Once somewhat mundane cars that filled the roads of the streets suddenly became collectibles and sold for tens of thousands of dollars. Cars like vintage Toyota pickups, Honda Accords, and Acura Legends that our grandparents drove have become the focus of attention for many car collectors.
For example, as mentioned in the NYT article, a 40-year-old four-door Honda Accord went for a fantastic auction on the website Bring a Trailer. The initial price of this car was 2100 dollars. On the second day, bids for this car already exceeded $10,000. And on the last day of the seven-day auction, bids for this car exceeded $21,000.
But Why did Those Mundane Old Hondas Toyotas Suddenly Become so Popular?
The answer to this question may lie in people’s nostalgia for these cars. After all, people didn’t care too much about middle-class vehicles, so it was much easier to find a Ferrari from the 80s and 90s in good condition than a Honda Civic or Accord. Therefore, the number of these cars in good quality is minimal.
When collectors have the opportunity to buy a given car in its original condition, they do it without hesitation; they try not to lose the chance to purchase it.
Another good reason collectors hunt for these cars may be that they once belonged to their families, or they could not afford them because of their high price when they were new, such as the Acura Legend Coupe, etc.
If you want to learn something about such an exotic car as the Lamborghini Diablo, you will find enough information on the Internet. But not much can be heard about Toyota Tercel 80-90 years. That is why so many people gather around such cars.
What are these car models so hard to get now?
A few decades ago, such cars could stand in every yard; now, they are challenging to get.
● Acura Legend
The Honda Legend first debuted on the car market in 1985 as the Accura legend. At that time, it was one of the most luxurious cars because it contained modern technologies such as electric windows and cruise control. Also, this car was one of the first to have airbags.
This car was available as a sedan or coupe. This had never happened before; the car was stuffed with everything. Luxury, comfort, performance, and most importantly, all this at an affordable price.
If you chose the coupe, you got the 2.7L v6, and if you went for the sedan, you got the 2.5L v6.
● Honda Civic CRX
A small passenger car whose primary purpose was to save fuel – Honda CRX was introduced in 1984. This car became popular among young drivers who were looking for an easily accessible but at the same time stylish car.
However, due to the appearance of new, more stylish Honda cars such as the Civic del Sol, the popularity of the CRX began to decline. Eventually, the CRX came back more as a collector’s car.
● Acura NSX
The Honda NSX is known as the Acura NSX in combined guises and was introduced in 1990. It were sports car that had a v6 engine with all-wheel drive. They were supposed to compete with the Porsche 911 and Ferrari 348.
● Toyota Celica
A small sports car in demand among young people was – Toyota Celica. This car was first introduced in 1971 and was available in two bodies: a coupe and a convertible.
The Toyota Celica was not intended as a mass-produced car, but the car was so popular with the public that it won Motor Trend’s Import Car of the Year in 1974, 1976, and 1977.
● Toyota Supra
The last car on our list is the Toyota Supra. This collectible car was introduced in 1984. The first generation of this model was known as the Celica Supra, as it has a lot in common with the Toyota Celica.
In the second generation, specific external changes took place, but everything remained as it was in the mechanics.
The Toyota Supra we all know was formed in as many as three generations. It was a real breakthrough in the automotive industry, a 3-liter in-line six-cylinder engine with a more than 200 hp capacity.
What is the point of this story?
Cars, as well as everything else, begin to appreciate when we lose them. And their retro look is becoming increasingly popular, and getting them is more complex and harder, like old wine. And since they are increasingly difficult to find, the average price increases accordingly.
Therefore, if you plan to buy these Toyota or Honda cars from the 80s and 90s, you should hurry while the American market for these cars is still relatively small.
Dennis Watkinson is a founder of the Honda Car Review platform. He devoted his whole life to repairing Honda cars. Now Denis shares his experience and knowledge, thanks to which maintenance and use of Honda automobiles can be a pleasure.