Any modern cars you admire, or aspire to acquire?

[John_S_in_Penna]

It's been said that today's popular cars are the future collectibles.

Years ago, young people looked longingly on Stutz Bearcats,

Kissel Gold Bugs, and in the 1950's, Cadillac convertibles.

Maybe a teenager in the 1960's really wanted a muscle car.

As I was growing up, I admired Buick Rivieras and the

full-sized Buick Electras, and wished my father would step up to one.

 

Are today's cars all so routine that they are just appliances?

Are there any cars on the market--say in the last 10 years--

that you admire, or even think of proudly owning someday?

I'm not talking about exotic supercars, but U. S. or foreign

cars that are within reach of many people.

 

I like the Porsche Boxster, the current Lincoln Continental,

and not much more.  Maybe I'm just not materialistic, because

I follow the current car market with only a detached interest.

What do you like?  What engine, options, colors?  Do you think

it will be collectible decades from now?

 

Edited January 15, 2020 by John_S_in_Penna (see edit history)

[Guest]

This is probably the only newer model that appeals to me. 😄

 

Edited January 16, 2020 by GregLaR (see edit history)

[Vila]

I remember back in the late 1950s and early 1960s my father saying he would not buy a new car because he hated the styling.

 

Well for me we are there 60 years later.  I am not  a fan of SUVs, Pick-m-ups, or any of the current car designs, except:

 

I always liked the original Minis from 1959 thru 2000.  Basic same look for 41 years.

 

The Mini Cooper S is the only car I would buy if I could keep it for 25 years and then show, but at that point I will be 95 years old.  And this is the color combination and options.

 

The new Mini has now been around for 19 years.

 

 

Edited January 15, 2020 by Vila (see edit history)

[zepher]

I would think all of the big modern muscle cars will be collectable.

There will be a market for today's Hellaphant, Super Bee, Camaro ZR-1 and the like.

I would love to own a Corvette C8 some day.

[Matt Harwood]

Just now, zepher said:

I would think all of the big modern muscle cars will be collectable.

There will be a market for today's Hellaphant, Super Bee, Camaro ZR-1 and the like.

I would love to own a Corvette C8 some day.

 

I wonder if today's muscle cars will ever really become collectable. I liken it to baseball cards today. The truly rare cards that collectors want are rare because nobody collected them and the desirable ones somehow survived being shoved into some kid's bicycle spokes. Today, however, card collectors just buy all the cards from every manufacturer every year in hopes that someday one of them will be valuable. But with all of the collectors buying all of the cards and keeping them all pristine, will they ever be valuable and collectable? Meh, I doubt it. By doing the thing that has added value in the past, they've completely wiped out future values simply because they're ALL doing it.

 

Modern muscle cars are the same way. One, they're building a WHOLE LOT of them. Two, almost everyone who buys them treats them like collector cars before they even get them home from the dealership. Three, they keep all the documentation and order all the options to improve their chances of it being collectable in the future. And four, the factory's going to build something meaner and faster next year so unless you buy the pinnacle car at the moment right before muscle cars are snuffed out forever by a fuel crisis, then you're going to be stuck with a B-team car. Who wants a Hellcat when the Demon is available? Who wants a C7 Z06 when a base C8 is faster? Who wants a COPO Camaro when you can't even drive it on the street and the ZL1 Camaro is faster and street-legal?

 

No, I think the only cars that will be collectable in the future are either the exceptionally rare hand-built pieces (Ferrari, Bugatti, etc.--what else is new?), and for the rest of us, cars that are simply still operational. In 40 or 50 years, do you really think all the electronics in a late-model car will still be functional? It will be virtually impossible to restore a late-model car in the traditional sense in 50 years simply because nobody will have the ability to make new electronics, sensors, actuators, and ECMs. If I really need a 100-year-old carburetor, no matter how rare, I can have one made at a price. The ability to do that job still exists. But if I need a little black box to make my 2018 Corvette's engine fire in 2058, who will write me 6 million lines of code in an obsolete language?

[J.H.Boland]

Personally ,the last car that I thought would be cool to own was the 2008-2009 Pontiac G8 GT. Before that was the 1994-1999 Olds Aurora, and the BMW Z3M .Nothing since has turned my crank.

There was an interesting article in the Hagerty News recently about farmers buying up and overhauling pre-computer era tractors ,not as collectibles, but as working machines. Seems the tractor dealers aren't sharing their software info with smaller shops,thus requiring repairs to made only with the dealer,at inflated prices. These high tech tractors may have the edge on fuel economy, but the older machines still have lots of HP available, at a fraction of the cost.

Granted,most new cars don't cost $ 125-200K, but unless you're logging 100,000 miles a year,keeping the older (better looking) cars going is becoming a viable option.

 

[Bloo]

Quote

Any modern cars you admire, or aspire to acquire?

 

No.

 

 

Edited January 15, 2020 by Bloo (see edit history)

[carbking]

No.

 

My vote is with Matt on the electronics.

 

Since the mid-1980's, I have been telling enthusiasts that original idle speed solenoids for 1970's cars are not available.

 

How many "computers" are on the newer cars.

 

Quite honestly, I would much rather drive my 1998 Ford Ranger than my 2014 Ford Explorer. One person cannot drive the explorer. It requires two: one to watch the road, and one to watch and adjust the *&^%$#$%^&*(*&^% electronic touch panel! If only one person in the car, that one needs to pull to the side of the road to adjust the defroster, or even to change the radio station!

 

The vehicle is dangerous! Probably as much so as texting while driving!

 

Jon.

[John_S_in_Penna]

I enjoy the dealers' Color and Upholstery albums 

for old cars I own or admire.  Sometimes I'll look through

the old albums and mentally put together

color combinations--paint, vinyl roof, interiors--as if I were

living back then and ordering a car.  It's almost inspiring,

and it's certainly creative.

 

Today, when I see a car I like, almost always the paint colors

are monotonous monotones, and the selection is poor.

A buyer has a hard time expressing any individuality--but

you're in luck if you like light gray, medium gray, dark gray, black,

or white.

 

There are no longer diverse and interesting interior colors to

enliven the design, such as when Cadillac offered 9 different

colors of leather to coordinate with 20 or more hues of paint.

So my interest in a new car, already subdued, gets subdued further.

 

Hint to car designers:  people are individuals!

[Bhigdog]

Recently bought a new Grand Cherokee. About 6 colors available in silvers, grays, black or white. Any color interior as long as it was gray or black. I was more excited buying a new single malt scotch than I was buying the car. I told my wife we were buying a new Jeep and she said......."whatever".

Does anyone REALLY believe the car hobby has a future?........Bob

[Bhigdog]

41 minutes ago, carbking said:

The vehicle is dangerous! Probably as much so as texting while driving!

 

You are SOOOOO correct, Jon. My new Jeep requires constant attention and finger touches to get it to do ANYTHING. Add to that it's single minded determination to get you to do what IT wants or it flat refuses to co-operate. Door ajar? You ain't going anywhere. Back up while looking out of the door? At this point imagine the voice of HAL " I'm sorry, Bob, I can't let you do that".  Stop and go? Nope. That's stop, stall, start, and go. Ad ifinitem/ad nauseum...............Bob

Edited January 15, 2020 by Bhigdog (see edit history)

[39BuickEight]

With the advent of the internet, the globalization of the market, and increased TV coverage of auctions, the truly rare cars stand out, and cars that people thought were rare, because they couldn’t find one locally, are actually not.  Basically the truly rare and desirable cars are incredibly more expensive than anyone imagined they would be, and the rest are not.  The Reatta is an example of this.  It’s incredibly easy to find and purchase one, because of the internet.  If one was limited to a few classifieds and their local market, not so much.

 

Every collectible market is like this now.  Baseball cards, comic books, etc.  If I wanted a specific card or comic years ago, I was fairly limited in my search to local shows and markets.  Now, I can have virtually any one of them in a few days.  Like cars, the truly outstanding and rare ones have increased in value exponentially, while the rest are what they are.  Easy to find and easy to buy.

[1937hd45]

I've had a goal to drive a Mini Cooper ever since the new ones came out, if I had the funds I'd buy one. A Crew Cab Ford Pickup would be the most practical thing to own, buy the cost is SO far and away from the balance on my mortgage it is just laughable. Bob 

[58L-Y8]

The only one that comes to mind is a Mercedes-Benz CLS 550 sport sedan.   A grand touring with wonderful four place interior lavishly trim and tailored, hardtop-sedan style half-door construction.    I assume the car drives as wonderful as it looks.  

[Guest]

I have always aspired to a Morgan.  Now, I can buy one but cannot get out of it once I am seated so will be satisfied admiring.  We have had three Hyundai cars, one Pony and two Sonatas.   Never had a moments trouble with any of them.  I think our 2008 Sonata and my 1930 Pontiac will last me as long as I can drive.

We had 12" of snow here in Victoria last night.  Lots of hills and lots of fun watching 4 wheel drives spinning both up and down hill. 

😊 I do not think any new car jumps out and appeals to me.  Perhaps better taught drivers would.

[John Byrd]

Carbking, you nailed it !  My bride just bought herself a new 2019 Ranger, and there are two things you can do with it...drive it or operate it, but not at the same time. I really  despise all the electronic garbage, heck, you can't even open the tailgate without shutting it off or pressing the unlock button for the doors !!!  It's a truck for petes sake ! Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr..  BUT, having said all that, now back to the "drive it" part.  It runs like a muscle car, rides great, handles great, and we got 27.4 mpg going around our island on a day trip.  Just don't touch anything .....

[Matt Harwood]

30 minutes ago, 58L-Y8 said:

The only one that comes to mind is a Mercedes-Benz CLS 550 sport sedan.   A grand touring with wonderful four place interior lavishly trim and tailored, hardtop-sedan style half-door construction.    I assume the car drives as wonderful as it looks.  

 

I have this 500SEC AMG Euro-spec sitting in my showroom right now. If you can get past the "Miami Vice" jokes it is sublime to drive...

 

[58L-Y8]

Matt,   Looks wonderful, no doubt drives even better.  It does evoke that "Miami Vice" vibe.    What keeps me out of such a car?   Besides the dollars is the certain heart attack that would happen the first time it had to have M-B dealer service and repairs when I looked at the bill!   Driving around this little town in a M-B like that would start speculation about what narcotics I had started to deal in.

[95Cardinal]

I can think of a few recent vehicles that I would enjoy:

 

2009-2010 Pontiac G8 GXP with 6 speed manual trans.

 

2010-2014 Cadillac CTS-V station wagon, again with manual trans

 

2018 Ford Focus RS hatchback in Nitrous Blue. 350 HP, 6 speed manual and 3435 lbs.

 

Even if others don't ultimately deem these to be "collectible", they all would offer a lot of joyful driving.

 

And just for fun and creating a stir, a 1992 Pontiac TranSport GT "Dustbuster" and a yellow Aztek GT!

Edited January 16, 2020 by 95Cardinal
Added images (see edit history)

[8E45E]

2 hours ago, John_S_in_Penna said:

Today, when I see a car I like, almost always the paint colors

are monotonous monotones, and the selection is poor.

 

Hint to car designers:  people are individuals!

Not for Porsche, with their 'Paint to Sample' option.  https://www.collierautomedia.com/rare-shades-a-passion-for-porsche-colors/

 

If one wants it painted 1961 Chrysler 'Dubonnet', supply the formula, or the color chip, and they'll gladly paint it to match.

 

Craig

[philip roitman]

I bought this 2016 Mercedes AMG GTS Edition1 2 years ago this coming June with 1470 miles on it. Paid about 35% off list. Only 268 built for the USA. 375 built worldwide. I think this might be a collectible in the future. I think it's an instant classic. Only my kids will know for sure. In the meantime I am driving and enjoying every mile and minute of doing so. I now have about 5400 miles on it and is put away for the winter. Has an unlimited mileage factory warranty through June 2022

 

Edited May 29, 2020 by philip roitman (see edit history)

[padgett]

 

I've had many of those (had a Dustbuster with 3800 and trailer towing equipment. Most of the time all removable seats were in baggies. Aztek was OK except it really needed a rear wiper.

 

Now that all of the retractables have gone away I have two SLKs and wouldn't mind an XLR but nothing new interests me.

 

ps am afraid that to me that merc looks like a stretched Crossfire coupe.

[1912Staver]

Not really a front wheel drive guy. I am a British car guy but the original Mini was a car I really did not care for. Ground breaking perhaps but in my mind quite flawed. Making the gearbox and engine sump common to both was a mistake. They are also unusually difficult to work on. The new version has at least some of the same flaws. and isn't even that small so negating one of the virtues of the  original.  Sprites , Midgets, TVR's , 1960's Lotus of any model. all flawed in their own unique ways but enough good points to overlook the weak points. 

Something modern I would someday like would be a Subaru BRZ / Toyota FR-z.  Too expensive for a daily driver if I also want a collector car or two. But one of the few recent cars I could go for.

Greg in Canada

[1912Staver]

2 hours ago, 39BuickEight said:

With the advent of the internet, the globalization of the market, and increased TV coverage of auctions, the truly rare cars stand out, and cars that people thought were rare, because they couldn’t find one locally, are actually not.  Basically the truly rare and desirable cars are incredibly more expensive than anyone imagined they would be, and the rest are not.  The Reatta is an example of this.  It’s incredibly easy to find and purchase one, because of the internet.  If one was limited to a few classifieds and their local market, not so much.

 

Every collectible market is like this now.  Baseball cards, comic books, etc.  If I wanted a specific card or comic years ago, I was fairly limited in my search to local shows and markets.  Now, I can have virtually any one of them in a few days.  Like cars, the truly outstanding and rare ones have increased in value exponentially, while the rest are what they are.  Easy to find and easy to buy.

 

I think the internet is part of why cars like my TVR 2500 M have shot up in price over the last several years.  They were sold in quite limited quantities , about 550 sold over 5 years 1972 - 77. And through a comparatively spotty dealer network. So lots of potential buyers never learned much about them.

The internet has brought TVR knowledge to a much wider portion of todays British car fans. Relatively few for sale at any given time with ever increasing numbers of people becoming interested. Prices were stable for many years and then suddenly increased by about triple or more. Very few owners are interested in selling as the chance of replacing them with something similar is slim indeed. If one is for sale it is often an estate sale. I don't consider 550 produced of a particular model all that rare, but definitely that fact can influence prices if demand is steady.

 

Greg in Canada

Edited January 16, 2020 by 1912Staver (see edit history)

[Steve_Mack_CT]

I like cars from many different eras.  After years of driving super dependable but boring hondas and then the cooler but not really a toy explorer period, I have gone through a string of sporty sedans, Audi, MB and two Caddys.  I really like the Caddy designs since the first generation CTS came out.  Agree with John on limited colors, but the Cadillac does not try to emulate a Japanese or European car, its 100% American (new CT5 seems to fall a bit short style wise.)  Build quality seems on par w the Germans (oh. We had a BMW also) and the ATS performs as well as the Euro sedans in its class.  I might aspire to the CT6 but will likely buy one off lease which works great for me.  ATS had all of 4,000 miles on it, close enough to new to me! 😊

 

On new cars, I try to keep up on them, and if it passes the "20 paces away in the parking lot, you still look back and smile a bit" then you have a winner.  🙂

 

All that said I really like Phillip's Mercedes, it would go nicely with our SL! 😁  Or, maybe we need a 67 Eldo to go with this... 🤔

Edited January 16, 2020 by Steve_Mack_CT (see edit history)

[hidden_hunter]

3 hours ago, J.H.Boland said:

Personally ,the last car that I thought would be cool to own was the 2008-2009 Pontiac G8 GT. Before that was the 1994-1999 Olds Aurora, and the BMW Z3M .Nothing since has turned my crank.

There was an interesting article in the Hagerty News recently about farmers buying up and overhauling pre-computer era tractors ,not as collectibles, but as working machines. Seems the tractor dealers aren't sharing their software info with smaller shops,thus requiring repairs to made only with the dealer,at inflated prices. These high tech tractors may have the edge on fuel economy, but the older machines still have lots of HP available, at a fraction of the cost.

Granted,most new cars don't cost $ 125-200K, but unless you're logging 100,000 miles a year,keeping the older (better looking) cars going is becoming a viable option.

 

 

Obviously I'm biased, but GM's half hearted effort with the G8 doomed it for failure - Holden were finally making a car that for the segment and price truly was market leading, even the basic fleet v6 versions we had for work drove quite nicely and they were available in a variety of body styles. A lot has been written about it already, but they had a bunch of different brands and approaches they could have taken to sell the car and they did a woeful job of it.

 

 

[JamesR]

They aren't brand new anymore, but new enough to be considered "new" cars among old car guys:

 

Chrysler Crossfire

Pontiac Solstice

Saturn Sky

 

I guess I like them because they're just-for-fun cars. Sporty, but not actual serious sports cars, as in "competitive." Being older and taller, I wouldn't fit into them well and egress is an even bigger problem, so i wouldn't be interested in owning one, though.

 

 

1066 × 560

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Matt Harwood]

1 hour ago, 95Cardinal said:

I can think of a few recent vehicles that I would enjoy:

 

2009-2010 Pontiac G8 GXP with 6 speed manual trans.

 

 

2010-2014 Cadillac CTS-V station wagon, again with manual trans

 

 

2018 Ford Focus RS hatchback in Nitrous Blue. 350 HP, 6 speed manual and 3435 lbs.

 

 

Even if others don't ultimately deem these to be "collectible", they all would offer a lot of joyful driving.

 

And just for fun and creating a stir, a 1992 Pontiac TranSport GT "Dustbuster" and a yellow Aztek GT!

 

I cannot argue with any of your choices.

[Steve_Mack_CT]

Jaguar F type or a Porsche Boxster would be nice weekend cars, and maybe the C6, C7 Corvette.  Not sure about the newest one yet.

[Rusty_OToole]

I'm seriously considering buying a 2002 Lincoln Town Car for  a daily driver. One  of the great luxury cars, extremely reliable and long lived and top marks for safety. I had one before and was happy with it. Last of the big rear wheel drive, traditional American sedans.

[keithb7]

I cannot think of one new vehicle that I’d like to own. My truck situation: In 2018 I sold my 2009 Ram, that I bought new, and went backwards 11 years. I bought a 1998 Ram 2500 cummins. 

 

My wife gets a new car when i deem its needed. I stick with Hondas for her. Pretty good reputation for being dang reliable for many many miles. However...The entertainment system also controls the HVAC. All a large digital touch screen. That car will be going as soon as that system starts acting up. Its a 2017 year. The screen/computer system whatever the heck it is, was replaced under warranty once already in 2018. I don’t have a real good feeling about it. 

 

The cars I really enjoy? My “go-cart simple” old vintage cars.  1938 simplicity cranks me up! I don’t even check out or look at any new vehicles. Absolutely zero interest. Plastic crap. 

Edited January 16, 2020 by keithb7 (see edit history)

[8E45E]

I like nearly all of the station wagons that are currently on the market as well as some from the past 20 years, including ones that were or are unavailable in North America.  

 

This includes the Peugeot 508 SW, Porsche Panamera Gran Turismo, Jaguar Sportbrake, Alfa Romeo 156 Sportwagon, Saab 9.5 Kombi, Europe-only Cadillac BLS wagon,  Mercedes Benz and BMW Touring, etc.

 

Craig

[zepher]

6 hours ago, Matt Harwood said:

I wonder if today's muscle cars will ever really become collectable.

 

I know you're in the business, but you can't tell me the limited production modern muscle cars like the Hellephant won't be collectable.

The most desirable 60's muscle cars are the ones that were the peak of performance and built in limited numbers.

 

Today, what brings more money?

A run of the mill '69 350/Auto Camaro or a true '69 DZ 302 Z28?

 

 

[capngrog]

3 hours ago, philip roitman said:

I bought this 2016 Mercedes AMG GTS Edition1 2 years ago this coming June with 1470 miles on it. Paid about 35% off list. Only 268 built for the USA. I think this might be a collectible in the future. I think it's an instant classic. Only my kids will know for sure. In the meantime I am driving and enjoying every mile and minute of doing so. I now have about 5400 miles on it and is put away for the winter. Has an unlimited mileage factory warranty through June 2022

 

 

Now THAT is a good looking car.  Does it drive as great as it looks?

 

Cheers,

Grog

[Matt Harwood]

The Hellephant is just a crate motor, isn't it? 

 

As far as the Camaro comparison, you made my point for me--nobody's ordering base models for posterity. The base models are getting used up and thrown away, just like the 6-cylinder Mustang coupes nobody cared about. No, today everyone is ordering the equivalent of a loaded DZ 302 Z/28 with JL4 brakes and cross-ram induction, then protecting them and documenting them and doing all the things they wished they had done in 1969. The result will be that in 50 years when they're "collectable" there will be 18,000 of them available.

 

The reason the '69 Z/28 is valuable is because in 1969, people used them up and threw them away--the idea of future collectablility didn't even dawn on them. Hell, my father bought a brand new 1969 Camaro SS396 convertible and by 1974, I called it "the clunker" and he accidentally drove it into Lake Erie when a flood washed out the road. There was no inkling that it would be worth anything in the future. The few amazing old cars that were treated as something special bring big money because, well, there aren't that many of them. That won't be the case with late-model muscle cars because they're all being treated as collectable from the moment they hit the pavement. If all of them are special, none of them will be special. 

Old muscle cars are also valuable because there was a definite end to the era--after 1971, that was pretty much it for the big engines, radical cams, and high compression. Today, the factory keeps cranking out "limited edition" muscle cars, people keep buying them in huge numbers, and then next year the factory builds something even faster and even more amazing. All those cars are being saved, too. In the future, there will be a massive smorgasbord of every kind of 21st century muscle car in immaculate condition and prices will probably not be as strong as they are on what we regard as "old" cars today--cars like a '69 Camaro. Supply will far out-strip demand, especially if the factory keeps making awesome stuff or electric cars show up that stomp the compression cars into dust.

 

There will just be too many really nice, well-optioned, really fast late-model muscle cars laying around in perfect condition. The good news it'll be great for price and availability and hopefully people will continue to enjoy them. 

 

 

Edited January 16, 2020 by Matt Harwood (see edit history)

[auburnseeker]

I had an 08 Boxster for a very short time and only got to drive it a couple of times as I got it very late fall and was really selling it for an old gent but told him I would buy it with a few large payments by Spring of which I made a large downpayment when he dropped it off.  It was a friend of the family.   It happened someone wanted it more than me so I made a few bucks and got him his money in very short order.  He was happy with the arrangement.  I kind of wish I would have been able to keep it longer. 

My main choice of very few new cars I would want to own is a Saturn Sky Redline with manual transmission.  I could buy one tomorrow.  They aren't expensive and good ones can be had with very low mileage well kept for right around 10G.  I was looking last summer but really hated to pull the trigger then come up short on an older car.  Ill get one someday.  Maybe when they drop another 2500.  I imagine 7500 would be bottom of the market for a super nice original with low miles.   They are already not real common.  If you do a search and narrow it to redlines there are usually only one or two good ones in tristate areas with maybe Florida being the exception. 

[John_S_in_Penna]

3 hours ago, Steve_Mack_CT said:

...I have gone through a string of sporty sedans, Audi, MB and two Caddys.  I really like the Caddy designs since the first generation CTS came out.  Agree with John on limited colors, but the Cadillac does not try to emulate a Japanese or European car, its 100% American...

 

Little known fact:  At least as late as 2010, General Motors

would do custom colors at the factory.  My local Chevrolet

sales manager didn't know GM did that, but in 2014 I interviewed

Bob Lutz for our AACA regional newsletter, and he told me this

fact directly.  (He's a big car fan and was Vice Chairman

until 2010.)  Later on, he told me that that custom-color

program might not be currently available, but he had been away

from GM for several years and didn't have the latest knowledge.

 

But custom colors at GM, at least as late as 2010?

That must have been a program that even ardent car fans

didn't know about.  That opens up a lot of interesting possibilities!

[Buffalowed Bill]

Tesla Model S. 

[1935Packard]

Among new cars, I'd love to have a Tesla Model 3 Performance and a Porsche 911 cabriolet.  I don't think of them as future "collector" cars, but I'd love to own and drive them now.

 

A few people above have mentioned Boxsters, and I agree: They're fabulous driving cars that you can now buy used quite inexpensively.  I had one as a daily driver for 7 years, and it was a blast.  Fast, fun, attractive, and totally reliable.  

 

 

 

 

[8E45E]

7 hours ago, Matt Harwood said:

The Hellephant is just a crate motor, isn't it? 

 

As far as the Camaro comparison, you made my point for me--nobody's ordering base models for posterity. The base models are getting used up and thrown away, just like the 6-cylinder Mustang coupes nobody cared about. No, today everyone is ordering the equivalent of a loaded DZ 302 Z/28 with JL4 brakes and cross-ram induction, then protecting them and documenting them and doing all the things they wished they had done in 1969. The result will be that in 50 years when they're "collectable" there will be 18,000 of them available.

 

The reason the '69 Z/28 is valuable is because in 1969, people used them up and threw them away--the idea of future collectablility didn't even dawn on them. Hell, my father bought a brand new 1969 Camaro SS396 convertible and by 1974, I called it "the clunker" and he accidentally drove it into Lake Erie when a flood washed out the road. There was no inkling that it would be worth anything in the future. The few amazing old cars that were treated as something special bring big money because, well, there aren't that many of them. That won't be the case with late-model muscle cars because they're all being treated as collectable from the moment they hit the pavement. If all of them are special, none of them will be special. 

Old muscle cars are also valuable because there was a definite end to the era--after 1971, that was pretty much it for the big engines, radical cams, and high compression. Today, the factory keeps cranking out "limited edition" muscle cars, people keep buying them in huge numbers, and then next year the factory builds something even faster and even more amazing. All those cars are being saved, too. In the future, there will be a massive smorgasbord of every kind of 21st century muscle car in immaculate condition and prices will probably not be as strong as they are on what we regard as "old" cars today--cars like a '69 Camaro. Supply will far out-strip demand, especially if the factory keeps making awesome stuff or electric cars show up that stomp the compression cars into dust.

 

There will just be too many really nice, well-optioned, really fast late-model muscle cars laying around in perfect condition. The good news it'll be great for price and availability and hopefully people will continue to enjoy them. 

 

 

I've run out of hands and fingers to count how many ultra-low mileage 1978 Corvette Pace Cars and 25th Anniversary cars are around despite them being over 40 years old now.

 

Craig