I think you do talk a lot of sense Kerr, and I do respect your view and fact in your post.
For me though the problem is that most Rs that come up need money spending on them, the brakes alone can add with callipers of course 3-4k if not done, therefore if you buy a so called market price car as quoted, then you can end up paying more than if you pay over for a good one that’s had all jobs done.
That fact for me is why an enthusiast would see that, thus prepared to pay over market for the right car.
I don’t think the advise is mislead, but merely pointing out that most that come up need a big spend, the grey one for me does not, therefore justifies the current asking price.
All it will come down to in the end with that car is how long the seller is prepared to hold out.
The R is a different prospect to all the other Zs. You’ll need pretty deep pockets at times with those if you want to keep them going.
I was in the Lancia motor club for several years in the late 90s and much of the chat was around the place ntegrale. I had use isn’t one in the mid 90s for about 6 months from a French friend who had to go back home for a spell but wanted to leave his car here with me. It was absolutely brilliant to drive but it was getting into the age bracket of the R now. Maybe a bit younger. Think it was an 89 version. He eventually had to let go as the bills were piling up and it was Ferrari money to keep it on the road. Finding a workshop that cared or could do the work was an issue. There were a couple in England, one of whom made his name by advertising in the club magazine by shown by all the various hodges that had been done by others to the various cars he had in. The R is a similar beast. It’s not a regular road car and it’s not for back street guys to work on.
Some of the cars on offer no will have been bought by folk wanting a fast fun car without really caring that much. It will be thrashed and mined in. As these things age there’s more chance the prices drop and they fall into the hands of folk that want all the fun and none of the expense. They’ll end up cheaper. Or they’ll end up projects. Lots will leave the scene and the few that remain might end up sought after by collectors. Or maybe not as there is no real race story for these unlike the integrake.
But anyone buying one will need to know that at some stage big bills are coming.
I think they will become collectible eventually. Eventually….
but you never can tell. I wanted one. But I couldn’t find one anywhere yet was near enough to get a proper look and a proper think about it so I ducked out.
I still want one but I know more about them now than I did then thanks to this place. They are special cars all the same. And hats off to anyone who has one. You’re lucky