[ROVERNET - UK] Adventures in Rover land Part 2

[S Manwell]

Dirk,

Amazing -- a pricey Rover to some, spare change to others apparently.  
On the other hand, one could argue that it would not be possible to 
reproduce at any price a truely original leather, wood and wool Rover P4 
interior -- certainly not the 47 year old patina.

Sorry to hear that the 90 didn't live up to the auction description, 
especially the bodywork.

I'm not sure that I am ready to call our Rovers a good investment just 
yet, based on this story.  But, I am happy to have a good sound P4 even 
if its more of a presentable driver than a show car.  In defense of our 
wives, I must admit that Jo was the one who decided we should buy our P4 
100 when we went to see it, and she wrote the check.  She is less likely 
to see the diamond in the rough of a rusty project car...   Sure enough, 
we have been driving the 100 regularly for four years and the P5 and P6 
are still project cars in (slow) progress.

--Steve 

Dirk Burrowes wrote:

>Hi all,
>
>So a week or so back an email circulated about Rovers for sale. I looked
>with interest at the Rover to be auctioned in Maine. I decided to contact 
>Garrett Bourque in Maine who had originally made the net aware of the sale.
>He is Real nice guy and knowledgeable as well. After a few discussions he
>went and got some more pictures for me. The auction house got wind of this
>and called me and said they expected the car to go for 8k to 12k. Given that
>this was an art and antique dealer not a car dealer I decided that they were
>just dreaming and there was a chance that the car would go cheap.
>
>Well Saturday I decided to make a trip to the auction on the off chance it
>went cheap. I also decided since I had made friends with Garrett to have him
>look at a P4 105 that I bought for parts to see if instead of parting it out
>It could be salvaged. So I dragged that along as well (I needed a good
>excuse to go to the auction)
>
>Anyway all went as planned got up Saturday morning at 3:30 AM with my 2 sons
>and left for Maine. Got there looked at the car and registered as a bidder.
>After looking at the car close up I decided that if a Concourse car is a 10
>then this car was a 3. It had a bad repaint and was hiding body filler.
>But the interior was very nice and original.
>
>I think the funniest part of this storey was the description of the
>auctioneer gave. "Totally original classic never driven in the winter and
>less then 100 in the world" My 2 sons had never been to an art and antique
>auction before and could not believe that old beat dressers and old
>paintings were selling for $25,000 to $50,000 really!
>
>So finally the car came up I figured that all these New York art dealers
>were not going to want this thing. So I positioned myself to bid. BOOM
>Right off the bat some guy bids 5K then a small war begins and in 30 seconds
>it is at 12k. I am blown away at this point. I am also feeling pretty good
>about the value of my Rover collection at this point.
>
>The bidding ends and the car is sold to a older gentlemen for $13,200
>
>I went over to him to see if he was a Rover collector. He said
>"I had never heard of the car but when the auctioneer said that only a 100
>Were in the world I thought I should have it "I gave him my card and told
>him I would help him contact the other 99 owners. Turns out the other guy
>bidding saw it as he came to the auction from a distance and thought his
>wife might like it. He had also never heard of the car.
>
>Guys it is people like this that are going to help us justify future
>purchases of Rovers to our wives. Honey it is an investment!!!!
>
>Dirk
>
>  
>