Future Collectibles from The 80s?

Although most people are very familiar with classic cars from the 50s, 60s and 70s, classic cars from the 80s have not seen a lot of interest. Yet. That situation may be changing though, as certain vehicles from the 80s are now beginning to be seen as collectible items of pop culture and history. Some of them are pretty decent cars too. Prices have been climbing on many of the 1980s performance cars over the last three years and now the enthusiast daily drivers from the era are beginning to show signs of life too. Some people in classic-car circles have long suspected that the rise of the collectible 1980s car was inevitable, and now it looks that time may have finally arrived.

Those who grew up in the 80s as Generation X kids might have forgotten watching Pee-Wee’s Playhouse, using library catalog cards, and wearing acid-washed jeans with L.A. Gear shoes, but much like when the baby boom generation reached their peak earning years and were finally able to buy the muscle cars they lusted after in their youth, the Gen X kids are now coming of age in the enthusiast community.

The 1980s were a period of a different automotive upbringing. Americans were coming out of a gas shortage and many wanted economy, not performance. The rise of global competition in the auto industry and increasingly strict exhaust regulations meant that the Reagan-era automakers had to try to build “cars of the future”, whether the technology of the day was ready or not. As automakers entered the digital age, vehicles of the era began using onboard computers for the first time and the results were often less than stellar, especially for the domestic automakers who built some confused cars that were often barely updated for the time. Although there are probably fewer collectible cars from the 1980s than from any other decade, there are some models that are starting to stand out a bit, and increased demand from the current crop of Gen X car enthusiasts is causing them to appreciate in price. While 80s cars may not actually be coveted collectibles just yet, they are definitely not getting any cheaper and none are the bargain they were just three years ago.

Although the horsepower output of the Reagan-era rides is far below what today’s new cars offer, some of the better 80s cars do deliver decent performance in relatively simple to maintain platforms. Most desirable examples can be purchased for significantly less than their original MSRP and many more cost less than $10K today. While all old-car prices are up these days, the enthusiast community is definitely awakening to the “good” 80s cars from General Motors. Prices of cars like the 80s Corvettes, Trans Ams, Firebirds, Camaros, Monte Carlos, Malibus, El Caminos, Grand Nationals, and even the lowly Fiero, are all rising. The market looks like it will also push up the values of certain Buicks and a few Cadillac models as well. If you’ve had your eye on a “future collectible” from the 80s, now might be the right time to start shopping.