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David S. Wallens
David S. Wallens Editorial Director
1/17/17 3:05 p.m.
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Hagerty recently announced the top 10 classic cars to buy in 2017, and several recent models made the list. The E46—chassis BMW M3–one of the latest additions to the GRM fleet—tops their chart.

According to Hagerty, the list focuses on cars that are poised to be strong investments in terms of value growth and smiles-per-dollar. “One of the most …

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captdownshift
captdownshift GRM+ Memberand PowerDork
1/17/17 3:09 p.m.

I've owned 2 of the 10 and now currently own 0 of the 10. I'm doing it wrong...

CobraSpdRH
CobraSpdRH Reader
1/17/17 3:13 p.m.

I feel like they may be a little late to the party with some of these (Challenger/Charger/Superbird). Do they really think the bubble won't pop on these at some point in the near future? I'm skeptical.

I would focus more on the 80's (Grand National, IROC-Z, etc.) and 90's (Integra Type-R, 300ZX TT, Lightning, etc.). Completely agree with the E46-M3 and the Viper.

Tyler H
Tyler H GRM+ Memberand UltraDork
1/17/17 3:16 p.m.

I just saw a 1991 MR2 Turbo go on BaT for $18k. This was a $6500 car a year or two ago, and they're still out there in similar condition. I might have to pick up another one to get my MR2 lifetime ownership count to a nice round fifteen.

Ian F
Ian F MegaDork
1/17/17 3:21 p.m.

They really put the Enzo on a "buy it now" list? Really? When has that car NOT been on a "buy it now" list?

Tom_Spangler
Tom_Spangler GRM+ Memberand UberDork
1/17/17 3:22 p.m.

You know, I've been kicking around the idea of buying an Enzo. It's a good thing this article came along to give me the push I needed.

NickD
NickD SuperDork
1/17/17 3:58 p.m.

Little late on the Charger, Challenger and Superbird. Price has been through the roof on those for a long time, and is slightly less now than when the musclecar market was running at full-tilt in the early 2000s. The '71 Charger is the one to get, as the "fuselage" design never caught on like the Coke bottle cars, meaning they have flown under the radar for a long time, but can still be had with the pre-smog 440 6-Paks and Hemis.

AClockworkGarage
AClockworkGarage Reader
1/17/17 4:06 p.m.

There is literally nothing on that list I would actually want.

1988RedT2
1988RedT2 UltimaDork
1/17/17 5:32 p.m.

I've got to buy all ten? Right now?

Lemme look at my checking account balance. I think I'm gonna be a little short.

Feedyurhed
Feedyurhed SuperDork
1/17/17 5:39 p.m.
Tyler H wrote: I just saw a 1991 MR2 Turbo go on BaT for $18k. This was a $6500 car a year or two ago, and they're still out there in similar condition. I might have to pick up another one to get my MR2 lifetime ownership count to a nice round fifteen.

I personally feel we will see a spike up of prices on 80s Japanese sports cars in the next few years. The Supra as mentioned on this list as well as the MR2, 300ZX, RX7 and even the 3000GT. Still love the RX7 ND.........one of the sexiest cars ever created IMO. Yes I know it's from the 90s.

Ian F
Ian F MegaDork
1/17/17 9:04 p.m.
NickD wrote: Little late on the Charger, Challenger and Superbird. Price has been through the roof on those for a long time, and is slightly less now than when the musclecar market was running at full-tilt in the early 2000s. The '71 Charger is the one to get, as the "fuselage" design never caught on like the Coke bottle cars, meaning they have flown under the radar for a long time, but can still be had with the pre-smog 440 6-Paks and Hemis.

Yep. I've been casually keeping an eye out for a '69 Charger. Prices are simply stupid. You can find running cars for around $30K, but basket-case projects without an engine still usually have asking prices around $10K.

Pretty much any small bumper Mopar that has a bit of sporting pretense and actually runs and drives will likely be a $10K car. Go look for a Demon with a slant-6 automatic. It's nuts.

TIGMOTORSPORTS
TIGMOTORSPORTS HalfDork
1/18/17 4:55 a.m.

The 97-04 Vettes present great buys currently for a LS motor car

NickD
NickD SuperDork
1/18/17 5:33 a.m.
Ian F wrote:
NickD wrote: Little late on the Charger, Challenger and Superbird. Price has been through the roof on those for a long time, and is slightly less now than when the musclecar market was running at full-tilt in the early 2000s. The '71 Charger is the one to get, as the "fuselage" design never caught on like the Coke bottle cars, meaning they have flown under the radar for a long time, but can still be had with the pre-smog 440 6-Paks and Hemis.
Yep. I've been casually keeping an eye out for a '69 Charger. Prices are simply stupid. You can find running cars for around $30K, but basket-case projects without an engine still usually have asking prices around $10K. Pretty much any small bumper Mopar that has a bit of sporting pretense and actually runs and drives will likely be a $10K car. Go look for a Demon with a slant-6 automatic. It's nuts.

A-bodies are still relatively cheap and cool. Big C-bodies are cheap but prices have never gone wild on them because Mopar never gave their fullzsizes a performance treatment like Ford's 7-Litre Galaxies and Chevy's Impala SS427, and their is a lack of aftermarket and restoration parts for them. E-bodies and B-bodies post-71 tend to be cheaper because people don't care for the styling (I think the '71-'74 Charger is the best looking) and Hemis weren't available anymore, so they can't charge the $10K "It could be a Hemi clone" tax.

I hear a lot of older people lamenting that younger people aren't getting into the musclecar market. Well, it's because of the fact that either you have shell out $10k to get a car that needs another $50K to be presentable, Pay the $50K right up front to get an already redone car, or get something weird/offbrand/undesirable and then suffer with the fact that there are no repro parts.

Tyler H
Tyler H GRM+ Memberand UltraDork
1/18/17 6:11 a.m.
NickD wrote: I hear a lot of older people lamenting that younger people aren't getting into the musclecar market.

It's because they have few redeeming qualities if the nostalgia isn't there. Younger people are picking up the 80's stuff.

Ian F
Ian F MegaDork
1/18/17 6:23 a.m.
NickD wrote: A-bodies are still relatively cheap and cool. Big C-bodies are cheap but prices have never gone wild on them because Mopar never gave their fullzsizes a performance treatment like Ford's 7-Litre Galaxies and Chevy's Impala SS427, and their is a lack of aftermarket and restoration parts for them. E-bodies and B-bodies post-71 tend to be cheaper because people don't care for the styling (I think the '71-'74 Charger is the best looking) and Hemis weren't available anymore, so they can't charge the $10K "It could be a Hemi clone" tax. I hear a lot of older people lamenting that younger people aren't getting into the musclecar market. Well, it's because of the fact that either you have shell out $10k to get a car that needs another $50K to be presentable, Pay the $50K right up front to get an already redone car, or get something weird/offbrand/undesirable and then suffer with the fact that there are no repro parts.

I guess it depends on your definition of "cheap."

No... Mopar never really gave as much attention to their full size cars as GM and Ford did.

As a child of the Dukes of Hazzard era, the 71-74 B-Body just never appealed to me the same way the '69 Charger did. In reality, there are enough parts available that I don't really care if the car I find is a '69. A '68 or '70 would do as well. Since my desire is more "resto-mod" than restoration, I don't even need a complete car. I'd be happy to find a shell with a title.

I have a pair of Triumphs, so I already have the "cheap, off-brand" thing covered.

spin_out
spin_out HalfDork
1/18/17 8:01 a.m.

I've seen so many of these lists over the years, and the predictions were usually incorrect. I've seen my TR8 and DMC-12 on lists a good 15 years ago, and their values have not budged. (Add in inflation and they've gone down.)

My thought is the best car to invest in is the one you would never consider selling, because if others think the same way the supply of cars for sale dries up. (Though at some point the people with nostalgic interest in the cars die off, and the values drop. I'm looking at you '57 T-bird and Model T.)

I was actually thinking about the Porsche 356 this morning and how that bubble is likely to burst. Porsche club members who bought them as investments may want to cash in soon. <- There, that's my prediction.

Where's the list of top 10 cars to sell before the bubble bursts. :-) ?

pinchvalve
pinchvalve GRM+ Memberand MegaDork
1/18/17 8:02 a.m.

How much would daily driving the GT3 RS year round in PA hurt it's value? It's the one that I can see buying, but I could never simply store it and not drive it.

Jerry
Jerry UltraDork
1/18/17 8:07 a.m.

In reply to pinchvalve:

That's the only car that caught my attention. And well outside of my $ range. Fortunately, or unfortunately.

Flynlow
Flynlow HalfDork
1/18/17 8:08 a.m.
Tyler H wrote:
NickD wrote: I hear a lot of older people lamenting that younger people aren't getting into the musclecar market.
It's because they have few redeeming qualities if the nostalgia isn't there. Younger people are picking up the 80's stuff.

Strongly disagree. I'm 32, not sure if that qualifies as young anymore, but I have had interest in muscle cars since I got my license.

I was unable to participate in that market due to the prices going insane ($30k-$100k+), and most of the "restorations" being crappy resprays and a few repo parts in the hopes of flipping it at auction. At that point in my life i couldnt gamble that much money on a potential lemon. If i could have bought my mustang (or challenger, or cuda, or camaro) in solid daily driver shape for $5-10k in the 80s and 90s like the previous generation of car guys, i would have, but those opportunites were never offered to guys currently in their 20s and 30s.

And thats fine. I bought an '88 Camaro B4Z package with a 350 and a hardtop in 2002 for $3k since that was what a highschooler/college kid could afford. And a decade or so later i got my '65 mustang anyway.

Adrian_Thompson
Adrian_Thompson MegaDork
1/18/17 8:09 a.m.

The list is wrong. There never has been and never will be a good reason to buy and Enzo. It's too ugly to disgrace my garage. If you really want one buy an MC12 instead, or buy one and ask Jason Castriota to prettify it like he did for Jim Glickenhaus.

nderwater
nderwater UltimaDork
1/18/17 8:09 a.m.
Ian F wrote: They really put the Enzo on a "buy it now" list? Really? When has that car NOT been on a "buy it now" list?

Makes me wish I bought one back when they were still cheap!

NickD
NickD SuperDork
1/18/17 8:15 a.m.
Tyler H wrote:
NickD wrote: I hear a lot of older people lamenting that younger people aren't getting into the musclecar market.
It's because they have few redeeming qualities if the nostalgia isn't there. Younger people are picking up the 80's stuff.

I'm 25. I would still love a musclecar, if they were affordable. I drove my friend's '69 Firebird with a 455 and I didn't care that it handled average, or didn't stop well. They styling, sound, and the thrust from the 455 made all the flaws pointless. Objectively, they are not great, but the experience transcends that.

petegossett
petegossett GRM+ Memberand UltimaDork
1/18/17 8:21 a.m.
Jerry wrote: In reply to pinchvalve: That's the only car that caught my attention. And well outside of my $ range. Fortunately, or unfortunately.

Hell, tires and maintenance for a GT3 are outside of my budget, and that's not even considering insurance.

Adrian_Thompson
Adrian_Thompson MegaDork
1/18/17 9:21 a.m.

Do people think the RS is going to go up further? To me Porsche prices have already exited any kind of 'makes sense' zone and entered 'unreasonable speculation' I'm not sure there is room for growth.

Also the Enzo, other than my deliberately snide comment about them, several people are making jokes about wishing they'd picked one up already. Do people actually like them? Beyond the 'It's a Ferrari, it's all carbon, it's amazing' Do people actually like the styling? They are not as bad as the F50, but I see nothing actually attractive about them. Say Jaguar or Aston had come out with that car, would people be gushing over it or would they be stating the truth that it's a massively capable car let down by 8th grade styling?

mazdeuce
mazdeuce UltimaDork
1/18/17 9:27 a.m.

I think there's a difference between wanting to have a car and wanting to have a car to drive. Very very few people buy an Enzo so they can drive it around. They buy it because it's a good investment in automotive art. Many muscle cars fall into this as well. They don't really get driven more than a handful of times and the rest of the time they make the owners feel good about owning something they think is cool that they also think is appreciating. There comes a point where buying more stocks is borng and having money in tangable non depreciating things is interesting.

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