact that as the cars get more valuable, they should be "how they came" from the factory to be most collectable, desirable or valuable. This means for example that 4-liter cars should not have any side-markers upon them etc. etc. But this concept is a double-edged sword. It also means that as the cars get move valuable, a person who hates the ugly DOT appendages of the USA cars (most Countach-owner prospects) will simply avoid those USA QV cars altogether, in favor of non-USA cars, rather than perform any modification fr fear of reducing values etc. That'll ultimately hamper their values.
Copied from the RM site: -This particular Countach, a 1988 5000 QV, was produced in February 1988 as a U.S.-specification model. It had Bosch fuel injection, was finished in Nero over a Nero leather interior, and had optional gold wheels and the iconic rear spoiler, just as it is seen here today. The car was immaculately preserved by its first owner for over 30 years, and then, in 2011, it was purchased by its second and current owner, showing just 520 kilometers on its odometer. Since then, the car has been the owners prized possession, and he made it his mission to preserve it in the very original condition in which he purchased it. As such, it has only been run and driven to ensure the functionality of the drivetrain and has only accumulated less than 100 kilometers in his ownership, just from driving the car around the block and back into the garage a handful of times. The Lamborghini Countach is without a doubt the most iconic automobile of the 1980s. It was the poster-child for a generation. Those who lived through that decade were mesmerized by the cars incredible looks and performance, yet only the fortunate few had the wherewithal to put one in their garage. As original and well-maintained models have become increasingly difficult to find, exceptional examples are quickly being snatched up by collectors in anticipation of ever rising values, rarity, and desirability. This Countach is virtually as-new, as it has been incredibly well cared for and preserved every day of its life, and it marks a wonderful opportunity.
What a complete waste of an AMAZING car!!!The original owner should be punched in the nuts for buying it and NEVER using it for what it was built for!!! Ron
He drove it 100kms and got to look at it. He will be rewarded financially as well. He did miss out on the questions at the gas pump & the tail gating mini van though. I think what you will see, in regards to the US bumpers, is that the car will not be discounted with them. I've kept mine just in case, but I don't see anyone wanting to put them back on in the future.
Yes, I'm not saying they have never crossed the block,but don't remember seeing them advertised beforehand, like it was a prominant car in the auction. But the again, its only Mecum and I do not see Italian cars doing well with them, just not the buyers they attract.
That is half the fun of a Countach is seeing peoples reactions and them chasing you down for a pic & questions. I have all my bumpers still stored in the attic for the next cartaker. I much rather look at a Euro body than the US highway patrol car look
Mecum does not have a good track record with selling exotics. I am not sure why some of these cars end up at their auctions, unless they are owned by regular Mecum sellers that ended up in their inventory.
I certainly would not call it a "waste". People get different levels of enjoyment from owning cars. Some like to care for and admire their prize possessions and enjoy maintaining them to high original standards. Some prefer to take them out on the road and push them to their limits. I am very grateful that there are a few very low mileage original well preserved cars like this still around so that we can all see and compare our cars to. Owning a QV, it's been great to look at this car knowing it's level of originality.
For those of us who dont understand how 100 km in 3 years can keep a car in driving shape, it can be seen as a complete waste. I guess 1000km would be more like it and the owner could have simply bypassed doing even 100Km and only run the car on the lift. I can also see the point of having a few time capsule in running order for legacy purpose. The problem is there seem to be a lot of time capsules coming out on the market, some of them not in running order. Then when too many cars are time capsule, it becomes a waste.
I don't think running a car on a lift is quite the same as driving down the road, using the brakes, suspension, gears ect. Out of all the 2000 or so cars made I know of only 3 that have under 1k miles. I don't think that's a lot. Maybe there are many I don't know about ?
I think you'll find that here are many more than 3! Think of all the 25ths yet to be driven. I'm nowhere near my notes to check yet I can think of half-a-dozen such cars. I'd say there are easily 20 Countachs (1% of production) with under 1k miles still, perhaps more.
The problem is that, and also poorly or partially-restored cars coming to the market, with the auction houses acting as agents for dealers to flip the cars and share the profits.
I don't see that as a problem, at least it's not a problem for me. As a Countach enthusiast I feel this price jump has been a blessing for the car. As some people have said, cars seem to be coming out of the woodwork now and I think it's great ! Yes there are some that will take an average car and throw some lipstick on it trying to make a quick buck. So what, profit is not a bad thing, we all make money right ? I understand the issue with unscrupulous people claiming a car is one thing and it's not. There are people in the car business that are out to screw people for a profit. They have been doing it for 100 years and it will continue long after we are all gone. It's not a Countach specific problem. I'm happy to see some of these cars being restored properly and brought back to their original glory for all to see. I would rather that than have these cars sit and rot in garages never to be seen. The price jump has made it financially possible for these cars to be restored. I'm sure you know of many that are being done properly and it will be great to see then when they are finished. If prices continue to rise, and I think they will, there will be many more cars brought back to life and probably some special cars. If people are motivated to do this for money, more power to them. I can't wait to see the next concourse restored Countach. As far as cars with under 1k miles, your right I should have excluded the 25th. I'm sure that variant has plenty of cars with low miles. Cars made prior to the Anniversario, I don't think there are "a lot". But by no means am I an expert on that number, just guessing.