I see the articles all the time. "Buy Supras now!" "Buy S2000's now!"
Problem is, the fact that these cars are getting attention (and partially as a result of those articles and internet discussion), those cars have already bounced off their depreciation floor.
So, if you were to predict that a car is about to hit the bottom of the curve and start appreciating, but hasn't gotten much attention yet...what would it be?
Figure out what comes after hipsters, then figure out what "the" car for that group will be.
MadScientistMatt wrote: Figure out what comes after hipsters, then figure out what "the" car for that group will be.
You make this a fun game.... hmm...
I would look at the Frisbee twins. They are not building many and most of them are being bought by people who do not know how to maintain a car, but can do questionable modifications to one
It's a crap shoot. I don't think it's possible to completely predict what will start appreciating several years from now. If I had to take my Magic 8 ball, I'd guess it was a car with relatively low production numbers (or high numbers that have few remaining examples left), and was popular with younger adults when it was new but out of their price range. Now those younger adults are coming into money as they age and want their youth dream car. That's the trend I notice in BJ or Meceum.
One thing is for sure, with my luck, it'll be a car I sold for $1500 3 years previously.
MadScientistMatt wrote: Figure out what comes after hipsters, then figure out what "the" car for that group will be.
so Volvo C30 and TDIs
Pontiac Solstice GXP coupe
I'd guess a safe bet would be the 2012 BMW M1 that they only sent 800 of here.
The 2000 BMW M Coupe with the S54 as well.
Then, any Boss 302 Laguna Seca followed by all the silly models that pull the heart strings of retro fans that care about how rare certain color codes and "sticker packages" are. These need to have as close to zero miles as humanly possible though because that market is the same one that keeps toys in original, unopened boxes. (read: retards).
just about any BMW M car will appreciate.
If I knew, I wouldn't tell you.
I want to make the money for myself.
mad_machine wrote: just about any BMW M car will appreciate.
I would not go out and buy a brand new M-anything and hope for this.
rcutclif wrote:mad_machine wrote: just about any BMW M car will appreciate.I would not go out and buy a brand new M-anything and hope for this.
Me either... but I am still kicking myself for not snagging that cherry '89 E30 M3 back in '03 for $6k.
Think any "Japanese Nostaglic Car" type car. All of those will appreciate. This goes from MK3 Supra, Z31 300zx, AW11 MR2, Starion, etc. Then these:
W30 MR2, MR2 Turbo, E36 M3, Z3s, Alfa Milano, ITR, S2000, etc.
If you can find a Celica Alltrac, 1st OR 2nd gen, that is a sure fire appreciation curve car.
I don't see Z32 300ZX cars being as cheap as they are forever. I would buy one of those now if you ever wanted one.
Also any Japanese import. Since I paid $4000 for a Skyline GTS-T they are aleady 50% more in price in Japan let alone here.
I'm thinking W30 MR2 has the highest potential because they are super inexpensive right now. Also there's no way to know what the next fad will be with cheap cars like Fast and the Furious and drifting did.
I have invested in NA Miata futures, so I really hope they take off soon. But seriously folks, rust-free third-gen F-bodies and '87-'93 5.0 Mustangs seem to be starting to appreciate if my local CL is any indication.
I think that a good example of the lower spec BMW E9s will end up costing what a good csi goes for now. Why do I think this? Because they are arguably the best looking car BMW ever made, currently at a reasonable price point, non-rusty examples are hard to find, and the fatalist in me says that if I really want it, it's going to double or triple in value by the time I save up for one at the current price. 
mad_machine wrote: I would look at the Frisbee twins. They are not building many and most of them are being bought by people who do not know how to maintain a car, but can do questionable modifications to one
Maybe in 20-30 years.. I think it takes a long time for most cars to start actually appreciating in value. Until it's old enough to be charming, it's just a used car.
Exceptions might be made for extremely low volume cars, but even a Solstice GXP Coupe hasn't actually increased in value yet. Held its value very well, yes, but they're not worth more than the original purchaser paid from the dealer as far as I know.
Giant Purple Snorklewacker wrote: I'd guess a safe bet would be the 2012 BMW M1 that they only sent 800 of here.
They actually have already appreciated here in Canada. The few there are are selling for more than new prices.
Klayfish wrote: It's a crap shoot. I don't think it's possible to completely predict what will start appreciating several years from now.
Agree. You can make some educated guesses, and the usual magazines are rife with filler articles where vapid writers attempt to fill column inches by doing that, but they rarely seem to get it right.
You need to look at at least a 20 year window for just about anything to reach bottom and start up again. In a generation where the average attention span between loud noises in movies is about 60 seconds, or you lose the audience, don't expect anyone to have the sort of attention span to read an article about future car values, much less remember it when car buying time comes around.
HiTempguy wrote:Giant Purple Snorklewacker wrote: I'd guess a safe bet would be the 2012 BMW M1 that they only sent 800 of here.They actually have already appreciated here in Canada. The few there are are selling for more than new prices.
I tried to buy one new and they were selling for $20k above MSRP. They appreciated on the lot.
captdownshift wrote: Pontiac Solstice GXP coupe
Sadly, no, although there is no shortage of owners that think like you do.
As one of the owners I can say that while the depreciation phase will likely be a bit softer/slower than that for the convertibles, once we get over the remaining 'as new zero miles' examples that are still being auctioned off, we will have to wait a couple of decades before they will likely start to appreciate again, and whether they get anywhere near original list again, no one can say.
OTOH, if you do want one, I'd get it sooner rather than later, before more of them get written off or bastardized (V8 swaps seem popular).
Maybe you should define "appreciate".
If you mean, "What cars would make good investment quality or concourse vehicles" that is one question.
But if you really mean "appreciate", then a $1000 car that increases to $2000 will have vastly more appreciation than anything investment quality. Buy 30 of them.
Seriously, the difference between a $1000 car and a $2000 car is often a wash, clean, and detail.
Or, maybe you mean, "What cool car can I buy and enjoy driving that might retain it's value or gain a little in 5 years".
There was just some conversation on this in the cheapest Porsche thread.
My take: Porsche 944 and Boxster are undervalued. I think 944 might make a comeback. I'm pretty sure Boxster will. Porsche 996 has to go up - they seem to be the cheapest 911 out there.
Tesla has said they'd offer a battery upgrade for Roadsters. I think this is going to seriously impact values a year or two from now. In the long game, I can't see how one could lose.
The Hummer H3T is pretty buoyant, but I have doubts.
The BRAT is supposedly Autotrader's least available car. I think the Baja might go the same way.
If the BMW i8 does anywhere near as well as the Z8 did, that will be a car to buy in two years and hold for ten. Compare the current going price for a Z8 and Merc SL with similar original prices and years. You'll feel sorry for the Merc buyers.
Any guesses on the new Camaro Z/28 and Cadillac ELR?
SVreX wrote: Or, maybe you mean, "What cool car can I buy and enjoy driving that might retain it's value or gain a little in 5 years".
That's a more realistic question.
in that case, we talked about same thing last year
https://grassrootsmotorsports.com/forum/grm/the-elise-has-hit-the-bottom-of-the-depreciation-c/72743/page1/
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