Will the modern charger be a collectible ever?

[1974dodgecharger]

Just curious on opinions i used to know a handful of people who are saving the first super ee, first year srt, etc... With less than 2000 miles in storage.

[Indygenerallee]

I like the cars but I don't believe they will ever be that collectible. 

[1965gp]

It will- but nut to the extent a 2nd gen is.

For example- our 9 year old is dead set on getting a sublime Daytona like our old one the day she turns 16.

High school kid next door pulled up in a 06-10 RT with a SRT hood- I would bet when he is 45 he will want it back.

Still- I think there have been more made at higher quality so there will be more to choose from.

I would think similar to 3rd gen / 4th camaro/firebirds. Rare, special edition cars or rare colors will hold their value.

[Mike DC]

   
SRTs will probably have some collectability.   V6 cars will probably be parts donors.

Nothing made in the last 40 years will come near the muscle-era stuff in terms of collectability.  The circumstances just aren't the same. 

   

[polywideblock]

in 30 years time when all the 16 year olds are 46   they will be wanting  to relive their youth just as some of us have ,and they  will be looking to buy the "hot" cars from the old days (the one they couldn't afford back then)   

        so to some extent I say they will become collectable but only when they aren't common ,think how cheap and easy to get our cars were in the late 70's early 80's     that's how 2000 - 2010 cars are now to todays youth 

[ws23rt]

They may be saving something for their grandchildren but that storage must be kept up by someone over those years.  Some folks put these things in a shed and we know how that turns out.
A few examples of gems from the past may inspire the notion to have one of them when the future comes but what will they really have?   How well will the current cars survive time like the ones we talk about today?  
This is not a new thought and a look at history will show that a new car saved is a novelty and not an investment.

[Ghoste]

They could well be.  There could well be no fuel or an affordable way to own them by then too, who knows?  There was a time when the classic ones weren't collectible either.  As for saving them, I think thats a big waste, just get out and enjoy the car.
Ask the 25th Anniversary Vette buyers and last Cadillac convertible Eldorado buyers who stored them thinking they would get rich only to give up decades later to accept they were only worth what other used cars were.

[70 sublime]

It might be easy to go buy a brand new car and stick it in storage and hope it is worth more later
But why ??

You could take the same money $20-$30000 and buy a really cool vintage muscule car now and enjoy it now and have a better chance at it being worth more 10 15 20 years from now

[1965gp]

I agree- no reason to save them. Enjoy it, take care of it and hope it will be worth something in the end.

My dad and I have built our collection over the past 20 years  based on the theory that when a person gets to the point in life where they have disposable income they tend to splurge and want to relive their youth. Some guys buy a new corvette or mustang, others want what they remember.

In 2004 we bought a 79 Trans Am in solid driving condition for $1200 because it was still considered a 'trailer park Trans am'.

In 2008 we bought a 87 Saleen Mustang in the same condition- everything worked just worn for $2000.

67 Camaro RS convertible great shape $8k, 86 Iroc Z in mint condition $5k, 89 Turbo Trans Am Pace car $9k...

The list goes on and on- the fact is that these do just become used cars until you reach a point where people start to miss them and there are less on the road and the ones you see are in poor shape.

Two best examples are the fox body mustang and late third gen f bodies (GM). These cars were worth nothing. I had friends who literally could not give third gen GTA's away 10 years ago. Then at a cruise we saw a perfect red Iroc and we started thinking about how they had their own style, defined the 80's, blah blah blah. Now you are looking at 10k+ to get into a nice 87-92 third gen with desirable options. Same exact thing for the mustang- everyone moved on to the retro mustangs in '05 and forgot about the 5.0. Now you see restored examples showing up at cruises and an unmolested original 5 speed car is $8-15k

These cars will probably never be as popular as a 2nd gen charger- just too much history with that car to compete with. But a few years ago some might have said the same thing about the 3rd gen chargers- not near as rare or desirable (I turned down a nice one owner SE a few years ago for $4k) but now there is a significant market - and now aftermarket for them.

Like anything this hobby goes in cycles and like any investment will be effected by variables like the economy, interest rates, etc.

[myk]

   
SRTs will probably have some collectability.   V6 cars will probably be parts donors.

Nothing made in the last 40 years will come near the muscle-era stuff in terms of collectability.  The circumstances just aren't the same. 

   

THIS.  60's muscle cars developed a craze because people started to remember how they changed the world of cars forever; suddenly everyone had to have one since modern muscle cars in the 90's just didn't add up to the 60's.  Today, there's a thriving succession of generational muscle cars which means that nothing will ever be missed or forgotten. Take into consideration that our society is trained to focus on the newest and the shiniest there's no reason to develop a craze for last year's model.

That isn't to say that newer cars won't find loyal followers though.  Personally I love 90's Mustangs and F bodies and I know I'm not the only one...

[Ghoste]

And there was a car culture in the 60's unlike now, think of all the closed drag strips and multiple performance offerings from the Big Three.  Its easier for people to feel nostalgic for that.

[twodko]

There is no such thing as a modern Charger just
those 4 door sedans things. 

[Ghoste]

But there are Challengers, do the same answers apply to the question if its this car?  I think yes.

[moparnation74]

Any car has some value but they will not be valuable as the true classics.

Consider our economy.  The younger generations do not have access to well paying jobs as a majority.  For example, most of them rent a four bedroom house.  Then they rent rooms to their friends so they can maintain their lifestyles.   Even after that they still just maintain their lifestyles with little savings.  

In the end I enjoy my cars and love them.  To me they are not investments for retirement.  Over the years I have had family/friends pass away.  I have learned: Do not live for tomorrow live for today.

[ODZKing]

There's a modern Charger?   

[Lord Warlock]

They've made way too many of the new chargers to make the majority collectible.  A few special editions, the SRT8's and the hellcat charger will all be collected at one point, but there will be a long stretch where others will be able to find and collect the rare models as they depreciate.  The many will be the parts cars to keep the special ones around.  But I'm not expecting a return anywhere close to what the old muscle cars brought, A well optioned 2nd gen brings almost 10x its original sales price, the new chargers will be lucky to bring 1.5 times their price, after a 40+ year wait. 

I think the challengers will be more collected than the new chargers will be.  Maybe not to the same extent as the 60s cars were, but may be worth holding on to a few over the years.

The big difference today is that more people that own them have garages to store them in safely and out of the elements, and not shoved in a barn sitting on the dirt, or parked in a field.  The bad part is that far into the future, half of the electronics incorporated into the car will be out of date, difficult to find, and likely not working correctly.  It isn't like trying to tune a 440 with a carburetor and a distributor.  I'd expect the ecu's to go bad in 15 years, similar to the 90s car I kept so long.

[Ghoste]

The computers in the modern ones will be the tough part.

[Homerr]

Hellcat Charger = collectible
all other Chargers = parts cars for Hellcat Chargers

[Ghoste]

SRT's and Super Bee's will be too I think.  Perhaps even those Daytona ones.

[moparnation74]

Hellcat Charger = collectible
all other Chargers = parts cars for Hellcat Chargers

Agree completely! SRT's, super bees, Daytona's will carry the same values as the fox body saleens, cobra's, and SVT's from the 80's-90's, We love those rides but not everyone else does.

I cannot even imagine buying a new car and saying, "Let me store this because it will be more valuable than what I paid for it."  That is a pipe dream to utter disappointment.

[ramairthree]

I think each generation will see a surge of some collectability as middle age guys get the dream cars of their youth.
But that is a small market.

There is something special about that 64 to 74 decade though.

Part of it is the huge boomer age group and the dream cars of their youth.

But people older than that and far younger than that flock to the sweet cars of that era.

Yes, the average V6 Camry or Maxima will Eclipse will crush many of those cars, let alone the current RWD V8 coupes.

But there is a style, a spirit, something about that era of cars that has more collectability to it than any other decade.

[myk]

The computers in the modern ones will be the tough part.

I'm already having trouble in that area with my 90's muscle cars.  PCM's, BCM's and all of the various modules that micro manage the systems of a car that isn't really that different from its 60's predecessor are becoming more difficult and expensive to find. Not only that but small trim pieces are either discontinued or very expensive to purchase as NOS, 'repros or acceptable condition.  I can only imagine how things will be like for me and these cars in the coming years.

Why do I feel like its 1994 again as I searched for 69 Charger parts in vain?

[ramairthree]

Yeah, third gen B body parts compared to second gen, let alone 73/74 is rough !

[1965gp]

I agree there is something special about the 64-74 decade- could also include a few models just outside of that decade.

It was a fantastic time for America and the car industry.

We also have to thank Hollywood. They have used old muscle cars to personify the villains, hero's and overall cool characters in TV and movies for years.

I love the fact that the music videos my kids watch on nickelodeon are packed with 60's and 70's iron.

Just realized that the SRT8 charger has been in a few of those- maybe it will help its chances...

[myk]

Again, every car, no matter how seemingly insignificant will have a loyal following, no matter how small.  I have a friend who came of driving age around the late 70's, so in his mind a late 70's Charger/Cordoba would be his dream/throwback ride, and he would easily choose that over a 2nd 'Gen like mine...