What will Barrett Jackson be like in 30 years?

[KNS]

I was just catching a bit of the Mecum auction on TV. Lots of Corvettes, Mustangs, cars from the sixties being bid on mostly by guys who are 55+ years old dreaming about the car they had (or wish they had) back in the day. Mecum, BJ, etc have become huge in the past dozen years or so because of this.

Now there will always be car enthusiasts but much has been written about the lack of interest in car culture by todays teens and twenty-somethings. Many of them don't have any interest in getting a driver's license much less a car! The high end auction houses will stick around as there will always be the upper wealthy who must have a (ever shrinking availability) 1962 Ferrari SWB/GTO... But what of the mainstream auction houses like Mecum and BJ?.

I think the demand in Muscle cars will peak as the baby-boomers start to die off and their children wonder what to with their Boss 302. Surely some will keep and enjoy them but if they sell, whom do they sell to and at what kind of price?

[ckelly78z]

Just imagine what a bone stock, unspoiled V-tech Honda will be worth 30 years from now to the former tuner crowd. Kinda like the VW vans to the 70s crowd.

I don't think there will be a lack of enthusiasm or interest in classic cars in the future, I believe the availability of decent cars will be much smaller than today's amount so the prices will weed out the casual hobbyist and be more catered to the hardcore collectors. Hell, I couldn't afford just about anything that rolls across the block at BJ or Mecum now, let alone 30 years from now after they have appreciated out.

[BReif61]

Originally Posted by ckelly78z

Just imagine what a bone stock, unspoiled V-tech Honda will be worth 30 years from now to the former tuner crowd. Kinda like the VW vans to the 70s crowd.

The only Honda's that will be worth anything in the future are NSXs and Integra Type Rs (in unmolested condition), IMO.

[saxen]

evo's, wrx's, sti, si, gsr. type r. supra, rx7, skyline, gsx, along those lines will be the future cars to have. the tuner scene was a lot like the muscle car scene.

i wonder what the 356 porsches will bring in 20 years... similer to what the op was saying

[biosurfer1]

Originally Posted by BReif61

The only Honda's that will be worth anything in the future are NSXs and Integra Type Rs (in unmolested condition), IMO.

My dad laughed at that comment because that is what everyone said about the big, gas guzzling American muscle cars in the late 70's and 80's. He about fell out of his chair when he saw a cherry 23 window Bus go for $285,000 last year.

[mikesride]

I wish Barret J was not televised....every idiot with a $4500.00 project car now thinks he's sitting on a $28,000.00 gem.

[pwd72s]

Predicting what will be hot may be fun...but it's a foolish game to play.

Advice to the youg guys here: Looking for an investment? Pick a good no load index fund and contribute monthly.

[epbrown]

Originally Posted by BReif61

The only Honda's that will be worth anything in the future are NSXs and Integra Type Rs (in unmolested condition), IMO.

Originally Posted by saxen

evo's, wrx's, sti, si, gsr. type r. supra, rx7, skyline, gsx, along those lines will be the future cars to have. the tuner scene was a lot like the muscle car scene.

I agree that these cars will be worth some dough once their generation gets older, especially because good ones will be very hard to find. I'm not sure they have to be stock, but the popular shop tunes or factory tunes will be sought-after. After all, who's looking for a bone-stock, mint condition deuce coupe?

[notfarnow]

Lots of baby boomers who were PLANNING on retiring are still working and pissed. When the economy turns and these guys can sell their homes and retire, I think we are going to see a spike in collector car values. If I had $$ to burn, I'd be grabbing 911s (especially longhoods, but SCs and 3.2 Carreras), and any decent running etype I could get my mitts on. Oh, and that 356 coupe in the PP classifieds for 29k. No brainers.

My thoughts on the next wave of collector cars is more for the generation x folks. There's some overlap with the boomers' interests, but my gen x friends that are car nuts lean towards 1970 + 80s sports cars and muscle cars. IROCs, Trans Ams, Lotus, Porsches, Deloreans.

Gen X are also not as apt to wait until they retire to spoil themselves, so an improvement in the economy will likely see them grabbing up their cars again

[M.D. Holloway]

I wish I bought a Yugo and drained / blocked it, stored it ...pretty sure I could get $2000 in 15 years...

[mikesride]

Originally Posted by LubeMaster77

I wish I bought a Yugo and drained / blocked it, stored it ...pretty sure I could get $2000 in 15 years...

Your hoping scrap metal prices are rising?

[mikesride]

Mind you.....some guys in Europe are heavy into the Trabant scene!!!!!

[onewhippedpuppy]

Quote de BReif61

The only Honda's that will be worth anything in the future are NSXs and Integra Type Rs (in unmolested condition), IMO.

My dad laughed at that comment because that is what everyone said about the big, gas guzzling American muscle cars in the late 70's and 80's. He about fell out of his chair when he saw a cherry 23 window Bus go for $285,000 last year.

This. My dad talks about the time when you could barely give away a muscle car.

Consider the generation with money, then think about what they wanted as kids and teens. Those are the cars that will bubble. For example, I'm 32. The cars on my wall as a kid were things like the Countach, Testarosssa, and 930. If I were buying under appreciated cars with the goal of future appreciation, I'd be buying those $30-$40k Testarosssas all day long. Minty notchback and GT 5.0 Mustangs are another that would be cheap to acquire right now, those were very popular when I was a teen. I think the SC and Carrera will also continue to appreciate, but they are no longer cheap.

[notfarnow]

Originally Posted by onewhippedpuppy

If I were buying under appreciated cars with the goal of future appreciation, I'd be buying those $30-$40k Testarosssas all day long.

agree 100%. I can`t get my head around the variance between Countach & TR prices.

[BReif61]

Originally Posted by biosurfer1

My dad laughed at that comment because that is what everyone said about the big, gas guzzling American muscle cars in the late 70's and 80's. He about fell out of his chair when he saw a cherry 23 window Bus go for $285,000 last year.

The problem I see with modern Hondas is the sheer number of them made. The big money muscle cars are all the limited production models, which the Integra R would be the modern equivalent.

[McLovin]

Originally Posted by notfarnow

agree 100%. I can`t get my head around the variance between Countach & TR prices.

It's pretty simple.

First, there were 5X as many Testarossas made than there were Countach.

The Testarossa was a high production model by Ferrari or Lambo standards.

For example, the Mondial is a rare model compared to the Testarossa, there were way more TRs made than Mondials.

Second, the Countach still looks as bad ass as they day it was made.

The TR, umm, not so much in the eyes of most people. To most people, the TR visually hasn't aged particularly well.

So it's standard market forces. There is an ample supply of TRs in the world, and a limited number of people that want to buy one.

With over 10,000 TRs made, it is not a car I would put money on if the goal is future appreciation. For that price range for Ferraris, for example, you'd be better off with something like an early fiberglass body 308.

[javadog]

Which is really funny, considering that the TR drives much, much better than a Countach. It just goes to show you that way too many people buy cars based on the way they look (and they way they think the image of the car rubs off on their sorry ass) and not the way that they drive. Most people are stupid....

JR

[McLovin]

Originally Posted by onewhippedpuppy

Consider the generation with money, then think about what they wanted as kids and teens. Those are the cars that will bubble. For example, I'm 32. The cars on my wall as a kid were things like the Countach, Testarosssa, and 930.

There is a big difference, though.

Back in our day, teenage boys universally were drawn to cars like a moth to a flame.

Cars represented so much, including freedom.

These days, not so much. It's been written about it a lot of car mags and regular newpapers, but kids these days largely don't care much about cars.

I know it's that way where I live. 95% of teenage boys don't care a lick about cars. They view them as appliances. They don't particularly care about driving, because they get driven everywhere already. They don't need to go as many places, since socially they'll just text most of the time, or connect on social media.

Of course, there are exceptions, some teen boys still are into cars. But it's a small number. As an example, my kids are in high school, and I don't know a single kid that works on his or her car. When I was 17/18, pretty much every 17/18 year old kid on my block had a car or motorcycle in some state of disrepair in the garage!

So I think the collector car market will be much smaller and very, very different 30 years from now.

[McLovin]

Originally Posted by javadog

Which is really funny, considering that the TR drives much, much better than a Countach. It just goes to show you that way too many people buy cars based on the way they look (and they way they think the image of the car rubs off on their sorry ass) and not the way that they drive. Most people are stupid....

JR

I think for a commuter car, the way it drives is paramount.

But for an exotic, dream car, that is going to be driven limited pleasure miles, I don't think buying on looks (or other irrational criteria) is stupid at all.

These types of cars are not rational to begin with, it's more about emotion, and if the car pushes your buttons, it's the right car for you.

[javadog]

Never driven a Countach, I take it...

JR