Investment grade cars

You already have a Ford GT (which sounded amazing, BTW) and an F40. Time to get your Enzo.

 

Big potential is not easy to predict but I''m assuming the cars mentioned below are safe bets and probably will appreciate a few percent over the coming years...


Any aircooled RUF is climbing - I'd hold on to a Yellowbird if I could

964 RS (but you don't get those)

996 GT3 Mk1 (but you don't get those)

Porsche 964 Turbo 3.6 (climbing steadily in the Euro market, check out your US market)

Aston Martin Vantage (the 90's model) (don't think you got them in the US)

BMW M5 E28 (don't know US market, but around here they are reaching ridiculous prices for an almost 30 year old sedan)

BMW M3 E30 Sport Evo's (don't know if you get them in the US)

Honda NSX NA1 - meaning; first generation, the mint ones are climbing

Peugeot 205 GTi (don't know if you get them)

Porsche Carrera GT might be something to look at

Lamborghini Murcielago SV w/ manual gearbox - last of the V12 Lambo's with a manual...

Put a deposit on the next NSX (ordering just started)


Any one off Zonda

 

You want something that will beat inflation minus expenses of upkeep (transportation, storage, sales tax, registration, maintenance, insurance, detailing, gasoline, capital gains tax, etc)? And if needs a full restoration at some point...good luck.

Very few will beat inflation...heck even the F40 from new hasn't iirc. Most of the cars built within the last ten years, if any, will not be good investment decisions off that criteria. The McLaren F1 may have been the last built to see a nice sum for return.

Better off buying a car that won't depreciate much (or cost much to maintain if fully depreciated) and enjoy driving it rather than keeping in pristine condition hoping to make a few bucks.

 

I think very few cars can be investments when you consider insurance, storage and upkeep. That said, I do think you can own a car with an upside but my view is that the 20 year age is almost always key. The Ford GT has bucked that trend but still a 2005 index fund has probably out performed it.

At 20 years most any car is fully depreciated and will become established as sufficiently iconic to appreciate. My personal bet is on the 1992 Viper. Only about 200 made, a few differences from later cars and an icon. I feel confident at most I lose the money to insure and maintain it.

Some factors I consider key are low production numbers, large initial purchase price, and some kind of special style and/or performance aspect. I also think the car must be bespoke, not a special edition of a car produced in larger numbers. I think that kills ZR1s and Scuds, for example.

Z8 is a candidate. M1 has room. Enzo era Ferraris if you know what you are doing. 959 has hope. Maybe the Countach or Diablo. 2000GT might still go higher. Zonda.

 

porche 993 turbo, nowhere to go but up.

 

The kind of money WilliamH is likely to have, a Ferrari that has 250 in the name is the best bet.

 

There was an article on the 1936 coffin-nosed Cord in one of the car mags last month (Automobile?) It seemed affordable for a real classic. A restoration would cost a fortune, though.

Smokey and the Bandit firebirds may still have some upside, though they are not cheap any more.

 

I think the Ford GT is already "up"... ditto E-Type roadsters.

The Porsche 930 3.0 litre is undervalued, and the Ferrari 308 fibreglass is tempting, but other than that I think you'd want to stick to the collectible era, which is almost always pre-smog/pre-1975. There isn't much after that year that is collectible.

The early Porsche 911S is also pretty much bulletproof, and will probably appreciate slowly after the massive price rise we've seen recently. It would cost slightly more than a nice 512 BBi, but the maintenance would be a fraction, and no one cares how many miles are on it so you can drive the snot out of it.

As long as it doesn't have the wrong number of seats or styling vaguely like a Chevy Vega, I agree.

 

67 911S - original
BMW M1
993 RS
993 GT 2


300SL Gullwing - too much car for the money

Lamborghini Islero - cheap for a pure classic

365 BB - will probably increase in price.
BB will cost money to maintain.

1980-1981 Countach LP400S2

 

Hey, William what about an original Cobra?

BHW

 

Are streetable race cars with period history in the mix? Such a car with low TCO to value ratio would be of interest to me.

Most pre-73 collectibles have had their run, though Tier A cars may still have room for inflation-adjusted appreciation as such cars cross generations. For 70s/80s cars, I would consider IMSA Porsches (GTO/U, DTM M3?, F40) if production VIN cars modified and documented to race in-period.

 

Always look for rarity.

I like the idea of an BMW M1.

For the same reason, forget the XKE.

Also, the Auburn Boattail has never been worth a lot, and never will be worth a lot, because of the wide availability of replicas. It's an odd effect.

If it were me, I'd get a Mercer Raceabout or Stutz Bearcat. Or a Bugatti or Alfa 1700 if I had enough money. It's like collecting fine art that you can drive, and will always hold a high value.

Matt

 

To me, buying cars and finding cars are two different investment experiences. When I used to buy and sell corvettes, I always did better with the cars that I hunted down and found versus buying a particular model that I desired which brought out all of the fairly valued and over priced items that were for sale. Finding a car can take a lot of time but can be very enjoyable. Also, the cars I found were better values and my holding time for investment was much shorter. Buying a great example of a great marque at a fair price is not a bad investment as long as you can wait.

Good luck and enjoy. Maybe something you can involve your son in?

 

Rarity yes, but replicas haven't hurt '73 911 RS values at all... or Speedster values. In both cases, most of what you see are fakes.

No one's mentioned the Porsche 959, which is now legal in most of the US, with many coming on the market. That seems to be a landmark car like the 288 GTO, should hold or gain value over time.

 

Daytona Coupe.

All the Porsche guys I talk to that own 959s think they are full appreciated now. Plus you don't want to bring one in from Europe as its crazy expensive.

 

So I know one vehicle you may have an eye on at the Davis auction. I wonder if people will start chopping the tops off of them again, given the $1 million delta that appears to be again developing

 

Hmm, will the M1 become the only petrol supercar BMW made? I mean... Everything new and hot will be some sort of hybrid, and they really haven't made a real supercar before or after that? I know i8 is coming, but that will be more like a "friendly" junior supercar and not an all out supercar...

 

I think early Diablos 2WD are bargain. They are the most beautiful (exterior..) and they can be bought all day long for $100k. That's the price of Range Rover..

 

Great list. The only car I have that has gone up in value is the Ford GT. I was offered $60K over what I paid for it at a car show a few years ago.

Most I have owned or had freinds have owned just hold there value. As an example I tried to puy a new Posche Gt. The dealer wanted $440K for the car . I offered $420k, then $430k then being folish I backed away. That was a mistake they are still going for those dollars. I wish I had one.

On Mecum they talk about the 70's muscle cars going up in value. That may be true but 1968 was the first year for pollution control and it got tighter and more hard handed. As I remember the early 70's cars where not quick or powerful as past years. It took many years before the engineers caught up and then gained ground.

Having said all that I think the AMC cars especially with Gopack will go up in value.

I think the GTO's will but they have already started.

I believe the time as come for the Makoshark vettes of the late 60s & early 70's will also. I think the chrome bumber models are the most desirable.

There are a few others.

Good luck finding what you want. The good thing with American cars are they have always been reliable and cheap to maintain.

Lee

 

William, I ve got a package deal on 3 cars from an estate sold as a package: 1960 190SL
low miles one owner, and 2 1970 280SL's same history.. they wont split. $90K for the three cars. Easy double money with minor detail work and some assembly of one of the 280s that is apart.

 

If you are looking at muscle cars, Hemi Cudas and Roadrunners are way down compared to their 2006-07 values. Make sure you get a numbers matching car with documents if you are going to spend big money.

 

I already have a Daytona Coupe. And it's blows away the one at the DD auction. Seriously. But if I could find another that's just as good for a fair price I would buy it and have two top shelf Daytona Coupes.