As a follow up to our article regarding Hagerty's Top 25 of Classics that had increased vales in 2017, this is about the Bottom 25, Classics whose value fell the most. We were not measurably surprised after viewing the list, as most of the Classics noted had recently shot up in value at speeds resembling a rocket launch.
If one of these Classics has been on your "wish list" it might just be a great opportunity to do some bargain hunting. It could be your chance to own one "on the cheap".
As a reminder, Hagerty's measurement system is based on a scale of 0-100, a car with a 50-point rating is appreciating at the same rate as the overall market. Those above 50 are appreciating more quickly, while those below 50 are lagging. And boy were these lagging.
And We Have A Winner
According to Hagerty, this is the first time the Mercedes 1968–71 280SL and 1986–89 560SL fell into the bottom 25. The consensus remains all SL Mercedes values are tied together because they’re the go-to substitute when you’re priced out of a different generation of vehicles (AKA-Gullwing), though theses two fell the most. Further these reduced values are expected to stay where they are for a while.
While on the subject of luxury European cars, 1980–98 Rolls-Royce Silver Spirit and Silver Spur values have fallen by 30 percent in the last five years. You might want to avoid the temptation to grab one of theses Classics because the cost of any major repair would exceed the salvage value. Let that sink in for a while.
Back In The USA
The 1958–60 Ford Thunderbird (AKA-“Square Bird,”) dropped to a four-year low. They are also suffering from an overall decline since last year with expectations both of these figures will continue to drop in the near future.
Finally, the 1964–67 Pontiac GTO debuts in the bottom 25. While the GTO hasn’t seen any big declines in any of the metrics used to calculate HVR, it has suffered. The number of insurance quotes and the number of GTOs offered at auction are both down 7 percent. The number offered for sale privately are also down, as are their average sale prices. These numerous small declines have now started to add up, and the GTO is the latest iconic machine to suffer this fate.
The Full List of The Bottom 25 (from greatest decline to smallest)
1955-1963 Mercedes-Benz 190SL | 6 |
1975-1985 Ferrari 308 | 10 |
1964-1968 Porsche 911 | 11 |
1970-1974 Plymouth Barracuda | 13 |
1952-1954 Ford Crestline | 13 |
1967-1971 Mercedes-Benz 280SE | 14 |
1985-1989 Ferrari 328 GTB / GTS | 15 |
1948-1965 Porsche 356 | 15 |
1971-1993 Rolls-Royce Corniche | 16 |
1964-1967 Pontiac GTO | 16 |
1948-1954 Jaguar XK120 | 17 |
1958-1960 Ford Thunderbird | 17 |
1960-1964 Chevrolet Corvair | 18 |
1971-1974 Plymouth Road Runner | 19 |
1965-1968 Plymouth Fury lll | 19 |
1968-1971 Mercedes-Benz 280SL | 19 |
1986-1989 Mercedes-Benz 560SL | 19 |
1987-1993 Cadillac Allante | 20 |
1946-1948 Lincoln Continental | 20 |
1984-1996 Chevrolet Corvette | 21 |
1972-1976 Ford Thunderbird | 21 |
1961-1964 Oldsmobile 88 | 21 |
1956-1961 Studebaker Hawk | 21 |
1965-1970 Chevrolet Bel Air | 22 |
1980-1998 Rolls-Royce Silver Spirit / Silver Spur | 22 |