Here’s another installment from the recently-found 1986 “Deals on Wheels” magazine. This one is the color edition with a few exotics and some up and down values. The first car is a 1969 Jaguar XKE 2+2. You could have been nifty if you would have had this car in 1986! But, instead you had your sport coat sleeves pushed up to your elbows and you had argyle socks on; not nifty. The 2017 value of this car, according to Hagerty, is between $30,700 for #3 “good” condition, to $60,300 for #1 “concours” condition. The seller’s asking price of $8,950 in 1986 would be $19,892 today. A heck of a bargain today, although a 4-speed would have added a bit more fun to the equation.

Here’s an odd combo, an Italian sedan and a sexy British roadster. Care to take a guess which one has soared in value and which one has plummeted in value? You are correct! The 1982 Maserati Quattroporte was a heck of an exotic and desirable car in 1982, not many people had them; not many could afford them. This 4-year old example with an asking price of $28,850 in 1986, which is $64,124 in today’s dollars, is currently worth $42,900 in #1 “concours” condition. This is most likely in #2 “excellent” condition and that has a value of $24,800 today. When was the last time you saw a Quattroporte of this vintage sell for more than $10,000? Same here, not often. This would not have been a good investment car in 1986, at least monetarily.

The Jag is a 1973 XKE roadster and that $16,850 asking price in 1986 equates to $37,452 today. Hagerty’s #3 “good” condition value for this car is $37,200 and their #2 “excellent” condition value is $49,200. This one is probably priced right for the era. Thoughts?

This is where it gets really painful. These two 1968 Shelby GT-350 convertibles are priced at $18,500 for the top car with a 4-speed, and $15,500 for the bottom car with an automatic. $18,500 in 1986 would be the equivalent of $41,119 today. A show of hands for those of you who would pay $41,119 for that top car right now? HA, I thought so! Hagerty’s #3 “good” price is $103,000 and a #2 “excellent” car is worth $131,000. Ouch. The bottom car, priced at $15,500 in 1986, would be the equivalent of $34,451 today. You’re in Camry territory there. Or, just buy both of them for less than you’d pay for a new Escalade. You don’t need one of those things anyway. Have a good weekend, all!