The Cal-look Lounge

 ok .
we all know the hobby is not getting any cheaper , but .....

i've seen brm's for 10k ,
i've just had to pay 4.25k for a set of fuchs earlies ,
now there a single mag torquer for 2k .

how much more are they likely to rise to ??
its gettin fcukin ridiculous  ::)

its not just the high-end stuff thats allways been expensive compared to the rest , it seems the prices of these are dragging up the prices of everything else .

we all know the furore caused by the deal iron cross wheel , but i'd bet none of it would have happened if people were not prepared to pay the high prices for stuff they desire , and others wouldnt be prepared to pay through the teeth for "something different" !!

now i hate what ive just paid for my wheels , but thats down to my stupidity by nlot storing them when they weer cheap :D
plus the fact i did my research and ....  believe it or not ..... the set of four worked out to be a bargain !!!
( ok , i checked prices of the only other earlies for sale and to make my set would have cost more . kinda justifying it to myself )
do i have buyers remorse ??
yes , well more buyers disgust . but i know they aint gonna come down in price .

seems the prices of project cars hasnt really gone crazy yet ..... maybe we should start stock-piling them ??????

I no what your talking about, about 6 year's ago I had the chance to buy two 4-1/2 and two early 6 inch alloy's for six hundred dollar's so I passed because I did not want to set on the wheel's. I latey just spent more than that on two 5-1/2s alloy's . man wheel's are gettin exspensive ..

i turned down a pair of NOS (in the box) BRM's for $2000, wish i had bought them instead of the new bathroom we now have.

I think you people are crazy for paying that much for rims. I would rather buy repops with less maintenance and spend the money on the go fast stuff.

--louis

Fuchs got way out of control, seemingly overnight!

I have a little over $1100 in my 5 Porsche Cosmics, and at the time I thought I was really getting raped. Recently there was a set of 4 on the ebay that sold for $2100, so I don't feel so bad anymore :)

Re-pop rims are something that I just can not do. :P

This weekend at the Euro Bug In, there was a set of 2 4.5*15 Fuchs for ... 1690€- 2600$!!!!  :o :o :o

Don't you think that it is quite ridiculous  ::)

and also a set of South African Sprintstars for 1500 € (2250 $) thatz insane!

I'm going for steel rims on the projects, just to save costs. On the other hand, i saw MWS Gas- repros going for 380 EU  a SET on Sunday EBI. Damn.  ???

356 steelies would be the way to go for everyday driving , but i'm changing to 5x130 to fit the fuchs ...


leaves me to either :
A : risk it
B : buy some cheap re-pops
C : wonder what i'm gonna do

:D

repop brms look and work just fine, i'll use my money for cranks,cams, pistons, carburators, transmissions, and most important, lapdances

Youcould start buying up steel porsche space saver rims and fitting normal tyres to them! ;) Look very similar to 356C rims...

ive seen the alloy space savers with the paint removed being sold as " rare vintage racing" wheels  ::)

i sold the cup wheels off my 911 , then had a problem getting the " rare racing " wheels that i bought refurbished .
 i had to roll it on 4 space savers ....... interesting look !!!

my sister has my spare in her new beetle now . i joined the AA .

a couple of days ago i saw some 5x130 minilights for sale reasonably priced ........................

and to prove its not just wheels ........

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=115588   IGNITION COIL $350
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=525643    STEERING WHEEL e2500
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=632376   HEADLIGHTS  e1650
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=605051   OLD CLOCK  e1650
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=633082   lighted d plaque $550
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=622879  WINSCREEN WIPERS $500

according to Merriam-Webster Patina is; 1 a: a usually green film formed naturally on copper and bronze by long exposure or artificially (as by acids) and often valued aesthetically for its color b: a surface appearance of something grown beautiful especially with age or use2: an appearance or aura that is derived from association, habit, or established character3: a superficial covering or exterior

I don't think that rusty crap is covered  by that  ;D ;D

as long as people pay the high prices, why sell them for less, i agree prices have gone nuts and that's why i'm buying repros and not original ;D

thats the problem .... i'm BUYING at the moment , not selling :D

i guess if i hold on to the "new" fusch that are currently on for long enough , i can sell them for what i just paid for the "earlies" .

god forbid anyone driving an early car has a minor accident ...  this patina shit has really pushed the prices of old genuine panels up ....  ::)

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=633699

better hurry before he changes his mind !!!   :o

I can sympathise - I've got to order a load of parts for my '70 this week - seat covers, door cards, headliner, wiring loom, brake calipers, exhaust - i'm up to about £800 that I need to spend and just haven't got! :o

Anyone got a red TMI interior before I give VW Heritage a ring? ;)

That's what i did, blasted them, then black powder coat. Looks hard. (And if you want to, you can even put small Porsche hubcaps on them).

Sick, sick, sick.

show me !!!
i was looking for the steeies that niel mentioned . found a set of early 912 steels that could be cool !!

Long time ago (20 years)I try to sell some early fusch in 4,5" and 6" but got phone calls if I got the size right!!, the 4,5 was imposible to sell, time has chance.... ;)

time's have changed I paid $ 75.00 dollar's for the 4.5 I used for a spare in the trunk of my ghia, fricken crazy! I fell sorry for the guys restoreing stock splits now. every thing on them is 500.00.

10 years ago friend of mine found one 4.5" for about 40€ from local swap meet, sold it to me without profit, but couldn't find a pair for it in couple of months, got bored and sold it forward.

Came across reasonable set of three 4.5"s couple of years ago, spent a year for finding the 4th one, which in the end costed hell of a lot more than 40e.

You should hear what Carlos is charging for a half hour massage these days.

I'm offering discounts now!!!! 

The Market is most definatley with the buyer now.

 If you want to spend huge amounts of money on Original Rare Wheels, you can always expect to pay a premium.

But I can see the logic of buying modern repros and using the money saved to finance more items for your VW.

 Original Parts are nice sure, but there has to come a time when sanity prevails and the prices will have to stop rising.

You can only sell something for what somebody is prepared to pay.. so if people continue to pay crazy prices for stuff. The Crazy prices will continue ???

I sell, collect, swap and love old VW parts and accessories and I'm in hyper buying mode right now.

 With some major economies struggling, currently it's the time when prices should be at their keenest forthe buyer and some rare bargains might be had.

It's not worth selling your sould for that elusive rarity, especially if there are perfectly usable modern options available. :)

 

I contemplated buying some original or even the magnesium repro american racings, but i figured i could buy a set of repro BRM's for the street, a set of new centerlines for the strip AND a set of slicks/front runners for less money.

one day i'll have some original wheels, but not now ;D

I can't even keep track of what the prices are doing day to day.

Do you guys think that the rising prices in the VW Scene are going cause a serious downturn?

 Because if that is the case, then suppliers need to realize that there may well be a period of time soon, that they need to support (financially) the market that they exist within?

Certain (Rare) parts are always going to cost a premium and this is an accepted fact. But even some of the Rare items I try to sell, have to be reduced from time to time, just to stimulate the market and get some movement. (let's face it the Mona Lisa doesn't drop in price when the economy is down??)

 On one of the other threads we were talking about different directions the scene/market might take next. A shift in focus could also have a deflating effect initially on the VW Market and for this reason I hope that suppliers/Specialists and enthusiasts will 'keep it keen'.

 I went to EBI in Belgium with money to spend on Parts and returned having spent about 50 Euros in total. The reason?

People were simply overcharging for the parts (Plain & Simple) very average parts were being offered at stupid prices and it would appear that everybody thought they were sitting on Gold Bars.

Also I (personally) didn't meet with any positive reactions, when I attempted to instigate some bargaining over prices. Perhaps other were more succesful that me in that area?

 I'm taking some items to Spa later this month and as it's the last show we can attend in Mainland Europe, we hope to do well. We shall see I suppose...