Owning a classic car can be a very enjoyable experience, however many people are put off, fearful of the expense of purchasing and running a classic. Below are five classic cars that can be purchased for under $15,000 (at time of writing) and can be enjoyed as either a daily driver, or as weekend or club cars.
Mercedes Benz 180E
The Mercedes Benz 180E was based off the hugely successful 190E. The 180E was sold only in Australia, and was first sold in October 1991. By 1991 the 190E was over $60,000 and Mercedes Benz did not have a variant priced under the recently introduced luxury car tax, hence the introduction of the stripped out 180E. The 180E was available only with the 1.8 four cylinder engine and was quite basic with regards standard features, including cloth trim, a 5 speed manual transmission (automatic was optional) and no tachometer! With an initial price of $44,450 the 180E was over $15,000 cheaper than the 190E 2.0, resulting in a large increase in sales for Mercedes Benz in the 1992 year. The 180E was a limited run model, being discontinued in 1993 prior to the introduction of the C Class.
Being extremely well engineered and built, there are still many 180E and 190E vehicles being daily driven in Australia. Many have driven very high mileages, however as long as they are well serviced and maintained can regularly travel over 300,000 kilometres with little trouble. It is possible to pick up a serviceable 180E from as little as $5,000.
Being extremely well engineered and built, there are still many 180E and 190E vehicles being daily driven in Australia. Many have driven very high mileages, however as long as they are well serviced and maintained can regularly travel over 300,000 kilometres with little trouble. It is possible to pick up a serviceable 180E from as little as $5,000.
Holden Statesman
The Holden Statesman was introduced in 1971 in HQ guise, and was direct competition for Fords Fairlane. Built in Australia, the Statesman was a rugged yet luxurious car, built specifically for Australia’s tough conditions. The Statesman was equally adept as a graziers town car, a Federal Ministers vehicle or a CEO’s company car. A six cylinder engine was standard equipment (depending on year model) but one of the many V8s offered over years proved bigger sellers. Statesman’s were not immune from the performance side of Holden, with Magnum and Grange models available through HDT and HSV respectively.
Built in large quantities, there are hundreds of Statesman vehicles available for sale under our $15,000 budget. Most will be from the 1990s and 2000s and many will have the coveted V8 engine. You may be lucky enough to find a nice WB from 1980-1985, although many have now moved beyond the $15,000 mark.
Toyota Celica
The Toyota Celica is an iconic sportscar from Japan, which was first sold in Australia in November 1971. The original Celica was originally a competitor to Fords Mustang. Competitively priced (from $3,429 when introduced) and with genuine good performance from the 1.6 litre four cylinder engine, the Celica handled as well as it looked. Coupled with excellent build quality and it was soon obvious Toyota was onto a winner. Over the years a number of limited edition variants were available, including the GT4 Rallye and a grey market convertible. The Celica continued to be sold in Australia until 2005, and is much missed from our market.
The majority of Celicas for sale will fall into our $15,000 budget, with the exception of excellent condition early models and limited edition variants. The Celica remains an excellent choice for the enthusiast driver.
Ford Fairmont
The name Ford Fairmont featured on models produced between the 1965 XP, all the way to the BF that was discontinued in 2008. Australian built, the Fairmont was the luxury variant of the Ford Falcon. Luxury seat trims, additional safety features and additional appointments confirmed you were travelling in one of Ford’s upmarket models. Whilst the majority of Fairmonts were sedans, depending on the year you could get a Fairmont in Station Wagon or even Hardtop body styles. Over the years various engines were available, from 200 cubic inch carburetor six cylinders, all the way to 5.8 litre V8s.
With the exclusion of 1960s and 1970s models, most Fairmonts are available under $15,000. Models from the 1980s and 1990s in particular can be obtained from well under our target figure.
Honda Legend
The Honda Legend was a luxury model from the company that brought us such classics as the NSX and the S2000. Most Legends available are the sedan model, however an attractive coupe was also available for many years. The first Legend available in Australia was first introduced in 1986 and was seen as a competitor to high end Mercedes Benz and BMW models.
The Legend, regardless of year, always featured a silky smooth six cylinder engine, partnered with an automatic gearbox. Luxury was what the Legend was all about, being Honda’s flagship sedan. Leather trim and a high number of safety items were fitted as standard. The Legend continued in the Australian market until 2013, when it was discontinued due to slow sales.
As the Legend was a very expensive model new, there are less available to choose from compared to our other four examples. Many early models will be available for under our budget, and are certainly an enjoyable emerging classic.
At MB Insurance we can assist with the insurance of your classic car. If your vehicle is over 25 years of age, you also receive automatic retention of salvage in the event of a total loss claim. If you have a classic car and would like to obtain a quote from MB Insurance, please contact your Broker or click here….
*Please note that all prices throughout this article were accurate at time of writing to our knowledge however are subject to change based on market conditions and availability.