# Aristo club car value?



## Brian Dixon (Dec 27, 2007)

I remember Lewis Polk asking a question on the old Aristo Forums about what car people would like to see as the next Aristo club car. I and numerous others chimed in saying that we weren’t interested in the club cars at all because they had Aristo painted all over them. With no insult intended to Aristo these others and myself expressed that as expensive as large scale is, we didn’t have the disposable income to be spending it on non-prototypical (fictional) cars to advertise for Aristo. Apparently we were heard, because they started making standard road named cars the club cars. 
Now on eBay I routinely see the earlier Aristo club cars come up for sale. More often than not the seller has attached a starting or “Buy It Now” price that is significantly above the same cars painted in prototypical paint schemes. Just as often, they seem to languish on there for weeks, if not months, going unsold and being re-listed, going unsold, being re-listed, with the seller refusing to drop the price as if they have a lump of gold on their hands.
Firstly, I’m curious, especially with the known fate of Aristo, do you see these cars being more, or less desirable and valuable than the prototype road names? 
Secondly, if I were to actually acquire one for a reasonable price (In my mind, for less than a prototype scheme, not more!) would kitbashing it be cringe worthy? What I mean by that is that if I were to see a person take an all original ’63 split window Corvette and hack it up into a drag car, I would be quite upset. That would be an automotive sacrilege! Free country not withstanding.
Is there a similar attitude toward Aristo Club cars? Are they collector gold now, or kitbashing fodder?
Thanks in advance for your replies.
Brian


----------



## Randy Stone (Jan 2, 2008)

Since Aristo's demise, the price of their stuff has been going up. As to what this paticular car is worth, try checking Ebay. Click on the sold tab. Also, LSC seems to have a large Aristo following.


----------



## Dan Pierce (Jan 2, 2008)

But one has to remember Aristo dumped surplus club cars one time and I bought several cars with metal wheels and $5 shipping for $30 each. I was too late for the critter.
Club cars I got atr $30 are:
Long steel caboose
Hopper


----------



## Totalwrecker (Feb 26, 2009)

Usually Collector items are not run and are kept in the original packaging. 
To me used items are, well, used and of decreased value, unless extremely rare.

My Dad used to get conned by TV ads and copied coins with a wash of gold on them... I had to repeatedly tell him; you hold yours for 20+ years and everybody else looses theirs, you might have a collectors item, IF you can find a buyer. Franklin Mint still got too much of his money....
John


----------



## Great Western (Jan 2, 2008)

I have a variety of eleven Club and Show freight cars plus two Show locos. The two locos (MILW) and two of the cars (IC) were direct from Aristo as they were the MWLSTS of 2006 which did not take place. The other nine were direct from Aristo (club cars) or got for me at the Shows by friends.

I guess they are more of a rarity this side of the Atlantic but either way I have a special love for them and they run frequently in consists. Their saleable value I guess is what, if they were offered for sale, is what someone was prepare to pay for them.


----------

