Classic Classified: 1989 Pontiac Trans Am 20th Anniversary
Classic Classified: 1989 Pontiac Trans Am 20th Anniversary
From: Hemmings Motor News
Date: March 1989
Price then: $39,500 ($76,200 adjusted for inflation, about the cost of a new 2015 Chevrolet Camaro Z/28 today)
Price now: $16,000 – $48,000
Approximate dollar difference: $28,200 (assuming No. 1 condition)
Annual rate of return: -1.6%
1989 Trans-Am 20th anniversary. Intercooled Turbocharged 3.8-liter, 250hp, 0-60 MPH just over 5 seconds, all options including T-tops and leather interior, $39,500 or best offer above MSRP.
The turbo 3.8-liter V-6 did not die with the 1987 Grand National. In 1989, that famous powertrain reappeared in the Trans Am for its 20th birthday. While MSRP was suggested at around $30,000, this example proves that demand was high enough at the time to warrant a premium. In hindsight, was this car a solid investment? Nope! Plenty of exceptional examples can be found today for close to sticker price (before adjusting for inflation). Factoring storage, registration, insurance and maintenance costs over 27 years shows that being first in line for an instant collector doesn’t always pay off.
