Summary
- Cars that increase in value are often those that have public appeal, performance, rarity, and invoke a sense of nostalgia.
- The 1984 Nissan 300ZX Z31, 1995 Lexus LS400, and 1976 Volkswagen Golf GTI are inexpensive classic cars that have the potential to increase in value.
- The value of these cars is determined by factors such as their specs and performance, including engine power, torque, transmission, and drivetrain, as well as their average used car price.
Just like any other thing in the world, the value of cars is changing constantly, and we know buying a car is more of an investment than a purchase. If you were to buy or invest in a car, you ought to make sure the model and make you choose should fall under the umbrella of cars that will increase in value.
Remember, most cars tend to lose value over time, and on the other hand, there are models that increase in value for a number of reasons such as their public appeal, performance, and rarity, and not to forget the fact that it invokes a sense of nostalgia. Typically, the cars that happen to increase in value, most of which aren’t in production aren't rendering them limited in number which also plays a huge factor in their increase in value. So here are a few cheap classic cars that will increase in value soon.
We've looked up data from trusted sites like Car and Driver, MotorTrend, Edmunds, Hagerty, and Classic.com to put this list together of cheap cars that can go up in value.
10 1984 Nissan 300ZX Z31
Average Used Car Price $11,128
Following up on the Nissan 280 ZX, the Nissan 300ZX Z31 was first released in 1983 as a ‘84 model. As far as the engines go, you had five options to choose from, a turbocharged single overhead cam 2.0-liter V-6, a turbocharged dual overhead cam 2.0-liter straight-six, a naturally aspirated single overhead cam 3.0-liter V-6, a naturally aspirated dual overhead cam 3.0-liter V-6, and lastly a turbocharged single overhead cam 3.0-liter V-6.
Specs And Performance
Engine | Turbocharged single overhead cam 2.0-liter V6 / Turbocharged dual overhead cam 2.0-liter straight-six / Naturally aspirated single overhead cam 3.0-liter V6 / Naturally aspirated dual overhead cam 3.0-liter V6 / Turbocharged single overhead cam 3.0 L V6 |
Horsepower | 200 horsepower |
Torque | 227 pound-feet |
Transmission | five-speed manual or four-speed automatic |
Drivetrain | RWD |
Fuel Economy - city/highway/combined (mpg) | 15/20/17 |
0-60 Time | 7.3 seconds |
At best, this Nissan 300ZX can produce 200 horsepower and 227 pound-feet of torque and zoom to 60 mph in 7.3 seconds. Due to its smooth handling capabilities and improved acceleration as compared to other cars in the segment, the Nissan 300ZX became extremely popular. Furthermore, the ‘84 Nissan 300ZX also had the Datsun badge before they dropped it the following year.
9 1995 Lexus LS400
Average Used Car Price $12,000
Apart from being the first luxury vehicle by Lexus, the Lexus LS400 also raised the standard for luxury cars all over the world. First released in 1989, the LS400 garnered quite a reputation. The ‘95 Lexus LS400 comes fitted with a 4.0-liter 1UZ-FE V-8 engine which can generate 260 horsepower and 270 pound-feet of torque.
Specs And Performance
Engine | 4.0-liter 1UZ-FE V8 engine |
Horsepower | 260 horsepower |
Torque | 270 pound-feet |
Transmission | four-speed automatic |
Drivetrain | RWD |
Fuel Economy - city/highway/combined (mpg) | 17/23/19 |
0-60 Time | 7.4 seconds |
This luxury car can go from zero to 60 mph in 7.4 seconds and can reach a top speed of 150 miles an hour. In addition to that, the Lexus LS400 is still considered by many to be a top-tier luxury car that can even give some modern-day cars a run for their money. This is due to the attention paid to minute details to make it stand out from the rest.
8 1976 Volkswagen Golf GTI
Average Used Car Price $15,000
The Volkswagen Golf GTI caused quite a stir when it came out, it was among the first small cars to feature mechanical fuel injection. This means that the Golf GTI was not only economical and compact, but was also fast. Equipped with a 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine paired with K-Jetronic fuel injection, this FWD can generate 110 horsepower and 103 pound-feet of torque.
Specs And Performance
Engine | 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine |
Horsepower | 110 horsepower |
Torque | 103 pound-feet |
Transmission | Close-ratio five-speed manual transmission |
Drivetrain | FWD |
Fuel Economy - city/highway/combined (mpg) | N/A |
0-60 Time | 9 seconds |
Boasting a top speed of 110 mph, this hot hatch can reach 60 mph from a standstill in just nine seconds. Besides that, the '76 Volkswagen Golf GTI is credited with popularizing the term "hot hatch" which refers to compact cars that are performance-oriented. Being one of the most famous hot hatches, you can expect the value of the '76 Volkswagen Golf GTI to increase steadily in the future.
7 1988 Pontiac Fiero GT
Average Used Car Price $17,178
The 1988 Fiero GT is regarded as the best model from the first generation Pontiac Fiero, and that is due to the fact that it bore an improved braking system, suspension, modified engine, and much more. The ‘88 Fiero GT comes with a 2.8-liter V-6 engine paired with a five-speed manual transmission and is capable of producing a little over 140 horsepower along with 170 pound-feet of torque.
Specs And Performance
Engine | 2.8-liter V-6 engine |
Horsepower | 140 horsepower |
Torque | 170 pound-feet |
Transmission | Five-speed manual transmission / three-speed automatic |
Drivetrain | RWD |
Fuel Economy - city/highway/combined (mpg) | 15/25/19 |
0-60 Time | 8.6 seconds |
To further add to it, the 1988 Pontiac Fiero GT is the only model which was equipped with high-performance GT car parts as well as Pontiac’s newly developed suspension system. The ‘88 Fiero GT’s top speed averages around 125 mph. But apart from that, the Fiero GT comes with a number of design elements that makes it stick out from the rest. It goes without saying that a car like the ‘88 Pontiac Fiero GT will only increase in value in the coming years.
6 1997 Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IV
Average Used Car Price $21,000
Launched in 1996, the '97 Lancer Evo IV was a step up from its predecessors. Although it retained the engine, it went through a number of modifications. The turbocharged 2.0-liter 4G63T I4 engine was capable of generating 280 horsepower and 260 pound-feet of torque. There were two models of the 1997 Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IV available, the RS trim and the GSR trim.
Specs And Performance
Engine | 2.0-liter 4G63T I4 engine |
Horsepower | 280 horsepower |
Torque | 260 pound-feet |
Transmission | five-speed manual |
Drivetrain | AWD |
Fuel Economy - city/highway/combined (mpg) | N/A |
0-60 Time | 5.1 seconds |
The GSR trim featured Mitsubishi's all-new Active Yaw Control feature, 16-inch OZ F1 racing wheels, front bucket seats, double-din audio with rear windscreen integrated antenna, and other features which weren't available as a standard on the RS trim, but you could opt for it.
5 1986 Mercedes-Benz 560SL
Average Used Car Price $25,640
A collector's car but as of now, it is pretty affordable, the Mercedes-Benz 560SL first made its appearance in ‘86 a luxury trim of the Mercedes-Benz SL. In addition to that, there is a good amount of aesthetic appeal as well, its design is as classy as it is eye-catching.
Specs And Performance
Engine | 5.0-liter naturally aspirated SOHC M117 V8 engine |
Horsepower | 237 horsepower |
Torque | 287 pound-feet |
Transmission | four-speed automatic |
Drivetrain | RWD |
Fuel Economy - city/highway/combined (mpg) | 12/16/14 |
0-60 Time | 7 seconds |
The ‘86 560SL comes equipped with a 5.0-liter naturally aspirated SOHC M117 V8 coupled with Bosch KE-Jetronic Fuel Injection that could propel this car from zero to 60 mph in under seven seconds and can generate up to 227 horsepower as well as 287 pound-feet of torque. Although the value of this car was down quite recently, it can now be seen that the value of the ‘86 Mercedes Benz 560SL is actually on the rise.
4 1989 BMW E34 M5
Average Used Car Price $31,032
First unveiled in 1985 at the Amsterdam Auto Show, the second generation of the M5, the E34 was in production from Sept 1998 to August 1995. The E34 M5 dawned sharp-looking exteriors and was offered as a station wagon as well as a sedan. This RWD came equipped with a 3.5-liter BMW S8 inline-six engine and was capable of generating nearly 316 horsepower alongside 266 pound-feet of torque.
Specs And Performance
Engine | 3.5-liter BMW S8 inline-six engine |
Horsepower | 316 horsepower |
Torque | 266 pound-feet |
Transmission | Getrag 420G six-speed manual |
Drivetrain | RWD |
Fuel Economy - city/highway/combined (mpg) | N/A |
0-60 Time | 6.3 seconds |
In addition to that, the BMW E34 M5 can go from zero to 60 mph in just 6.3 seconds. As of now, the average price of the BMW M5 is around $15,000 and there are units that can cost you over $60,000.
3 2000 Honda S2000
Average Used Car Price $32,040
Initially introduced as a concept in 1995 at the Tokyo Motor Show and then went on to be released in 1999 as a 2000 model. Fitted with a 2.0-liter naturally aspirated four-cylinder DOHC VTEC engine, this rear-wheel-drive could produce 237 horsepower and 153 pound-feet of torque.
Specs And Performance
Engine | 2.0-liter naturally aspirated four-cylinder DOHC VTEC engine |
Horsepower | 237 horsepower |
Torque | 153 pound-feet |
Transmission | six-speed manual |
Drivetrain | RWD |
Fuel Economy - city/highway/combined (mpg) | 18/23/20 |
0-60 Time | 6.0 seconds |
In addition to that, the 2000 Honda S2000 held the record for “the most horsepower per liter to be generated by naturally aspirated cars” for nearly a decade at 124 horsepower per liter figure and can still give a lot of new cars a run for their money. The Honda S2000 can go from 0-60 mph in 6.0 seconds and can reach a top speed of nearly 160 mph.
2 2012 Ford Mustang Boss 302
Average Used Car Price $38,373
This high-performance muscle car by Ford, the Boss 302 was first introduced nearly 54 years ago, in 1969. In 2012, the nameplate was brought back for a two-year production run of the improved Ford Boss Mustang 302, and it is widely regarded that the 2012 and 2013 models were the cream of the crop in this nameplate, the 2012 Mustang Boss 302 was undoubtedly one of the finest muscle cars you can get your hands on.
Specs And Performance
Engine | 5.0-liter Coyote V8 engine |
Horsepower | 444 horsepower |
Torque | 380 pound-feet |
Transmission | six-speed manual |
Drivetrain | RWD |
Fuel Economy - city/highway/combined (mpg) | N/A |
0-60 Time | 3.9 seconds |
It came fitted with an ungraded 5.0-liter Coyote V8 engine which is also referred to as the Road Runner engine and was capable of generating a staggering 444 horsepower and 380 pound-feet of torque, rendering it more powerful than the ‘12 Mustang GT and is much faster than the GT. The 2012 Ford Mustang Boss 302 can go from 0-60 mph in under four seconds. Furthermore, in those two years (2012 & 2013) there were just a little over 8000 models of the Boss 302’s made.
1 1995 Mazda RX-7
Average Used Car Price $39,250
Since, the inception of the Mazda RX-7 in 1978, it went on to become the world’s best-selling rotary-powered car, and it was also Mazda’s first offering in the mass-market sports car segment. The third generation of the RX-7 is widely considered to be the best among all generations. The 1995 Mazda RX-7 came with a 13B rotary engine which could be installed in “naturally aspirated” as well as “turbocharged” forms.
Specs And Performance
Engine | 13B rotary engine |
Horsepower | 255 horsepower |
Torque | 217 pound-feet |
Transmission | Five-speed manual/four-speed automatic |
Drivetrain | RWD |
Fuel Economy - city/highway/combined (mpg) | 15/22/18 |
0-60 Time | 5 seconds |
Boasting a top speed of 155 mph, the ‘95 RX-7 can also whoop out 255 horsepower and 217 pound-feet of torque and required five seconds to go from 0-60 mph. Commonly referred to as the “poor man’s Porsche” due to its splendid capabilities while being affordable. But in the near future, the Poor Man’s Porsche may be costly.