Is the collector car market finally imploding?

[Cheapsunglasses]

You should thank your lucky stars you don't have a 1979 Chrysler 300 (Cordoba 2 door specialty hardtop with "300" package).

Yeah, you are definitely in a very tiny market with that one. I love those cars , but unfortunately I’m not in the market

 

[DeltaV]

Don't fret... I'll GLADLY take that great car off your hands for a very, very low price . I love my "look-a-like" Cordoba now, but the 300 I had 30 somewhat years ago was one of the best cars I've owned.

Mine has been great too.

 

[DeltaV]

Back to the thread subject question. I'll say the collector car market is not imploding.

 

[RR Fan Dan]

I’ve been trying to sell a 94 z28 for almost a month now, needs a little work, I even have a couple of the major things it needs. I can’t even give the damn thing away.

I know the 90s cars aren’t hot yet, I’m just giving an example of the complete opposite end of the spectrum. this is a great car, and an easy project . Based on my experience, it’s not just the young people as everyone likes to blame. I don’t think people are buying anything right now

305 or 350?

You should thank your lucky stars you don't have a 1979 Chrysler 300 (Cordoba 2 door specialty hardtop with "300" package).

I’d take that car in a heartbeat.

 

[chargervert]

Some rich guy paid way over market for a Hemi Superbird,with a column shifted automatic trans,and when he died the family gave it away with no reserve. Not the sale to base the market on!

 

[hanks73340]

A lot of many great points in the above posts. Been in this hobby for 45 years and have seen the ups and downs of the car hobby market. Personally I don't see a meltdown but a steady correction of the hobby. I also think that the market for the 30 - 50k market will stay stable. Today I actually sold my 73 Charger to a gentleman that brought his 30 something son. The son loved the car( I know it's a 3rd Gen). Since some will want to know what it sold for, I was asking 25k and was offered 22k and settled at 23,500. We were both happy and for me a little sad but knew it was going to a great home. The market on these 3rd gens, especially 73 and 74 Chargers are all over the place depending on what work has been done. I really think the market will be fine. Yes I still can't afford a wing car. Once the wife gets thru this cancer bullshit, she wants to get another car. She was already looking this afternoon bless her heart.

 

[Spare Parts]

JMO,As the current generation of vintage car enthusiasts ages and passes on………….
The next generation doesn’t have the same interest as ours.
Most younger generation can’t change a flat tire
without calling the auto club…………….

 

[Jeremiah]

JMO,As the current generation of vintage car enthusiasts ages and passes on………….
The next generation doesn’t have the same interest as ours.
Most younger generation can’t change a flat tire
without calling the auto club…………….

They won't call, they'll text! That said we have many multi-generational families that attend our local drag strip and it is rather heartwarming. I know it's one of my favorite things to do with my own family.

 

[Richard Cranium]

JMO,As the current generation of vintage car enthusiasts ages and passes on………….
The next generation doesn’t have the same interest as ours.
Most younger generation can’t change a flat tire
without calling the auto club…………….

It’s true. We had a young kid in his early 20s working for us a few years ago who told us how he got a flat tire over the weekend and he was grousing how it took almost two hours for Triple A to get to him.

 

[Scott Engelhardt]

I was at Walmart and I talked to a guy that was driving a 71 RR. I asked him som questions about it and he said he doesn’t know anything about the car. I would have to ask the guy that works on it for him. It was a really nice car.

 

[Outlawd]

The only thing changing is that these cars are not for investors anymore, which is probably a good thing for the rest of us like me that buy them to actually enjoy them on the road where they belong. I really don't care if any of my cars hold their value I'm just glad to enjoy them and maybe buy a few more as they slowly come down to normal collector value instead of stupid high investor value. The younger end of the muscle car era is still alive with the kids converting these cars to hellcrate motors or something fuel injected with o.d. trannys and a/c kits. The hobby will be around for many years yet imo.

 

[1967coronet]

They all cycle through, the cars and owners.
Our interests are not the same as the generation following us.
Look at the pre war fat fender street rod market.
Next up will be the Irocs, 5.0s, 80s and 90s cars ect.
Jmho

 

[Richard Cranium]

It's a fact that the costs associated with properly restoring a car in most cases will exceed the value of the car, but those costs have grown exponentially over the last decade.

 

[AR67GTX]

There are still some kids out there interested in cars and car sports. A nephew of ours who graduated HS last year has already been through probably a dozen cars and trucks - finding bargains, swapping, fixing up, swapping, flipping. Now he’s picked up a dirt track car and trying his hand at dirt track racing.

 

[Hey-O]

I’ve been trying to sell a 94 z28 for almost a month now, needs a little work, I even have a couple of the major things it needs. I can’t even give the damn thing away.

I know the 90s cars aren’t hot yet, I’m just giving an example of the complete opposite end of the spectrum. this is a great car, and an easy project . Based on my experience, it’s not just the young people as everyone likes to blame. I don’t think people are buying anything right now

Many that have a hemi car, bought them years ago when they were junk or old and cheap, I can't go by them. When these cars get built and fewer to find and build back, the price goes up. The higher the price, the buyers are harder to find. Some of this pricing has to do with parts not being reproduced for certain makes and models. That drives them to a rarer position, and like it or not, it knocks a few more buyers out of the game. I do cars and have since I was old enough to drive. I've owned my share of nice cars and even I wouldn't buy a 100 thousand dollar RR, but then again, I wouldn't buy gold at 3000 dollars an oz either. If this business is thriving, why aren't there vendors making every part for every car. I don't believe the hobby is necessarily dead, I just think some of the buyers are, or sick and tired.

I would never blame the young people for the greed of old people. We all want that great deal, so we can squeeze the next guy to death and make a few more bucks. I don't play musical chairs with my money on a car and I love cars. I'm sure these cars will sell, but the day might come when we have more cars than we do buyers. Those here or in your family, that just bought a 150 thousand dollar classic car, please stand up................... So I can sell you a house that I'm going to make 100 thousand dollars on. You see, different produced, same problem and I'm part of the problem. The big difference is, people will buy a place to live in, before they buy a car with no house to hide it in. When was the last time you saw an apartment with a 100 thousand dollar classic car parked out in the parking lot and if you did, that may be why they live in an apartment. You're probably right, better times might be coming, I hope so.

By the way, I'm extremely proud of you. You have several cars that you drive and before you dump big money into them, you stepped back and bought a house. I met a kid that was driving some depreciating piece of s**t hellcat pickup truck and was still living at home. Those types will always live among us, inspiring and bright......................

 

[Don Frelier]

There are still some kids out there interested in cars and car sports. A nephew of ours who graduated HS last year has already been through probably a dozen cars and trucks - finding bargains, swapping, fixing up, swapping, flipping. Now he’s picked up a dirt track car and trying his hand at dirt track racing.

My youngest is a Mopar guy and can fix anything.

He really enjoys demolition derby stuff:

 

[Don Frelier]

I posted this somewhere else here but I had the chance to stop by at the Hershey car show last fall.
The car corral out front was pretty well sold off but I talked with a guy that had a cool 66 Mercury and he said
attendance was way down the past couple years.
He thought the antique car owners were dying off.

 

[440 PHIXX]

In 2019 that would have been big money for that car. Everything got stupid from 2021 thru 2023. Not just cars. Anything used, old, or considered collectible. I have guitars and pedals that have quadrupled from what I paid in 2018. I thought I overpaid then.