Well Gang, as of three weeks ago all of the cars from the 1980s are now antiques. We can now go and get one last license plate for our third gens (the 80s cars anyway) and be done with it. Are our cars going to be worth more money and more valuabe if we keep them stock or do we keep buying HSR intakes and other toys that take our cars away from being all original. Who thinks what and why?

 

If not stock, keep stock parts of you can to put it back. But I mite be alittle biased. LOL

 

My personal opinion is that it doesn't really matter, unless you're one of the guys who has a 20k mile all original, stored in a warehouse since 1984...etc etc. Some models are worth some money, but even then it's not alot. The desire just isn't there and there were a large amount of them produced. Maybe once we reach the point where rusted out versions aren't cruising the streets anymore the general value will go up, but until then I wouldn't think so.

 

Have you taken a look at autotrader.com lately? About half of them are$10,000+, but dang! prices have skyrocketed on Thirdgens... Not talking about the bottom of the barrel Craigslist parts cars that you find... Even cars with 120,000 people are asking a lot... What I do not see up there in price are the V6 cars, the Damaged cars, one of the $4000 range cars was a Black GTA with Hail damage.

on 87-90 Firebirds on Autotrader:
65 listings:
7 - $20,000+
6 - $15,000 - $19,999
19 - $10K - $14.9K
7 - $7.5K - $9.9K
14 - $5K - $7.4K (a lot in the 124K - 150K mile range)
7 - $3.5K - $4.9K
2 - under $3499

The asking prices are going up...

 

Here's a resource I've used to answer this question about values:

Hagerty Classic Car Values

These guys are in the business of insuring the vehicles, so I figure they've got a good read on the market values. That's not to say that the market, at any given time, will bear more than the insurance will cover, however...

 

Yes, they are, I don't deny that. But asking price rarely equals value. However, if you search 82-92 camaro, the prices aren't comparable, the highest being <13k (some low mile V8 cars too)

Idk, then again I may be a little calloused, because I have spent a majority of my time around/researching 1st gens....whose Z28 shells go for 5-8k, so my thoughts of 'value' are a little different

I gotta recommend Hagerty too, really good resource.

 

no offense meant, but HOW is Hagerty a good resource? i clicked on the link and entered the VIN of a TTA and an 89 Formula 350 and it returned with the same non-specific 82-92 general overview for both, with no approximation of actual value.

also, i have had insurance with Hagerty, and they probably wont even insure a Third Gen (on the grounds that if your daily driver breaks down, its too easy use your "not really a classic" sports car as a daily driver in the meantime.) this i say from experience.

*EDIT*

i tried searching just by make-model-year and it came back with some actual hard number values. IMO, their valuation is WAAAY over. for a TTA they have an average value of 23K with an excellent condition car at 40 or 50K. that does not reflect reality.

 

I'm gonna agree with the Hagerty bash. It's going to be their own best interest to low-ball the value of all cars they insure to limit their payout on a total loss. When I insured my '56 Vette I got "agreed value" coverage, anyone with a car they care about should do the same.

 

No site is perfect, however I believe that Hagerty takes into account more details than Kelly or NADA. It's been a good resource to me for general knowledge on where the market is at. If you know a better one, please suggest it.

The thing is, those cars that they'd value at 40k or w/e, don't exist (in most cases). If you read the description you see that. "Dust and dirt are banned" ...i.e. they've never been driven.

I know nothing about firebirds, not claiming to, but as far as Camaro prices go, Hagerty seems pretty decent.

 

I feel like this thread has quickly gotten sidetracked from the original thought though

 

anyways...

 

fair enough. also, it could be that "insurance value" and "market value" are two different things. usually, the insurance value is lower than market value. but in this case, it seems that the insurance value is about 10K over market value (on a TTA.)

just like the rest of society, i dont think that ANY insurance company is very dialed-in to the Third Gen market. i think the best source for determining fair market value is to research SOLD prices on similar vehicles. IMO, this does NOT mean vehicles sold at an auction.

 

Amen.

 

Quote:

Well Gang, as of three weeks ago all of the cars from the 1980s are now antiques. We can now go and get one last license plate for our third gens (the 80s cars anyway) and be done with it. Are our cars going to be worth more money and more valuabe if we keep them stock or do we keep buying HSR intakes and other toys that take our cars away from being all original. Who thinks what and why?

as for the OP's original question, i dont percieve any possibility of a sudden "those things are antiques now" bump in value.

lets forget about the random all-original still in the wrapper cars for a moment and talk about the cars that TGO members have. even more rare are the '91 - '92 Firehawks, so lets forget about those too.

there are the TTAs, for which a well preserved or well restored low-miler can go for up to low to mid 20K prices.

aside from that are highly modified pro-touring cars with high quality LS_ conversions. these cars are not very common (or not commonly for sale) and sellers would probably 'lose their asses' on these sales.

then there are your 20-50K mile IROCs, GTAs, maybe TAs and Formulas. i see these hovering around $10K. maybe 12 to 14K asking prices, but i dont see them selling for more than 10K or so.

until there is a pretty substantial spike in public interest in our cars, i do not forsee any radical change in market value. my advise in order to make that spike in public interest happen: MOD 'EM. make them fast, and start humbling muscle cars from the '60s, '70s, 90's, & 21st century with these sleek, sexy cars. make people say "WTF was that?!/WTF just happened?!" in other words, more people have to want one for the market value to change.

 

Take a loaded 88 350 iroc for comparison. One car is all original around 100.000 miles but in good shape with no rust good interior, paint is still decent for its age and it hasn't been touched. It is all original down to the radio, exhaust manifolds, tpi etc. Next, same car, high mileage but in great condition with aftermarket wheels, shorty headers, sony radio and speakers, has carb but tpi wiring all there. Which car do you take home and why?

 

Car #1 is worth twice as much as car #2. To me, the less a car has been fondled, the better. Typically more damage than improvements on a modified car.

 

it basically depends on which car is closer to my goal of what i would want my IROC to be. on the modded car, i like the headers and the stereo, but am not liking the carb or the wheels. depending on the relative condition of the two cars, it is possible for the modded car to be modded to an extent or in a direction that makes if farther from my ideal.

 

I would not walk but run away from the carb swapped car. It's value has dropped to zero to me.

 

For what its worth, I insure my '88 Trans Am with Hagerty. It is fairly highly optioned, has an LO3, about 150,000 miles on it, but is in very good restored condition. The value they placed on it was just shy of $8,000. Obviously, I took the deal.

It is my belief that the car is so 'valuable' because the parts for them are becoming very rare and difficult to find in acceptable condition for a body shop to make a good repair to your car. When a drunk driver hit a telephone pole causing me to hit the downed wires, I was amazed at how much a suitable front bumper, door, and ground effects were going to cost.

I enjoy Hagerty insurance. They know you can only drive one car at a time and price based on that. As it stands, I need to make more of an effort to drive the Trans Am. Trouble is, that damned turbo Miata is just too much fun!!!

 

i had my 96 Z28 insured with them (agreed value.) when i bought my 89 Formula, i called them about having it insured with them too. they said that they no longer insure newer cars of that ilk for the reason i stated in my post. as for my '96, it was "grandfathered in."

i dont mind the mileage restrictions on those types of policies. i dont like the usage restrictions though. i work five days a week. sometimes driving my cars to work and back on nice days is the only way i can enjoy them.

 

Why do you say that all of the 80's cars are antiques? Many states claim 30 years for antique status and the Antique Automobile Club of America states that 45 years makes an antique. Many insurance companies claim cars produced earlier than 1949 are "antiques" and the newer cars are considered "classics".

 

I've already seen Third Gens around with Antique and Historic plates. It feels WEIRD lol.

 

30 years, eh? Here in KY it's 25 (maybe it's the same for where the OP lives?)

I have antique plates on mine, it doesn't feel that weird to me...except when I go and part next to a 1st or 2nd gen with antique plates, haha

 

I always wondered what they did with cars like the 25th or 30th anniversary Trans Ams. They're still desirable and some folks may still have value in them. I would presume that a specialty insurance would, too.

Honestly, I must be lucky in regards to restrictions. I've poured over my policy again and again thinking there must be some sort of limit placed on when I can drive it and such, but the only restriction for driving my car is mileage; which is pretty generous at 7,000 or 8,000 miles a year.

Last year was pathetic, only about 1,200 miles. Not proud of that one...

 

I ti s 25 in MI too IIRC... I can get "Forever Plates" starting this year for all of my third gens, 87 & 89... But there are strings attached, you can only drive them to shows, parades, gas, carwash, to have work done on it, etc... But you have to have plates from the year of the car... So if you have a 1987, I have to get a plate from that time, and get the little sticker that says 87 on it...

John

 

Think that is pathetic, purchased my convertible with about 35000 miles on it in 2006, I am just at 37,000 miles... Most of my miles came from the drive back from NC to MI, and one trip to the Trans Am Nationals...

 

All my 89s are getting AV plates this year :-) IL offers 2 different types of AV plates based on a few different things so that helps. Saves money also.

 

1989 - Not antiques in NY yet. We can get antique plates here in the 26th year. So 1989 (my TTA) can get the plates next year. I have an original set of liberty plates going on it next year.

 

You said it. We can get "antique" plates here in MA, but those come with the same type of restrictions. I couldn't just take my car to work because I felt like it, which is silly to me. Trying to figure out why the state gives a damn what their plate legally means is like talking to a rock. Maybe it was a stupid legislative action to keep the polluting cars off the road. We are also required to run a front plate here.


WOW! If you're using it for collection purposes, more power to you.
I bought mine with 66,000 miles from the original owner and used it as a daily driver for 7 or 8 years, so somewhere around 11,500-13,0000 miles a year. I feel bad when its just sitting. Makes me want to sell it when its not used, until I get in for a drive, remember how much fun it is, how good the sound system is, the attention it gets, etc.

Even now I'm waiting for that magical day in winter when its sunny, too cold for snow to melt, and 2-3 days past any recent precipitation so any salt that is on the road isn't wet.

At least yours has a reason to carry a high value. Mine is a tired old TBI engine, with a rotted exhaust that sounds cool tied to a good looking chassis.

 

25Yrs in Jersey,30 yrs in Penn.

 

In PA it is 15 years for classic tags and 25 years for antique

 

25 years in VA. Or if you want farm use you can put it on your 2014. o.o

The V8 cars that are currently in good original condition now should probably stay that way. The time for gutting up a clean z28 to make a pro street car has passed. They're worth more as originals than they are as a weekend money pit.

It's a pretty safe bet you can put the wrench to a V6 car or the weird 4cyl variant and you won't hurt the value. In fact, take a look at 1st gens. For one, when was the last time you saw a plain jane camaro 6cyl? It's been a while for me, but the last one I saw was a nice original 68 6cyl auto for sale for $8-10k about 2 years ago. That same car as a nice cloned SS will sell for $20K+. While the (nice) real ones bring $30-40k. I don't have any idea what Pontiac values are. lol!

Nobody really wants a 6cyl f-body as it came from the factory (except for TTAs). Well, I guess there are a few, but for the sake of determining what will be valuable they are too far in between. :P

 

I agree, I hate to say it but just about anything with an LG4, L03, V6 (non turbo), or I4 really is more of something that would be better off modified than stock... unless it is a 5 mile barn find that would go well in a museum, drive them...

Of course I just passed on a really clean looking 83 T-top Camaro with the CFI for $3990... I just did not want the hassle I hear about the CFI cars. Had a steel hood, so that confused me, but not being as much of a Camaro guy...

 

Since I often work on my cars at my work, it always gave me an excuse... If I ever got pulled over, or there was some question, I would always say, "I am going to work at it at my shop after work"

I also store several cars at my work I could show them if they really wanted to question it.

Taking it to get groceries might be a bit different...

 

I stand corrected!! when did it change?

 

30 years for antique plates here in Florida and they are a terrible shade of light blue. I think I'll keep my standard plates even after my car reaches 30 years old in a few years.

 

It is 25 here in Arkansas to be an antique. I bought most of my third gens in my mid 20s except for my vert (a 92). I have an 89 Z71 truck I hunt and fish in I bought a year after I bought the iroc and now they are both antiques. I guess I am getting to be an antique also. I remember rebuilding 3 barrel holley carbs and Q jets on our 60s and 70s camaros. The definition of life really is CHANGE.

 

20 years in MN for collector plates, not sure how many years for antiques. I've had a collector plate on my Camaro for two years now.

As far as insurance goes, on a car like this you should really have a proper appraisal done, which is usually north of the actual value of the car, for a couple reasons; insurance companies know that toys are seldom totaled, and I would bet actuary tables show they come out ahead in all the increased rates for over-zealous valuations compared to the occasional rare total loss they have to pay. The other issue for a high value is a legitimate one, however - it considers not just the value of the car, but the ability to replace it should it become a total loss. If my Maui Blue '90 with custom cloth was totaled, good luck finding another one, and if I did, it would take some time to locate, the time of which is worth money as well.

I need to get my car appraised and get it properly insured under collector insurance this year, the number I have in mind is somewhere in the $8k-$10k range. That said, if I were to ever sell my car (which I won't), I would ask $6500 and take not a penny less than $6k. Nice cars with high mileage are a bit of an anomaly in our community, which would actually probably make my car nearly impossible to sell since people either shell out for low mileage originals, or they want the cheapest one they can find.

 

Yeah. Im waiting until 2015 to insure and tag my 85. In Florida its 30 years for an antique. Im not paying them an inflated tag cost for one year. It will sit in my garage and be driven around the block on a limited basis while I work on it just to keep the battery charged.

Also always remember this: STOCK = VALUE

 

25 years in NH,I have antique tags on my 85,when I got them they said the car must be in good shape and not a daily driver-like they track that stuff.

Thing is,every 25 year old chevy truck and econobox escort/citation/k-car that has survived now has an antique plate to go with the primer and blue smoke,it seems the "rules" that go with the cheaper price of the plates etc. are not really enforced.