Classics that never seem to change in value
Discussion
I’ve been interested in classic cars for several decades. I’ve seen values rise and fall and rise and fall and rise again. However some cars just seem totally disconnected from fluctuations in the market.
I’m going to start off by nominating the MG T series. Good ones always seemed to be advertised at £20k - £25k.
With one or two concours restored exceptions, that price range will still buy you a decent example of a TD or TF. Maybe 2 or 3 grand more for a TC.
Any other suggestions?
I’m going to start off by nominating the MG T series. Good ones always seemed to be advertised at £20k - £25k.
With one or two concours restored exceptions, that price range will still buy you a decent example of a TD or TF. Maybe 2 or 3 grand more for a TC.
Any other suggestions?
I have long suspected that classic cars peak in value at an age when 50-60 year olds can afford to buy what they lusted after as a teenager.
After that - with the exception of real rarities or exotica - they stabilise or even fall back.
I'd assume the price of really old cars has not moved as much as (say) 80's Fords in recent years.
After that - with the exception of real rarities or exotica - they stabilise or even fall back.
I'd assume the price of really old cars has not moved as much as (say) 80's Fords in recent years.
Based on nothing but instinct
Johnnytheboy said:
I have long suspected that classic cars peak in value at an age when 50-60 year olds can afford to buy what they lusted after as a teenager.
After that - with the exception of real rarities or exotica - they stabilise or even fall back.
Pretty much the case I would say.After that - with the exception of real rarities or exotica - they stabilise or even fall back.
Maybe slightly skewed in recent decade since interest rates being at pretty much zero, so the slightly younger rich investor has bubbled the market, and probably not interested in driving them anyway, to protect that investment, so maybe not bothered so much if it was on their teenage wall or not?
Yertis said:
A good TR6 seems to have been about £20,000 for as long as I've taken any notice, but £20,000 was a lot more money when I started to take notice.
I think they did sit in the £15-20k range for a long time with £25k for something execptional.But how I thinks it's more like £20-30k. With £35k being asked at the top end.
Anything I buy in the hope of making a few quid later on - that seems to remain static 
In all seriousness, though, years back I had a gorgeous but high mileage Saab 900 T16S: the one every one seemed to want, ie a black 3 door with tan leather. I could barely give that away. Off the back of that I bought a convertible one for £8,000 in 2001 which I still have. I reckon I'll be lucky to get much more than that next year when I consider selling.
A black 3 door T16S with tan leather, however, is probably worth £10,000 in good shape.
In all seriousness, though, years back I had a gorgeous but high mileage Saab 900 T16S: the one every one seemed to want, ie a black 3 door with tan leather. I could barely give that away. Off the back of that I bought a convertible one for £8,000 in 2001 which I still have. I reckon I'll be lucky to get much more than that next year when I consider selling.
A black 3 door T16S with tan leather, however, is probably worth £10,000 in good shape.
In 1998 I sold my lovely 1970 Mercedes 250CE to fund the purchase of a one owner 1969 Jaguar XJ6 - after a year under a cover outside of my flat in London I thought it really needed to be garaged so a mint 1981 Lancia Beta coupe was purchased as a runaround.
Fast forward another year or so and a house move meant the rented garage was impractical and I packed it off to my Dad's up north on the provisio that I sold the one owner last of the line 1970 Ford Corsair 2000E I had stashed with him to make room.
That car was pristine - it had just spent 2 years in the Cowies of Sunderland main showroom as their centrepiece.
The Beta also went after a year on the grounds that my missus hated it....
Let's run those numbers:
Fast forward another year or so and a house move meant the rented garage was impractical and I packed it off to my Dad's up north on the provisio that I sold the one owner last of the line 1970 Ford Corsair 2000E I had stashed with him to make room.
That car was pristine - it had just spent 2 years in the Cowies of Sunderland main showroom as their centrepiece.
The Beta also went after a year on the grounds that my missus hated it....
Let's run those numbers:
cpl593h said:
In 1998 I sold my lovely 1970 Mercedes 250CE to fund the purchase of a one owner 1969 Jaguar XJ6 - after a year under a cover outside of my flat in London I thought it really needed to be garaged so a mint 1981 Lancia Beta coupe was purchased as a runaround.
Fast forward another year or so and a house move meant the rented garage was impractical and I packed it off to my Dad's up north on the provisio that I sold the one owner last of the line 1970 Ford Corsair 2000E I had stashed with him to make room.
That car was pristine - it had just spent 2 years in the Cowies of Sunderland main showroom as their centrepiece.
The Beta also went after a year on the grounds that my missus hated it....
Let's run those numbers:
Let's revise the 2000E to £13k - this is the very car - what are the chances? Fast forward another year or so and a house move meant the rented garage was impractical and I packed it off to my Dad's up north on the provisio that I sold the one owner last of the line 1970 Ford Corsair 2000E I had stashed with him to make room.
That car was pristine - it had just spent 2 years in the Cowies of Sunderland main showroom as their centrepiece.
The Beta also went after a year on the grounds that my missus hated it....
Let's run those numbers:
https://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C1384071
Johnnytheboy said:
I have long suspected that classic cars peak in value at an age when 50-60 year olds can afford to buy what they lusted after as a teenager.
After that - with the exception of real rarities or exotica - they stabilise or even fall back.
I'd assume the price of really old cars has not moved as much as (say) 80's Fords in recent years.
I think you are right, although sometimes it's also a case of us oldies wanting to revisit our youth! After that - with the exception of real rarities or exotica - they stabilise or even fall back.
I'd assume the price of really old cars has not moved as much as (say) 80's Fords in recent years.
Based on nothing but instinct
I remember Derek saying in an episode of Bangers and Cash a while ago that pre-war cars just didn't make much money because that generation isn't around any more.
I had a few popular Fords in the 80s and am glad I had that experience in period. I sold a 1978 MK2 Escort RS2000 in 1984 and got less than £2,500 for it as it was just an old Ford, albeit a desirable model, but I really wouldn't want one now. But then I couldn't afford it anyway! And I can think of so many newer cars I could buy for that sort of money that I would enjoy so much more.
Nostalgia doesn't come cheap.
cpl593h said:
cpl593h said:
In 1998 I sold my lovely 1970 Mercedes 250CE to fund the purchase of a one owner 1969 Jaguar XJ6 - after a year under a cover outside of my flat in London I thought it really needed to be garaged so a mint 1981 Lancia Beta coupe was purchased as a runaround.
Fast forward another year or so and a house move meant the rented garage was impractical and I packed it off to my Dad's up north on the provisio that I sold the one owner last of the line 1970 Ford Corsair 2000E I had stashed with him to make room.
That car was pristine - it had just spent 2 years in the Cowies of Sunderland main showroom as their centrepiece.
The Beta also went after a year on the grounds that my missus hated it....
Let's run those numbers:
Let's revise the 2000E to £13k - this is the very car - what are the chances? Fast forward another year or so and a house move meant the rented garage was impractical and I packed it off to my Dad's up north on the provisio that I sold the one owner last of the line 1970 Ford Corsair 2000E I had stashed with him to make room.
That car was pristine - it had just spent 2 years in the Cowies of Sunderland main showroom as their centrepiece.
The Beta also went after a year on the grounds that my missus hated it....
Let's run those numbers:
https://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C1384071
Mr Tidy said:
Johnnytheboy said:
I have long suspected that classic cars peak in value at an age when 50-60 year olds can afford to buy what they lusted after as a teenager.
After that - with the exception of real rarities or exotica - they stabilise or even fall back.
I'd assume the price of really old cars has not moved as much as (say) 80's Fords in recent years.
I think you are right, although sometimes it's also a case of us oldies wanting to revisit our youth! After that - with the exception of real rarities or exotica - they stabilise or even fall back.
I'd assume the price of really old cars has not moved as much as (say) 80's Fords in recent years.
Based on nothing but instinct
I remember Derek saying in an episode of Bangers and Cash a while ago that pre-war cars just didn't make much money because that generation isn't around any more.
I had a few popular Fords in the 80s and am glad I had that experience in period. I sold a 1978 MK2 Escort RS2000 in 1984 and got less than £2,500 for it as it was just an old Ford, albeit a desirable model, but I really wouldn't want one now. But then I couldn't afford it anyway! And I can think of so many newer cars I could buy for that sort of money that I would enjoy so much more.
Nostalgia doesn't come cheap.
30 years ago, Lotus-Cortina's were fetching pretty much what they are today....as the age group that associated with them are no longer in the market for them.
They got overtaken in price by the 70's AVO and RS Escorts 10-15 years ago.......as the next generation of desirable Fast Ford.
With a few exceptions, the prices of Escorts (that sell not speculative vendors thinking they are worth more than they are) are starting to stagnate as well, as the era of the 1980's Fast Ford as the new kid on the auction block. 100+k Cossie Sierra's being the example here, so well above 70's Escort prices.
The people with the money to buy their 1980's teenage dreams are not looking at old Escorts let alone old Cortina's.
LotusOmega375D said:
I think you’ve missed the point of this thread. I am asking for suggestions of cars which have barely changed in value over the past two or three decades. According to your list, 3 of the 4 cars have appreciated by a factor of 5 - 7. Your 1969 XJ6 ostensibly fits the bill, but I thought they were worth rather more than £6k nowadays (probably closer to £12k) unless it’s deteriorated into a restoration project?
That was the point - the XJ6 has hardly appreciated at all whilst the others that effectively made way for it have. I'd be very happy for someone to offer me £12K for it but I don't think that is the reality.....happy to be proved wrong....
crankedup5 said:
Fiat Coupe, great cars in every sense and yet still can be bought for £4k - £6k for a beautiful example. Badge snobbery much to blame.
I think its more to do with parts support (or lack of) and the worry about dissolving before your eyes if you dare take it out the garage.Looks at the prices of Alfa Sud's, still relatively cheap, even for one of the few remaining that hasn't dissolved into dust.....and they were/are great little cars, but so few of them doesn't allow the cottage industry aftermarket parts supply, and some people don't enjoy the endless trawling around autojumbles or searching the continent for parts.
25 years and on seems to be the turning point for fallen hero cars, that is those that were desirable when new but soon got overtaken by the faster newer models in the line up. This ties up with the men in their 50s now with a few quid in their pocket, wanting the example they could not afford in their youth.
The rest of the similar age cars around them simply rise with the tide once the golden model becomes unattainable, after that they stagnate, as they are really only second or third best to the car people really want.
I bought my last RS500 when it was 24 years old, from Ian at Oakfields, he said to me "keep this a few years and you will do ok", he was the one who identified that nostalgia really kicks in after 25 years.
Oh boy he was spot on, the next owner of that car after me has done really well!
not that he needs the money anyway
However 10 years later after buying that old Sierra, would I even pay for it now, what I paid for it back then? regardless of the recent rise?
No not really, it was a box I needed to tick back then, had the cash, thought I was over paying at the time, but didn't mind losing a few quid for a couple of years of fun.
I have never valued nostalgia above what I do not mind losing, and being tight then that's not much!
Recently bought a cheap P100 Sierra pick up truck with a buddy, just for a bit of fun to restore and uprate, we have written off our meagre investment so no pressure, but now the bloody things are rapidly rising in value as well.
The rest of the similar age cars around them simply rise with the tide once the golden model becomes unattainable, after that they stagnate, as they are really only second or third best to the car people really want.
I bought my last RS500 when it was 24 years old, from Ian at Oakfields, he said to me "keep this a few years and you will do ok", he was the one who identified that nostalgia really kicks in after 25 years.
Oh boy he was spot on, the next owner of that car after me has done really well!
not that he needs the money anyway However 10 years later after buying that old Sierra, would I even pay for it now, what I paid for it back then? regardless of the recent rise?
No not really, it was a box I needed to tick back then, had the cash, thought I was over paying at the time, but didn't mind losing a few quid for a couple of years of fun.
I have never valued nostalgia above what I do not mind losing, and being tight then that's not much!
Recently bought a cheap P100 Sierra pick up truck with a buddy, just for a bit of fun to restore and uprate, we have written off our meagre investment so no pressure, but now the bloody things are rapidly rising in value as well.
Edited by PAUL500 on Tuesday 30th November 11:23
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