Classic values & essential buying advice
FANCT A PUNT?
Classic values & essential buying advice
There’s a generational effect in the classic car market that we see repeatedly over the years. A tipping point where a model or genre suddenly takes off, and values rise with surprising momentum – especially for the best examples.
It happens when enough people who coveted that set of cars when young reach the time of life when finances and time allow them to finally attain their unrequited love, and to relive a bit of that youth with the toys that eluded them then.
Right now, it’s the turn of hot hatches from the Eighties and early Nineties. That Escort RS Turbo to the right is just one example – and its RS1600i older brother would cost you even more. A decent Clio Williams can now easily cost you over £20k, and Golf GTIs are flying too. Not just the MkI that we all know about, but MkII values are now rocketing. Currently topping £16k but ask me again next week… MkI and II Astra GTEs are also being fought over, even scary resto projects, but any surviving GTE is now pretty hard to find.
All the other usual suspects are joining the party too. Except one. The Peugeot 205 GTi, which in my humble (if slightly biased – I’ve owned two) opinion is the best of the lot. There was an earlier rush of enthusiasm for these little rockets that spiked values a few years ago, since when they dropped back to more reasonable levels. They are rising again now, but slowly compared to other hot hatches, which makes them look a very good buy. It’s still possible to bag a nice enough 1.6 for around £10k. If you do, and you enjoy driving, you’ll never regret it.
Russ Smith has been following the classic car market for more than two decades and contributes to Practical Classics, Classic Car Weekly and Classic Cars.
Sometimes our price predictions are way off...
Once again, the heady atmosphere of the NEC worked its magic for Silverstone Auctions. This year their sale at the Classic Motor Show offered 139 cars and they sold over three-quarters of them. There were strong prices too, in what has been a soft market recently.
First ‘wow!’ was for the pictured Escort RS Turbo – aSeries 2, not the rarer and revered S1. Offered without reserve, it took the bidding all the way to £33,750. A fine car, certainly, quite recently restored and showing just under 62k on the clock – but this was off the scale.
Then there was the barn-find 1973 E-type V12 FHC. Both sporty Jags and restoration projects have fallen from favour lately, so perhaps it was
