New AMD fenders bring down the value of an orginal?

[69*F5*SE]

I want to get the new AMD fenders because they are dead nuts new but what's it doing to the value of my original fenders value. I paid $600 for one of my current original fenders not that long ago off ebay. It's in good condition but it ain't new and needs some work. I was going to have them dipped and e-coated but now I'm at a standstill of what to do because that'll take what I have into them to more than what I could get new.  I feel I'll just take a loss if I list them on ebay.  What do you guys think?     Ted

[Charger1973]

I think there will always be people who want original parts vs repro no matter how nice they are.  If nothing else get the new ones and keep the originals as spares.   

[Hemidoug]

How the heck are you going to tell? No different then cutting a can and welding it in as a patch panel.....I'd be willing to bet more then one restored Mopar has a soup can patch or two....

[69*F5*SE]

I was hoping to sell my unrestored originals on ebay and get the new AMD's but the new AMD fenders are plastered everywhere on ebay now.  I just don't want to lose hundereds of dollars trying to sell my originals which need some work.  I want the new ones but don't want to lose as much as I have in the originals I purchased for the same price on ebay as the new ones.  Between a rock & a hard place with this one.  It's like I have no choice but to lose money.

[BB1]

mmm keep the old rusty fenders or get new ones.

What a hard choice. 

[69*F5*SE]

Thing is is that I paid what they want for the new ones for the old ones that need work.   Nobody will give me what I paid for them now that the new ones are out. 

[Ghoste]

Without sounding sympathetic to your plight because I am and I truly hope you can get your money out of the old ones, but, bringing down the price is one of the things that I like about high quality repops.  Some of the rusty junk out there was getting stupidly overpriced.

[68charger383]

I sold some rare cuda parts which were reproduced. The repos put a cap on the prices I could get for the original parts, especially considering what I could have gotten a few years back before the were reproduced. However, the buyers were people with top end cars (hemi/6 pack) where the original parts and numbers made a difference.

As far as a standard item like a fender, I'd say from this point forward your looking at selling them for a discount below the price AMD is currently getting for the new ones. Plus if they can ship the fenders cheap,...you'll have to eat that in your price since fenders are around $150-$250 each to ship and package via UPS/greyhound etc.. 

[dpm68]

How the heck are you going to tell?

Zackly.

[69bronzeT5]

I don't honestly care if they bring down the value or not...I'm not building my '69 to sell, I'm building it for ME I would definitely take the new AMD fenders over my rusty ones.

[Aero426]

I applaud AMD for bringing much needed parts to market.   However, not everyone wants Chinese fenders on their car.    I'm sure it will hurt value some, but if your fenders are in good condition, you should still be able to pull a decent return.   

You may be better off selling them locally where someone can see and touch them.   No shipping either. 

[jeryst]

I think there will always be people who want original parts vs repro no matter how nice they are.  If nothing else get the new ones and keep the originals as spares.   

I agree. I wont buy a repro unless the original is unavailable, or it costs at least twice the cost of the repro. Just a personal thing, but I like authentic parts.

[njsuperbees]

sorry your letting value ruin your hobby
for the longest time restoring a car was a money losing proposition
you did it for the love of it,not because it was profitable because for the most part it wasn't.
greed and popularity changed all this
now the pedulium is swinging back.
the economy and new products help this happen.
and the one's who put value first are learning the hard way.
your stuck with having to sell those fenders at a loss now.
just like i'm stuck with a extra 69 rr hood that needs a little work that i will take a hit on.
because you can buy a new one.
the thing is i look at it as the cost of my enjoyment of the hobby and if it ends up
turning into a sled that i will use on the hill in the winter,it doesn't bother me a bit because
breaking even or profiting isn't why i'm in the game.

  my advice to the others worried about the value of things is to start looking ahead at
whats coming out new and dump what you have asap because the same thing is gonna happen.
sure the mint, or nos stuff will hold its value but if it needs some work or is less then perfect
your gonna take the hit.
i would rather pay the price for something i have to do minamal work to then to pay the same or near it
for alot less. you might want to do the work needed and make them nice and sell
and take a loss on the time. anyway you cut it your gonna take a loss.
good luck

[challenger70]

sorry your letting value ruin your hobby
for the longest time restoring a car was a money losing proposition
you did it for the love of it,not because it was profitable because for the most part it wasn't.
greed and popularity changed all this
now the pedulium is swinging back.
the economy and new products help this happen.
and the one's who put value first are learning the hard way.
your stuck with having to sell those fenders at a loss now.
just like i'm stuck with a extra 69 rr hood that needs a little work that i will take a hit on.
because you can buy a new one.
the thing is i look at it as the cost of my enjoyment of the hobby and if it ends up
turning into a sled that i will use on the hill in the winter,it doesn't bother me a bit because
breaking even or profiting isn't why i'm in the game.

  my advice to the others worried about the value of things is to start looking ahead at
whats coming out new and dump what you have asap because the same thing is gonna happen.
sure the mint, or nos stuff will hold its value but if it needs some work or is less then perfect
your gonna take the hit.
i would rather pay the price for something i have to do minamal work to then to pay the same or near it
for alot less. you might want to do the work needed and make them nice and sell
and take a loss on the time. anyway you cut it your gonna take a loss.
good luck

Well said, it's a hobby not a business.

[Joshua]

Look at '32 Fords for example, you can buy complete, repoped bodies from Brookville, yet the price of originals have not gone down.......there are people and always will be people who prefer original pieces over repop....

[nakita7]

Think of it this way...there's nothing aftermarket that brings the value of a car up....

[charger01]

I applaud AMD for bringing much needed parts to market.   However, not everyone wants Chinese fenders on their car.    I'm sure it will hurt value some, but if your fenders are in good condition, you should still be able to pull a decent return.   

You may be better off selling them locally where someone can see and touch them.   No shipping either. 

Pretty sure the new stuff is made in the usa .  Dont know anyone who would put chinese stuff on a musclecar.

[charge-it]

I applaud AMD for bringing much needed parts to market.   However, not everyone wants Chinese fenders on their car.    I'm sure it will hurt value some, but if your fenders are in good condition, you should still be able to pull a decent return.   

You may be better off selling them locally where someone can see and touch them.   No shipping either. 

Pretty sure the new stuff is made in the usa .  Dont know anyone who would put chinese stuff on a musclecar.

There are tons of people putting chinese parts on their cars. Just ask P.G. Classics or BE&A.

[charger01]

I applaud AMD for bringing much needed parts to market.   However, not everyone wants Chinese fenders on their car.    I'm sure it will hurt value some, but if your fenders are in good condition, you should still be able to pull a decent return.   

You may be better off selling them locally where someone can see and touch them.   No shipping either. 

Pretty sure the new stuff is made in the usa .  Dont know anyone who would put chinese stuff on a musclecar.

There are tons of people putting chinese parts on their cars. Just ask P.G. Classics or BE&A.

Those arent american ?  That's just sad....Not only is the current automobile industry going foreign.  Now they have classic muscle?  Is nothing sacred?

[Troy]

Think of it this way...there's nothing aftermarket that brings the value of a car up....

Um, yeah - if your car is already finished. An after market console will make a car worth more than a cracked original. A repro '71 Cuda grill is better than a big hole in the front of the car. If you have all the original parts in perfect condition then I'd agree but most people don't. Any part is better than nothing and a decent part is better than a junk one. This is why I have 5-6 of everything - I keep upgrading as I find nicer pieces.

I think the only people who might possibly care about original vs repro are the ones buying rare, high-dollar cars. They can afford the limited supply of NOS parts any way so it doesn't matter. These same people generally prefer a car that has all its original parts (never wrecked or rusted). For the average guy building a 318 car into a 440 clone then I can't see why they would care - as long as it fits their budget and the car is on the road. The value will be much higher for the finished car than a rusted, dented project - and it may actually get done in this lifetime. The guy in the middle with a semi-rare car and a reasonable budget is the one who will have a tough decision.

Think of the junk quarter panels and floors we've had for years and all the expensive cars that have sold recently that probably have them. Front fenders for these cars (at least 2nd gen) have been hard to find in good condition since I bought (and wrecked) my first 68 in 1987 and quarters have been nearly non-existent for longer than that. Front fenders are generally abused. I've seen countless cars with odd-shaped or cracked tips due to all the filler required to make them straight again (those pointy ends tend to get banged into everything). I can't imagine that most people would prefer a heavily worked original over a direct replacement that's the right shape to begin with. Fenders are bolt on parts any way so if the next owner wants originals then make him find them.

For comparison sake...
The Classic Body Designs quarter panels (American made) list for $2,400 each and most people here had fits over the price and swore they'd never buy a set. The AMD panels are supposed to be $600 (or $700?) and are made in China yet people can't get them fast enough. That tells me that the average guy would rather finish his car within his budget than hope he can sell it for ~$4,000 more when he's done. I think most people that are going to just sell the completed car would go for the cheaper parts to begin with. Once the paint is on who is going to notice a difference? Heck, before the paint is on who is going to notice the difference?

In the end, the consumer drives the market. I talk to a LOT of vendors and there are certain parts that they just won't make (here or overseas) because the final cost will be more than people are willing to pay. If a particular part will sell well at $200 but not at all at $400 then the manufacturer will try to make it at the cheaper price. Some will cut corners to do so but others may just bow out and make something else.

Troy

[Ghoste]

And on a related note, I'll bet there are going to be a LOT of cars sold sold in the near future with reproduction parts from China that will be touted as being all original and almost no one will know any different.  High dollar cars included, maybe even especially the high dollar ones.

[charger01]

And on a related note, I'll bet there are going to be a LOT of cars sold sold in the near future with reproduction parts from China that will be touted as being all original and almost no one will know any different.  High dollar cars included, maybe even especially the high dollar ones.

I believe you are correct on this assumption.

[jaak]

If you have decent fenders that just need a little work, I would use fix and use those and put the 1400 for new fenders into something else for your car. And then you don't have to worry about the "value", which I don't think is a big issue. Like mentioned in an earlier post, the average enthusiast puts money in these cars for a hobby, not profit.

Jason

[69*F5*SE]

I started this thread to gain viewpoint and that's what I've got so far. Some very good viewpoint. Thanks   Ted

[Mike DC]

 
Show me a reproduction part from any major brand that is made of steel that's as thick/stiff as the original stuff. 


Even when a company claims that the sheet-thickness of the metal is the same, the alloy content of the steel is still usually weak enough to easily feel the difference by hand.