Sandman prices & inflation?

[Robbo]

When I purchased my sandman ute in 79, it cost me $8,000 registered on the road. It was immaculate, unmarked, the last time I saw it, with 35,000 ks on it. If I had that vehicle today, and sold it for $40,000, wouldn't I be just recovering the initial purchase price?
It's just a hypothetical question I have, $8,000 spent 32 years ago, does that equate to $40,000 in today's money? The $40,000, I just feel is the going rate for a very good sandman now.The ute and van in the echuca museum are somewhere around that money I think, I could be wrong of course.
The prices will keep rising as the number of people sourcing these vehicles continue's to rise. Good on them, it will be great to get them on the road again.

[ambientgoat]

8000 in today's money is 32,149.01
(source: http://www.rba.gov.au/calculator/annualDecimal.html)

[HZSandman]

ok...too much fun.

starting with a 1978 hz 5 litre 4speed price of $8,768 when new and compounding the actual Astralian inflation rate for 30 years since 1978. Your Sandman should sell for $34575 in 2008 (new condition).

Not such a good investment after all. Could just save and invest and get more.

I can add afew more years with some extra research.

[playwme]

I'm not sure it's even enough to recover the initial cost. What's today's equivalent vehicle? SSV ute, Maloo? Looking closer to $50-$60k in todays money I reckon.

Same with collector vehicles bought in 1990. People think they're doing well cause they paid $10k then and have just sold it for $25k. I used to be able to buy a pie at the school canteen for a dollar in 1990. Pies at the same bakery that supplied school are now $3. SO really those people have only just gotten their money back but were always too afraid to drive it and depreciate it's value. Unless your making money short term then you're probably not really making money at all.

[wbute]

You should have bought a van in the early 90's or late 80's if you wanted to make money. $7-8000 would have picked up a good one. Pull it out of the shed now and get $25000 plus as a survivor.
You cant compare the value of a 78 sandman against a 2011 maloo. The amount of extra technology is worth a 1/4 of the price of the vehicle.

[HK1837]

If you had hindsight you would have bought an SS A9X for around $10k in 1977/8!

There is no real direct equivalent of a Sandman today. Closest I can think of would be an S ute when they were still made (VU, maybe early VY was the last).

[wbute]

You would have to compare it to a car with a carburettor, no ABS, rear wheel drums, live rear suspension. I reckon the closest thing to that today is a Toyota Hilux. About $30000 for one of them new. I reckon Robbo would have made a small amount on his investment.
The hilux probably has ABS and fuel injection so it is still going to be more expensive to build.

[jennie285]

I used to be able to buy a pie at the school canteen for a dollar in 1990. Pies at the same bakery that supplied school are now $3. .

I realize this is but I remember when pies were 20c at the school canteen, and sauce was 1/2c does anyone remember 1/2c....I agree with everyone that vans sold for $8000 in 77-80 would be equivalent to $35K today, and I also agree with WBute saying if you sold a van mid 80's early 90's you would have lost big time, as we did, so anyone who did buy one and sit on it like the guy who sold us the Red Van, made good money about 10K....as he drove it for 5 years then put it in a shed.....until we bought it....

[HZSandman]

If you got the benifit of 30 years driving and therefore zero depreciation over the 30 odd years it would be a great investment. But it would have to be in new condition now to get $35000 which means you have to be a really careful driver that washed it every 2nd day and covered the seats in pastic before sitting on them etc etc for it to be in that condition. Or restore the sucker costing many $$$.

Still better of with the money invested elsewhere. Unless you picked the A9X, GT, Bathurst Monaros.

Cars - not an investment choice, but shit loads of fun.

[ambientgoat]

To quote what the boat people say "it's not the money, it's an investment in a lifestyle"