Survey Results Show Where the Hobby Is- and Where Its Going

In November 2005, Hagerty Collector Network conducted our fourth annual hobby survey of collector car owners. Nearly 8,000 enthusiasts completed the web-based survey, sharing details about their attitudes, behaviors, aspirations and, most importantly, their cars. The Survey covered topics from maintenance and theft prevention to collector car use, driving habits and lifestyle interests.

We didn’t learn anything new in that collector car enthusiasts are actively involved in the hobby and spend considerable time and money on activities related to collector car ownership.

Mustang’s Still the One
With its retro styling cues and hefty horsepower, respondents voted this modern descendant of the iconic auto that launched the muscle car era as the vehicle that has remained most true to its roots.

Trusty Buyers
The survey also showed respondents’ brand loyalty in that Ford and Chevy collector car owners indicated they are more than 100 percent likely in both cases to purchase the same brand for their regular-use car. Just goes to show they continue to collect the cars they grew up loving.

Fiberglass Dreams
Respondents selected the always sexy and sensual Chevrolet Corvette as their most romantic model.

Quiet on the Set, Please
The survey also indicated that exotic and muscle car owners are far more likely than the general consumers to be influenced by movies in their car buying habits. Does this mean there’s a Corvette Summer sequel in our future?

Hail to the Victors!
Based on the results of the survey, Michigan – not California or Florida – ranks as the state with the most collector car owners.

Trumped Up
If money were no object, the majority of those surveyed claim they wouldn’t buy a hot rod or even an exotic. They’d opt for a muscle car.

How Cool Is That?
And those owners in cooler regions claim to drive their vehicles more often than hobbyists from warmer climates. Snow tires for all of my Duesenbergs!

Fill ’Er Up
Not surprisingly, the dedicated collector car hobbyists overwhelmingly reported that the recent surge in fuel prices had NO impact on how much – or how little – they drive their collector cars. Those thunderstorms on the horizon, though, are another matter entirely.

Looney Tuners
Based on the survey responses, owners of kit cars, tuner cars and lowriders – rather than owners of high-end Ferraris, Lamborghinis, Bugattis or Packards – were most apt to own the largest total number of collector vehicles.

Welcome to Cyber Space
Finally, 2005 survey respondents nearly doubled the use of online markets for buying and selling their collector cars compared to results from Hagerty’s 2003 survey, thus, showing a rise in the importance of electronic media to the hobby.

More results compiled from the 2005 Hagerty Collector Network Hobby Survey can be viewed in the “Surveys & Results” section of the website.