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Who’s Buying These Popular Classics?
By nature of production numbers, cost, and cultural significance, some collector cars are just more popular than others. We can measure popularity through insurance and quote activity, and it’s interesting to see not just which vehicles are popular, but who they’re popular with.
The most straightforward way to divvy up the collector car-buying public is by age demographics, and people ask us all the time what younger enthusiasts are interested in. We looked at some of the classic car market’s most popular makes and models, from Porsche 911 to Jeep CJ, and came up with the chart below to show how they stack up with younger buyers compared to the market as a whole.
“Young” in this instance probably includes a few too many gray hairs, but the 60-and-under cohort (those born after 1965, the start of Gen X) of buyers makes up 64% of buyer interest across all vehicles, and this share is growing. Their preferences, then, have implications for the market’s future. Their 64% share is shown in the middle line through the graph. Cars measuring above it skew toward younger buyers; those measuring below it skew toward older buyers.
When it comes to their interests in long-running popular makes and models, there are some wider trends and some surprises. In general, the newer the vehicles get, the more popular they are with younger buyers. For example, a 2016–24 Camaro has a younger fan base than the first-gen 1967–69 version. But this trend is by no means universal. Sticking with the Camaro for a moment, the version that skews the youngest is the third generation. With a 1982–92 build date and an average condition #2 (“excellent”) value of over $23K, it’s neither the newest nor the cheapest version of Chevy’s pony car. There are some odd exceptions like this throughout the chart.
With Jeeps, the very early CJ-2A and CJ-3 have more of a military connection, so they skew older. The more usable ones from the CJ-5 and later skew a lot younger, especially the early Wranglers. Mustangs, meanwhile, show noticeable variability. The 1965–68 cars are plentiful, relatively affordable, and embedded in American culture, so they skew young for a car of that era. The car that skews the youngest of all is the later Fox-body built from 1987 to ’93, which isn’t shocking, but the Mustang that skews the oldest is the fairly new 2005–14 model, which is a bit curious.
There are interesting differences between make and model, too. Compared to all the other vehicles, Corvette skews the oldest by far. Even the fast and affordable newer ones like the C5 (1997–2004) and C6 (2005–13) skew older. The C2 has the oldest fan base on the whole chart, but this shouldn’t be too surprising given its age as well as the fact that it’s the most expensive generation of Corvette, with an average #2 value of $212K and a median value of over $100K. That said, 911s are expensive as well, and while most versions of the Porsche skew older than the market average, it skews noticeably younger than the typically more attainable Vette, almost across the board.
So, not every older car is more popular with the oldest enthusiasts, and not every newer car is more popular with younger ones. And while data like this can’t predict the future, it does suggest which vehicles will remain the most relevant in the market in the years to come.
So all the jokes about tucked in button-ups with shorts and New Balance shoes over calf-high white socks was actually statistically based?
Corvette owners got to have good shoes and Jorts!
Well the truth is this.
C1 are collectors older and seldom driven
C2 mostly collectors and driven limitedly
C3 Early cars collectors and later cars people buying what they can afford.
C4 people wanting newer but still can go a C5 price in good condition and reject a C5 in bad condition.
C5 they are younger and into modifying. These are LS fans. Lots of track time guys. Not Corvette Club members.
C6 cost a bit more so they are older but a segment of modified guys that are younger.
C7 is mostly old owners with New Balance and they go to Corvette meeting and play Corn Hole. If you asked how they fixed something they will give you the number of their mechanic.
They are the sock guys.
I expect the C7 prices to drop in the next ten years as most will have to stop driving or will be dead.
C8 is mostly younger and richer and many are not traditional Vette owners. New blood
Agree….. What I don’t understand is why are the C8s dropping in price so fast? A 2021 recently sold on BaT for $54k
This is all pretty much common sense.
Younger people have less money most times so they will go for the most affordable and also the most value cars.
Like the Mustang there are a ton of older ones out there and people will go with the gen that has the best value in performance as well price.
Same in Vettes etc.
The 911 that is a really distorted market. The older cars are lower volume so they are the most valuable. The lighter special cars like a RS even more value. The later SC and 3.2 are lighting up prices right now as they are still a bit affordable but now tuner companies are buying them up and even built in larger volumes they are going up with greater demand.
Next add to it if the 911 is a California car it pushes it over the top value wise. Rust is a killer.
Then you have the water cooled. The prices are down but repairs are more complicated and expensive so it scares off some younger buyers.
THe later front engine LS cars, Hemi cars and Mustangs can be bought used for a reasonable price. Generally cheaper than the collector cars that are very over priced in many cases.
I would note I have seen some of the older cars like base Chevelle’s etc. selling on bring a trailer and other sites with good bodies but no engine and they need paint and interiors. They may be $9K but paint engine and interior still add up to more than a restored car in many cases. .
Later cars also do not intimidate younger due to computers. They are into re tuning. Older owners like to have more analog cars.
Jeeps as a whole are any age.
I’ve been roaring into our Cars and Coffee (bikes too) on my Softail Deuce rather than any of my Corvettes, even though I’ve owned Corvettes since 1978, just to avoid the old man Corvette thing. Don’t hear too much snickering about my Harley. I’ve been riding those since 1980. Hey, old men, get your heads out of your butts and do something different. Your fashions and old man habits have gone too far. Yes, I’m old too. Don’t wear shorts, neither.