In a recent podcast episode of Induction Noise we discussed whether there are any new cars which we think may be on customers “modern classic” radar in 10 -20 years from now. This stems from a noticeable uptick, at least in my algorithm, of average everyday cars from years gone by demanding a premium. The ship has sailed on the e30 or the halo e36 BMW’s it seems. Clean JDM cars from the 90s, early 00s and even econoboxes such as citi golfs with low mileage can (at least from advertisements) request eye watering premiums. So what options are there for budget conscious car enthusiasts?
Bottom of the barrel does not mean you are scraping it
There is an interesting case for seemingly “bottom of the barrel”, base model cars as an entrant into modern classic car ownership. Maybe your search history includes the likes of an early e36 318i motorsport or clean e46 BMW. Or what about a Mercedes w201, early 00s Boxster or even an alfa 156 or 147 which might incline you to agree with the above statement. During one of my weekly coffee outings to Crossley & Webb there was a well-used base (read unloved because you should have bought the 3.0 litre) 2.0 litre Z4 outside. I couldn’t help but think “that would be cool to own!”. If YouTube is anything to go by, there is a major renaissance around the aforementioned Boxsters, no need for the “S” models only. Base models are hailed as fun, easy to use and reasonable to maintain sportscars.
Fun cars don’t equal empty bank accounts
Classic car ownership is sometimes seen as a synonym for massive bills and horrible reliability, but perhaps this is where the base models show their trump card. Their interiors are simple and honest with less exotic materials or bespoke components. Engines are less powerful and sometimes shared with other product ranges of the time. This means they can be simple(er) to maintain, more reliable and more fuel efficient. Worried about bore scoring in your Boxster S? The earlier non-S models suffer less from this worrisome failure. Not keen on a V6 GTA 156 Alfa Romeo, why not stick with the 2.0 twinspark at a fraction of the price? If you want to live the drop top life, the 916 Spyder is a good option and offers great value at current market prices.
The signs are out there on the web
At the price these cars go for they are more interesting than many of the newer car options available on the market. Sure, each car has their use case but there is an abundance of choices if you enjoy cars and can’t see yourself in any of the new crop of econoboxes. For some inspiration have a look at the likes of Candys Showroom on YouTube and Instagram. He is among an increasing amount of car enthusiasts showcasing the charm and pleasure old workhorses can bring to the modern world.
Agree? Don’t agree? Drop us a comment on the socials and let us know what you think.