white98ls
Seasoned Member
Agree with some of this and disagree with others.Most youtubers are just cranking out videos that they think the algorithm wants - and a lot of people click on those 'which car will be collectible' videos. The actual content of the video is a secondary concern.
My take
1. Will the 5 Blackwing be as collectable as the manual CTS-V Wagon? No. The production numbers are already higher and the V-Wagon has more of an X-Factor in terms of it being an American High Performance Manual Wagon. The car media coverage on that thing was wall to wall even upon release in a way the Blackwing has not been. I thought Doug was insane for saying he didn't think it would be collectable; it checks all the obvious boxes so long as you aren't inherently brand-biased against Cadillac.
2. What current cars will be collectables? I am going to get annihilated for this, but I'd suspect it's going to be quirky or record-breaking electric cars like the Lucid Air Sapphire, Rivian R1T, Rimac Nevera and ugh, the Cybertruck. Why? Because they're not selling in large numbers, at least two of those companies will no longer exist, and its what today's teenagers will be after when they're middle-aged. Just don't worry about the batteries, lol.
3. Buying cars just to collect them keeps them out of the hands of enthusiasts who will drive them. Can they just not invest in stocks or crypto instead and let us enjoy the cars?
On the v2 wagon vs. 5BW, it's hard to say which one will be more sought-after. I slightly lean to the wagon, but the 5BW being the last manual V8 sedan after the MT took a generation off - and being an all-around great car like the v2 wagon - has some real value. However, a cherry v2 manual wagon will probably always be worth the most due to rarity and just batshit craziness.
I really doubt an R1T or Cybertruck will ever be collectible due to production numbers. I'm heavily influenced by living in the heart of Silicon Valley, but these are both EVERYWHERE. They've already built 32k R1Ts and counting, and don't forget the R1S is similar. The others, I'm not sure. I've heard the Nevera isn't selling well. I think it will be harder for EVs to carve a collector niche simply because powertrain-wise they are almost like computers - newer ones are going to just be better without sacrificing any "character". Vs. ICE cars where a new version might be faster and technically superior, but it might have turbos, AWD, auto-only, heavier, etc.
Agreed on the last one. Once storage, maintenance, insurance and other costs are factored in, few cars have beaten the S&P 500, which you can trade in the click of a button. I guess index funds aren't as cool to have during the ownership period as a car, but yes collecting for the sake of value/appreciation is annoying. It's a machine, not a gold bar.