Originally Posted by blackcrossfire07
I never said I expect it to sell for 150K one day at an auction. I simply wanted to know if it would become a collectible. See one driving down the street and someone says "wow... look at that". I think it already looks different and unique. I am hoping 30 years from now it may still look different and unique.
I don't own it as an investment. I own it to drive once in a while. I take good care of it and hope to have it 30 years from now.... so I can enjoy it now and in the future.
For someone to say it will never fetch high dollar... I think you are wrong to make that assumption. That is the same attitude that will cause it to fetch high dollar. I think it will hold its value and raise with inflation (as new cars become more expensive to purchase). There are tons of old sports cars and trucks that kids today will pay what I consider a high price for old beat up vehicles. I think at the very least the Crossfire will fall into that category.
Using the analogy of "if it didn't sell well the first time, it won't the second time around" is pure BS. That has nothing to do with it. There are plenty of 25+ year old sports cars that sold like hot cakes and are not selling at auction for extreme prices. Look at the Trans Ams of the 80's. Tons on the streets and everyone had them. Very popular when they first came out and you couldn't find one because everytime one appeared on a lot it was sold (thanks to Knight Rider). They are not selling for high dollar today but you may get 6K for a good one in mint condition.
High sales is not the ONLY factor---never said it was. Not all high sales cars are collectible, or the Ford Taurus or Toyota Camry would be king. I should have said "high demand" at the time---demand that even out strip sales---waiting list. Our cars did not have demand---you can still get a "new" 2008---forget high demand. Then like Vegaslegal said the got to have factor---what I call the wow factor---if you have a better term, I'll use it.
But lets take the 80's T/As. Detuned to 160hp or so, very litttle race record---avg car---and the ONLY wow factor is your Night Rider example. Now go back a little over ten years to a 1970 455 Super Duty T/A, or the T/As the actually raced Trans Am and you have something---AAR Cudas and 302 Bosses. Cars that do not have that high demand rarely take off the second time. The examples of the Superbird and AMX show that just that part does not hold true by itself, but their race history and LOW LOW production make them bring the money today---again the wow factor---won races/ set records---Huge motors for the day----something special!!! Now the car that was "IN" Night Rider should bring more than 6k---something special.
My point is that our car is in the middle. Production at 76k or so is low but not rare. Performance is average for the day---not the muscle of the day (except the SRT). Good looks, but not designed by Betone or one of the other houses---Shelby did not touch it---was not raced to several victories. Demand was low but 76k worth of cars---not 2k or 5k. The fact that Vegaslegal made that the trend of older people bought them first and now the younger crowd is coming in is backwards to all the muscle car examples that have been given. For the most part the younger crowd bought muscle---and MANY more wanted them, and today they are older and have the money to get them and PAY to fix them up. Exotics were bought by the older/ richer crowd, but the 16 years old did not move in---there has been two in the last month or so just on here. Everything just stated, I believe is true, and it does not sound like money in the bank to me.
It boils down to your definition of collectible. I agree with above about keeping up with inflation or close if we stay down here---probably, more like dead money. I was basing my points on MAKING MONEY over the inflation rate. And with show car looks there will always be a buyer for a running car. There is somebody collecting---EVERYTHING. So yes, I see clubs in 30 years---for sure. NOT all will go to the crusher!!! The definition that I had in my head was "HIGHLY" collectible to the point that someone would spend big money on a purchase, and big money on a restoration, and with all the electronics these days, it will make all of today's car harder to restore---and more costly---if not cost prohibitive. And ones that had low demand or lack a race history or that did not change the automotive world will just be even lower on the list, if it makes the list at all.
I think they are drivers---best bang for the buck on the road, but not a money making investment like a Hemi Cuda, etc from back in the day. More like the Sunbeam Tiger from "Get Smart"---great for its time, but not the best car to put away---that was the only point I was making.