Index of collectible cars priced under $30k
It is easy to dismiss the lack of growth in Hagerty’s Affordable Classics Index as a repeat of everything else going on in the market. Brushing this off as more of the same would be a gross oversight, though. The Affordable Classics Index has posted consistent gains book over book since September 2017 and has been the best and most consistent performer of all the market segments we track.
It is still important to note that many component cars still posted reasonable increases this period with MGBs, Buick Roadmasters and Studebaker Larks all posting 10 percent gains. This is mainly offset by the 12 percent loss by the Datsun 240Z, which had been a major contributor to this index’s consistent growth. While the benchmark of what is considered affordable has been moved significantly since our publication’s inception, the result here is somewhat encouraging. It hints that there is a return to sanity in collecting after a long streak of massive increases.
-Greg Ingold, January 2023
The Hagerty Price Guide Index of Affordable Classics is a stock market style index that averages the values of 12 cars priced under $40,000 from the 1950s-70s. Most of the cars in this index are priced below $25,000. The list below shows the cars that make up the index, while the graph to the left shows this index’s average value over the years. Values are for #2 condition, or “excellent” cars.