You can still make decent money buying a car today, the Germans have chosen statistically the hottest candidates for a good buy

Having a car that you can drive and still make money from it sounds like an impossible dream. But it can come true, you just need to reach for one of the older famous cars, whose price drop has already stopped. And you often get a better ride than with the current production.

In the case of most cars, especially mainstream cars, you have to expect that as soon as you sign the purchase contract, their value will start to decrease. And the more often you get behind the wheel, the worse it is for you. A run-in has the same effect on its price as, for example, a scratched body or an interior full of greasy stains. However, even if you keep it short, park it in the garage and don’t let the kids in the back seats breathe slowly, the residual value is going down anyway.

Of course, this does not always apply, even among the available cars there are exceptions, on the contrary, you can make money. However, you need to choose carefully and often be lucky. In this regard, after all, I myself remember the BMW 525ix Touring, which I once came to as a violin blind. At the time, I didn’t even want the Munich station wagon, which was the first and only version of the 5 series equipped with all-wheel drive – it was just left to me somehow. What was my surprise when I soon found out that it was one of the rarest BMWs ever.

I drove this car for about a year, after which it went to a new owner for a price that was a hair higher than what I originally paid. I could be happy, but today I rather blame the sale. If I had somewhere to store the 525ix Touring, it would currently earn me roughly a quarter of a million crowns. The E34 generation, just like the previous E12 version, is one of the youngtimers that are increasing in value the most. You only have a sporadic chance of getting below 10,000 Euros (approx. 245,000 CZK).

This is not the only BMW that can become a good investment. You can also make money on the 3 series, especially the E30 and E36 generations. However, it should be remembered that there were far more of these cars than the former 5 series. This means that interested parties have a better choice and can thus push the price more. So, while the aforementioned five enjoyed at most a few soap operas during that year, in the case of Series 3, much more attention needs to be paid to maintenance. At the same time, the raid must be kept in check.

However, once you do everything right, you can count on a price not falling below 10,000 Euros for cars that are at least thirty years old. For the 36- to 38-year-olds, you can even count on an amount of around 17,662 Euros (approx. 433,000 CZK), which is even higher than for the same old 5 Series. The problem, however, is that these are specimens that are already quite susceptible to corrosion. As soon as you do not have a garage ready for them, then the price may not rise, but on the contrary, it will fall.

Before moving on to other manufacturers, let’s say a few words about the E46 generation. It is already starting to become a modern classic, while the first relatively steep growth is practically behind the door. What is interesting is that this version should also score points with diesels under the hood. The power units meet the Euro 4 emission standard without the need for any further modification. So they only have problems in a few cities. But the legendary petrol M3 will of course grow the most.

The Mazda MX-5 is another shaver, which may come as a bit of a surprise. The Japanese roadster is the best-selling sports car in the world, so its value should stagnate as much as possible. This is precisely why selection is extremely important in this case, 26- to 28-year-old pieces are a safe bet. Therefore, you should only focus on specimens from the end of production of the first generation, the value of which increased by 75 percent to 10,506 Euros (about 258,000 CZK).

However, the same old Mercedes-Benz E class has improved much more, the average price of EUR 11,795 (approx. CZK 289,000) refers to a 160 percent increase in value. If you no longer have the W124 generation to purchase, you can consider its successor. The E-Class W210 is sold for half the price, but according to assumptions, it could even cost three times more than it does now in the next four to six years. Those interested, however, place great emphasis on the excellent condition of the engines.

For such a Porsche 911, the increase in value is probably not surprising, but again it should be noted that this does not happen automatically in all cases. In addition, more than any other car that we mention, the origin of the components that you use for repairs or renovations, for example, matters. As long as they are not original, you can talk about a lower price not only when you buy them, but also when you sell the car afterwards.

Moreover, it is not the only thing that is extremely important. Cars with air-cooled engines are mainly increasing in value, for example with the end of production of the 993 generation there is currently a 142 percent increase to 122,808 Euros (about 3,012,000 CZK). However, once you upgrade to the 996, you’ll need less than half. In the case of early specimens, it tends to decrease, in contrast to the later ones, when many flies have already been caught.

We are in the finals, with the Volkswagen Golf. At the same time, perhaps surprisingly, it is not only the GTI versions that are increasing in price, but also the basic models. At the same time, it is mainly about the third or fourth generation, which, moreover, in the context of the classics mentioned above, can be purchased relatively cheaply, for an average of 2,500 Euros (approx. 61,000 CZK). However, once the pieces in question have been in operation for roughly 30 years, suddenly we can talk about more than three times the sums.

As an investment, the M3 E30 is a safe bet, but it is already very expensive. Photo: BMW

The older MX-5 doesn’t look bad, it drives well and it can even make you money, you can buy it today for a pittance. Photo: Mazda

The price of the Mercedes W124 is going up like crazy. Photo: Mercedes-Benz

With an air-cooled 911, you can’t even step next to it. Photo: Porsche

The Golf is a bit of a surprise in the given selection, especially since it’s not just the GTI version that climbs up. Photo: Volkswagen

The same goes for its fourth generation. Photo: Volkswagen

Source: Focus

Petr Prokopec

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