I have recently started considering buying a handful of vehicles that I would love to have that I think have the potential to hold their value (or better) adjusted for inflation over the next 10 or 20 years.

My short list of vehicles that I think might fit the bill includes

-the 90s era Japanese offerings (Supra, 300zx, RX7, 3000GT) with the Supra being by far my first choice for investment potential, followed by the RX7, with the Mitsu bringing up the rear. The 300zx is the one I always wanted as a high school and college boy, so for sentimental reasons thats my pick.

I was recently able to find an unmolested 1 owner 97 Supra Turbo w/a manual, low miles, showroom. So I collected it.

-The big Hummers, particularly the H1. For the simple reason that they have or had quite a cult following, and nothing that big and silly is going to wind up put on the streets again. One day, after everybody is done insulting them and mocking them and sticking up their noses pretending they are too cool for them, they just may become Hollywood chic all over again.

And then a reasonably normal array of cars from Porsche, Ferrari, Lambo, Vipers, old ZR-1s, Ford GTs, and so forth that appear to have "bottomed" in price. Think a 993 Turbo or a 308.

But to the point of the post, and why it found a home here, I think the 928 may be a good choice. Sales weren't great, a fair number of them have been "consumed" over the years, as evidenced by the numerous examples I've seen parked outside on driveways in neighborhoods not famous for "collecting" cars, and the fact that it seems like the kind of car that might have a big cult following...

...like me. It was one of my dream cars as a kid. To me, it was always more interesting than 911s. I remember an ad in some magazine I had as a kid advertising that the 928 could beat an airline from somewhere to somewhere else.

If anyone had two cents to throw out on this topic, I would be very interested in reading it.

thanks

 

Might try posting this in the 928 section of rennlist. MUCH more 928 activity there

 

Its hard to predict future collectibility of any car. Mostly, it's around desireability when new, production numbers (lower = more collectible) and acceptance by the enthusiast community. The first few cars you mention were produced in pretty high numbers so they will prolly never reach collectibility status. The Hummer, I would say never....... The 928 is a fairly low production vehicle (~16,000 in NA for 17 years) however, desireability by the end of production was fairly low and the first year and the last years will be collecible if any will be. In recent years enthusiasm for the model has gone up. For example, there are only 77 1995 928 GTSs in what was the final year of production in all of North America, in recent years several pristine examples have topped $100k. I run www.928registry.org and own a 1995 928 GTS with a 5-speed (1 of 30 in 1995) so I am admitedly a little biased in my opinon.

Cole is correct, RL might be a better place to ask this question but if you do, be ready for a firestorm as it is a very passionate topic for many. I've seen many times where the group will eat their young so it might be best if you do a search on the topic.....

 

Curious where you found this number? Link? According the the wiki information there were 61056 produced over the life span and the target market was the US consumer. Just hard to believe only about 16k of those made it here.

They have died off at a pretty accelerated rate. Would be curious how many are really still around in decent condition.


Not saying it wasn't. Just also consider the US economic environment and Porsche internal political environment at the time. It was hard to sell a $100K car in the 90s.

 

Been a 928 owner/enthusiast more than 30+ years(owner since 1993), running the 928 Registry for ~10 years and gathering information for many years b/f I launched the website. Honestly, I don't remember where the info came from but all the VINs are listed on my website. It is true that only ~16,000 came to North America. Through my research, I was the person who confirmed the existance of the 406 GTSs in North America (NA). Breakdown is on my site......

Hard to say how many are left in running condition let alone in really great condition. I have a 95 GTS 5M with 13.2k miles. Might possibly be the nicest GTS in existance outside the last produced housed at the museum in Stuttgart. A few years ago, I sold a 1463 mile 1978 928 (referred to as Kermit) to a guy in Germany.

I am the 2nd and 4th owner of this one:




I know for a fact it did happen as I was one of the sales. While mine wasn't one of the $100k sales mine did sell for more than the original MSRP of $86k...... I mentioned above I'm the 2nd and 4th owner; I sold it in Nov 2007 (the $100k sales happened after I sold mine....) and 1.5 years later bought it back.

 

Cool stuff. Kinda strange numbers though. Any idea where the bulk of them went then?

My first 928 we got new in 1978 sold it 9 years later with 109,000 on it.

Now I have a 1987 with 90k on it.

 

Nice GTS btw!

 

Most prolly in Germany and the rest of Europe, quite a few in Japan with a smattering in the Middle East and South America would be my guess.

I've seen your post on RL, LOVE the color of your current 928!

 

Thanks, I'm a lucky man no doubt!

 

Kind of glad to see the import number was much lower than I thought Any idea of the breakdown for how many S4s came to the US?


While I would have loved a GTS. It was simply not in the shopping budget.

I have a red 951 and know 5 other guys locally with red 951s

So when I was looking to pick up a 928 I wanted at least a unique color. Especially since the 928 in particular is known for some of its "one off" and low production colors. Very very happy I picked up the Espresso Brown Metallic 87.

Need to get it out and take some real pictures of it.

 

I owned one for 20 years, yes a dream car watching the Scarface movie, I noticed how fast they depreciated in value, although I paid 32k used for mine 2yrs old with 19k miles, I sold (thinking then it would never be a collector car) it 20years later for 15k with 75k miles, was garaged and in mint shape, I noticed how for some reason they just didn't click like the other P cars, I'm surprised how good the value of the Pana's are holding...

here is the exact car I had

http://dealerrevs.com/car/47445121

 

I've never sold any of my 7 928s for less than I paid for them....

Panameras are holding their value due in large part of the attractiveness of the export market. Sold mine for nearly what I paid for it one year later and it was exported to Monaco.

 

A 95 (last year) 928GTS 5M in the excellent condition above is a very rare animal. I think less than 75 were even imported to the US the last year and I'm sure the majority of them were automatics. This is potentially a great collectors car.

 

Indeed it is a rare animal. There were exactly 77 1995 928 GTSs brought to North America and of that number only 30 are 5-speed cars. I agree that at some point it will be a very desireable Porsche.

 

You are correct, they are being consumed and have been at a pretty good clip. However sales were actually very strong in it's heyday for its price point. Early thru mid-80's.


Regardless of how many are left I do not see it ever being a collectible. However it is extremely desirable. I was in a very large exotic car showroom yesterday, sitting in a Rapide, Panamera, Cayenne Turbo, 997 turbo S, and saw most of the recent ferrari's, maser's, and an R8. Nice cars. If I could have grabbed my 928 from it's showroom 26 years ago and put it in there yesterday, it would have been the most beautiful and luxurious car there, easily.

The seats and carpet are far ahead of today's in look, feel, and material. Even the width of the interior, the ergonomics, the moving pod and wheel, all better. The lowness and beautiful curves of the 928 body unmatched.

There is a stigma attached to the 928 in many people's eyes that you articulated and that will not go away anytime soon and it makes some folks chuckle at how I just described the car. So be it. Buy the nicest one you can find and you will enjoy it.

Later in the day, I saw a red 328 driving along, better looking than all the 360/430's.