Friday blew past every expectation, becoming not just the top-selling day by a country mile in 2024, but also one of the top three selling days in the past year since I started contributing here. And what's wild is that, according to all the stats, Friday is usually one of the slower sales days of the week! We saw a staggering $9.9 million worth of vehicles sold in just one day. Below, I've spotlighted the top-selling cars from that banner day. A huge shoutout to Collecting Cars for landing the top sale and top sale of the year with the 3rd $1m+ sale in 2024.

What's really intriguing about these sales is that, once again, only two companies here in the U.S. (the usual suspects, BaT & Cars & Bids) managed to sell 5 or more cars. With the market expanding at a rapid clip, we're all glued to our screens, wondering if any newcomer can secure that coveted third spot and then really give the big two a run for their money.

Over in the U.K., it looks like Collecting Cars is set to continue their reign, dominating the high-value sales scene. As things stand, no one's even close to challenging their position. It'll be interesting to see if any new contenders enter the fray in that market.

Just click on the image, and boom, you're right at the listing.

One of the top things you guys reach out about, whether it's through email or when we bump into each other at car shows, is whether I can spotlight more cars with average price tags. This got me pondering a few weeks ago at a car event in Hudson Valley, where there was this stunning '87 Land Cruiser FJ60 that could easily fetch six figures. Man, I wish I'd snapped a pic. But even though that one was on the high end of the price spectrum, most Land Cruisers are definitely more wallet-friendly. Plus, they've got a special spot in my family's heart since we had a '72 model growing up. So, let's dig into the stats and check out how things have been shaping up this year.

Not surprisingly 80’s & 90’s Land Cruisers are still the most in demand so far this year. And if we drill one level further we can see that 92, 96, & 97 have been the most popular models sold within the first 6 weeks of the year.

The above timeline chart illustrates the sales trends of Toyota Land Cruisers for the years 1992, 1996, and 1997, based on online auction data from 2024. Here's a detailed summary of the observed trends:

1. Sale Frequency and Distribution: The chart shows a scattered distribution of sales across the selected years, indicating that Land Cruiser sales from these years occur periodically throughout 2024. There isn't a concentrated period of sales but rather a steady occurrence over time.

2. Price Trends:

   • 1992 (Light Blue): Sales for the 1992 Land Cruisers show a relatively consistent price range throughout the year. This suggests that the market value for Land Cruisers from this year is stable, with buyers agreeing on their worth.

   • 1996 (Light Coral): The 1996 Land Cruisers exhibit some variation in sale prices but generally maintain a mid-range price level compared to the other years. This indicates a moderate demand and valuation for this year's model, with some fluctuations due to vehicle condition/rarity and mileage.

   • 1997 (Light Green): The 1997 models display a broader range of sale prices, suggesting a variable market interest.

3. Market Interest: The continuous presence of sales throughout the year for these specific years (1992, 1996, and 1997) indicates a sustained market interest in Toyota Land Cruisers from the early to mid-90s. The diversity in sale prices, especially for the 1997 models, highlights the nuanced buyer interest possibly driven by factors beyond the vehicle's age.

4. Comparative Analysis: When comparing the three years, it's evident that while all three years enjoy a consistent interest from buyers, the market's valuation varies. It is why it’s so dofficult (but not impossible) to just say for example a 92 FJ80 is worth say $19k (which is the average price) but so much with older cars depends on a number of varying factos.

Given the limited dataset we've got, starting from the beginning of January with just over 80 sales on record, leaning on averages is our best bet for gauging the going rate of a Land Cruiser in 2024. This approach gives us a solid baseline, especially in a scenario where the sample size doesn't offer the breadth to dissect more nuanced trends or outliers. By crunching these numbers, we can sketch out a clearer picture of what folks have been shelling out for these rides. It's all about finding that sweet spot in the data that tells us the average price point, providing a snapshot of the market's current stance. This method might not capture every nuance, but it's a reliable way to get a handle on the general pricing landscape for Land Cruisers as we navigate through the early part of the year. With that being said here are those averages:

• 1992: $19,120

• 1996: $26,850

• 1997: $26,883

Setting aside the numbers for a moment, which isn't easy for me, I'd say generally speaking, Land Cruisers offer solid value for the cash you lay down.

You can tell a lot about the market by whether flips are still happening or not. Let's be real, we're not in 2022 anymore, so we're not seeing flips on just about every set of wheels out there. But, are we seeing enough flips to show that folks are still willing to shell out more than they probably should for the ride of their dreams?

So, without dropping my usual 10 charts on you, I'm here to say that YES, flips are definitely a thing in 2024. Some flips are for special rides, like this 2024 Chevrolet Camaro Coupe ZL1 Garage 56 Special Edition 6-Speed that snagged $260,000 on a sticker price of $89k! Then you've got others, like this 2023 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 Coupe 3LZ Z07 70th Anniversary Edition, which is kinda rare and, in my book, a solid win for the seller who scored a cool $217,500 and also a win for the buyer looking to add a rare gem to their collection that might even bump up in value. Now, not every flip's gonna rake in $100k over MSRP, but pulling in an extra $20-$30k over MSRP, like this 2023 Porsche 911 GT3 MR did, isn't too shabby.

I could keep going about all the flips happening out there. But to wrap this up, I'd say of the 23/24 newer models hitting the listings for whatever reasons the sellers have (without admitting they're just looking to make a quick buck), over 65% of them are selling for more than MSRP. I plan to circle back to this later in the year with a more in-depth analysis and a bigger dataset.