What else? ~1995-2004

[stevie_b]

We all have a soft spot for the Williams and I know there have already been discussions on here about where their values are likely to go in the next 5-10 years when/if the classic market latches on to them.

However, looking only at other cars what is out there from just after this time, say the late nineties or early noughties, that is perhaps towards the bottom of its value curve today but might become an icon of the future?

From the early nineties I have always had a soft spot for BMW E30 M3s and Lancia Delta Integrales. Values of both have strengthened noticeably of late. Both have a competition pedigree, one mainly in touring cars and one in rallying. Their values have already now reached the point where I’m unlikely to be buying an example of either!

So, if you guessed that in five years’ time the 'idols' from the next period might start to become 'classics' then what are they? The touring cars and rally cars seemed to depend less on special homologated road cars that drove their development and instead just became a shell to clothe a completely different competition car. The Xsara road car doesn't seem likely to become desirable off the back of the massive WRC success – they don’t even share a 4wd configuration for a start! A Vauxhall Astra has what kind of halo effect as a result of BTCC success? Very little I can think of. I can't think of many things from that period that are particularly desirable yet are cheap to buy today, but are there great cars that I have just forgotten about that I should be jumping on before the boat sails?

[fab]

Alfa 155

[MG1980]

Escort Cossie... Look at how high RS500s have jumped!

E36 M3s have bottomed out. You can get a minter for £4K. Only see those rising in the future!

How about Audi RS2?

[MG1980]

Doh, just seen the dates!! We can leave a late Cossie in there, but forget an RS2!!

[stevie_b]

No, the RS2 was a good call actually. Got me looking at the adverts for them again at least! I was thinking of getting one of these about 5 years ago (bought a 4.4l V8 BMW 5-series Touring instead in the end) but was put off by the amount they cost for some quite leggy examples. A lot of them were 150k+ miles when I was looking then. There seem to be a couple of lower mileage ones for sale at the moment though.

I had thought about Alfas too, fab. But rather than the 155 I was thinking about the 164. When I used to do a paper round many years ago I always remember one house the guy had a 164 3.0 Cloverleaf and that was one of the nicest cars in the area in those days and I always thought I'd buy one sometime. I just looked on Pistonheads and there is one up for £7500! I'd never pay that much for one but if a reasonable example came up for a grand or two I'd probably consider giving it a home.

[fabulicious]

What may also be worth a punt is the thema ferrari 8.32
late 80's but deffo a one off! only 7 sold in england.

[stevie_b]

Only 7, and I've seen 3 of them! One of them was a complete rust bucket! I'm not sure they are fast enough to warrant the running costs of that Fezza V8. Certainly rare and interesting though.

[JamieG]

Ford racing pumas - anything with a limited run will hit the same lows, then gradually rise.

I had a chance to buy a e30 m3, five years for £5k - I'd have bought it - but I was 18 at the time. Insurance, was mad to say the least. I'd have to spend £12k at least for the same car.

The Williams will be a long term investment - who knows maybe in 5 years they'll be commanding 6-7k price tags for a good quality Williams.

[stevie_b]

Was in a similar position many years ago. A mate was trying to sell me an absolutely mint E30 M3 Roberto Ravaglia edition for 10k. I was 21 and at the time I just wasn't in a position to go for it - bought a nearly new 5 GT Turbo as my first car instead (was only 3.4k in comparison). Might have had to sell it anyway as I went to work abroad for a few years, but do still think about 'what if' to this day

[16v_paddy]

Bit of a curve ball but what about a Volvo 850R - especially a flying banana coloured 1?

On a side note, my mate has the only white 850R saloon in the UK, which he's being an utter homosexual & considering selling