depreciation proof cars!!

[StevieB]

on 8th Feb 2003, my wife and I bought an 84,000 mile 1990 205 GTI 1.9 for £1100. We've had a lot of enjoyment out of the car over the years and now, 9 years later with 110K on the clock, I suspect the little Pug,which has a very tidy body and is totally original, is worth at least the £1100 I gave for it. The pug, as a low mileage second car has in truth given us very little trouble. It also gets lots of favourable attention and comments. If I had a pound for everyone who said "i had one of those once and it was the best little car I ever owned" Id be, well about £50 better off!!

On the other hand, someone buying a brand new Clio 172 in 2003 will have lost about £11K in deprecation over the same period.

So what would be your favourite deprecation free purchases just now? If I had the cash, Id go for an early Boxtster at £5, as I cant see them going much lower than that, a 964 carrera 2, or even a Merc 190E 2.6 cosworth, that will always be worth about 5 grand.....in these recessionary times, is this the way forward to enjoy motoring?

What tickles your fancy right now as what they call "free motoring".

Edited by StevieB on Saturday 18th February 10:03

[jimslops]

StevieB said:

on 8th Feb 2003, my wife and I bought an 84,000 mile 1990 205 GTI 1.9 for £1100. We've had a lot of enjoyment out of that car over the years and now, 9 years later with 110K on the clock, I suspect that this car, which has a very tidy body and is totally original, is worth at least the £1100 I gave for it. The pug, as a low mileage second car has in truth given us very little trouble.

On the other hand, someone buying a brand new Clio 172 in 2003 will have lost about £11K in deprecation over the same period.

So what would be your favourite deprecation free purchases just now? If I had the cash, Id go for an early Boxtster at £5, as I cant see them going much lower than that, a 964 carrera 2, or even a Merc 190E 2.6 cosworth, that will always be worth about 5 grand.....in these recessionary times, is this the way forward to enjoy motoring?

What tickles your fancy right now as what they call "free motoring".

Good thread. Not sure you will get a Boxster for £5 though.

[edo]

Good later rust free defenders, Caterhams, classic 911's, (all bought and sold at the right time of year).

[Luke.]

Original Minis seem to be crazy prices at the moment. Though not sure how sustainable that is.

E36 M3s would be a good bet too. Can't really go much lower for a good one.

964s and 928s for sound examples.

[B Huey]

You won't go wrong with a nice BMW 325 E30.

944 Turbo? Personally I'd chose one of these over the Boxster.

Ford Racing Puma.

[Pothole]

Morris Minor. OP, I reckon if you get the GTI in tip top condition and you have all the history since you've owned it you should get £1500 for it. What colour is it?

[macp]

But arent cars like the merc cosworths and 964 carrera classics and as such worth top dollar for anything even half decent.Difficult to think of interesting stuff you wouldnt have to pay top money for.I did though once have a low mileage S70 T5 which I drove for some months and sold it for more than I paid this would then apply on reflection.

[Juffled]

lotus elise s1 for £8/9k

[philmots]

M3 csl don't look to have moved much in recent years.

[RegMolehusband]

There are many older cars that will depreciate slowly if you're only going to do 3250 miles a year in them.

[Peter Griffin]

philmots said:

M3 csl don't look to have moved much in recent years.

They are slowly creeping down, granted at nowhere near the rate of the regular E46 M3s.

I think the M3 CS might be a slightly better bet.

[jamei303]

Mk 4 Escort. There's plenty of Mk 5s going cheap but any Mk 4s left seem to have reached their lowest price and are on the way up.

[Alex]

I just bought an Impreza P1 for £5.5k which I expect will be worth at least the same in 10 years, if not more. I wouldn't call it free motoring though...

[sday12]

993.

[flatline84]

968 CS, very sure to go up.

[macp]

Have often wondered if the Puma will become a classic someday.

[Davie]

I bought my Cavalier Turbo back in 2001 with 90,000 miles on the clock for £3000 and now, 11 years and 90,000 miles later, it's still worth around the £3000 mark (well, assuming I put it back together). I also think the trick is also to buy cars that are seriously cheap, ie one of those finds that you simply can't go wrong with. If you've got the the finances than great, but I just could not live with significant depreciation even if I had vast sums of cash in the bank. Of all the cars I've had, I don't actually remember loosing any money on them when it came to getting rid.

[16vnutter]

S1 Elise
Clio Williams 1
993
E30 M3
Original Escort Cosworth
E36 M3- unmolested

I ran a S1 Elise for 18months and didn't lose a penny on what I paid- obviously servicing and running costs taken out of this but it's a refreshing change to the usual plummet like a stone that most cars suffer.
I won't mention the new Clio 182 I bought in 05- that wasn't the best financial move!!!!!!

[Peter Griffin]

macp said:

Have often wondered if the Puma will become a classic someday.

The Racing one will, the regular one won't as a) they made too many and b) they rust to buggery.

[Jezz172]

I was offered a VW campervan as a part-ex years ago
Wish I'd taken it now - they seem to go up every year rather than down in price