Other sports cars that you can drive an wont lose value?

[Elombard]

Never satisfied..... what are other sports car options that will maintain there value? i.e. fully depreciated and have some demand?

Please point me to a thread if we have already been through this!

Pre 89 911s have been the same price for years (excluding the special stuff RS,S etc.). I could have bought a 78 SC in 96, for ~ $12K, driven it 50K miles and sold it today for the same. What other cars could I do that with today? I want to keep the discussion <$30K cars if possible.

Probably a:

308/328 Ferrari ?
NSX
Datsun Z car
E30 M3
95/96 e36 m3?????
early Lotus Esprit?
964 RSA
964

What else do you guys think?

I understand the maintainance can be a killer but thats part of the fun for me I just want to get somthing and enjoy it for 5 years and not have it worth half. I would really like a Lotus Elise but those babies are headed south, I worry an F355 Ferrari is not done yet (cant really afford that anyway). Same for an E46 M3, I think those will slide under $20 K in the next 5 years.

[Seahawk]

Warning, these are cars I wanted when I was a kid in SoCal. They might only appreciate in my mind:

Karman Ghia convert- Sister owned, I found
Lotus Super Seven- Dad owned, I found
Abarth Double Bubble- Dad owned, he found
Toyota FJ40- Looking
Alpha GTV6- Dreaming
Mazda RX7- Dad owns 1992
VW Convertable- Owned
VW Vans- Owned a 1968. Wish I still had it. I really spec'd
that auto.
BMW 2002Tii. Had a '72. Wish I still had it.
912's. Had a '68. Wish I still had it.
Old trucks...catch the wave.

I'll be 50 in a week. My advice is to buy a car guys like me either owned and wish we had kept or we couldn't afford and now can.

[pwd72s]

I agree...a whole lot of this value thing involves cars guys considered cool when they were in high school.

[Elombard]

Good thinking. I am only interested in sports cars, something that could be taken to the track occasionally.....no old trucks or muscle cars - they are getting to expensive to drive anyway.

I guess if I look at stuff guys in high school would have wanted The newest cars would be early 90s. figuring most guys need to be 30 or so before they can afford those cars?

[HardDrive]

I would pick up a pristine 240Z. Fun car to drive, and certainly will hold their value.

[pwd72s]

Easy to work on is also a factor...in my mind, that eliminates the air bag, computer controlled cars. (edit) Hard drive & I must have been typing at the same time...His suggestion a good one. Other candidates might include the late 50's-early 60's Brit cars...the ones that started the "sports car" concept. I'm talking MGA era,
MGA, Sprite, Healey, TR3, etc....

[kach22i]

Originally posted by HardDrive
I would pick up a pristine 240Z. Fun car to drive, and certainly will hold their value.

That's a hot choice, but I think the Karman Ghia is even a better choice. Neither car is a real road burner without serious modifications though.

[Seahawk]

Originally posted by kach22i
That's a hot choice, but I think the Karman Ghia is even a better choice. Neither car is a real road burner without serious modifications though.

I parked next to a burnt orange 240Z last week...what a clean line embodied in that design.

Add some zebra stripes and I'm smitten

[Elombard]

I think a 240Z with the right mods would hold its value too. And cheap. Obviously you have to be careful on the mods or it wont have resale,

How about a $5K Miata or a $10K C4 vette?

The british cars are cool...but kinda slow and truckish.

[tabs]

How bout a 928...I was at a Costco gas station and a Airforce Captain had a 89 928 S.....in great shape.

Lots of ride for the $$$$.

Can U imagine that a 300 MB Gullwing sold at Barret Jackson for @ $350K and a 68 Mustang wt 428 CJ went for $475K, a Cuda Hemi for $450K..who woulda ever thunk that a mass produced American Muscle car would be more valuable than a limited production ICON of automania. I'll take the MB all day long thanx...

I always had felt that American muscle was second class to European exotica in price and desirabilty..Ferrari, Lambo, Aston Martin, Maseratti. Back in the day, a Daytona would be 20K and a Hemi Cuda would be @ $6500...now the mass produced rattle trap has far exceeded the European craftsmanship and design. Maybe now I can sneer and look down my nose at the Ferrari guy at the stoplight with my 69 Mach1 428SCJ.

P cars for some reason with the exception of Speedsters, early Carreras, RSs and Spyders...don't pull the same money as American Muscle.

[cantdrv55]

MGB

[Jims5543]

Bought my 2003 John Cooper Works MINI for 28K and sold it 2 years and 20K miles later for 24K.

I would say that is holding the value.

I have been keeping my eye on the JCW MINI market and the 2003's are still fetching north of 22K.

[the]

Just about any car over 20 years old won't lose value any more, assuming you give it the maintenance and attention that you would give, say, an early 911.

[johnco]

Ran into a friend the other day at Crusin the Coast in Mississippi. He was at the auction and I caught him coming out. His first words were.. They're selling cars we bought and sold for $500 as teenagers in there for over $100,000. how true. Found out a friend just sold his pristine, better than showroom quality Challenger with 454 for $10,000. on his wife's orders it seems. Bet someone could have made an easy $25-50 grand on that one just by listing it somewhere out of town. I've seen these go for over $100k. and if anyone does want a convet. Karman Ghia, I have one... cheap... real cheap

[typ550]

Originally posted by Elombard


The british cars are cool...but kinda slow and truckish.

Ouch

[typ550]

Erik,

Forget my slow and truckish MGA, but how about one of the newer Ginettas? 1200lb car with approx 180hp Ford ZTEC. This car is as fast or faster than the 550 repro I used to have.

[Elombard]

Hey Chris...i thought you would not see that over here in off topic :-).

Wow that ginetta is cool. Is there a web site. Does it have AC?

[typ550]

try http://www.ginettacars.com/

that pic was from a recent trip to the mountains, deal's gap, etc. I had no business trying to keep up with him driving my MG (and I did not!).

no A/C, but does have a heater, i think.

the thing is a rocket. Frankly, i would get one w/o the roof, though, as it is a beyotch to get in and out of. If you want to see it, I can connect you with my buddy who owns it.

[charleskieffner]

had to show this find. 1985 31,000 original miles. 1 owner. never wrecked.az. car.$ 13000 buck freeway rocket ship. a/c blows ice cubes.

[Moneyguy1]

LOVE the looks. HATE the timing belt setup......

Then again, I own a 944....I should complain?