Is It a Bad Time to Be a Young Car Enthusiast?
Nearly 20 years ago, I was in high school and riding to Thunderhill Raceway Park with Bruce Trenery, a vintage car dealer. During our trip, he articulated his predictions for the future of enthusiasm for cars. In addition to his concerns about the regulatory environment, he was most disquieted by his perception that young people just weren’t interested in cars any more. As a young person who was (and remains) immensely passionate about cars, I was initially put off that the latter idea could even be possible, but after reflecting on the interests of my contemporaries, it alarmed me because I could see a lot of truth to it.
While car enthusiasm today isn’t ubiquitous the way it might have been in the era of Grease or when the Beach Boys released “409,” Trenery’s foreboding apprehension remains mercifully unfulfilled. In fact, I have been delighted to observe what almost feels like a resurgence in passion for cars among young people in the past two decades. Attending events today, especially more approachable ones like Radwood, I’m always struck by the number of obviously enthusiastic teenagers and twenty-somethings, especially given that the cars concerned are often older than they are.
The emergence of social media has doubtless played a big role in spreading enthusiasm: The dynamic and sensory nature of cars (i.e. they move, they’re shiny, and they make loud noises) means that they lend themselves perfectly to the mediums of photo and video. Teenaged “spotters” wandering events, camera in hand, become the purveyors of beautiful media that portrays our cars in fresh, original ways. While it is gratifying for us to look at pretty images, the rise of spotters does something essential for young people, too—it gives them a meaningful way to interact with cars (and often their owners, too) that they couldn’t otherwise do, regardless of whether that’s in person or on their phones.
That’s particularly fortunate since the barriers to entering this space as a participant—that is, as a car owner rather than an observer—are higher than they have been since at least the end of World War II. This is tragic but incontrovertible based on three interrelated factors, all of which converge to make things tough for young enthusiasts. These are, in order from broadest to most granular: 1) macroeconomic shifts 2) their consequences on the new car market 3) the resulting impact on secondhand enthusiast cars ranging from lightly used late model cars to full-fledged classics.
The core of the macroeconomics discussion as relates to young people is disposable income. Simply put, young folks have a lot less of it than youths did in previous decades. This is the result of too many things to discuss in detail here, but the rising costs of real estate, education, and healthcare at rates that exceed the growth of wages are major drivers. These affect people of all ages of course, but for young people who do not yet own any real estate to help their net worth grow, and for whom the ever-increasing cost of education (and the near necessity of student debt) is greater and a larger share of their liabilities, these economic realities are far more restrictive. This means that even if car prices were stable (they’re not), young folks would be less able to participate in the market because they simply don’t have the disposable income to enter it.
Real wages have been stagnating for decades and the consequences of this long-standing trend have been manifesting themselves in the new car market since at least the 1990s. In short, as people have less disposable income, they buy fewer fun cars and manufacturers respond by killing them off because they sell poorly.
Let’s take a journey back 30 years to 1994, when there was a whole host of enthusiast cars available at both entry and higher price points. Effectively the entire sport compact genre, including: Honda Prelude and Del Sol, Nissan Sentra SE-R and 240 SX, Toyota MR2 and Celica, the Mitsubishi Eclipse (and Eagle Talon and Plymouth Laser) and 3000 GT (and Dodge Stealth), the Ford Probe, the Mazda MX-3 and MX-6. Go back another 20 or 30 years and the story is similar: Fiat 124, Alfa Spider, Datsun Roadster, Triumph TR, MGB, and big Healeys. This to say nothing of pony cars and muscle cars from the ‘60s and early ‘70s.
Today, these cars and their ilk are nearly gone from manufacturer lineups. There are precious few reasonably priced sporting survivors: the Mini (which recently lost its manual for the US market, as has Volkswagen’s GTI), the Subaru WRX, the Mazda MX-5, and the Toyota GT-86 (and BRZ), which is most realistically the spiritual descendent of the 240SX. This is not part of some draconian plot on the part of manufacturers to deprive us of driving enjoyment and modernity in the same package, but rather their response to market forces. One needs only look at MX-5 sales in 1991 (63,000 units) vs 2018 (27,000 units) to see that consumers aren’t buying sporting cars the way they once could, despite today’s Miata costing less than it did in 1991 when adjusted for inflation and there being fewer other enthusiast choices at comparable prices now.
This lack of appealing new affordable options for the driving enthusiast has predictably disheartening consequences for secondhand cars of the same ethos, whether they’re four years old or 40 years old. The decreasing sales of these cars when new in recent years means that supply for used options is tight and thus depreciation is low. This, coupled with the fact that 30-year-old cars are pretty usable in modern traffic, means that more and more enthusiasts are turning to Radwood era (1980-99) cars.
In 1994, driving a 30-year-old enthusiast car meant giving up a lot of usability and performance. You’d have to deal with carburetors, marginal brakes, tires, suspension, and acceleration, catastrophic rust, poor weather sealing and ventilation, and a host of other unpleasantries that we don’t generally have to contend with in a 30-year-old car today. Similarly, cars of the Radwood era are easier to live with than more modern ones, albeit for completely different reasons. They’re much simpler than newer cars, lacking most of the sensors and computers that handle everything from HVAC to the powertrain to radar cruise control. Even something as simple as replacing headlights has been completely transformed: compare the 5.25” and 7” sealed beams in a BMW E30 or NA Miata to a $1500 Xenon assembly in a car from 10 years ago.
The result is that cars of this era are sought not only by Generation X and millennials who lusted after them in their youths, but by Generation Z too, who are pushed toward them by the dearth of affordable and appealing newer options and pulled toward them by the intrinsically appealing characteristics such as the experience of interacting with them and the variety of options, along with their simplicity and accordingly sensible running costs. The tragic result of this growing demand is that cars of this era have appreciated in value, making it even more difficult for young folks to buy into the market.
The silver lining (for us car nuts anyway) is that car enthusiasm is still very much alive and well, even if it takes a bit more diligence. For young enthusiasts, there are many interesting options at reasonable prices if they’re willing to go off the beaten path a bit. Mainstream enthusiast cars like M3s and air-cooled 911s are prohibitively expensive, but plenty of other options do still exist like non-M BMW E36s, early Boxsters, or several generations of the Mustang. For those less concerned about sporting intent, a host of other Radwood attendees remain attainable, from a Toyota Century to the world’s cleanest 1989 Oldsmobile Toronado Trofeo.
This may be feeble consolation in the face of larger economic forces, and young enthusiasts approach the hobby through different literal and figurative vehicles than in years past, but there’s no question that they remain highly engaged. I for one am delighted to see their passion and look forward to seeing how the resilience of the human spirit inspires them to express that passion in ways that generations before them never considered.
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Times are definitely hard now especially with the inflation crisis and rise in cost of living however I believe where there’s a will there’s a way
We will always find a way to persevere as we always have for many generations and there’s always an opportunity to own a cool car even without so much of money we just have to wait things out right now and see when’s the best time
When I was a teenager to my early 20’s there were more affordable fun and sporty options. Today that market of cars has shrunk to nearly zero. I find kids are very interested but they see a car like my Supra and wonder how they ever will be able to afford one. I also wonder for them too.
Can we stop calling the 80’s-90’s “radwood” cars. It’s a trademarked name for an over-priced car show. Yes I own a car that fits in that category but nobody I know uses it besides the constant articles in Hagerty pushing that stupid name. I find locally there are various shops or free shows that gear towards that era without the bloated price tag for tickets.
Hagerty you have become another grey beard syndrome spouting utter BS lately or are you just pandering to your demographics? Oh & I am a Grey beard. Come to one of our Caffeine & Octane events in Atlanta & see THOUSANDS of young enthusiasts with their own rides & interested in everything. Or Try our Autocross & Drifting events @ Lanier Raceway, thousands of spectator’s & sellout tech cards every weekend. Older enthusiast are hesitant to change (EVs anyone ??? ever see one perform at an auto cross? they are insane) and knock anything thing they don’t like, which would turn anyone off not just youngsters . My specialty dealership sells primarily to under 30 crowd & trust me they are buying & love the old school as well as new stuff. I was making $600 a month in the service during my youth and that was well below the poverty level & I still had a hot rod. Tracks are closing everywhere, car shows playing 50’s music, people displaying their cars sitting behind them with nothing to say contribute to the downfall of the hobby. Times change & its a good time to be an enthusiast regardless of age
I had to chuckle when you mentioned “car shows playing 50’s music”. I’m 65 years old, so I consider myself fairly on the older side, yet I graduated from high school in1976. We were listening to Led Zeppelin, Joe Walsh, Foghat, ELO, etc. Heck, even the Beatles had broken up when I was in grade school. Yet every car show I attend has music from the 50’s!! I don’t remember music from the 30’s when I attended my first car show back in the late 60’s. But on the bright side, I do feal like the youngest guy there when I hear Teen Angel and all that other stuff. LOL!
That general topic would make for some good articles! So many cars from before the doo-wop era deserve their Lil Armstrong Hot Five and Charlie Barnett soundtracks…
I have an Avanti. Nothing against doo-wop, but it does not belong in my car. It’s Dave Brubeck and Stan Getz for us, thanks — but we do play it pretty loud.
I really feel blessed to have been exposed to all sorts of music from the ’40s right on up to today. In each era – and in all different genres – there have been great artists, writers, songs and sounds that have been between soothing and exciting to listen to. I’m okay with some Artie Shaw, some Dave Brubeck or even some Tom T. Hall being mixed in with the Doo-Wop and Beach Boys – hit it Aerosmith, Queen and spin a little Barbra Streisand and then give us a little Jo-Lo and Rhianna. There is little that I won’t enjoy – either at a car show or while working in my shop.
Long live Doo-wop! It’s my music! I’ve played it all (bass and trombone; what’s wrong with this guy?) — but can’t sing, darn!
Class of ’63
I happened upon a car show and swap meet near Bend, Oregon a couple of decades ago, and returned to the same show every early fall for about six years. There was no music being piped in at all. The weather was always gorgeous, not too hot, not too cold, and lots of sunshine. It was heaven. Why people feel that music needs to be played at every single car event is beyond me (and I’m a musician by trade).
At these shows, the odd engine would be fired up, filling the air with some great sounds, but otherwise, it was nice and quiet. Really pleasant.
Last autox event I attended we had a guy who brought his Model 3 performance. Dude wiped the floor with us. I’d almost feel cheated but then me and my old M3 are almost always at the bottom of the board anyway, lol. EVs are crazy. Can only imagine how much better they’d perform in a smaller, sportier format.
The one thing I know is the car hobby is alive and well for the young and old. You either like cars or you don’t and just because you do don’t mean your kids will, but for every kid that don’t there is another one that does just like old people.
I am a boomer on his 7th Corvette; a ’22 C8. It doesn’t matter what the top speed is. I wouldn’t drive 194 mph if I had the nerve to do so. I can’t afford even one speeding ticket, no matter how unspectacular. My car insurance is already so high (with neither tickets nor claims in over 30 years), that one ticket is going to make me sell the car because I am not going to pay more than I am paying now. When asked, “How fast will it go?”, I invariably reply that it doesn’t matter because I dare not risk a ticket at that speed. Ironically, I can’t afford to drive the car the way that it is engineered to be driven for fear of the [insurance] cost to do so compelling its sale. Perhaps a lot of younger folks have figured that out. My daughters (Millenials) are already talking about selling whatever 2 seat extravagance I’m driving at the time of my demise.
Liking and participating in the hobby is the problem.
I am sure many like but much fewer are participating as they are getting priced out and are losing interest.
To many they are just transportation at best.
This is quite obviously a hot topic for you, hyper, but we’re starting to fixate and present the same talking points and no new ideas are being presented. Usually a good indication to move on to a new topic.
Thank you Jason Tam-Scott! This is 2 articles you have now written back-back that have caused quite a stir. 1st you write about the sky is falling on E-type’s and now it sucks to be a younger car enthusiast. In both cases you are correct!
Keep the hits coming! But I am keeping my E-type.
The 50’s music comment at cars shows is pure GOLD!
95% of the cars at the cruise nights I attend are built after 1960!
I await your next article Mr. Jason Tam-Scott!
I second your comments on Mr. Tam-Scott!
The motorcycle comment from another poster fits me as well. Have had 2 classic cars, now I’m thinking a fun vintage Honda motorcycle could be fun to putter around the neighborhood on, and takes up 1/8th the space in the garage of a car. And I go back to something I’ve thought about a lot recently, expenses are up, incomes are iffy for many, and consumer confidence is down, that makes us pull back on luxury purchases. You know, us regular folk.
New to the motorcycle game myself and I am glad I gave it a shot. Word of caution though, they multiply quickly…
Time to cut through the haze of nostalgia and plain, old-fashioned (With the emphasis on OLD) bull$h1T. I am 71 years old. I drive a 1995 ,Top Flight , C4, base engine, ZF 6 speed. last week I had a young man and his girlfriend stop me at our local library and talk to me about the car. It was clear the young man was into the Radwood-era cars and we had a nice talk. The last Cars and Coffee event I attended was 50/50 between the old guys telling the “back in the day” tales and the younger men and women driving some very interesting cars, trucks, and bikes. A good time was had by all.
I have two pieces of advice that you can do whatever you want with it.
1) For the greybeards- Lighten up in a hurry! Nobody cares Sunoco 260 was once 45 cents/gallon, and age does not automatically make one wise. Take some interest in what the younger enthusiasts are driving and give them a chance to tell their stories. We have common ground to start with. We love cars!
2) For “Generation X,Y, Z, or whatever- Don’t let the wrinkles and bad breath turn you completely off. Don’t be afraid to approach us. We get a little strange sometimes because we know we are in the 4th Quarter and the Giant Scoreboard is ticking away.
And to just assure my detractors who may dislike this advice, this article has me thinking that when the time comes, I just might sell my car to a young enthusiast for exactly what I paid for it. It was never looked at as an investment and it could be cool to pass it on to someone who could appreciate it.
You are 100% on the beam, Andy. Yeah, I’m an “old guy”, but I’ll tell ya – not EVERYONE in 1968 was into cars, either. Some of the jocks, musicians, serious students, you-name-the-group wouldn’t even look sideways at a 427 Cobra. So when it’s pointed out that a lot of young people these days aren’t into cars, I chuckle. People are individuals. People have diverse interests. There are many different things to be “into” these days. Of course! That’s not a sign that “car enthusiasm is dying”.
It’s been related elsewhere that you get passionate about cars if you are pressed back into the seat or have a car that goes 0-60 in under 10 seconds. Using that benchmark, I submit that anyone who loves a vintage, stock Model T, Model A, or similar car is NOT a car enthusiast. Hogwash. We shouldn’t say to young people, “if you don’t like a ’60s Muscle Car, you ain’t a part of our hobby”. We should say, “okay, kid, so you don’t like my blown Chevelle, what DO you like and show me what’s cool about it to you”. The best way, IMO, to buzz-kill young people’s enthusiasm for cars these days, is to tell them that if they aren’t doing it the way were oldsters are, then they’re doing it wrong.
76 years old last month. Lifelong car enthusiast. I’ve owned everything from a BMW 1600 to a ’67 L71 Vette, including two M5s, a Volvo C30 Polestar Hatchback. Anyone of my generation who thinks hot rodding is dead needs to get a ride in a well set-up Honda Civic 4 cylinder VTEC.
Love this sentiment. I have a VTEC Civic Si with bolt ons and a professional tune. Very well rounded car out of the box and after a dyno session, the power to weight ratio is about where my 400/350hp powered 69 Grand Prix was at. The handling of that car though… completely changed my mind about FWD cars, Honda did a spectacular job with that chassis and steering.
Is it a bad time to be a car enthusiast………..it’s getting harder. People are correct here when they say they go to a car show and it’s 60 and 70 year old’s that own the 60’s and 70’s muscle cars. I grew up in that era also and experienced it first hand…………do I want to relive that period today by sitting beside my car at a car show…….NO! Believe me, I loved that street scene in the 70’s but you have to remember, these 13 to 15 second muscle cars got maybe 10 mpg……….today a Subaru WRX STI will kill a 1970 Hemi Cuda and get 30 mpg.
One thing I will say is that today at close to 70, I prefer to talk to the younger generation. I appreciate their views and takes, especially with the cars I love today. The majority of people my age are set in their ways and become simply boring to talk to. The local PCA is a prime example………a few good guys, the clueless who just bought their first Porsche at 55 and talk like experts and heaven forbid, the Porsche truck owner. Then there is the one fellow in every club who is the expert………the LAST person you want to ask a question about anything to because you realize quickly “this guy won’t shut the #$%& up.” They are usually praying you don’t catch on to the fact they have limited knowledge.
Right now everything is expensive in the car world……….the biggest ripoff words being used today are “collector cars” and “restoration” as opposed to “body work and paint”. There is absolutely nothing collectable about the mass produced water-cooled Porsche 911 Carrera since 1999………..the absolute low point of the 911 in 60 years, the 996. This is now being praised by so-called experts for it’s virtues (to line their own pockets)……….rest assured………..the water-cooled Porsche market will correct itself sooner than later to where it should be. To the younger car lovers out there, hang in there, there will be a price correction on a lot of your favorite cars. I am waiting for the used water-cooled 911 market to come back to it’s senses before I put my money down………..absolutely nothing worse in life than having your dream car put you in the poor house. Wait out the car speculators who are overpaying on BaT for what they hope is a huge profit on a depreciating asset.
Now that I’m 65, financially secure and no kids, I am thinking of selling my cars, when the time comes, to young people that can’t afford them. And my home in L.A. will go to a young family that can’t get into the market and NOT a flipper. Boomers should look at the multi millionaires and billionaires that are donating a lot of their wealth back to society. We should do what we can.
I like the idea, but seriously, I have maybe 50 young people who would want them and would qualify. I’d have to draw names from a hat, as I wouldn’t be able to choose! Not a bad problem to have, though…
C’mon: I’ve lived with inflation all my long life (1945-20__?) and survived. Doing my cars my way — and almost all by myself. I’m not whining and finding excuses. Also lived with being drafted (1969-70), fighting forest fires, driving a Mayflower van, and working in a grain elevator. Not first choices some of them, but doable. Forty years of paying and the house is ours, likewise the ole Camry.
One huge opportunity the younger gen will have: the number of fine, restored collectible cars that we Boomers worked hard for will be in estate sales by the zillions. Just came back from a reasonably-sized VCCA meet, and mostly nobody under retirement age — imagine ten years from now! Should be hog-heaven for youngsters who don’t want to turn wrenches, just buy and drive — for a while anyway! Wick
Point for thought. Just because it’s old, doesn’t mean it’s collectable or interesting (yes, can put myself into that category as well, LOL). For example, as collection of 4 door sedans from the 60’s might be interesting to the older gearheads.
However, certain marques or models carry more interest.
British Car Show coming up in Vancouver, then the Father’s Day Italian Car Show. Thousands attend (yound and old).