[florida_gators]

This weekend I went to the Indy 500 qualifications and saw all the beautiful (but gas guzzling :? ) pace cars on display from past years. It made me wonder about the collectibility of the Insight. Does anyone have a projection as to the collector value of a 2000 Insight once it becomes an antique in 2025? I realize very few modern cars (1970s-1980s) are worth a whole lot. However, there are some rare exceptions. (Don't worry, I'm not resting my retirement plan on my Insight .) While a unique car, it does appeal only to a select few, and my thoughts are that this will hold its value drastically down as a collectible. Supply is low, but so is and will be demand. Thoughts :?: I see its potential high value always being well under $10,000 in my lifetime.

 

[JoeMultihuller]

Regrets and perhaps lessons learned from the past:
In 1966, passing up the opportunity to buy an absolutely immaculate gullwing Mercedes 300SL for $4500.
In 1971, selling my beautiful white triple-carb 1962 Austin Healy for $800 (hmm, need to add a picture of it to my website)
In 1980, selling the gorgeous Lancia Fulvia Zagato for $3000.
Last year, dumbly leaving my 70's Saab Sonetts (purchased in the early 90's for about $2K each) outside under plastic tarps because of no room in my huge garage, and when I uncovered them last week they now have significant rust and mildew damage inside them.
Take those moneys invested and compounded over time and see if you could buy the same cars now.
BTW, I was thinking of this as I just bought my second Insight. Trouble is, in 25 years our Insight dashboard display and IMA electronics may as well have been made out of unobtainium. JoeS.

 

[flunkysama]

Here's my rambling on the issue..

For the time being and well into the future the value of the Insight will be directly tied to the price of gas. If 25 years from now, most people have switched from gas or gas is still cheap, not too many people will know or care about Insights.

But, the Insight uniqueness will always make it interesting and thus somewhat desirable.

If a new generation Insight (ZE2) comes out with more advanced tech, it'll drive prices of 1st gens (ZE1) down. But a ZE2, seems pretty unlikely now.

Big appreaciation will only occur on cars that alot of people are passionate about. Find the cars people wanted to buy when they were 17, because when they are 40, have some money and want to recapture thier youth, they will shellout the big $ for their dreamcar.

As for parts, like any old car, there will come a time when the only way to fix things will be take parts off other old cars.

 

[jgessling]

Collectable value

Collectibles of all sorts have a similar price vs. time profile. After an object's normal life plus a few years, say 10 years total, they are just thought of a "old" and not worth much. This is when things get rarer cause nobody cares. Then there is (can be) a steady increase in value as former owners get more disposable income.

As funkysama so rightly stated the first peak in value is at the "my dad had one of those" or " my friend in high school had one of those" time period. Or similarly, the "I wish I'd bought one of those". Consider the current values of muscle cars such as the Dodge Charger. Or for oddities like the Corvair.

As that peak passes, the value of those cars dimishes as the next generation pursues sentimental pricing of "their" cars.

After a long period of low value, some objects will regain value far above the sentimental peak. This iis when the objects have become really museum pieces, like say a 1937 Bugatti.

Ultimately the price will be determined by condition, rarety, sentimental attachment and the undefinable "something" that makes the object a symbol of it's age.

My two cents anyway. FWIW, I don't collect cars, too big, but do collect "vintage" electronics that has a similar pricing tragectory

Regards, Jim
'01 #191


Some links for your consideration:

http://adcache.collectorcartraderonline ... 755412.htm
http://www.bugattipage.com/bsale.htm
http://www.chevytrader.com/chevy-for-sale-526.html
http://cgi.ebay.com/vintage-pdp-8-pdp8- ... dZViewItem

 

[florida_gators]

And I would assume that when Insights get to the 10+ year point and many expensive parts start breaking, many people will scrap theirs or part it out. The aluminum is likely worth a decent amount. The Insight is not similar to non-hybrid cars, especially the older ones, that can be fixed up in even a novice's garage. This should add value to those of us who decide to keep ours past this point.