These 1990s Cars Are Skyrocketing In Value

One of a car enthusiast's greatest pains is watching a formerly affordable dream car get priced out of reach. Fifteen years ago, a decent Ferrari Testarossa cost $75,000. Now it's double that. In January of 2012, a concours condition Mercedes 500E would have been about $10,000. In 2025, you'd have to add a zero to that number for the same car. The story is the same for so many cars we used to think of as "just another old car," such as Porsche 911 SCs, Toyota Supra Turbos, Mitsubishi 3000GT VR4s, Ferrari 308s, 1993 Ford Mustang Cobras, and Jeep Grand Wagoneers (the old cool ones with fake wood paneling).

Cars can rise in value for a stupefying number of reasons, such that even chaos-theory experts would get migraines trying to predict which vehicle will reach six figures next. Nostalgia, movie/TV connections, celebrity ownership, attrition of nice examples, decreased numbers of new cars with manual transmissions, car YouTuber attention, and so many other factors can turn a once-cheap vehicle into a collectible. 

Fortunately, Hagerty valuation tools and Bring a Trailer results are simple ways to track what cars are going for these days. Unfortunately, they're also simple ways to find out what you can't afford anymore. Don't worry, though, classic cars can also go from "hot" to "not." If there's a car on this list that exceeds your current budget, maybe give it time.

These days, even Mercedes 500Es with 150,000 miles command nearly $40,000, so people wanting a boxy V8 Mercedes on a budget have to look elsewhere, and the W202 C43 is now in collectors' crosshairs. From just January to August of this year, Hagerty shows that excellent-condition 1999 C43s have gone from less than $34,000 to almost $40,000, and have doubled in the last four years. On Bring a Trailer, the graph will handily show that solid examples are firmly in the $20,000 range.

Part of the issue is that the W202 era of Mercedes C-class is known for rusting, which means these cars turn to dust without plenty of care and attention. Keeping one in nice shape is a battle, and the cost of that battle will get passed along to the next buyer. Thankfully, its AMG-built M113 V8 is one of the most durable power plants ever crammed in a Mercedes. 

Collectors are also coming around to how special this car is. While the C36 that preceded it was the first collab between Mercedes and AMG, it was still produced in the old way, where Mercedes would make a C280, then send it over to AMG for modification. The C43 was the first Mercedes model built entirely in the AMG plant. Between rust killing neglected examples and how much of a hoot they are to drive (302 horsepower can make a tiny C-class scoot), it's no surprise C43s are getting their day in the sun.

This one just squeaks into the '90s, but dangit, it's past the cutoff. All Toyota Land Cruisers have good resale value, but the 1990 Land Cruiser is a textbook instance of how nice examples are exploding in value while "pretty all right" ones are sitting at a stable price. Go to Hagerty, and you'll see that "good condition" FJ62 Land Cruisers have been around the $30,000 mark for three years or so. But from April 2024 to now, excellent examples have shot from an average of $46,500 to $62,200, and concours-ready FJ62s have increased from an average of $77,900 to a six-figure-kissing $98,200. The dots on Bring a Trailer's FJ60 and FJ62 chart also show an upward trend.

Looking at the FJ62 vs. the FJ80 that replaced it, Hagerty councours values for both aren't far from each other, with a 1991 Land Cruiser in top condition fetching an average of $95,500. However, excellent, good, and fair condition FJ80s are about half the value of the FJ62, and the majority of the disparity is likely due to how different these two vehicles are. The FJ62 is an upgraded version of the FJ60, and has that boxy styling that's become so en vogue lately. It's less refined than the later FJ80, and since the current trend is, "I just want to feel alive, I want to feel something," enthusiasts are looking for a vehicle that demands a bit more from them.

Of course, 1994-1996 Impala SSs have climbed in value — that's been the case for years now. For a cheaper Impala SS experience without the badges, go for a '94-'96 LT1 Caprice instead. Even better, if you want to haul some lumber or a Marshall amp stack while keeping that 260-hp 5.7-liter V8 rumble, then your dream ride is an LT1 Caprice Classic Wagon. Car enthusiasts love fast wagons, and anytime there's a wagon (or estate, touring, avant, etc.) version of a hot sedan, it will command a premium. 

Until October of 2023, sedan and wagon versions of the 5.7-equipped '94-'96 Caprice were valued by Hagerty about the same (around $24,000 to $25,000). Now, an excellent condition LT1 Caprice wagon is worth about $10,000 more. This isn't surprising, as the number of Caprice wagons built was minuscule compared to the sedans. What might surprise you is that Caprice wagons with the 200-hp 4.3-liter L99 V8 aren't that far off the value of one with the LT1, commanding $28,400 on average in excellent condition. This is a jump of over $7,000 since just October of last year. 

On Bring a Trailer, sales of '94-'95 Caprices are rare, but an 86,000-mile '94 LT1 Caprice wagon sold in 2018 for just $8,500, while a 95,000-mile example sold last year for $15,000. Heck, we covered a '92 Caprice wagon with a lowly LO5 pre-LT1 350 listing for $12,500 in 2023, if that tells you where the market's headed.

Hot hatches were, well, hatched when Volkswagen blessed us with the Golf GTI in 1976. Go ahead, argue about "the best" hot hatch, whether you prefer the explosively turboed Mazdaspeed 3, the perfectly proportioned flared-fender Lancia Integrale Evo II, or the angry-faced Ford Focus RS (and hey, you can get used Ford Focus RSs for the price of new Honda Civics!). A frequent favorite is also Honda's Civic Si, and not just because every single Si comes from the factory with a manual transmission, as it should, but because the dollar-to-fun ratio is perfect for people with shallow pockets. 

That said, if you want a clean example from the Si's early days, your pockets will have to get just a little deeper. Since early 2024, prices for the 108-hp, 2,229-pound 1990 and '91 Civic Sis have jumped by thousands. If you were shopping for a 1990 Honda Civic Si in January or February of 2024, Hagerty values show concours-ready cars were under $22,000, while that same car would be $27,000 today. Excellent '90 and '91 Sis went from sub-$18,000 to $21,000 in that time. 

Finding one on Bring a Trailer in any condition is a rare experience, as there have been only six Sis of this generation ever sold on the site. Unsurprisingly, a performance car that was a bargain when new tended to get used up, so clean examples are as rare as savings accounts with good interest rates.

The last bargain Ferrari is getting less bargainy. While Mondials have been the cheapest prancing-horse-club entrant for some time, "cheap" only applies as a comparison to other Ferraris. In January 2024, you could get a 1990 Mondial T coupe for $38,500 in excellent condition, according to Hagerty. Today, it's $43,500. Want a concours-level Mondial T? In 2024, you'd pay $51,300. As of August 2025, it's $60,300. The upward trend is evident on all Mondials on Bring a Trailer, too, as a 581-mile Mondial T sold in 2018 for $81,000, and a 12,000-mile Mondial T sold this year for $103,000. Even in 2023, someone was asking $64,500 for a '93 Mondial T with 37,000 miles.

Early Mondial 8s got the 308's two-valve 2.9-liter V8 with 205 hp, and Car and Driver eked out a 9.3-second 0-60 with one. Thank Enzo for doubling the valves, blessing the subsequent Mondial Quattrovalvole with 236 hp, then incresating displacement to 3.2 liters for the 267-hp Mondial 3.2. If you want to work on your own Mondial, get an 8, Quattrovalvole, or 3.2 because you don't have to do an engine-out to replace the timing belts. 

For those who want an improved driving experience and don't mind engine-out service costs, step up to the T. Mondial Ts got the 348's 300-hp 3.4-liter V8, a transverse engine layout (hence the T name) to lower the center of gravity, optional power steering, and selective ride control.