The Next "classic's"

[welshpug 1,657]

Mercedes W126 500SEL !!

 

A friend has one with the optional blue suede interior that bumped the list price from £30k to £50k, back in 1986!

 

200k miles, FMBSH, LPG converted, 2 owners, bought for £500 in 2006!!

[mainline 2 1 Cars]

Having been into 'proper' classics for a while, it seems to me that a 'classic', in terms of what would be considered a classic by people that go to shows and have beards and what not think falls into a number of categories:

 

A bona fide proper classic, like an E-Type, or Jensen Interceptor.

 

English heritage classics like MGBs and Lotus Elans.

 

Motorsport classics, like MK1 Escorts and Lotus Cortinas.

 

Concours classics, which can be any old car in time warp condition. Have seen people fawning over old Allegros, Opel Reckords, Volvo 240s, all sorts of stuff.

 

And really, for the purist, that seems to be it. Turn up in a mint Senator in ten years time and you would be warmly welcomed. Turn up in a ratty one and you would be ignored.

 

All old cars become 'classics' eventually, but only if they're totally mint, rare, or they were something desirable in the first place.

 

Spotting a nailed on bona fide future classic that will be worthwhile restoring is what you want to look out for.

 

Maybe a trend worth considering might be the death of the three box saloon. The last shape Nissan Primera is likely to be the last ever four door saloon by Nissan and others will follow suit. You will be able to nail a good one for a few hundred quid soon ish.

 

That's what I would look for, something that might take on significance. The Honda Insight is another prime example, weird looking, a first for Honda and getting cheap.

 

Oh and the Cinquecento, most definitely, it was a one off kind of car, same goes for the MK1 Honda Jazz (the boxy one), people (weird people) will start collecting them soon!

[maturin23 10]

Great post.

[speedy indy 0]

A friend has one with the optional blue suede interior that bumped the list price from £30k to £50k, back in 1986!

 

200k miles, FMBSH, LPG converted, 2 owners, bought for £500 in 2006!!

 

High milage.... they are rising in price for good examples .....

 

Is he selling ?

[GLPoomobile 958]

Concours classics, which can be any old car in time warp condition. Have seen people fawning over old Allegros, Opel Reckords, Volvo 240s, all sorts of stuff.

 

All old cars become 'classics' eventually, but only if they're totally mint, rare, or they were something desirable in the first place.

 

I agree with Ian, that was a good post Mainline, but haven't you contradicted yourself in the sentances I've quoted?

[notamondayfan 44]

I'd stick lower end so looking at

 

Audi Quattros,

Fiat Cinquencentos (I could see this having a cult following!)

Clio 172,

mk3 golfs,

mk3 fiestas,

 

And for my top tip -

 

VW camper vans (not the origional, but the newer models, as the older ones go up and up in price, somethings gotta take its place)

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/1738248.htm

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/1840570.htm

 

I also agree with the Mazda MX5 and Mitsubishi GTO followers, they appear to be timeless, a lot of fun and wont break the bank!

 

 

Great topic though, lets put it in a time capsule and open it up in 10 years time!!

[maturin23 10]

Concours classics, which can be any old car in time warp condition. Have seen people fawning over old Allegros, Opel Reckords, Volvo 240s, all sorts of stuff.

All old cars become 'classics' eventually, but only if they're totally mint, rare, or they were something desirable in the first place.

 

Steve - my interpretation

 

Mainline - apologies for answering a question directed to you!

[benje 0]

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/1802971.htm

 

Although I am slightly biased.

 

I'd agree (having owned one myself) however there are a lot of dogs out there now unfortunately. I do believe however:

 

 

Is more likely to become a classic in my opinion. Good few years to go yet though.

 

Cheers

 

Ben

[GLPoomobile 958]

Ian - thanks for the correction. Silly mistake on my part. I know you only jumped to the defence because of the Allegro though

 

MMMMM, Alfa GTV I do find them tempting.

[zebedy101 0]

I've never felt so proud to own a Cinquecento

 

I was thinking about this the other day, I'm pretty sure the Focus ST will and Astra Vxr will become special one day they have that apeal to them.

 

I was also talking to Andrew (MrG) at Cadwell about 'Special Edition' these days means something so different to what it used too. A special edition these days is a few stickers and maybe a set of alloys. Times are past were special edition meant faster cars and special equipment/bodykits etc...

[Fox 3]

Just thought of another one...

 

[mainline 2 1 Cars]

-Maturin 23 - cheers for clarifying what I was trying to say

 

Regarding the 6 Series Bimmer, I think its been a proper classic for some years now. They are so cool though, that shark nose shape, timeless. It pulls off that trick of being aggressive and elegant at the same time. Would love one of them.

 

The 8 series might be a better bet - it is looking horrible and dated, but remember, in ten years it will look cool again, trust me on that!

 

Other cheap stuff that people might be collecting one day:

 

Fiat Coupe (One of Chris Bangles first cars, and his stuff will define the 90s - 2000s)

 

MGF (it will be the UK heritage 90s default classic once they become rare, so buy one for a couple of grand and store it away for 15 years now!)

 

Clio Williams (already on the up but not quite in the Series 1 RST league - yet)

 

Subaru SVX (a real show stopper if you can find a nice one)

 

Toyota Sera (its a gull wing and import only - nuff said)

 

In fact any JDM special like the DC2 Type R or similar would be worth hanging onto and wrapping in cotton wool - its a playstation generation thing and you can bet your life that in ten years lots of rich young men will be falling over themselevs to get hold of a nice condition unmolested R32 or Evo 2 just like the one they used to rag around the High Speed Ring on the PS3.