The end of classic cars??

[JohnH]

The OP is correct though, very hard to see anything coming out that you'd say "I'm deffo going to have one of those" the more mainstay cars are getting, the more humdrum they are becoming in my opinion.

Is that not always the way it goes? 10 years ago e30s (incl m3s) were cheap as they were mainly seen as old cars.

Every car goes through a phase where it's an undesirable old car only to start to gain some appreciation after a couple of years before becoming recognised as a classic.

Right now I think the E36 is probably starting to be appreciated again and is creeping up in value and the e46 is heading into the old car phase where most people wouldn't touch them. I'm still keeping the m3 though.

[RossYB]

Is that not always the way it goes? 10 years ago e30s (incl m3s) were cheap as they were mainly seen as old cars.

Every car goes through a phase where it's an undesirable old car only to start to gain some appreciation after a couple of years before becoming recognised as a classic.

Right now I think the E36 is probably starting to be appreciated again and is creeping up in value and the e46 is heading into the old car phase where most people wouldn't touch them. I'm still keeping the m3 though.

Agree... How many Mk1 Escorts were blocking ditchs in the late 90s? Now look at prices!
E30 has hit classic, E36 is appreciating, E46 are still on a downslope.

Can a current modern car be a classic? Something like a new Fiesta ST200 will be and you'll have a normal few Fiestas mixed in.

[318is-joe]

Is that not always the way it goes? 10 years ago e30s (incl m3s) were cheap as they were mainly seen as old cars.

Every car goes through a phase where it's an undesirable old car only to start to gain some appreciation after a couple of years before becoming recognised as a classic.

Right now I think the E36 is probably starting to be appreciated again and is creeping up in value and the e46 is heading into the old car phase where most people wouldn't touch them. I'm still keeping the m3 though.

It's a fair point

What I'm trying to say is that I don't think there is as much of a difference between a new mondeo today and a base 3 series. The BMW has a badge that has quality and a legacy of good cars behind it, but there was a vast difference in build quality and longevity if you take an E30 and it's counter day Sierra for example.

It's all cost and profit driven by the manufacturers, and they seem to be centering to a centre of moderate quality (good enough) / and maximum profit, and maybe they will be a classic in someones eyes in the future, but it will be for different reasons than for the qualities we probably assign classic status to today.
Maybe I'm just getting old....
In my twenties, I always had a car I wanted next, I knew exactly the model, the version and the options I'd like - nowadays unless your stumping up for something special, it's much of a muchness. But that's just my opinion.

I've been in E39's for the best part of 15 years, I've hired shitloads of cars of varying "opulence (and some were base crap, but some were not)" in Europe and UK as needed, and even today when I sit in my E39 at the airport, it feels a bit special. That's the bit I think is gone from new stuff.

[Curran]

In 15 years time, when the majority are pottering around in electric cars, anything BMW produce in the next few years, or have produced even since the E39 / E38 / E36(46) era will feel, at least somewhat, special!

[rebel.ranter]

I don't think the electronics or coding will be the limiting factor in determining whether a car will be a collectible or not. In fact I would go as far as to say that it might be the very reason cars will be a collectible. Think about two things here, firstly I remember when I had my e30 people were afriad that the technology had gone too far and that tings like the service indicator lights were out there technology! Secondly techno geeks have been collecting old electronics for years, like the Apple 2 for example.

The bigger problem will be the biodegradable plastics and the associated laws are what will kill the cars prematurely. They are literally going to be more and more disposable.