04-13-2009, 06:01 PM
I guess we'll just have to see what happens in the next few decades. I'm sure they will be collectible; I'm not saying they won't be seen at auctions, but I wouldn't equate them with Yenko Camaros and Hemicudas.
The 90's imports have had a strange timeline in the US, IMO. I think a lot of people who wanted them back in the 90's were twenty-somethings who couldn't afford the 40/50-somethings price tag...well today they are nearer to that age and they've been snapping them up for the last several years as they gained careers and higher disposable income. The cars soared in popularity and became non-traditional (sit in garage and polish) collectibles in less than a decade after their introduction; they were and are user collectibles. People have and are already doing something about buying the car they wanted, and it didn't take them 30 years like the muscle car crowd.
The Supra (just as an example I know) just crested its boom-time in the used-car market and yet you didn't see low mile showroom cars at auction on SpeedTV along pace car C5 Corvettes. There are certainly collectors now that both store and drive their cars, but I'm skeptical about whether or not they'll become "mature" collector cars to the masses, outside of the current high-end/big money import enthusiast culture that is dwarfed by the decades-establish muscle car/hot rod crowd.
I guess what I'm saying is that they will increase in value, but I don't think they'll become, barring a few instances, collectibles for collectible sake. People largely didn't buy these cars with the intention of collecting them; most have been driven and modified. The current crop of collectibles are so far removed from their origins...'69 Camaros going for stupid prices just "because"...I don't see the imports becoming a part of that.
At least...they better not become million dollar collectibles before I can buy one.
The 90's imports have had a strange timeline in the US, IMO. I think a lot of people who wanted them back in the 90's were twenty-somethings who couldn't afford the 40/50-somethings price tag...well today they are nearer to that age and they've been snapping them up for the last several years as they gained careers and higher disposable income. The cars soared in popularity and became non-traditional (sit in garage and polish) collectibles in less than a decade after their introduction; they were and are user collectibles. People have and are already doing something about buying the car they wanted, and it didn't take them 30 years like the muscle car crowd.
The Supra (just as an example I know) just crested its boom-time in the used-car market and yet you didn't see low mile showroom cars at auction on SpeedTV along pace car C5 Corvettes. There are certainly collectors now that both store and drive their cars, but I'm skeptical about whether or not they'll become "mature" collector cars to the masses, outside of the current high-end/big money import enthusiast culture that is dwarfed by the decades-establish muscle car/hot rod crowd.
I guess what I'm saying is that they will increase in value, but I don't think they'll become, barring a few instances, collectibles for collectible sake. People largely didn't buy these cars with the intention of collecting them; most have been driven and modified. The current crop of collectibles are so far removed from their origins...'69 Camaros going for stupid prices just "because"...I don't see the imports becoming a part of that.
At least...they better not become million dollar collectibles before I can buy one.
Current: '20 Kia Stinger GT2 RWD | '20 Yamaha R3 | '04 Lexus IS300 SD
Past: '94 Mazda RX-7 | '04 Lexus IS300 (RIP) | '00 Jeep XJ | '99 Mazda 10AE Miata | '88 Toyota Supra Turbo
My MM Movies - Watch Them Here
Past: '94 Mazda RX-7 | '04 Lexus IS300 (RIP) | '00 Jeep XJ | '99 Mazda 10AE Miata | '88 Toyota Supra Turbo
My MM Movies - Watch Them Here