Need Help 1973 4 Door Centurion Price?

[yosuthnmasa]

Might have an opportunity to buy a 1973 4 Door Centurion with around 20k miles. All original, EXCELLENT condition. This is a beautiful car. No damage whatsoever except dryrot in the tires, minor paint in the engine bay in a few spots around battery and master cylinder. It has leather seats, 455 4 barrel carb, orig. spare tire still in trunk, original headliner, original carpet in pristine condition, etc. Original paperwork shows these options:

Deluxe Belts
Tinted Glass
Power Windows
6 way pur seats
Notch BK seats
Frt flr mats
RR flr mats
RR end-otr ex
Cstm Rkr mdg
Body side mdg
Belt Rul mldg
R qtr lower mdg
door guards
whl opng mldg
vinyl tp-dbrn
air cond
RR Dr lamp SW
Accent Stripe
Remot Ctl Mir
RR axle-std
2.73 Axl Std
Cstm Trm pads
HD air cleanr
H78-15b WW
Eng 455 4bbl
Trans-turbo
Single Exhaust
Dlx Strg whl
Dlx whl cvrs
Frt Fndr Mldg
Visor Map Lmp
speed alert
trunk light
glovebox lmp
courtesy light
elect clock
am-fm radio
rear speaker
bumper stripe
Frt lic frame
RR lic frame

Body #213566

Trying to get an idea of what the price would be on the "open market" vs a "good price". Any help appreciated.

[Smartin]

Sounds like a very nice car...

The problem is, there aren't that many of these around to give a good gauge of what a proper asking price would be. If I had to guess, I'd say $5-7k, only because it's a 4 door.

I'm sure someone else will be able to lend some more insight on what a fair price would be for one of these.

[yosuthnmasa]

So I'm assuming the 4 doors go for less then? How would these figures compare if it were a 2 door or convertible?

Also, if anyone else has any estimates on the market price, I'm all ears. Thinking very hard about buying my first Buick, but want to get a fair rate. Thanks!

[Robroy]

Here’s a few hardtop Centurions I have followed on Ebay.

The first one is a 73 four door and he has that one out for the second time, got no bids over his starting bid on 800 the first time. My guess is that his Buy it Now price on 10k scares people of, seems to be a nice car.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ih=005&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWA%3AIT&viewitem=&item=150130273237&rd=1,1

Second one went cheap in my opinion, that green dash probably had some to do with that.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ih=014&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWA%3AIT&viewitem=&item=330130221020&rd=1,1


Third one was a real bargain but maybe a bit too much green for some.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Buick-Centurion-455-1972-Buick-Centurion-455_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ6144QQihZ010QQitemZ 200107054149QQrdZ1QQsspagenameZWDVW

I would put my guess a little lower than Adam regarding the price on a four door 73. With a little patience you should be able to find a nice one between 3-5k.

I hope you find one, they are really nice cars:xyxthumbs: .

[The German]

Hereafter is a list from the price guide of the standard catalog of Buick, 3rd Edition, printed 2004; the prices are given in combination to the cars condition from 6 to 1. I got the book some weeks ago. The price level is from 2004, so it can only be a basic information; prices change with several influences !

_________________
Rolf

[yosuthnmasa]

So if this car was in the kind of condition i'm talking about, but were a convertible it would be worth significantly more? Picking it up for $4500 would be a fair deal or a bargain? Hoping to get a good investment out of it.

Its light green with a dark top.

[yosuthnmasa]

where can i find how a break down on the number of hard tops vs. convertibles, 2 door vs. 4 door, etc. ?

[Boscoe]

There was a brown `71 4-door in the St. Louis area advertised on collector car trader with an asking price of $3500. It sat there for about a year, maybe longer. From the pics it looked to be in beautiful condition. It finally disappeared a few weeks ago. I seem to recall someone asking Adam if he was going to check it out since it was in his area but I never heard if he did or not.

Try offerring them $3500 and work your way up if they refuse. $4500 isn't a bargain but might be a fair price for a really nice car. Centurions seem to be going up quite a bit in price these days but 4-doors just don't command much money. Best of luck!

[Smartin]

I bailed on the 71 4-door...just never got to it. I would've bought it if I went to see it. I can't do that:Dou:

[centurion 455 ragtop]

4 dr hardtops 22,354
2 dr hardtops 16,883
Conv 5,739

Just a foot note to the convertible numbers. A while back I wrote to Sloan regarding the break down on how many convertibles were ordered with the optional 455 engine, as for '73 the standard engine was the 350. They replied only telling me the total amount which Keith has above, they did not have any break down numbers on records and stated that, (that sucks) but they added that it was safe to say that at most half of that 5,739 number had the 455 engine option considering 1971 & 72 there were around 2600 or so produced for each of those given years. So it would be a guesstimate that around 2,700 convertible big blocks were made for for 1973.

I would say and assume that everyone would agree the 455 option was more desirable and worth more on the re-sale for the '73 convertible model.

[yosuthnmasa]

Thanks for all the replies guys! I ended up buying the 4 door hard top for $4250. It's really hard to think that a car this old with as low miles as it has and condition, isn't a bargain for $4500. How much would have this car sold for new back in 73?

Once again, thanks for all the advice. I'm very happy with the car and will likely hang onto it for a long time. Within 5 minutes of driving it away and stopping at the local gas station for some air, a driver getting gas hollered over at me and asked me if it was for sale. From the looks of their car, this is probably a popular style for some groups that would consider lowering the car, put expensive gawdy wheels on it, and large sound systems.

[Boscoe]

Offhand, I figure it would have stickered at well over $5k. Base prices on these cars were in the mid $4k range. A/c, power windows, power seats, and AM/FM would have pushed it over $5k. All the other options would have added several hundred dollars. I'm guessing some of the guys here have the prices for all the options and could tell you almost exactly what the sticker price was. For comparison, my dad bought an Olds 88 4-door sedan in 1973, equivalent to a base LeSabre, not a Centurion. Its window sticker was just over $5k and it was not a highly optioned car. It had a/c, tilt wheel, an am/fm radio, a vinyl top, and an inside trunk release.

It sounds like you got a good deal on the car (Consider what the same money would have bought you in a late-model used car - a clapped out Civic?). Enjoy driving it!

[Centurion]

Congratulations on your purchase! We look forward to seeing photos of your fine '73.

The sticker price of your car, given its options, should have been well over $6,000.

Adam, perhaps we need to invite Mike Trommetter aboard, giving folks the opportunity to obtain his excellent window sticker reproductions.

[Smartin]

Brian, good idea. I've been wanting to get one of his window sitckers, myself.

[yosuthnmasa]

Thanks guys. Its crazy to think what wa originally paid for the car vs. what I paid for it 34 years later. As soon as I get a chance i'll post pictures. I'll post some of my other questions in the appropriate areas.

[Centurion]

I really look forward to the photos of your '73 4-door hardtop.

It would be great to have members here representing all of the available Centurion body styles and years, and we've been lacking strong representation of the 4-door hardtop owners.

[Smartin]

....hmmm....

Calendar material...