Classic Classified: 1987 Buick GNX

From: Hemmings Motor News
Date: March 1989
Price then: $35,000 ($67,300 adjusted for inflation, about the cost of a new 2015 Chevrolet Corvette Z51 today)
Price now: $54,400 – $122,000
Approximate dollar difference: $54,700 (assuming No. 1 condition)
Annual rate of return: 2.3%

Buick: GNX, #304, perfect car, 90 miles. $35,000

The Buick GNX is probably one of the most sinister looking American cars to come out of the 1980s and also happens to be one of the most collectible. The turbocharged V-6 and McLaren-developed suspension proved to everyone that despite emission and fuel economy regulations, you could still buy a fun and fast car. With only 547 produced, these cars became instant collectibles. Many were driven just enough to give the owner a power fix before they were shoved into a garage to sit. Luckily these cars have appreciated over time, but when you consider the cost to store and maintain the car, the modest return on investment doesn’t put you very far into the black.