Swedish Paul
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997 Gen 1 engines also have the IMS potential for problems.
Some car investment advice
- Thread starter highlander
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D Walker
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Isn't that only true for 1st gen! Also not 996 Turbo engine.
Swedish Paul
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All non Turbo and non GT3 engines from 1998 to 2009, 911s, Boxsters and Caymans.
New engine design from 2009.
Turbo and GT3 engines are a completely different design.
New engine design from 2009.
Turbo and GT3 engines are a completely different design.
whereskeith
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A lot of the cars mentioned have investment potential,
I also like cars that have not yet hit classic but are close.
I have been looking more at older Japanese cars with competition history and low numbers.
Examples are say an original prodrive Subaru Impreza p1 or Nissan skyline r32 gtr nismo.
Original 80's alpina's and AMG's are also tempting .
I also like cars that have not yet hit classic but are close.
I have been looking more at older Japanese cars with competition history and low numbers.
Examples are say an original prodrive Subaru Impreza p1 or Nissan skyline r32 gtr nismo.
Original 80's alpina's and AMG's are also tempting .
highlander
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Was thinking the same. Confucius say " if looking for clarity, do not ask on a forum!" Lol
highlander
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Just how sober are you mate? Lol
Bank, if lucky 1.5% over 3 years if lucky. If things go pear shaped on work front it is gold or a car, prob a Porsche of some kind since they seem the "safer bet", that will return a little more............remember, I need to return enough to stop marci becoming a victim! Lol
Edit - happy new year mate!
zagatoes30
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You need to look for cars that were produced in limited numbers but are ones that people aspired to when they were new. 3-5 years is a good time frame and despite what some say there is money to be made here.
Contigo
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80's cars are all the rage now especially Fords like the recent RS turbo series 1 which sold for £60k+. That is mental money for a CVH engine.
Everyone wants to relive their past and enjoy some of the cars They once owned or aspired to own 30 years ago. I am in the market for a 205 GTi now to go with my Mk1 Golf.
As Zag says limited number runs like the SZ are good bets but it is a real gamble.
My mate bought a 993 Porsche 3 years ago and has just stored it, it has gone up 15k since!
Everyone wants to relive their past and enjoy some of the cars They once owned or aspired to own 30 years ago. I am in the market for a 205 GTi now to go with my Mk1 Golf.
As Zag says limited number runs like the SZ are good bets but it is a real gamble.
My mate bought a 993 Porsche 3 years ago and has just stored it, it has gone up 15k since!
rockits
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R129 SL60's rare & appreciating. I know....I had one then sold it! Mind you I think I bought the cheapest one that an SL60 was ever sold for that I'm aware of. The SL73 is rarer still.
Finding one that hasn't hit too high price to date is the key. I looked at 996 911 Turbo's but they are silly money for rubbish/average ones & decent ones are silly silly money. They aren't rare and many Porsche's are not rare as they sold too many numbers. A 996 Turbo doesn't give much immediate to medium term value for me. Maybe 5 years+ they will start to show upside. There are many better places.
I have nearly bought a dozen or so cars over the last few years but didn't quite get them at the prices I was comfortable with. An E39 M5, a Morris 7, 205 GTi, Elan, SL60, Golf GTi MK2 big bumper are amongst the nearly buys.
Think outside the box & buy a car with very few examples. Even simple low rent stuff will make money if not many around.
Finding one that hasn't hit too high price to date is the key. I looked at 996 911 Turbo's but they are silly money for rubbish/average ones & decent ones are silly silly money. They aren't rare and many Porsche's are not rare as they sold too many numbers. A 996 Turbo doesn't give much immediate to medium term value for me. Maybe 5 years+ they will start to show upside. There are many better places.
I have nearly bought a dozen or so cars over the last few years but didn't quite get them at the prices I was comfortable with. An E39 M5, a Morris 7, 205 GTi, Elan, SL60, Golf GTi MK2 big bumper are amongst the nearly buys.
Think outside the box & buy a car with very few examples. Even simple low rent stuff will make money if not many around.
Team GCR
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Some good suggestions, though I think cars like the Ferrari 456 and M3CSL are now outside the specified budget.
If you have the space I would buy two or three cars for the money as it both spreads the risk and probably has the potential for bigger returns. Rolls-Royce Silver Spirit and Spur remain undervalued at the moment for a good low mileage car. At the time they were making 10 Bentley to 1 Rolls-Royce so much rarer than the Bentley version. Avoid pre 1987 car cars and ideally go for a post 1990 Spirit II or Spur II with injection, ABS etc.,.. Low miles, condition and a decent service history are the key. Rolls-Royce has a positive brand image now with the new Phantom, Ghost etc and the Spirit/Spur has IMO got more elegant with age.
Jaguar XJ-S is another good bet, people are starting to realise it was never intended as an E-Type replacement but aimed at a different market. A new XJ-S in 1975 cost twice the amount to buy as the last S3 E-Types it was intended as a more upmarket gentleman express. I know I will regret selling my XJRS convertible (the only RHD car in existence) but a good early pre HE car should be a strong bet. They are rare as so many of the early 70's ones have rotted away but the good ones that remain are already appreciating. The best bet is an early V12 manual (they only made 351 of them) if you can find one that is rot free and reasonably original, though I think in the not too distant future a rotten V12 manual might justify the cost of restoration.
Another good bet is the Rover SD1 especially the Vitesse. Car of the year when it was launched and a very successful motorsport history. Ultimate would be on of the rare twin plenum Vitesse's built to homologate an updated version of the touring car. Again a combination of low production numbers and a tendency to rot means good ones are few and far between but IMO worth seeking out. Since the introduction of the Goodwood Members Meeting where they have a touring car race for cars of this period people have started to build £100k race SD1's to compete there, a good sign that the road cars will become more sought after.
If you do want to put £35k in one car I would go for a MK1 Sunbeam Tiger. Tigers have been on the up for a while now but I think are set for a significant rise. In the USA prices of MK2 Tigers have rocketed, I know of three cars that were sold at auction last year (2015) and they sold for $230,000, $260,000 and $280,000 respectively. None of the ultra rare UK RHD MK2 Tigers have come on the open market recently but if/when one does if the price reflect the US examples then MK1 Tiger values will almost certainly wake up as well. Bear in mind that there are approx 10 to 12 RHD MK2 Tigers -v- 200+ LHD MK2's and £200,000+ is probably not too unrealistic. Therefore I feel the days of the £35,000 MK1 Tiger are numbered and a pretty good bet for the future.
All this is IMHO of course but with the first three I have already put my money where my mouth is so to speak and I am fortunate to have owned a MK2 Tiger since the early 1990's.
If you have the space I would buy two or three cars for the money as it both spreads the risk and probably has the potential for bigger returns. Rolls-Royce Silver Spirit and Spur remain undervalued at the moment for a good low mileage car. At the time they were making 10 Bentley to 1 Rolls-Royce so much rarer than the Bentley version. Avoid pre 1987 car cars and ideally go for a post 1990 Spirit II or Spur II with injection, ABS etc.,.. Low miles, condition and a decent service history are the key. Rolls-Royce has a positive brand image now with the new Phantom, Ghost etc and the Spirit/Spur has IMO got more elegant with age.
Jaguar XJ-S is another good bet, people are starting to realise it was never intended as an E-Type replacement but aimed at a different market. A new XJ-S in 1975 cost twice the amount to buy as the last S3 E-Types it was intended as a more upmarket gentleman express. I know I will regret selling my XJRS convertible (the only RHD car in existence) but a good early pre HE car should be a strong bet. They are rare as so many of the early 70's ones have rotted away but the good ones that remain are already appreciating. The best bet is an early V12 manual (they only made 351 of them) if you can find one that is rot free and reasonably original, though I think in the not too distant future a rotten V12 manual might justify the cost of restoration.
Another good bet is the Rover SD1 especially the Vitesse. Car of the year when it was launched and a very successful motorsport history. Ultimate would be on of the rare twin plenum Vitesse's built to homologate an updated version of the touring car. Again a combination of low production numbers and a tendency to rot means good ones are few and far between but IMO worth seeking out. Since the introduction of the Goodwood Members Meeting where they have a touring car race for cars of this period people have started to build £100k race SD1's to compete there, a good sign that the road cars will become more sought after.
If you do want to put £35k in one car I would go for a MK1 Sunbeam Tiger. Tigers have been on the up for a while now but I think are set for a significant rise. In the USA prices of MK2 Tigers have rocketed, I know of three cars that were sold at auction last year (2015) and they sold for $230,000, $260,000 and $280,000 respectively. None of the ultra rare UK RHD MK2 Tigers have come on the open market recently but if/when one does if the price reflect the US examples then MK1 Tiger values will almost certainly wake up as well. Bear in mind that there are approx 10 to 12 RHD MK2 Tigers -v- 200+ LHD MK2's and £200,000+ is probably not too unrealistic. Therefore I feel the days of the £35,000 MK1 Tiger are numbered and a pretty good bet for the future.
All this is IMHO of course but with the first three I have already put my money where my mouth is so to speak and I am fortunate to have owned a MK2 Tiger since the early 1990's.
Wack61
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I had the 1.6 in 87-88 , it was 9 months old when I bought it , I absolutely loved it , made you drive it like a hooligan, sold it to my brother in law who wrote it off within a month
I went to a classic car show in the summer and saw one exactly like it , that bought back some memories , including the one where I came over the brow of a hill on a country lane to find a crossroads in front of me with a tractor and trailer straddling it , I managed to stop but finished up sideways alongside the trailer with a farmer shouting at me
mjheathcote
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My French father in law turned up in a 85 Spirit this Xmas, he had just picked it up in Ireland and intends selling back home in France.
More bottom end of the market example to be honest, cosmetically, but the engine was sweet and it rode very well.
Great waftability for sure, enjoyed the week he stayed with us, and it made it back to France hah hah.
It did make me look what was available, and I agree, a nice one would certainly not lose any money at least.
An example:
http://www.pistonheads.com/classifi...it/1993-rolls-royce-silver-spirit-iii/4015473
zagatoes30
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Old 205 GTis are rare beasts they were cheaply made and have suffered accordingly, the 1.6 is the car to have much better than the 1.9 IMO. Mk1 & Mk2 Golf Gtis will do well especially if you can find a good condition low milage one. Corrados are also on the up and there are quite a few that were tucked away and are now emerging with low milages.
Don't get the passion for CVH Fords I think it is just the glow of Mk1 & Mk2 prices can't see it lasting. Unmodified original Sierra Cosworths are a good investment, RS500 have gone mad with the earlier hatchback versions following quickly behind. Decent Sapphire Cosworths can still be found at reasonable prices.
I think the XJS is a good option if you can find a good one they have been under rated for years but are now starting to be perceived as what they are stylish GT cars. Early XJ6 saloons are also under-rated but recently they have started to move, we bought an early S2 at the beginning of the year for £2k and cleared £6k on it by the end of the summer. Currently looking for a good XJS or XJ6 for Le Mans and then look to move it on when we return.
911s always do well, not sure why, but 993 have already moved so you are left with 996 cars which I think will improve but time will be required to realise a return (5 years ish). I think the prancing horse has already bolted even Mondials are moving upwards (no idea why). There are quite a few small production performance cars that might be worth a gamble. Lotus especially the Esprit V8, Renault Alpine GTA (rare when new but quite intoxicating now), TVR Griffith, Chimaera & Cerebra, Japanese NSX, Supra, Skyline and of course our Maserati 32, 42 & GS range.
As with any investment the key is to buy at the right price, finding the right cars at the right money is where you will make the most of any investment potential and that just takes some work, tracking classifieds, classic auction sites etc. and best of all word of mouth. Spreading your investment will reduce your risk and also allow you to move one at a time when the time is right. Given the current savings rates you can buy and sell and should get a better return plus you have the fun of the chase and then the driving at the same time. You are unlikely to lose your shirt if you buy well.
Don't get the passion for CVH Fords I think it is just the glow of Mk1 & Mk2 prices can't see it lasting. Unmodified original Sierra Cosworths are a good investment, RS500 have gone mad with the earlier hatchback versions following quickly behind. Decent Sapphire Cosworths can still be found at reasonable prices.
I think the XJS is a good option if you can find a good one they have been under rated for years but are now starting to be perceived as what they are stylish GT cars. Early XJ6 saloons are also under-rated but recently they have started to move, we bought an early S2 at the beginning of the year for £2k and cleared £6k on it by the end of the summer. Currently looking for a good XJS or XJ6 for Le Mans and then look to move it on when we return.
911s always do well, not sure why, but 993 have already moved so you are left with 996 cars which I think will improve but time will be required to realise a return (5 years ish). I think the prancing horse has already bolted even Mondials are moving upwards (no idea why). There are quite a few small production performance cars that might be worth a gamble. Lotus especially the Esprit V8, Renault Alpine GTA (rare when new but quite intoxicating now), TVR Griffith, Chimaera & Cerebra, Japanese NSX, Supra, Skyline and of course our Maserati 32, 42 & GS range.
As with any investment the key is to buy at the right price, finding the right cars at the right money is where you will make the most of any investment potential and that just takes some work, tracking classifieds, classic auction sites etc. and best of all word of mouth. Spreading your investment will reduce your risk and also allow you to move one at a time when the time is right. Given the current savings rates you can buy and sell and should get a better return plus you have the fun of the chase and then the driving at the same time. You are unlikely to lose your shirt if you buy well.
Evo Cymru
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Well this is a timely thread as I have been considering something very similar as my job has recently become somewhat dodgy!
Limited production numbers and sporting pedigree seem to be key ingredients as do age of vehicles - 80's going crazy at the moment. Also buying at the right price - trade, private sellers in local papers, word of mouth etc.
Not sure we have reached a peak in prices yet as lots of factors have fueled the price increases over the last few years - maybe another 6-12 months?
Cars I have been investigating (in no particular order):
Alfa 75 V6
BMW E30 325i Sport
Mini GP
Lotus Esprit
Audi Quattro UR
Lotus Elise Sport 160
Renault Clio V6
Renault Sport Spider
Might be just because I like these cars though!
Limited production numbers and sporting pedigree seem to be key ingredients as do age of vehicles - 80's going crazy at the moment. Also buying at the right price - trade, private sellers in local papers, word of mouth etc.
Not sure we have reached a peak in prices yet as lots of factors have fueled the price increases over the last few years - maybe another 6-12 months?
Cars I have been investigating (in no particular order):
Alfa 75 V6
BMW E30 325i Sport
Mini GP
Lotus Esprit
Audi Quattro UR
Lotus Elise Sport 160
Renault Clio V6
Renault Sport Spider
Might be just because I like these cars though!
