These Classic Cars Were Hot, Now Prices Have Taken A Hit. Is It Time To Buy?

Not long ago, certain classic cars were appreciating like Bay Area real estate in the early 2010s. But as Gen X collectors age out, boomers clean house, and younger buyers chase different vibes, the tide has turned for some once-scorching classics. This isn’t a market crash; it’s a reality check more than anything else. Classic cars haven’t suddenly turned worthless, but prices are cooling — especially for models that surged during the pandemic or ones with maintenance bills that read like ransom notes.

Thanks to recent data from market trackers like Hagerty, looking at price changes over the past year concluding in early 2025, we can see which enthusiast favorites have stumbled. While the most significant percentage drop might be something akin to a multi-million dollar 1959 Ferrari 250 GT LWB California Spider Comp. (which fell an estimated 47% but still commands around $10 million), this list focuses on six classic cars that have seen notable price adjustments and are now potentially more within reach for the average enthusiast. 

With new and used car prices only climbing, these depreciated classics are looking mighty enticing. So is it time to buy? For these models, it just might be. They’re still cool and finally, maybe, within budget.

Once the poster child of 1980s motorsport cool, the BMW E30 M3 became unobtainium during the collector car craze. But after peaking at eye-watering numbers, with some auctions finishing in six figures on the high end, average prices have dipped nearly 9% over the past year. Clean examples are now hovering around $65,700. Still expensive, sure, but that’s a drop from its nosebleed peaks.

Why the adjustment? Well, there’s only so much room to climb — with Munich Legends’ Dan Norris putting it, “The market has flattened after collectors pushed prices to a peak…” The E30 M3 remains a bona fide legend, but its analog charm now competes with more modern, livable alternatives that still carry the M badge at a lower price. 

For those chasing the purest expression of the Ultimate Driving Machine, though, the drop makes the E30 M3 an arguably smarter buy. It’s still raw. Still box-flared. Still howls like it’s training for DTM racing. But now, it does all that with a slightly more reasonable price attached. The classic car price correction has spoken — and the M3’s ego took a gentle, deserved reality check.

The Datsun 240Z has long been a darling of the classic car world, riding a wave of Japanese Domestic Market appreciation that pushed values sky high. But in 2025, things cooled off. Prices have slipped over 9%, with clean drivers now averaging around $24,000. That’s still not cheap, but it’s noticeably more affordable than the heights of two years ago.

So what changed? Mostly a flood of supply, now that these classics can be imported from overseas. Suddenly, the once-rare 240Z is showing up with frequent-flyer miles. Between imports, restomods, stateside survivors, and a few too many backyard “projects,” the 240Z market was a little bloated. Add in the new Nissan Z grabbing attention, wallets, and just enough nostalgia with a warranty attached — the original Z is no longer the only game in town.

Still, the 240Z remains iconic. That long nose. The spiritual blend of Japanese reliability and European grand tourer design. It’s a car you buy with your heart, now with a 9% discount.

The 1966 Mustang with the 289-cubic-inch V8 engine is a cultural touchstone. Affordable, handsome, and as American as putting mayonnaise on grilled cheese. But its price? That’s become more reasonable lately. With an average value of just over $20,000, these classic cars have dropped around 11% in the past year.

It’s not that the Mustang isn’t loved anymore — it’s that too many exist. The market is saturated with restored driver-quality examples. And as boomers downsize or pass the keys to younger generations, many are realizing the Mustang’s nostalgia doesn’t pay dividends like it used to.

Still, the Mustang remains an icon. It’s easy to own, easy enough to wrench on, has great aftermarket parts support, and sounds dang good doing laps around your local Cars & Coffee. If you’ve always wanted one but balked at rising prices, now might be the best shot in a decade. For under $25,000, you could own the car that launched an era — just budget for gas and all that time talking to strangers at the gas station about your car.

The Lotus Esprit V8 once played the part of an exotic on a budget, with sleek lines, mid-engine mystique, and a soundtrack provided by twin turbos. But in early 2025, prices for this fiberglass fever dream fell around 13%, dropping average values into the low $40,000s. What happened? Reality, mostly.

Buyers are waking up to the fact that a low volume British supercar is, surprise, expensive to maintain. Parts support can be tricky. Labor can be worse. And that exotic badge doesn’t magically pay your mechanic when something plastic cracks behind the dash. Still, if you’re the kind of person who enjoys wrenching (or at least Googling where to source new old stock parts), this is a rare chance to get into a legit supercar for its time, and for C8 Corvette money.

The Esprit’s price drop doesn’t mean it’s bad. It means the market overshot. Now, it’s corrected. And for the right kind of enthusiast, that’s a very affordable classic car with poster appeal and real deal cred.

I regret to inform you that 2003 was, in fact, 22 years ago. This explains why your back hurts and why that once-new Mini featured in the remake of “The Italian Job” now qualifies as a classic car, whether you’re ready to accept it or not. The early R53 Mini Cooper S — the one with the Eaton supercharger, chrome toggle switches, and go-kart handling — is finally getting cheap again. Prices have dropped 16.5% on average, bringing driver-quality examples into sub-$10,000 territory.

Why? Because the Mini of this era had a certain provenance — and not exactly a glamorous one. More often than not, it belonged to that weird neighbor down the way, the one whose car was always covered in oddly specific bumper stickers like “Ask Me About My Ferrets.” Plus, reliability was never its strong suit — and with everything crammed under that tiny hood, working on one feels less like turning wrenches and more like performing surgery through a mail slot. When the power steering pump costs a decent percentage of the car’s value, buyers start to hesitate.

But the Mini’s appeal hasn’t vanished. It’s still one of the most fun front-wheel-drivers ever made. The sharp steering, tidy dimensions, and blower whine make it a riot on back roads or autocross pads. And now that prices have dropped? It’s one of the most affordable classic cars with actual personality — as long as you’re okay budgeting for a few spontaneous repairs.

The Volvo Amazon, known officially as the 122, has long lived in the classic car margins: seemingly too quirky for mainstream collectors but too old for the Radwood crowd. But in the first quarter of 2025, this boxy Swede took a nosedive, with prices down a whopping 24%. Average examples now hover in the high teens — and that includes tidy runners with a hint of patina. But this is Swedish patina, not rust, but that charming kind of wear that feels more like a well loved Ikea couch than a tetanus risk.

Why the plunge? Simply, the entry-level classic car market is shifting. Younger buyers are eyeing 1980s or newer Japanese or German options, not boxy sedans that remind them of their grandparents’ allergy meds or trips out to summer camp. Plus, the Volvo’s modest power and plain looks haven’t helped it compete in a trendy era of widebodies and flashy vinyl wraps.

But for the right buyer, the Amazon’s appeal is timeless. It’s sturdy, it’s stylish in a Scandinavian kind of way, and it’s one of the few vintage rides you can daily without invoking divine intervention. If you’re tired of overpriced Beetles and British rustbuckets, a cheap Amazon might be the most affordable way to own something truly unique.