Graph of the Week: Hagerty Hundred Index 2007-15
The Hagerty Hundred Index is calculated using the #2 condition value of the 100 most insured postwar cars at Hagerty by year, make and model. These include popular high-volume, lower cost classics like the 1965 Mustang, 1967 GTO or 1974 Beetle. It is a useful tool for looking at the bigger picture of the classic car market rather than just top-tier million dollar collectibles.
As the graph shows, the index value hasn’t moved much other than a sharp increase in 2007 and a sharp decline in 2010. In fact, from 2007 to 2015 it has only moved around $1,000. This doesn’t account for inflation, nor does it account for inevitable maintenance costs, registration fees and fill-ups at the gas station. These higher volume bread and butter classics have remained static compared to the bigger movers in the market that we’ve seen recently.
While the rapid rise of some segments of the market may lead some to believe that classic cars in general have been great investments, that doesn’t apply to the typical owner. It turns out that the average classic car owner is still in the hobby not for investment or financial consideration but purely out of passion for the car itself.
