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Future Collectibles--Make Your Prediction

Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
edited March 2014 in Ford
It's a tricky business, but let's give it a try.
Which modern cars do you think will receive the
reverence, care, and big buck price tags from the
next generation of car collectors? What makes your
pick so special?
«13456713

Comments

  • GTRocksGTRocks Member Posts: 48
    Grand National is on its way I think.

    85 Mustangs I think - last year of the carb

    Mustang SVO - only turbo mustang

    Calloway Corvettes

    Supras
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    Hmmm....interesting list, but I think I'll be in my grave before a japanese car makes the classics list...they just don't seem to have the rarity (they make a LOT of 'em) or the power to really get attached to American culture. Look at the 240Z, as good a candidate as any Japanese car...you can still buy 'em dirt cheap all the day long. Not a good sign.

    Calloway would be the only one I could firmly agree on.....if price were the sole determining factor, Grand Nationals are not gaining in popularity or collectibility anymore...a fading star, perhaps temporarilly.
  • GTRocksGTRocks Member Posts: 48
    You might be right about the Japanese cars. I picked the GN because you see some ads on occasion that are still asking a "high" price.

    I think of the Mustangs (yeah, I'm biased) because they already have an excellent following. I've been to some shows (Ford) and have seen quite a few of the 85's shown. Little early to be showing them in my taste, but I think that shows the demand, or interest at least.

    Every (2) 240Z I've seen in the past 10 years has been beat to hell. I'm not sure they'll survive to make collector's items.

    What do you pick?
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    Well, let's hear from some other folks and I'll add some as I think of them, okay? Maybe I need my eyes opened a little.
  • weslwesl Member Posts: 53
    Sad to say but I can think of very few cars that will become collectors items later on. Of course you have Morgans and TVRs that are still produced but only time will tell. Of the more popular cars, the rarer the better. R code 93 Cobras, any respected tuner cars like Saleens, Lingenfelters, SLP Pontiacs if they are supported by the factory. The Prowler, Viper, etc. Cars are mass produced in such great numbers as to make them uncollectible. Sure, people may be interested in a 63 Cadillac 4 window sedan but do you see any interest in the Seville 30 years from now? I doubt it. The rule is always open top before closed and special body styles before sedans. Anyone care to discuss future restoration costs of modern cars? For all you guys who invision storing your 93 SC400 or saving that E320 for 40 years down the road can forget it. Anyone hear have a "modern" collectors car stored away? That is all I can think about for now. Later, Wes.
  • GTRocksGTRocks Member Posts: 48
    Quite a few GNs have been stored. Especially the GNX's. There were also a good deal of the 25th anniversary edition of the Mustang stored. But I think they fell apart anyway. That one has certainly become a flop. They are still asking for a premium for that "sticker" package though.
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    I think limited production is a key factor in any possible future "classic" status, but it has to be more than decals.
  • SporinSporin Member Posts: 1,066
    Old VW Bugs seem to be riding the wave of the NEW BEETLE. Prices for old bugs in good condition are rising. If you have one, sell it NOW.

    Old Series Land Rovers

    BMW 2002 tti

    Any race car with HISTORY

    Two words. . .Harley Davidson. Actually appreciates when you ride it off the lot.

    So few "specialty" cars are produced now, I can't think of a single car built after 1985 that IMO will gain any great value.

    Great thread, lets keep it up.
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    Yeah, Sporin, it's usually the rule that a popular new model often brings up the value of the older cars of the same make, especially if it's a spectacular debut (like it or not) such as the new VW.

    Harley is an interesting case, although not a car case...the value is strictly based on mythology and marketing, not on engineering merit or quality...kind of like a Morgan I guess, is a comparison that comes to mind.
  • DoccersDoccers Member Posts: 16
    Well technically they're trucks, but I think the Land-Rover Defender 90 and (in particular) the Defender 110 will certainly be collectables in the US. Most all of them have appreciated since they were originally purchased. Dealership price for a D-90 was $30,000 (before they were discontinued in the US), now they're sold for over 40,000. Dealer price for the 1 year they sold the 110's was something like $50,000, the last time I saw one for sale it was $150,000.
  • C13C13 Member Posts: 390
    Funny thing about Harley, isn't it? They're mass-produced, their technology is about as low as you can get, there's a zillion of em on the road, but they have a captive audience of fanatics to whom none of this matters.

    If beauty is in the eye of the beholder, then I guess value is in the wallet of the beholder. There are enough people who want those instant antiques that they are actually worth money. It's like tulip bulbs or beanie babies.
  • MarkinAtlantaMarkinAtlanta Member Posts: 194
    I know something (not a lot) about Morgans, a big cheese at work (Dir. of Engineering) has a restored Plus 8 Morgan that he races in some sort of Classic division. He's very competitive (and the Morgans are the class of that field) in his division. I'll look into this further. The Morgan is not really cutting edge stuff, but it does seem to be a good basic design. Just my opinion. Shifty, right again, the doors don't look right on the car above to be a Morgan. What about a Citroen as a collectible, I am really taken by the looks of this French sedan.
  • quality2quality2 Member Posts: 2
    One has gottabe the Fiat 124... if only because there will be so few left that have not rusted out!
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    Can be a nice little car, the 124. Most just fell victim to budget-minded owners and poor service. It would be a great little car if you found (as you say) an unrusted one. Pretty good parts supply, very competent handler, good power, and decent creature comforts. My favorite is the 2.0 liter fuel-injected turbo, but it's not the most durable of the bunch, since some of the parts were outsourced in Spain at that time.
  • FREDERICKFREDERICK Member Posts: 228
    Now there is a joke of a collectible. Let me say though in defense of the 124 it honestly was one of the cars of my desires when I was a new driver and looking for something a little exotic, cheap, and economical. I ended up with a very nice, at least originally, Chevy Nova Wagon and you should see what I did to that poor car. It's still in my parent's barn awaiting restoration though!
  • FREDERICKFREDERICK Member Posts: 228
    A word to the wise: Mile stones in design and or mechanical innovation are usaully the ticket to the "classic" nomenclature. The Grand National, although mechanically interesting, is not stylistically a very important car. Think about how many young guys grew up dreaming about a GN!
    This was a car driven by aging hotrodders who finally had enough money to purchase some juice.
  • FREDERICKFREDERICK Member Posts: 228
    Markin-

    Frenchies are great but they're were also way too plebeian in this country. Mechanics on these "basic" transportation cars were a nightmare and I'd bet that most of the money you spent restoring these cars wouldn't come close to being recovered at sale. Nice car but not a very good bet.
  • MarkinAtlantaMarkinAtlanta Member Posts: 194
    Honestly, I don't have the necessary skills to be restoring cars. But as far as recovering expenses on car restoration, I can't imagine any car as an investment, more like an expense. It's just that some are more expense than others. You should do it because it interests you, (or you need the therapy).
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    Good point,markin, as long as you know that going in. Also, I'd like to encourage people to restore cars that are potentially fun to drive and own and not nightmares to repair, so that they don't get discouraged. Some cars are almost unfixable--how frustrating for the first-timer!
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    The 124 is no joke as a collectible...while I agree they aren't worth much in the U.S. (yet), a nicely restored one in Europe will bring much more than a restored Nova (although the Nova is pretty darn bullet-proof for every day driving). This is because it's a open car, of course, and sporty and fun to drive, which are a few of the characeristics future collectibles ought to have.
  • bcathcartbcathcart Member Posts: 54
    Most modern cars are rendered uncollectable due to electronics and impossible to reproduce die castings.Imagine a 1990 BMW in 2020 with a burnt out computer and a bust cambox .Junkyards here are already filling up with similar modern stuff rendered beyond repair by electronic failures.Cheers from bonnie Scotland.PS go for a 62 eldo or MK2 jag.
  • mminerbimminerbi Member Posts: 88
    The much maligned Pontiac Fieros. Not great cars from a mechanical design standpoint, but good looking, in my opinion, fun to drive, and they're getting scarce.

    My personal favorite for styling was the first model year, the '84.

    Opinions?
  • C13C13 Member Posts: 390
    My opinion is that they are not maligned enough, but more power to ya.
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    Condemned to obscurity, I fear, but perhaps, perhaps, the model years with the v-6 and 5-speeds, being an improved car with a speck of fun designed into it, might be saved by a few loyal followers. I don't expect it to have any value,however.Generally speaking, if a car was not much loved when it was first introduced, it does not suddenly become beloved later on, as in "oh, no, millions of us made a mistake and we're sorry!". Another undeveloped and abandoned GM car with great promise, like the Corvair. Life is really cruel in the automotive world.
  • C13C13 Member Posts: 390
    Funny thing is, I really like Corvairs. Nostalgia might be a factor. My father had a few and I logged a zillion miles in em. I like the styling of the later ones too.

    I could never understand the Fiero having any appeal to anybody since the X1/9, Lancia Montecarlo and the MR2 did the cheap mid-engine thing so much better. The 914 too, when viewed in competition with those cars (as opposed to Porsches) is pretty good as well. Why buy a Fiero when you have all those other choices? But then I know, people like what they like.
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    Some people think, I guess, that being American made they won't have the problem they might have with a Porsche or X1/9, you know, that it would run as well as a Vette or a Camaro, but I don't think it generally worked out that way. Also, the Fiero is a BIG car if you really measure it, and that was appealing to some people in a two-seater, but more people wanted their two-seater to be small and agile. I think it was a car that tried to do too many things and ended up not doing any one thing very well.
  • SporinSporin Member Posts: 1,066
    I worked wih a guy who had a really nice Fiero GT with the smoothed out body and the V6. I think it was the last model year (when they finally got it right). This car was a lot fo fun to drive. The thing with Fieros is that due to their "uncool, junk" status, they can be bought on the cheap. I have seen some in my area for sale in the paper for way less then $5k. not bad for a mid engined, rear drive, 2 seater.
  • frankncafranknca Member Posts: 1
    I'm new to this list, but I think the Pontiac Special Touring Edition (STE) that came out in the 86-87 time frame will some day be a classic. It had some nice features like the on board compressor to load level and with accessories such as a hose and air output, that would allow the inflation of flat tires or other objects needing inflation. It has a digital dashboard with sensors for many things like head lamps, window washer levels, etc. It had fog lamps, electric door locks, electric antenna & trunk release, cruise control and radio controls on the leather steering wheel, pigskin suede leather seats, reading lamps, map lamps; door, trunk & hood open indicators, low fuel of course. It did not have outside temp indicators or fuel efficiency calculations but it seemed to be ahead of its time at a reasonable price. I don't know why they made so few and discontinued it.
  • isellhondasisellhondas Member Posts: 20,342
    I keep two of these tucked away in the garage and bring them out for a romp once in awhile.

    They can be bought cheaply and are a well built kick to drive!

    The rotary engines will go 200,000 plus miles unless you are unfortunate enough to ever overheat one...they don't like that!

    I'm thinking about selling both of them and looking for the best 88-91 RX7 convertable I can find.

    They are very fast and will outcorner almost anything. Don't make the mistake of trying to drive one if the road is icy!
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    Yes, I think the last Fieros GTs with V-6 and 5-speed Getrag trans might gain some collectible status in the future, but not the older 4 cylinder cars.

    The Pontiac STE, I'm afraid I can't agree...being a 4-door car is one liability, since rarely does a 4-door anything gain collectible status of any real value, and being a GM product of the 80s doesn't help, this being about rock bottom for the company as a whole. My guess is "doomed to obscurity".

    RX7s definitely, but slowly...I'd say the later turbos and the convertibles have a better chance of being saved and restored than the plain older coupes, which are plentiful.
  • skunkfeetskunkfeet Member Posts: 1
    Hi ya'll, my first visit here and enjoying it all. My candidate would be the Buick Reatta, based on styling alone. Built 88-91 I believe with nothing special other than the lack of the back seat. Good looking car with the open rear wheel wells and the coupe profile
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    Hmmm....I always go around and around with the Reatta...it's different enough, but the car was a sales flop and certainly didn't set the country's imagination on fire (hardly anybody noticed it was even there), and this doesn't make it easy to gain collectible status. Certainly, the marketplace doesn't reflect a lot of interest.

    I'd guess it will become a kind of collectible curiosity, like the Delorean, the Allante, etc, but not ever bring the big money or lots of interest in the collector car hobby. If the car doesn't get "hot" soon, it's going to fade, because most cars are collected by the people who grew up with them, and I can't really come up with a scenario of some 80s teenager recalling tons of fond memories around his or his dad's Reatta, can you?
  • nstone1nstone1 Member Posts: 2
    Here's a possibility that may come up this year. Ford's new SVT Cobra Mustang (interesting all by itself because of the new body style, independent rear, increased power, but proably not a classic because of the number produced) MAY have an 'R' edition. The reglar SVT itself will have a short run as it debuts in the spring. If there is an 'R' code at all, it will come in the summer. I don't know how many Ford will produce in about 8 weeks but it can't be very many.
  • GalagaGalaga Member Posts: 1
    How about the new 4th generation f-body Camaro SS's and Firehawks. A true 1990's musclecar with limited production.
  • davemccrearydavemccreary Member Posts: 1
    Great topics! I have to agree with skunkfeet on the Buick on the pure style aspect, broke somebodies mold with that one. My vote is for the 84 Maserati biturbo, because as far as I know it was the first twin turbo V6 to be sold in the US (?) In CA the value has even started to rise on the good examples left. Where else can you get an Italian name, leather and turbo performance for under $10k?
    well.......
  • FREDERICKFREDERICK Member Posts: 228
    Now don't laugh. These cars are true classics in the sense of the Edsel/Tucker genre of thinking in the automotive world. heck what other "modern" car could you buy that'd honk its horn every time you swung the driver's seat forward!

    I actually drove a well used Pacer recently and even considered buying it to add to my "clasic" collection but the reverse gear didn't work and the whole thought of actually buying this cheesy piece of @#$* totally turned me off. I think my mind was addled by my recent viewing of "Waynes World" I'd through the Fiero and Reagatta and this same heap.

    I'll let uou know one altruism in collecting old pieces of junk: buy what people wanted back when it was new and you're less likely to loose your pants down the road. Electronic gismos are fine but I'll tell you from experience that they'll cost you an arm and a leg to repair down the road when you finally own one of these fine "specimens" of American enginuity.
  • jstandeferjstandefer Member Posts: 805
    Interesting topic...

    Of the Japanese cars, I'd have to go with the Mazda RX-7 and the Mazda Miata. Both cars were extremely popular and have an excellent racing heritage (both dominating their class for years). Of course, the ones that will be come collectables will be the rare ones.

    For the RX-7, it will have to be the limited edition '80 Leather Sport (LS), the '84-'85 GSL-SE, the '88 10th Anniversary Edition, the '90 GTUs, and all '93-'95 Twin Turbo RX-7's. The RX-7 was a well recognized car, popular with the public, and generally hold up well. Another reason these will be collectables in the rotary engine.

    For the Miata, it will have to be all M Editions, the '97.5 STO (Special Touring Option, 2500 built), and the '99 10th Anniversary Edition. Each year of the M Editions (3000 per year) were in a unique color. The STO had a unique paint color, numbered certification, and unique interior bits. The 10th Anniversary Edition (just now being released) are individually numbered ####/7500 on certification and special badges on the fenders of the car. The Miata has enjoyed unbelievable success in both sales and racing, and is already considered by some to be a classic.
  • SR20DETSR20DET Member Posts: 3
    Nissan Sentra "SE-R", Nissan NX2000, 50th Aniversary 300ZX. Most people never heard of these rare cars, they are the stealthies cars on the road- but the Z, most people dunno what they deal with.
  • C13C13 Member Posts: 390
    I've always wanted a Sentra Se-R. Are there any model years that didn't have the motorized seat belt?
  • HenryHenry Member Posts: 1,106
    My PICKS:

    1) Mercury Murker XR4Ti (limited run and styling)

    2) Oldsmobile Aurora (4 year run - I own)

    3) Toyota Supra turbo 96-99 (I wish I owned)

    4) Mercury Capri (just brought one).

    5) Porche Boxer

    You heard it here FIRST.
  • neonloverneonlover Member Posts: 1
    I have to admit that I'm biased, but I think the Neon ACR will be a collector item in the future. Certainly, the ones with race histories will bring in the most bucks, but any ACR is still a low-production car with a performance flair. I own two of them, daily-driving/autocrossing a 98 and storing a 96. Most ACRs were turned into track cars, so only a few were not mangled in races. Out of the non-track cars, how many are set aside under prime conditions? Probably not a lot. My 96 is. I'm hoping it will be worth some reasonable cash someday. And if it turns out not to be, I'll just have a mint condition older car with low mileage to enjoy.

    About the Grand Nationals...they probably won't be worth a whole lot, since there were quite a few made. The GNX, however, is another story. It was a collectible as soon as it was created.

    I would have to put the Camaro SS into collector status, especially the limited run of LT4 cars a couple of years ago. I don't know about the Ram Air Firechicken, though. I don't know if it will hold the same aura that the SS seems to. I would say the Lingenfelter, Hurst, and original SLP birds will be collectors. Probably the most collectible late model Firebird will be the limited run of first year Firehawks (1992?). The older body style with the insane amount of horsepower. I want one.

    The last two Cobra R models would go on my list, too. There were a few Thunderbirds modified by Roush a couple of years ago, too. Those could be worth something. Saleens will likely be collectors.

    I think the Viper is a shoe-in for collectibility. Low production, exotic nature, extreme performance, etc. Especially the GTS-R models. Sign me up for one of those, too.

    That's about all I can think of for now. I do have to agree that Japanese cars in general (there may be limited exceptions) won't be collectible in the U.S. market. But don't hold anything to my opinion. No one else does.
  • markwmarkw Member Posts: 8
    Check out the 1988 Toyota Celica GTS Turbo 4WD if you can't find info don't be surprised. Post a note and I will try to answer from my experience of owning one until last year.
  • YurRomeo1YurRomeo1 Member Posts: 1
    What do you think about the MR2? Not too many of them were sold here in the US in its last years (91-95) it was imported to the US, What do you think guys, let me know, or the MX-5, Miata, I want to buy one of these 2 and would like to buy one that most likely be a classic, if none o them are, then I will just go with the MR2 Turbo.
  • theremintheremin Member Posts: 26
    I fondly recall the Opel Cadet circa '74-'75 as being really unusual looking in a cool way, and a alot of fun to drive ( I got my first speeding ticket in my dad's Opel). It wasn't as eye-popping as the mini-corvette Opel GT, but there was really nothing else like it...it somewhat resembled a shrunken Barracuda. An unlikely candidate maybe, but I think a worthy one.
  • HenryHenry Member Posts: 1,106
    OH HOW COULD I FORGET THIS ONE!!

    Honda Del Sol VTEC

    nuff said.
  • ruskiruski Member Posts: 1,566
    95 and up Buick Riviera
  • rwojorwojo Member Posts: 1
    '93-'95 RX-7 s for sure. I just drove a 93 today and could not believe the car that you can get for about $20K. Not to mention that not too many were made in the US. They have timeless styling that Chevy tried to copy for the C5.
    A few notes on classic cars:
    1. 60s Mustangs are classics and they sold tons of them. They weren't expensive, but were loved by almost everyone, whether a car nut or not. These ideas don't support today's pony cars, but certainly the Miata. The Miata is already considered a classic by so many of its fanatical owners.
    2. A car doesn't necessarily need to be a good car in its day to be a classic car. DeLoreans are already reaching classic/collectable status and they were terribly unreliable. Classic cars just need to be visually stimulating and notably different. People get attached to cars for these reasons. This explains why someone may believe the Riviera, Reatta, and Fiero may be considered classic. I disagree, simply because these cars aren't nearly as fun to drive as say, a . . .
    3. A sure sign of a classic car is one that people modify and race on the street. Honda Civics are the hottest street machines in the country. These modified economy cars are fun to drive, reliable, and stylish. This can also be said of the SE-R.
    4. Classics must give their owners good reasons to own them for a long time. All the new roadsters will be classics for this reason alone. They're fun and they too have timeless styling.
  • FREDERICKFREDERICK Member Posts: 228
    I'd call it more of an "exotic" than a collectable. I remeber the the GT mostly becuase when I was literaly just out of diapers a neighbor, who was a doctor, owned one that when he was away on vacation sprung its emergency brake and rolled down his driveway into a tree across the street. Naturally since the car was already wrecked we broke in the windows to get some Life Saver candies he had left in the center counsel tray.


    A few easily collectable bets would be:

    Early Honda Vtecs
    Nissan Z Twin Turbos
    Mustang Saleen's and Cobras
    Delorian 6 cyln's
  • hgold1hgold1 Member Posts: 1
    I think the 1982 Corvette Collector Edition
    will become a classic as it was the end of a 14 year body style and only 6759 were made. I don't think that later vettes had the same type of styling.
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    Well, I can't say as i agree with all of your choices, but only time will tell, i guess...I think, though, that the public has spoken and made a full judgment on the Opel Kadett and the Delorean already (hey, if it hasn't happened by now, it isn't going to).

    I guess I may have mentioned that in the 1970s there was a guy who won quite a few IMSA races in a 6-cylinder Pacer (Lucky Strike Challenge)--so you see, it's all in the preparation--he must have been brilliant and a hell of a driver, too.

    I'd be wary of some of these "collector editions" and "anniversary specials"...sometimes they are merely marketing concepts with only a few cosmetic upgrades...it's the same old car with a few stripes...it doesn't fool the real collector.
This discussion has been closed.