These Four Pickups and SUVs Got More Expensive This Summer
Nobody should be surprised that classic trucks and SUVs, particularly 4x4s, continue to gain popularity as collectibles. Having a pickup for its utility or a 4×4 SUV to take on off-road adventures can make a lot of sense for buyers looking for a second or third vehicle—they meet needs that daily drivers simply cannot. When our valuation team tallied up the new updates to the Hagerty Price Guide, a few familiar favorites were among the list of those that increased in value the most. Here are the top four that have posted the biggest gains, based on the percentage, since this spring.
1994-1996 Ford Bronco XL
Average increase in #2 value: 25 percent
Full-size, two-door sport utilities aren’t built anymore, but they offer a great mix of maneuverability, cargo capacity, and four-person seating when needed. It’s everything people love about two-door hatchbacks but with 4×4 capability. Well, that and the fuel economy that goes with a larger rig with four driven wheels. Regardless, the last of Ford’s full-size Broncos are great examples. They offered roomy cabins and rugged drivetrains with reliable Windsor V-8s in 302- and 351-cubic-inch varieties. Their recent price increase reflects the base model XLs becoming every bit as desirable as their more luxurious XLT brethren. The added power lumbar seats, leather-wrapped steering wheel, and cruise control aren’t as important as getting behind the wheel the last of the breed.
1989-1993 Dodge Ram W250 and W350 Turbodiesel
Average increase in #2 value: 25 percent
All these years later, we’re still in the midst of the diesel power wars that were kicked off in 1989 when Dodge dropped the massive, bulletproof 5.9-liter Cummins turbodiesel into its 3/4- and 1-ton trucks. Those trucks have devoted fans, as buyers appreciate the simple mechanical injection pump and no-nonsense reliability of an early ’90s diesel. These pickups don’t have much in the way of creature comforts, but buyers are willing to pay a pretty penny for them, and it’s all because of the powertrain. A comparable 4×4 3/4-ton Dodge with a 360 V-8 will bring less than half the price.
1966-1977 Ford Bronco
Average increase in #2 Value: 18 percent
First-generation Ford Broncos were one of the first classic 4x4s to kick off the collectibility of vintage SUVs, and their prices have climbed up dramatically in the last several years. Their recent uptick is more of a correction, as they dipped a bit this spring when the market softened. They’re still down a bit year-over-year, but it wasn’t a surprise to see them bounce back as their classic lines continue to be popular for collectors who want a showroom original or a top-of-the-line restomod.
1971 Chevrolet El Camino SS 396
Increase in #2 Value: 17 percent
El Caminos have long been an affordable way to sneak into the muscle car scene, but it seems like collectors might have finally realized just how cool these car-based utility vehicles are. The 1971 El Camino used a new grille and fascia that’s almost identical to the 1972 that would follow it and close out the generation that began in 1968. For collectors, the downside of the 1971 El Camino is that it’s not a 1970 model, which had the distinct, one-year-only quad-headlight fascia which is generally regarded as more desirable. There were still two big-block options in 1971, although the legendary, 450hp LS6 454 was no longer on the table and SAE net ratings were taking a toll on power numbers. Still, an SS 396 (actually 402 cubic inches) was no slouch. If you’re considering one of Chevy’s muscular utes, you may want to hurry.
When I was a teenager still riding the bus to school, there was a Bronco parked on the side street next to the bus stop with the bottoms of the fenders rusted out so bad that they literally flapped in the breeze. This was the early dawn of my tinkering days, but even then it was neat, but looked like too much of a headache to mess with.
I have learned from my 72 F350 that most of the rust is induced by poor design decisions on how body panels interconnect (too many horizontal flat surfaces) combined with absence of draining. This is not something addressable by a straight restoration, and I would probably continue to avoid them today unless I found one in survivor condition like my 72 and did some sheet metal modifications
No designer in the ’60s and ’70s was concerned with rust-out or longevity. OEMs wanted you to buy a new rig every five-or-less years, and expected their vehicles to end up in the junk heap well before those fenderwells corroded through.
Amen to that!✔️
But when compared to some of the models that followed and current, they still weathered exceptionally well. My neighbor has a 2012 f150 that has nearly rusted away frame and all. Like you, I have a 70’s ford, 78 to be exact. Still tons more solid than the neighbors. His is now parked in the weeds and I drive mine daily.
I bought a 1974 F250 Supercab in 1980. Only 6 years old and it already had 48″ of rust in the rockers and both front floors were gone. I called it the Flintstone mobile. I moved to AZ with that truck in 1984. Shortly after I moved here the cab fell onto the frame when the body mount gave way from severe rust.
I bought a 2004 Ram/Cummins new and still have it. No rust at all, and I have used it to pull a trailer through some hellacious midwestern storms. It’s never seen salt, that’s what keeps it so nice.
I spray the underside of my 68 f250 with used oil, it doesn’t see winter either
Just can’t keep oil in those old 272/312 engines! 20 mpg and 5 qts oil per 100 miles! 🙂
Those were the Y block engines which were phased out in the Mid 60’s By 68 it would have had an FE engine 352-360-390-406-410-428 likely missed some based big blocks or the small block Windsor based engine in V-8 power and If I recall some still ordered in in line 6 engines. The Y blocks you mention did have their problems but oil usage was not normally one of them. Any engine can have that problem with enough wear or with broken rings and lands. Had a 318 Mopar that the rings were worn to almost nothing that had the problem. Bought a 390 ford that had busted rings and ring lands on almost every piston. It had previously been rebuilt with lots of cylinder taper likely causing the problem. Boring to .030 over with new pistons and that thing used no oil at all. The 318 was rebuilt back in the 70’s and still resides in a 55 Studebaker that has seen many many miles since and still uses no oil any more.
I have a272 and 2 312s.
None burn or leak oil.you need to get some work done on your engines..
OR, sell them to me.
I bought a 1975 International Scout, new. Had a 345 ci V8. Lots of torque. Took the top off and it made the perfect beach cruiser in Texas. For those not familiar. In Texas you can drive the full length of Texas shore line for FREE! With a few exceptions like Galveston.
Love to have one again.
My 1973 Scout was bought new by my dad. It has 85k miles. I would like to see how the Scout value has held up and compares to the Bronco. More rare.
And SpaceX’s property in Boca Chica! 🙂
Some actual dollar amounts would help to see what 25% increase looks like for instance. Was it $6k and now it’s $7.5k? Or was it $100k and now it’s $125k? These things are more helpful.
I agree. Without some dollar amounts these stories are not very informative.
There are links to the current Hagerty Price Guide values for every vehicle mentioned here.
These are trucks? Where does the lumber go?
If you can’t put a sheet of drywall in the bed, it’s not a truck
I had a 2 door 99 Chevy Tahoe that I drove regularly until 2019 – 200k+ miles. With its 6-1/2 ft. bed you could fit a lot more in it than your quad cab “truck” with the 5 ft. bed – that to me is just a people mover, and the Tahoe was more of a truck! With the seats down I could put 8 ft. 2×4’s in easily and shut the tailgate.
Preferably a 12 foot long sheet. a couple of years ago pulled up in my 1970 C-10 in the lumber yard and had 2 different ones also loading out onto their new 3/4 ton rated pickups with their little short boxes trying to figure out how I was hauling more than they ever could both volume and weight wise. They did not realize I had factory installed overload springs for the weight as well as special ordered tires with a higher than normal weight rating as well as over 2 more feet in box length. The longer box also let me shift more weight to the front axil so the back didn’t have the entire load. part of my load included a pallet of concrete mix bags that weighed about 3600 lbs Also had a bunch of 16 foot long lumber laid out over the cab on a custom made head ache rack.
Very narrow definition, and one which ignores how most people use their trucks and truck-based vehicles (e.g., Suburbans).
With the tailgate up! I agree.
That El Camino can haul quite a load.
The headline is “Trucks and SUV’s”. We have two of each plus a ute.
I bought a 1977 Jeep Cherokee, 2-door with a 360 motor.
I had it Ziebarted, (a rust-proofing treatment), a costly ($150, a lot in the day), expense, complete with a badge proclaiming it had been Ziebarted! placed on the tailgate window. Which was the first car-part that rusted out. Rendering the power tailgate inoperable.
On on and on, things rusted out.
And when I discovered that the third point of the 3-point seatbelt strap for our children’s car seat was held in place simply by the carpet overlay on what had been wheel-arch metal, I simply gave up and sold it.
So, I do emphasize with rust victims.
Years ago while working in a legit car dealership, we had a preacher come in offering to rust proof all our cars and warranty them for life. Cost was less than $15.00 per car, which was cheaper than anybody. When asked how he explained he would walk through the lot and bless all the vehicles. He had a real business licensee. We passed.
Lotta rust on my 76 Wagoneer witht he 402 engine. Lotta miles too almost 200k. Interior is gone, but…it does what I bought it for, abaolutely well! 4×4’ing Nevada’s wildlands. Never failed to take me where I wanted to go!
Rust. You haven’t seen rust until you see the 1979 Chevy Suburban 4 x 4 parked in my back yard. It’s so rusty the ROOF RACK rusted off.OIt got to the point where I was embarrassed to drive it and parked it. Small block 400 with the last of the forged steel crank shafts. I only keep it in case the 350 in the Corvette blows up.
old cars and trucks are a great investment
Amazon and google are great investments, 1994 F150…not so much?
Agreed!
My ’71 Datsun 1600 truck is worth 4X more than paid for. the good investment is our teenage daughter loves it and is learning the value of maintaining old machinery. She gets her licence soon and will be the only kid able to drive a 4 on the floor.
I own a 2002 premium T-bird in red that I would like to sell. How do I list it on the Hagerty sales site?
This is not the place to be doing that. You’re like the folks on FaceBook that butt into a person’s thread and ask some unrelated question that derails the whole thing.
The 2 door Chevy Tahoes and GMC Yukons seem to be on the wanted list also.I can hardly take mine out without someone wanting to buy it.They we’re only 5% of GM production of all Tahoes and Yukons.2&4 door.I’ve had mine over 20 years and have no plans to ever sell it.
I’m in Vancouver- same thing
3 door even cooler and rarer and most BBC powered. I was at Woodburn Drag strip 2 weeks ago and saw 6 3 door Suburban’s, most from Calif. , A friend of mine that I used to work for on his dragsters bought one for a year tour of the US in the 80s and had a spare 454 in the trailer to plunk in when ever the motor died. Used 2 extra motors over his year tour.
One properly rebuilt one should have lasted well past that year long tour. the extra fuel used to haul the extra engines and the expense of trying to swap it out while on the road was more than doing a rebuild on a normal good core. Putting an overdrive on it would have saved a bunch more in fuel and decreased the wear on the engine a great deal also but are rather costly to purchase.
I had a 82 Blazer several years ago that had the 6.2D and I really liked it. It was pretty solid when I bought it. Eventually did a frame off restoration on it and ended up selling it. WAS VERY COMFORTABLE RIDE!
Yeah, great trucks! I had a 99 2 door Tahoe with the original engine over 200k miles. I traded it in for a Silverado in 2019 but now wish I had kept it. The only thing I didn’t like about it was they still had the “80s” ABS style brakes which were not very good compared to modern brakes. I think now there are kits to replace them with a more modern design.
Wondering why the K-5 Blazer 1969 to later 1970’s was not included? Prices for very nice ones are between $50k and &125k now
yep, sold my ’75 (last full convertible) for $1200 (rusted out) in ’78, admittedly $5750 accounting for inflation. Though still confused how it was so much easier coming up with $1200 than than $5750 now. (keep it civil, no political finger pointing about inflation, both are culpable)
Circumstances are different. in 78, $1200 was a big deal I would have had a hard time coming up with for any spare vehicle. But today I could easily purchase many at $5750 before really feeling the reduction in my disposable cash. I have done very well in the last 2 years but not so good in the 4 previous. In 75 I restored a 20 year old car that cost me 10 bucks for my family car which I then drove as our main auto for the next 20 years. Still have it and again restored and running like new but this time as a fun hobby car that gets thumbs up everywhere I go back then it was done because I could not afford a new car so built my own in the garage. Last car I bought was new and I paid cash.
I own a 78 Dodge Ramcharger BB auto , with the removable top , this one is my third iteration of the rusting out and throw away . Fortunately i have garage space for it so minimal rust and it also has the famous Ziebart treatment. What a fun truck !
I still have the 1977 Ford Bronco I bought out of the dealer’s last load of 1977 Broncos. A few of the larger 1978 Broncos were already on the Greenville MS dealers lot. I never did the usual customization found in Mississippi of cutting out the rear wheel wells, removing the pollution equipment and jacking up the suspension. When I moved to Ohio in the early 1980s I soon after stopped driving it as my daily because of the salt use on roads in the winter and kept it under a covered roof. It has been since repainted by a high quality restoration shop and has under 50k miles. In 2021 I was able to purchase new a 2021 Bronco with the Sasquatch off road package offered by Ford. I could have sold the the 1977 Bronco for maybe double of what I paid for the 2021. As for the 1977, I would never pay the going price for a good quality 66-77 Bronco. They are fun to drive but not that much fun. I seldom drive the 77 now but it is not going anywhere as my son has claimed it when I am ready to let it go. I am just glad that he wants it as the younger generations do not seem to be too interested in retaining what a lot of us old geezers (I will soon to be 72) have collected. And that is ok as they too will collect what interests them.
Those early 90’s Ford trucks were put together well.
In 1991 I purchased a new w250 with the Cummins. I’m now in the final stage of a complete restoration. Shortly after my puchase, a friend and sheep Shearer purchased the d250 with the same Cummins. We have stayed in touch over the years and one day he pulled into the drive to proudly show off his mileage (kms). Less than 5000 kms. It had recently rolled over the one million mark and the motor had been untouched.
GMC Typhoons could have easily been added to this list as values climb in the wake of Syclone collectability. International Harvester (Scouts, etc) seem to also be increasingly desirable.
And for those that think the Typhoon and Syclone cannot haul much, my mother said that the Syclone was made to haul just one thing – “rear”, as she politely put it.
I had a 1978 K10 that I really liked but rusted with an aggression I’ve never seen anywhere else. Exhaust system every two years (loved the AutoZone lifetime warranty!), repaired the floors with 16ga steel which also rusted through, oil pan and rear diff cover both started leaking due to rust, two spark plugs rusted to the point the porcelains fell out of the hexes intact (I still have them). I gave up on it when one of the exhaust manifolds rusted through. And I’m not near the ocean.