The Escort was killed off and look at that......

Resale values have hit the STRATOSPHERE.




People, reality check please. Mass produced rice rocket.

 

interesting point however I counter with,

the escort cosworth....

I agree with you in some respects, if we are talking a classic it will be 10-15 years before it happens

 

and before that.........

the Sierra Cosworth!

once heralded as the ultimate future classic, blah blah

now, regardless of its abilities, a car you would not want to be seen in - the King Chav's weapon of choice

the Escort derivative will be no different

and nor will the S

sure, the few that are left in perfect nick will be collectable

like the S800

but how many of those left?

thousands went to banger land and the scrapyard

 

I'll counter your counter with ....

RWD
Unique in market sector
Excellent drive
Excellent power
Looker to some, not all:

*Nissan 200SX*, now also discontinued - see what you can pick that up for. About 10p.


I'll also add to my counter move MGB, about a million years old, aren't most of them about 25p now?

 

It's still early days for the above mentioned cars (although the idea of a "classic" seirra does make me smile) They are holding value well, but that is also probably due to the tendency for cosworth engines to blow up... leaving few original cars intact.

Would I be seen in an escort cosworth......probably not would I be seen in an Austin Healy....probably not Triumph Stag? .........again probably not

I suppose it all hinges on your definition of a classic.

 

I'll give you the 200SX but again still about 10 years shy to be sure it isn't going to suddenly rise in popularity...... lants tongue firmly in cheek:

MGBs I thought it took reasonable money to get a reasonable example. but is a classic a classic because it holds value or is there some other definition?

I'll counter your 2 with the Jaguar XJS. 5 years ago you couldn't give them away, the convertibles are now rising in price and you could be paying 15K for a good example.

Who'd have predicted that (not me or I would have kept it!)

 

The problem here is, c7ble, that the sector we are sat in makes it so easy for the manufacturers to manipulate.

The market will not want the S. It'll want the next new S, its new, modern equiv. Take those that have bought 04s. Have they bought them because the 01/02/03 are knackered? Doubt it by in large, they just want the 'new' styling. Same as everyone else.

People don't think of mid 20k Hondas as ultimately desirable. Nor outlandishly unique. Particularly when they hit early teens in the 2nd hand market.

Now, Ferrari, there's a product the little people desire, as do the big people and the even bigger people. That's the foundations of a classic.

 

I spose 10 years may make a difference - but I couldn't be arsed with 10 years waiting to make my money back.

I'd have spent 10k in insurance by then.


But, lets face it, whatever happens to the S, its still a blast to drive.

 

Mmmm..

200SX - fairly standard 4 cyl mega turbo (not that unusual)
S2000 - 9000 rpm screaming nutter, N/A (highly unusual for 4 wheels)


200SX - Nissan, less stylish, no racing heritage
S2000 - Honda, more stylish, racing heritage

200SX - coupe
S2000 - very quick electric hood droptop


S2000 is sufficiently unique to be a future classic - also has the love/hate fast/flawed thing (most people loved the 200SX) - which seems to accompany modern classics.

It's not going to be Porsche level of residuals, but should depreciate slower once discontinued.

 

if you keep an S forever, maybe there's hope for you

most people won't

at some point in its life, it becomes affordable to anyone

but the parts prices don't

nor is it a DIY proposition

that's when the economies will be made and the cars will be wrecked

this isn't some low tech agricultural go on forever old V8 lump is it?

so different from the MGB

easy to maintain with no specialist input and no expensive parts either