Over the past few years we've seen some classics sky rocket in value. Cars like early 911's and E30 M3's come to mind. I know this has been touched on from time to time but I'd be interested in hearing what classics everyone thinks are likely to be strong investments. Just to narrow the focus a little let's say cars starting at about $25k or less. What are your thoughts?
Clean, unmodified, interesting Japanese cars from the 70's through the 90's. Basically, cars my generation grew up reading about in the buff books. MR2s, 300ZXs, RX-7s of all vintage.
Not just sports cars either. I think really good first through third gen Toyota Pickups, first gen 4Runners, and FJ60 Land Cruisers are on the way up too.
1973 to 75 Square body blazers. Not many left with the full removable roof.
Seventies T/A's and Fiebirds
IROC camaros
Porsche 928
Early land rovers and cruisers
But for the most part most of them will still be junk. Need to look for those one owner barn finds in perfect original condition.
If you can find an unmolested Eclipse GSX, Integra Type R, or '92-'00 Civic Si, those are likely to be "the" cars for a wave of import tuner nostalgia. (FD RX-7s and Supras may already be over the $25000 line.)
'67-'72 Chevy trucks seem to be moving up in price.
Camaro IROCs, Trans Ams and Mustang GTs for people who want to relive the '80s pony car wars - just get the best one you can find. For an odder bit of American muscle, you can still find a Buick Grand National or GMC Syclone / Typhoon in that range.
The '90s era water cooled Porsche 911s seem to have bottomed out. Eventually collectors are going to accept them as "real" Porsches - but the last air cooled 911s still fit under $25000 and may be a more sure thing.
Look for very popular cars that are few and far between. I personally think the 80's pony cars are in the middle of that- you can still get them cheap, but they are starting to disappear. They will do like the pony cars of the '60s.
Or not so popular cars, but are desirable and even fewer. For that, the Alfa GTV6. While there are ending up to be fewer Alfettas, they were never as popular as the GTV6. It will be some time before the Alfetta will gain value. Some of the Alfa Spiders will, too- some already have, like the early Duettos. The '71-74 cars are on their way up, next I would expect the later cars, then the rubber bumper '75-81 cars.
I'm 100% sure there are other marques that are just like that, but I've only spent time looking at Alfa values.
Rarity and trend-setters will bring money, and so will condition. So I think that cars from the techno-explosion of the 90's will be valuable, especially limited-editions ones. Thing is, you will need 100% pristine examples, that look new and everything works and are 100% stock. Not returned to stock...driven occasionally, garaged, pampered, still stock examples.
• Nissan 300ZX Twin Turbo
• Mitsu 3000GT VR-4 / Dodge Stealth R/T
• Mitsu Galant VR-4
• Eagle Talon TSi (and it's platform mates)
• Isuzu Impulse RS
• Toyota Supra
• Mazda 323 GTX
• Subaru XT
You can probably add some cool AWD/Turbo wagons from Nissan, Subaru, etc. Some tech millionaire rode in mom's Turbo AWD Legacy Wagon and dreamed of being able to rally it.
Here's another possibility:
What's not to like about a Corvette Motor in your SUV? When all SUV's have twin-charged 4 cylinders (Volvo) this thing might bring some good money.
There's a lot of speculation that the Griffith 200 might be poised to sky rocket like the Cobra.
Edit - Sorry, these are not currently under $25k unless a basket case, but I still think it's worth mentioning.
Anyone wondering if the ride sharing/ self driving cars/ increased demand in public transit is going to kill car values?
Enyar wrote: Anyone wondering if the ride sharing/ self driving cars/ increased demand in public transit is going to kill car values?
For classic cars? It may have the opposite effect by providing a clear distinction between cars with autonomous capabilities and cars "before all the nannies".
In reply to Enyar:
I think it might actually bump up the values of "hobby cars" - if you only have space to park one or two cars, but you don't need a daily driver on account of self-driving on-demand car services taking you to work and all that, you suddenly have space for that car you always lusted after.
That said, in the shorter term I actually expect some collector car values to fall a bit again provided interest rates will actually rise (which is still a big if).
I've been wondering about 944 Turbos (951). With '80's 911s going up so much, will they be next? I miss mine, and in some ways they are better drivers. You can still buy decent ones around $10k to $12k, ratty ones for less.
I don't think the ratty ones will go up anytime soon, but I've read about prices for really nice ones increasing over the last couple of years.
E39 M5s are already starting to appreciate out of the $25k range, get one while you can.
MadScientistMatt wrote:Enyar wrote: Anyone wondering if the ride sharing/ self driving cars/ increased demand in public transit is going to kill car values?For classic cars? It may have the opposite effect by providing a clear distinction between cars with autonomous capabilities and cars "before all the nannies".
Not sure about that, but the top of the value curve is a moving target. For years, cars from the 50's were the blue-chip cars (here in the US) as people of certain age got old enough to buy the cars they dreamed of in their youth. That slowly shifted to 60's muscle cars. There was crap to desire in the 70's, but eventually prices on late 70's and 80's cars started to climb. You are already seeing the 1st Gen M3 climb, and that's a 90's icon. True blue-chip cars will always command a decent price, but the rest of the market that gets dragged up with them will always eventully move on with time.
Here are some cars that I think will definitely go up, but I think a lot of the "rare" cars have already skyrocketed.
Honda S2000
Subaru RS 2.5
99-00 Honda Civic Si
3rd Gen F-body
88-91 Honda CRX Si
Mk1 VW GTI
Some day when they're a bit scarcer on the ground, the Jeep XJ is going to be worth a pretty penny. Nice examples are already climbing. I also think some of the rarer Japan-market-only vehicles, like perhaps the Nissan Pike cars, will go way up in a few years.
Triumph TR8 - rare British convertible with a V8. Only held back by looking like a TR7. Didn't hurt the Tiger though. MkI Toyota MR2 S/C late 80s / early 90s LX Mustang early Honda S2000
over the (much) longer term the Scion FRS is a decent bet.
Extreme toys like the Lotus Elise always seem to do well.
Two cars on this list I would have issue with. first there is no such thing as an unmolested Eclipse/Talon of either gen1 or gen2 hasn't been for years back in 2007 when I worked at Extreme Motorsports there wasn't any unmolested ones and certainly almost 10 years later there definitely won't be. Second is the Mitsu 3000GT these cars are now and always have been a nightmare for any poor bastard that buys them. Mitsubishi threw everything they had in the parts bin at these things and most of the gee wiz items they put on them breaks and is expensive to fix or completely unavailable. Frankly I wouldn't even want an unmolested one because of this. Seriously every little sensor or servo motor etc etc that can break on these things can and will! They have so much crap on them they are a nightmare to work on too. You have to take half the stuff out of the engine compartment just to get to anything. A car with this many issues will never be worth anything as a classic, because nobody will want to deal with it's classic problems.
In reply to Rumnhammer:
Wow, almost 10-years later and the memories are still that bad, eh? 
Rumnhammer wrote: Second is the Mitsu 3000GT these cars are now and always have been a nightmare for any poor bastard that buys them. Mitsubishi threw everything they had in the parts bin at these things and most of the gee wiz items they put on them breaks and is expensive to fix or completely unavailable. Frankly I wouldn't even want an unmolested one because of this. Seriously every little sensor or servo motor etc etc that can break on these things can and will! They have so much crap on them they are a nightmare to work on too. You have to take half the stuff out of the engine compartment just to get to anything. A car with this many issues will never be worth anything as a classic, because nobody will want to deal with it's classic problems.
But damnit if they aren't one sexy machine, hehe!
golfduke wrote:Rumnhammer wrote: Second is the Mitsu 3000GT these cars are now and always have been a nightmare for any poor bastard that buys them. Mitsubishi threw everything they had in the parts bin at these things and most of the gee wiz items they put on them breaks and is expensive to fix or completely unavailable. Frankly I wouldn't even want an unmolested one because of this. Seriously every little sensor or servo motor etc etc that can break on these things can and will! They have so much crap on them they are a nightmare to work on too. You have to take half the stuff out of the engine compartment just to get to anything. A car with this many issues will never be worth anything as a classic, because nobody will want to deal with it's classic problems.But damnit if they aren't one sexy machine, hehe!
The dsm vehicles with the 4g63 engines are fine to work on. The owners are the problem. It is still one of the best 4 cylinder awd cars ever made.
Corvairs have surprisingly been coming up in price over the last few years. Great for the people who have restored their cars, but the long time Corvair people that have been buying $500 complete running cars for the last 40 years are freaking out and don't accept the increase in price.
Cars you can buy right now in the USA for at or under $25k (no particular order):
BMW Z3, especially M-Roadsters and M-Coupes with S54B32 engines
BMW (E31) 8-series, especially 840Ci
Mercedes (W201) 190E 2.3-16 and (W124) 500E sedans
Porsche 928 S4, Boxster S, and 996 Carrera
Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution VIII RS and IX MR
Alfa Romeo 105/115 Bertone coupes
Cars that are now old enough to be imported easily:
Peugeot 205 GTI
Mitsubishi Evo I-III (especially RS versions)
Nissan (R32) Skyline GT-R
Ford Sierra RS Cosworth
Lancia Delta HF Integrale, especially 16v and Evo versions
Mercedes (W201) 190E 2.5-16
Cars that will soon be old enough to import:
Ford Escort RS Cosworth
Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution V-VI, especially Evo 6.5 Tommi Mäkinen Edition
A Lancer Evolution V will be coming to the US for me ASAP.
Rumnhammer wrote: first there is no such thing as an unmolested Eclipse/Talon of either gen1 or gen2 hasn't been for years
That's why I think one would be worth serious money. 
And I suspect the same goes for Civic Si's and Type Rs as well.
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