Prices of collector cars have skyrocketed during the pandemic. Is there anything affordable that could rise in value? Before we get into this, let’s give some context on the criteria we use to determine our list.
What Makes a Car Collectible?
Aside from the million dollar plus cars with an edition of fewer fingers than are on your hands, who knows! But we do see there are a few shared common themes that we used as our filters.
Design
Of course you have to like how the car looks. If you like it, odds are there are plenty of other people out there who will like it too. While design is subjective, if more people like it than not, then it maximizes your resale market.
Experience
Does the car provide some positive sensation whenever you get in whether that’s from sensory stimulation of how it drives on the road, nostalgia of an era gone by, or something else you yearn for?
Demand
It’s the old law of supply and demand – so long as there are more buyers than sellers, prices will be in your favor.
Maintenance
Some cars have a reputation for costing more to repair than its intrinsic value while others may not have parts available from being out of production. This can greatly affect value and/or demand.
Mileage
Since the six digit odometer became standard somewhere in the 80s, the number of miles on a car seems to have become an obsession. No one complains when a 356A has 80k on the clock, yet in more modern cars, mileage becomes the 2nd most important question after price.
Pedigree
Emotional attachment to your car comes from a brand you know has won historical races, created a nostalgic lifestyle or provided you with something else of significance.
Assumptions
- The car has 50k or less miles.
- The car is only driven a thousand miles a year–if the car is super low mileage, then fewer miles should be driven. Higher mileage cars have more flexibility.
- The car’s condition will be in as good if not better shape than when first purchased.
Without further ado, our top picks listed alphabetically below.
1. Alfa Romeo Spider Series 3 and 4
Classic Pininfarina styling, fun, open-air motoring, and good reliability makes this car an easy entry point into car collecting. With Series 1 and 2 now far surpassing our target price, low mileage Series 3 and 4 can still be had for well under $30k.
2. BMW E24 6 Series
This BMW is already a classic with its sharknose styling from a time when BMW still made great looking cars. They’re getting tougher and tougher to find with a manual, low miles and a 6-speed. This one has a 20k more miles than our criteria, but its asking price leaves an additional $13k to find a lower mileage example.
3. Chevy Corvette C4
The unloved C4 ZR1 series presents a buying opportunity still today. Its 5.7L 375hp engine propels this beast to 60 in 4.4 sec – still fast by today’s standards. Perhaps its underwhelming interior and awkward in-between generation styling keep this from reaching prices like its Japanese counterparts. Low-mileage examples can still be bought for rock bottom prices.
4. Ford Mustang
The perennial classic Ford Mustang will never go out of style. But with so many of them in existence, unmodified ones will also not see a crazy price spike. Nonetheless their prices have remained stable for the past five years and may even climb a bit with rising inflation. The key will be finding one that hasn’t rusted through and in good mechanical shape.
5. Maserati Cambiocorsa
A Ferrari sourced V8, 385hp, 7500rpm redline, 0-60 in 4.7s – this car is an experiential symphony. Combined with lines penned by legendary designer Giorgetto Giugiaro. The car has crept up in value the past couple of years. Avoid the F1 transmission and stick with the 6-speed manual as slightly more than 1000 were made. Low mileage examples can be still be bought under $30k.
6. Mazda RX-7 FC
Somehow the middle child FC generation Mazda RX-7 hasn’t received the same kind of love as the FB and FD series. That’s ok in our book because this awesome JDM car can still be had for the mid to high $20s.
7. Mercedes Benz R107 SL
As the previous generation W113 Pagoda SL rises into the six figure range, logically people who want a similar experience will look to the R107. Because of the platform longevity and number of models, hundreds of thousands of these were produced during its lifecycle. Look for the cleanest low mile examples possible like this one.
8. Porsche 914
911s have become out of reach to most, so people who want an affordable air-cooled engine have but one choice. Scorned as a glorified VW when introduced, the 914 has been rediscovered and appreciated for its open air experience, go-kart like handling, and distinct soundtrack. Choose wisely though – the wrong one will lead to a world of restoration or mechanical pain.
9. Porsche 944
Porsche values have been on the rise, especially the 911s. People wanting a collector Porsche don’t have a ton of options so the 944 has enjoyed a resurgence. Find the cleanest and most mechanically sound example you can afford as it’s still a Porsche so maintenance costs are going to be on the higher side. Late model S2 and Turbos have long surpassed the $30k mark, but the base model can still be had for a reasonable price.
10. Toyota Land Cruiser
Last but certainly not least is the Toyota Land Cruiser. Rugged off-road capabilities. legendary reliability, and cult like following make this car an outdoorsman favorite. Given the model has been discontinued, nostalgic fans may revisit past models. Finding a lower mileage example for this price point may be tough but doable. Modified or low mileage examples far surpass the $30k target, but this import version seems like a fair deal.
Other cars considered but not selected for some reason such as sales data availability, variability of sales price or not meeting parameters set for this list are available below in alphabetical order.
Alfa Romeo GTV6
BMW E21
Lancia Delta Integrale
Lotus Elan
Mitsubishi 3000GT
Nissan 300zx Twin Turbo
Triumph GT6
VW GTI MK4
Volvo 1800
Volvo T30
One note we do want to make is that these were mass produced cars except for the Maserati. While each has their enthusiast audience, they’re not going to appreciate like low volume or special model cars. Yes, low mileage pristine examples will always command a sizable premium but those won’t be in our target budget. Our goal is to find cars that in five years will sell as close to what you paid if not more without breaking the bank for upkeep. People might ask well what about X, Y or Z. There probably are other cars that would make good if not great candidates. Leave your thoughts below and let us know.
