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Always fancied a Caterham as a weekend car, but no garage pretty much makes it a no-go.
I'm tempted to get a Mk1 TT - I had the cabrio years ago, but looking at the coupe now as I could put a bike on the roof.
Elise for that money. It's special and very good fun to drive. Even 12 years ago mine only cost me £2k over 2 years and it was less than 2 y/o when I bought it. They'll be getting to the point of needing some care and attention by now but they're pretty much rust free (if you ignore the potential Ali corrosion).
Did I mention they're great to drive and you'll never tire of walking up to it. (unlike some of the tin tops mentioned)
Interesting thread. I have decided to do this with my mk1 MX5. I was using it as a daily driver till 3 years ago. When I stopped using it I tried selling it on but the offers were for just a few hundred pounds so I have put it in mothballs in a barn in the south of France and will forget about it for awhile. I've just checked eBay for similar cars and nothing much seems to have happened yet. Will report back in a decade or two.
Anyway cars like this shouldn't be squirrelled away they need to be driven, that's the problem with these zillionaires they buy these cars as they are too rich then they don't drive them as they are boring twunts sitting on yauchts in the med.
Hipsters will probably snap up all the 1.6 Vauxhall Vectras with 'upgraded' Goodmans stereos in 15 years time.
Mustn't forget the absolutely mental Renault 5 Turbo if you can find one that hasn't been wrapped around a tree...
Used to own a civic type R EP3. It was the updated model (indicators in the mirrors, Cosmic grey, air-con) and it was absolutely immaculate, not a mark on it. Without doubt it was the best car I've ever had by a country mile. When petrol prices went though the roof I got rid of it, for a paltry £5800. I've made some bad decisions in my life but getting shut of Rita (what I named her) was a monumental one 😥
The problem with keeping a car as an investment is that you still have to maintain and house it. Even in a sheltered environment a car deteriorates.
Over 20 years or so, the money put into to storage and maintenance plus initial cost would if invested probably give a better return.
The real trick is to buy a car you can use daily that doesn't lose too much money.
Ford racing puma
Toyota celica GT (especially yellow - 23 left)
pug gti-6
Unmolested manual supra
Unmolested classic Impreza (specifically rb-5, 22b, McRae or p1)
For more £ Maserati grantuismo I've seen them selling as low as £30k surely they will go up and up over the next 30 years.
The ae-86 above has already appreciated.
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It seems what you are after is a modern mainstream car, so this is my suggestion for a vehicle that'll be worth more in the future [mostly because "lol ICE"].
The real trick is to buy a car you can use daily that doesn't lose too much money.
Actually, I'm beginning to think the Mk 1 Yaris is rather like that. In fact, as far as I can tell the prices have been stable for several years!
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Here's ours, with 60k on the clock at 15 😀
£10k ?
Porsche 996. You get one for that, and a lovely one for £14k. In 5 years time it will be worth the same, if not much more.
Get an early 3.4, no IMS bearing issues and a cable throttle for direct human-machine interface. A few have done 300k+ miles without engine work. Hold out for a manual.
Top of your budget (a C4 but looks lovely):
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1999-PORSCHE-911-996-Carrera-4-Manual-with-private-plate-/322051678179?hash=item4afbc69fe3:g:acoAAOSwk1JWcr7C
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Keep your eyes open and you should get a cracker privately for £10k.
They are rising in enthusiast demand so appreciating in value. Because many parts are shared with Boxsters (and they sold loads of them) aftermarket parts are cheap.
So long as you don't pay Porsche tax on parts and labour it will be cheap to run. They are as simple as any other car to work on, you don't need to pay specialist labour rates.
Be prepared for 26mpg unless you only drive on the motorway, but insurance is surprisingly cheap.
Roof bars are available for transporting bikes (look on ebay for 997 roof bars, they share the same roof).
I like the silver 996 ^^
Lovely.
Glad to hear a few of you are pointing out TT Mk1's... Since I have the roadster 3.2 full blingo version I think I'll keep it for a few more years yet then.. 😀
Mustn't forget the absolutely mental Renault 5 Turbo
Is there a single turbo or compatible spare left in the world for them though, seeing as they went through turbos at the rate of about 2 every 5,000 miles....
Ohh and has anyone mentioned the Citroen DS yet? About 20-odd years ago I looked at buying one from Greece (for not many hundred ££££s) and getting it back to the UK.
I think that the BMW E87 130i M Sport might be a good investment if kept in good condition.
I'm sure this has been asked before ( by me I think) but is there a future Classic in production right now? I can't think of any.
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Especially as I don't think many are selling.
The Tiff Needell/Jodie Kidd Classic Car Show on telly last night mentioned the Porsche 968, Jag XJ6 and Maserati Quattroporte (the old wedge shaped one) as being on the up. Not sure if is was a repeat or not 🙂
Especially as I don't think many are selling.
I bought one ! 🙂 Bloody good fun to drive; First car I've ever owned that I haven't got bored with after 18 months ....
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E39 5 series. Voted best car in the world back in 2000 I think?
Good for big folks.
Ohh and has anyone mentioned the Citroen DS yet?
Lol, they're already well into classic territory as are 2CV derivatives
Subaru BRZ are rarer thanks to the contract agreement with Toyota 😉
As mentioned above I agree that Honda S2000 is a good bet for a future classic. I had one 12 odd years ago. Great car.
I also have a soft spot for original condition Honda Prelude (2.2 VTEC version). Am on the look-out for a Mark 3 - most people consider it fuggly but I prefer distinctive. Damn things like hens teeth tho.
future classic and depreciation proof are different things.
People mentioning EK9 civics and S2000's, potentially future classics but miles away from being depreciation proof.
Compared to the right specced 996 that may never make hallowed classic status but is as nailed on to go up in value as any car that can be had under £14k (as long as it's got those sublime fixed back seats..mmmmm)
Mustn't forget the Lotus Carlton - awesome car. 180 mph top speed from memory...
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Looks pants, goes like stink
^^ old family friend had p one of those. Used to get used maybe twice a year....
Mk1 mx5.... When looking for the GF's mx5 (mk2) the few mk1s were rarer than the mk2 and we equal to our more expensive than the mk2.
Z3 Coupe has got to be a future classic... There is one around the corner and it looks mighty fine.
In my first few weeks of being an apprentice motor mechanic we were called out to recover a car that had crashed into Tongland bridge on the road into Kirkcudbright, off we go and i was fair excited as this was my first ride as shotgun to a recovery.
We arrive and there is one of those ^ Lotus Carlton's, except it is missing a boot which was 50 yards up the road where the boy had lost control, oversteered at the previous corner and as the tail whipped round he hit the "old rail bridge structure", the car spun back down to the road bridge where it managed to get round a good percentage of the corner but had struck the corner of the bridge and spun along the road (a thomas telford bridge btw) the engine/gearbox was 50 yards down the side of the river bank and one of the three wheels that were missing was found smashed through the roof of the cottage to the right of the bridge, the other two were found later that day as they ended up in the River Dee.
The boys father was quite high up at Gates Power Transmissions in Dumfries and the son had borrowed his fathers car for the day (only 4 weeks after passing his test) , he had 3 friends in the car, they were all relatively unscathed but it's the first time (and only time) that i have seen people that have pissed themselves due to fear 😀
Renaultsport Clio Trophy and Twingo 133. Just because of the uncompromising RS approach. No turbo in a 1.6 engine. Obviously the V6 should be there too.
Just bought a Twingo 133. It is great. Takes a road bike vertically with front wheel removed. Revs to 7500 and sounds like a proper car 😀
Inclined to agree about the Prelude, though I think I prefer this one.
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Citroen C6
I'm sure this has been asked before ( by me I think) but is there a future Classic in production right now? I can't think of any.Especially as I don't think many are selling.
Re GT-86
I love them the chassis is a joy and there's enough grunt to use fully in novice hands, however on paper they look poor value in terms of power to the majority, despite how lovely they are to drive. Just not enough bhp these days when your average rep mobile is matching its output. I just don't think uk market gets them when bhp and 0-60 sells cars. The facelift version looks worse imho. As approved used prices are dropping fast I think they could become a bargain.
Current classics tend to be fun cars fondly remembered from our younger years that were common then but rare now. 60's and 70's MGs and Triumphs, 80's GTIs and fast Fords, 90's Hondas or older, quirky Citroens or Lancias etc. By that logic, more modern fun cars such as the Toyota GT86 or MR2, Fiesta or Focus ST, SportKa, MX5, Fabia VRS, BMW Mini Cooper S, that barely turn heads now, could well be viewed through rose tinted specs in future. Not forgetting oddball stuff like the Citroen C6 or a final edition Saab or Defender. Biggest worries are parts, fuel and future emission / taxation legislation.
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Get out!
If we're all going to be driving electric cars in 20 years (and it looks like we are, or perhaps just 3-cyl econo engines) then something with a big characterful engine would get my vote. There will always be small sporty cars that handle nicely, but the feel of a grunty engine (especially NA) may be on its way out.
So the e92 M3 is a good shout IMO.
V8 Mustang for being unapologetically brash
Any ferrari / porsche maybe even including boxsters
The only problem is that we can't predict what sort of tax sanctions will exist. These cars may prohibitively expensive to run.
Sorry, I'm still laughing at the MG ZT suggestion from page 1 😆
Focus RS just started production and looking at the last RS, the values stay up.
I had a bit of spare money a few years ago and looked at buying a Sapphire RS. They were going for £ 8-9 k for a good one, now they are upto £ 13-15 k. Spent the money on my house instead so didn't just blow it on Coke and......
I think the high spec cars of " normal " cars will appreciate. Like had been said, try to find a Renault 5 GT Turbo these days. Fiat Uno Turbo, Fiesta RS, XR3i always go up in value.
If I had any spare cash, I'd be looking Corsa VXR, Fiesta ST etc.
Probably completely wrong and this list just proves I'm a chav boy racer at heart. 😀
Re GT-86
I love them the chassis is a joy and there's enough grunt to use fully in novice hands, however on paper they look poor value in terms of power to the majority, despite how lovely they are to drive. Just not enough bhp these days when your average rep mobile is matching its output. I just don't think uk market gets them when bhp and 0-60 sells cars. The facelift version looks worse imho. As approved used prices are dropping fast I think they could become a bargain.
More poke, Sir?
Do the rear seats fold flat? There's got to be enough room in there for a couple of terriers, shirley?
Not sure I'd spend £30k on one though...
Ford racing puma.
@lapdog the C6 is an interesting choice - great car. Genuine question though - can you think of any other diesel that has gone on to be a classic? The C6 only comes with an oil burner and I'm struggling to think of any that have gone on to be considered a classic.
C5 will be the last model with hydro pneumatic suspension, thats one to go for.
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Run away....!
Those smart car things, not many are seen outside the M25, look awful, but the owners see
M happy with them
I'm laughing my butt off and some of these calls. I can't imagine any of the Japanese cars being suggested being anything other than curiosities rather then acknowledged 'classisc', likewise the only way some of those chavved-up super minis will ever achieve chassic status is if the water supply is contaminated with strong haluciogenics.
Surely proper future classics have to have a few things going for them. One is 'thing', if you like, the indefiniable magic bit, Corrados - I'm biased - air-cooled Porsche 911s, old Minis, original Beetles, Karmans, Jaguar E-types are all different, but all have 'it', so does the Citroen DS and even the 2CV. Saxos and Novas do not have it, some Fords oddly do, but mostly they've all disintegrated by now.
Which makes for point two: they need to have a certain rarity, if there are billions out there, they aren't 'classic', they are simply old cars. That's the difference between Mk1 Golf GTis and Mk2s, at the moment there are simply too many of the later cars around, though that's changing.
Three, a car can be really good functionally, but still not be a classic in waiting - eg all sorts of identikit BMWs, Audis etc. They can be 'classics' to a handfull of model enthusiasts, sure, but to be genuinely sought after, they need to have a more general cachet, surely?
That's my take anyway.
More poke, Sir?
Even that is quite sluggish though.
Define sluggish. 280bhp, 0-62mph in 4.9s apparently, with (presumably) well-sorted handling. I doubt there's much that would keep up in twisties.Even that is quite sluggish though.