{"id":56687,"date":"2022-06-24T17:11:04","date_gmt":"2022-06-24T21:11:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/motor-junkie.com\/?p=56687"},"modified":"2022-07-19T14:04:16","modified_gmt":"2022-07-19T18:04:16","slug":"classic-cars-that-are-insanely-overvalued-for-what-they-are","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dev.motor-junkie.com\/classic-cars-that-are-insanely-overvalued-for-what-they-are\/56687\/","title":{"rendered":"Classic Cars That Are Insanely Overvalued For What They Are"},"content":{"rendered":"
There’s no doubt that there’s a bubble in the used car market right now. Prices are more expensive than ever, and the cars already overpriced are becoming even more ridiculous. Cars that were once affordable now cost an arm and a leg, and there is no end in sight. This means collecting a classic car can be even more expensive, even the cars drivers<\/a> could once pick up for next to nothing.<\/p>\n So we looked at several such cars that are incredibly overpriced for what they are. Some of these cars are relative favorites with consumers while others are just plain outrageous in price. The fact that many of these cars continue to rise in price just makes it even more confusing. But when it comes to the used car<\/a> market, you never know what to expect.<\/p>\n The Impala SS that hit the streets in the 1990s was nothing more than an appearance package slapped on the already-existing Caprice. But it was appealing enough that the car gained a following of its own. The 1995 Impala SS has been featured in thousands of music videos and movies (via Trinity Auto<\/a>).<\/p>\n But the present-day prices of these used Impala SS models are atrocious for what the sedan<\/a> is. Sure, drivers get the floor shifter and the bulletproof LT1 motor, but aside from that, this is a very basic sedan and rides as such. Let’s face it, the Caprice was already outdated when the Impala package was introduced.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The Roadmaster Wagon is another car that was far from popular when it was new, but it shared its underpinnings with the Impala SS. That meant the Roadmaster Wagon could become a hot rod<\/a> fairly easily. It used to be that the Roadmaster was a steal because you’d get near-Impala SS performance for half the price (via Trinity Auto<\/a>).<\/p>\n But the secret is out, and now the Roadmaster Wagon has become grossly overvalued. With a little work, this car can easily be made into an Impala SS clone. But for the price, the type of car, and the craftsmanship buyers get, it’s not worth it. Time will tell if the outrageous prices for these wagons will go down.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n If you asked most drivers in the late 1990s what they thought about the two-door Tahoe, chances are they had no use for it. Sales were low, and the market for these things was all but done with. However, the Tahoe Sport has become a hot commodity on the used market in recent years (via Trinity Auto<\/a>).<\/p>\n This is undoubted because kids born in the 1990s are adults now and have some connection to the car. Deep down, however, GM trucks from this era aren’t worth more than $5,000 as their build quality wasn’t all that great. There is no way the two-door Tahoe is worth the prices it’s going for now.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The Toyota “tax” is a real thing nowadays and prices for anything with a Toyota badge are becoming extreme. The common 4Runner is another vehicle that has become subject to the obscene rise in used car prices. With this 4Runner, you’ll certainly pay the “Toyota Tax” (via Trinity Auto<\/a>).<\/p>\n At its core, the 4Runner from this generation was a very basic SUV and certainly wouldn’t justify the high price tag. Even in the SR5 trim, this SUV was a very basic model, but it did have relatively decent off-road capability. The prices for this generation of the 4Runner might never come down and continue to rise.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n With the high prices of new cars, more consumers are gravitating toward the used car market. The Tacoma is experiencing a rise in used prices and the 1990s models are popular. This was the first generation of the Tacoma and is often credited as the most reliable model (via Trinity Auto<\/a>).<\/p>\n The 1998 model was extremely reliable, and it did offer decent features for the price. You’ll seldom find a pickup truck<\/a> line as bulletproof as the Tacoma, but that doesn’t justify the high price tag. There’s no doubt that Tacoma is another victim of the “Toyota” tax.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The Riviera was one of the last supercharged V6 two-door cars to be sold in the Buick lineup. The appetite for these large two-door cars was all but gone in the 1990s, and the Riviera didn’t sell well. But nowadays, the car has found an entirely new audience and values have been creeping up (via Trinity Auto<\/a>).<\/p>\n Drivers are not going to get their hands on one of these for cheap anymore. In the 2000s, these cars were essentially worthless. That has changed drastically and now people will pay a pretty penny if they want a Riviera from this generation. Topping it off, GM cars<\/a> from this era were plagued with all kinds of reliability issues.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The 454 SS is another seemingly basic appearance package that GM slapped onto one of their vehicles in the ’90s. This time, it was turning the run-of-the-mill Cheyenne pickup truck<\/a> into a power-hungry performance vehicle. The 454 SS was a great product for what it was, but this is no modern truck by any stretch of the imagination (via Trinity Auto<\/a>).<\/p>\n The build quality on the 454 SS was poor at best, from its cheap interior plastics to the carburated motor. Paying the prices that these trucks are going for nowadays is obscene, and there were better options later on. Time will tell if the prices for the 454 SS start to go down or if they stay high.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The big-body Bronco was a mainstay in the Ford lineup for a long time until full-size two-door SUVs became a thing of the past. The Bronco was incredibly famous after the OJ Simpson arrest in 1995<\/a>, but Ford still discontinued the model. In recent years, however, the Bronco, once an affordable used car, has become sought after (via Trinity Auto<\/a>).<\/p>\n A clean 1995 model, the year before the final production year, can command $13k or higher. Some models are going for as high as $60K, and the quality of this SUV just doesn’t justify that high price tag. The interior quality was cheap at best, and the motors and transmissions are problematic.<\/p>\n Related:<\/strong> 20 Things Ford Did Horribly Wrong With The New Bronco<\/a>.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Even the lowly Bronco II has become a sort of collector’s item<\/a> in recent years. Yes, that Ford Bronco II, the one no one wanted. But just because of the Bronco name alone, these things have started to creep up in value. The Bronco II was certainly not the most capable car for off-roading (via Trinity Auto<\/a>).<\/p>\n The engine setup was simple as a clone of the Ford Ranger truck, and the top on the Bronco II wasn’t removable. Ford would discontinue this SUV<\/a> in favor of the Explorer, which was a completely new design. There is no reason for the Bronco II to be going for the high price tag it’s currently fetching.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The Grand Wagoneer was for a long time one of the only family-friendly SUVs that you could get. When the ’90s rolled around, the platform was quite dated and it was time for a redesign. The final product was the Grand Cherokee, but for a year, there was a Grand Cherokee with the Grand Wagoneer name on it (via Trinity Auto<\/a>).<\/p>\n The finished product was a handsome vehicle to look at that was capable of off-road. But there is no way that a Jeep product from this era should justify the high price tags drivers are currently seeing. The Wagoneer continues to rise in price, and there is no method to the madness.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n A Jeep pickup truck was a novelty item and something that very few people wanted. But there was a Jeep pickup truck<\/a> sold for a short period. That truck was the Commanche and it was a Cherokee with the back half cut off. The truck had many unique features, but there is no way it’s worth the current price tag (via Trinity Auto<\/a>).<\/p>\n There are clean examples of this truck creeping up into the double-digit price range. For that price, you could get a Toyota product that is much more suitable. The Commanche is a great truck, but you can’t justify this obscene price tag. This truck seriously needs to come down in price.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Remember the days when you could find this late ’80s-’90s Nissan sports car for next to nothing? Those days are long gone as drivers spend a pretty penny on one nowadays. What made the 300ZX such an expensive vehicle? It’s because the price of the Toyota Supra has become astronomical (via Trinity Auto<\/a>).<\/p>\n With the 300ZX turbo, you get the same performance for half the price, so most people just gravitated toward this car. But now, the price of a 300ZX is almost what you’d pay for a brand-new Nissan Z model<\/a>. This car is well built and fun to drive but its high price tag is questionable at best.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Even rarer than the standard model of the 300ZX is the convertible version that was produced in very small numbers. You may be surprised to see that there was a convertible model of this car but it had all the bells and whistles you’d expect (via Trinity Auto<\/a>).<\/p>\n The convertible model is not as structurally sound as the two-door hardtop, but that doesn’t matter when it comes to collectors. These cars are being bought more and more every day and prices continue to rise. With the popularity of the drifting scene, these cars will only become more desirable as time goes on.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Another car experiencing a rise in pricing is the 3000GT and it’s again due to the popularity of the Supra. The 3000GT was sold with a twin-turbo engine and could compete with the Supra in every sense of the word. That meant that when the Supra prices started to rise, the 3000GT also became a much more expensive sports car (via Trinity Auto<\/a>).<\/p>\n We’re not saying the 3000GT is a bad car because it’s one of the best sports cars<\/a> ever built. But the 3000GT is not worth the high price tag it’s currently being sold for and that price will only continue to rise. The same thing is also going on with the Mitsubishi Eclipse.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Even rarer than the standard 3000GT was the convertible model. If you’ve never seen one of these, you aren’t alone. The 3000GT is a beautiful car, especially in convertible form, but that doesn’t mean it is worth the high price tag. It’s rising in price because of its turbocharged engine and that isn’t sustainable (via Trinity Auto<\/a>).<\/p>\n The convertible version had a lot of build quality issues and maintenance can be expensive. You will spend more time trying to keep this thing on the road than enjoying the ride. The 3000GT was a great sports car<\/a>, but the prices drivers are seeing are out of this world.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The Lexus SC300 and SC400 were well received by the automotive press when they were introduced. The build quality was on-par with even the most expensive luxury cars<\/a> of the period. The SC300 was the V6 version of the sports car, while the SC400 had the V8 engine. In recent years, the SC300 has become popular because it shared underpinnings with the Toyota Supra (via Work & Money<\/a>).<\/p>\n Drivers did get all the same attributes that make the Supra great but in a far cheaper package. The only problem is that the SC300 is starting to become overpriced and this problem only looks to be getting worse. The SC300 is a great car in every sense of the word but its price tag isn’t worth it.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The SC400 was another highly desirable sports car and the 2000 model is perhaps the rarest<\/a>. With its V8 engine, this is a smooth-riding sports car. And even rarer was the manual transmission model. The value of this model has gone astronomically high considering how old the car is now (via Work & Money<\/a>).<\/p>\n That’s not to say the SC400 was a bad car by any means but its high price tag is just not justified. The V8 power plant is fairly limited in what you can do and finding one of these with low mileage is becoming more difficult. The SC400 will undoubtedly continue to rise in value as used car prices become more inflated.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The Dodge Neon SRT-4 was sort of a surprise when it was released by Chrysler as it was conceived as the tuner scene became popular. It had unique features like a stock speaker box in the trunk and a turbocharged motor. When this car was new, it was only in the $20,000 range but now the price tag is almost the same (via Work & Money<\/a>).<\/p>\n For a cheap car<\/a> like this to come full circle shows just how backward the used car market is right now. There are so many better options for the price, and the SRT-4 was not the most reliable car on the market. There’s no way that today’s drivers can justify paying this kind of money for something that is essentially a fancier Neon.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n You’ve seen this car everywhere in video games, print, and movies. The Lancer Evo is everyone’s favorite tuner car<\/a>. Its performance is among the best in the segment for this era, but its prices have also become expensive. When the Evo was brand-new, it was an expensive toy, and that price has only continued to balloon today (via Work & Money<\/a>).<\/p>\n The performance the Evo puts out is nowhere near the price tag you can expect to pay for this car. Another problem with the high price tag is that most of these cars have been raced and beaten up. So you most likely won’t get an Evo that has been babied or well taken care of.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Another car that competed head-on with the Lancer Evo was the Impreza WRX STI. This was another car paraded in all street racing movies, video games, and the automotive press. There’s no doubt that this car is exciting to drive but it doesn’t justify the extremely high price tag (via Work & Money<\/a>).<\/p>\n The WRX STI has only continued to rise in value as the market for these cars starts to shrink. Finding a clean one is not as easy as you’d think because most of these cars have been raced or abused. You won’t find a WRX STI for a cheap price tag and that price only looks to be rising higher.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n There was something special about the Integra and that’s why it resonated so well with consumers. The Type-R was a special beast with a high-revving motor and flashy job. The Type-R has continued to be popular among collectors and the price of these will only go up (via Work & Money<\/a>).<\/p>\n The problem is that the Type-R was not a car that should command such a high price tag these days. In fact, the interior of the car is fairly basic and so were the features. The look and feel of the car are every bit the 1990s Honda that you’d expect. When it comes to shelling out tens of thousands of dollars for one of these, it’s just not feasible for what the car is.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n You probably don’t remember the Toyota MR2 Spyder from the 2000s well. It was sort of shoehorned into production and was a barebones sports car. But that’s what made the MR2 so special and sought after. However, this generation of the MR2 didn’t sell well and was put out of production (via Work & Money<\/a>).<\/p>\n Nowadays, with the rising price of used cars<\/a>, the MR2 Spyder is increasing in value. The problem is that the price these cars are going for is more than what they were brand new. The MR2 doesn’t offer much refinement, and maintenance can be quite difficult. There were better options from this generation than the MR2.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n In the 2000s, General Motors released many interesting sports cars, and one that caught the attention of consumers was the Silverado SS. The truck had some unique features like an AWD design and a Whipple supercharger. This truck was a monster on the track and the street (via Work & Money<\/a>).<\/p>\n But aside from the excellent power plant, this was just your run-of-the-mill Chevy truck<\/a>. Its build quality was questionable, like most GM trucks from this era. Plastic interior pieces would fall off after time, and there were many electrical issues. The 2005 Silverado SS has exploded in value recently but it just isn’t worth the high price tag.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The square-body GM SUVs from the 1990s have been on a good run lately. It appears more consumers are looking for these older SUVs. What were once cheap have now ballooned to extreme prices, and a low mileage example costs even more. These trucks were great when they are new, and even as a used cars, they were solid enough (via Work & Money<\/a>).<\/p>\n But for the price being asked for a clean, low mileage example, drivers could get something much more modern. These trucks had a lot of build quality issues as most GM vehicles<\/a> from this era did. The interiors were cheap and the performance isn’t the best considering the large motors that were standard.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The original Ford F-150 SVT Lightning was a barebones truck. The purpose of this truck was to be a fast sports car in a truck’s body and it did exactly that. The basic build quality of this truck is the first thing that will knock it down a few notches. On top of that, reliability was questionable at best and repairs aren’t cheap (via Work & Money<\/a>).<\/p>\n The original SVT Lightning is also a truck that has been beaten up and raced. Finding one in original condition that hasn’t been abused is tough. For the price being asked for a clean example, there are so many better options. You could get a used Ford F-150 Raptor for that price and have a nice modern truck.<\/p>\n Related:<\/strong> 25 Exciting Facts We Know About The 2021 Ford F-150<\/a>.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n It’s hard to believe Toyota stopped making the Supra even 25 years ago because consumer interest had waned. Yet here we are in 2022, and the car is being sold for thousands more than it was new. The final generation of the Supra was a beautiful car and there is no denying that (via Work & Money<\/a>).<\/p>\n The twin-turbocharged version was one of the most fun-to-drive cars on the road. The build quality of the Supra was impeccable, but deep down it’s just a 1990s sports car. There is no way this car should command the high price tag it does. The price of the Supra might come down in the future, at which point it would be worth looking at.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The 2000s F-150 Lightning was a more modern rendition of the first-generation truck, but the basic formula was still there. But for the price at the time, you couldn’t beat the excellent performance that this truck was pushing out. Nowadays, the second generation Lightning has also ballooned in price to ridiculous amounts (via Work & Money<\/a>).<\/p>\n At its core, this is just a single cab F-150 with a supercharger; there is nothing remarkably special here. You can build a clone F-150 Lightning for a lot less, and the average person will never tell the difference. The truck was a great one, but it definitely isn’t worth its ridiculously high price tag today.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n When it comes to iconic muscle cars<\/a>, the Chevelle is one driver shouldn’t underestimate. The unique styling of the car and the great performance from the factory made it an iconic muscle car. But the prices of the Chevelle are 10 times what they were when the car was new and that only appears to be getting worse (via Work & Money<\/a>).<\/p>\n There are some instances where the Chevelle costs as much as a brand-new Ferrari. We don’t think this old muscle car<\/a> is worth that. It’s nice and there is a huge aftermarket parts catalog for it. But at the end of the day, there are better options for the price as the Chevelle is ridiculously expensive right now.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The C2 Corvette is undoubtedly the one that broke the mold. This was the Corvette model that introduced the world to the high-performance ‘Vette models we have today. The sheer design of the car<\/a> was beautiful and the split window was even better looking. But the 1966 Corvette is way overpriced for what it is (via Work & Money<\/a>).<\/p>\n Sure, it’s a classic, but that doesn’t justify almost being as much as a house. These older Corvette models had many reliability issues and replacement parts are hard to come by and expensive.<\/p>\n Also Read:<\/strong> Rare Corvettes Only True Chevy Fans Will Recognize<\/a>.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The Coronet wasn’t an expensive muscle car<\/a> or the most desirable muscle car on the market. But the Coronet did have a loyal following as a patrol vehicle, especially with the California Highway Patrol. The lightweight design of the car made it take off from the start line quickly (via Work & Money<\/a>).<\/p>\n The Coronet is not the type of muscle car that invokes reactions like the Challenger or the Charger, but it has a unique style. However, there is no way the Dodge Coronet is worth the crazy high price tag it commands nowadays. The Coronet is a cool-looking project car but not for the current price.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The Chevelle is a noteworthy muscle car that has become iconic over the years. While the Camaro<\/a> was the flagship pony car for the brand, the Chevelle catered to a slightly different crowd. The Chevelle SS is perhaps one of the most iconic muscle cars of all time with its angry-looking stance and stellar performance (via Work & Money<\/a>).<\/p>\n But the Chevelle has ballooned to extreme heights in terms of pricing and even a junkyard Chevelle will fetch a pretty penny. Time will tell if the prices on these will start to drop. There is no justification for such a high price tag. While the Chevelle was a decent-looking muscle car<\/a>, it’s not groundbreaking.<\/p>\n40: 1995 Impala SS – $10,500<\/h2>\n
39: 1995 Buick Roadmaster Wagon – $10,995<\/h2>\n
38: 1999 Chevrolet Tahoe Sport – $14,500<\/h2>\n
37: 1998 Toyota 4Runner SR5 – $11,950<\/h2>\n
36: 1998 Toyota Tacoma SR5 – $11,950<\/h2>\n
35: 1996 Buick Riviera – $10,500<\/h2>\n
34: 1990 Chevrolet 454 SS – $10,000<\/h2>\n
33: 1995 Ford Bronco – $13,500<\/h2>\n
32: 1989 Ford Bronco II – $16,499.00<\/h2>\n
31: 1993 Jeep Grand Wagoneer – $16,500<\/h2>\n
30: 1990 Jeep Commanche – $16,500<\/h2>\n
29: 1990 Nissan 300ZX $21,800.00<\/h2>\n
28: 1990 Nissan 300ZX Convertible – $21,800<\/h2>\n
27: 1999 Mitsubishi 3000GT – $19,980<\/h2>\n
26: 1999 Mitsubishi 3000GT VR4 Convertible – $21,700<\/h2>\n
25: 1996 Lexus SC300 – $19,995<\/h2>\n
24: 2000 Lexus SC400 – $23,000<\/h2>\n
23: 2005 Dodge Neon SRT-4 – $21,995<\/h2>\n
22: 2005 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution – $29,995<\/h2>\n
21: 2005 Subaru Impreza WRX STI – $23,995<\/h2>\n
20: 2001 Integra Type-R – $31,000<\/h2>\n
19: 2004 Toyota MR2 Spyder – $32,500<\/h2>\n
18: 2005 Chevrolet Silverado SS – $32,500<\/h2>\n
17: 1990s Chevrolet Tahoe & Suburban – $33,000<\/h2>\n
16: 1993-1995 Ford F-150 SVT Lightning – $35,000<\/h2>\n
15: 1993-1998 Toyota Supra – $50,000<\/h2>\n
14: 2000 Ford F-150 Lightning – $50,000<\/h2>\n
13: 1970 Chevrolet Chevelle – $57,000<\/h2>\n
12: 1966 Chevrolet Corvette – $60,000<\/h2>\n
11: 1969 Dodge Coronet – $70,000<\/h2>\n
10: 1967 Chevrolet Chevelle – $72,000<\/h2>\n