Then and now: '90s bargain classics and what they cost today

Iconic cars you should’ve bought 25 years ago

When it comes to classic cars, everyone’s got advice about which ones to buy. From bargain drop-tops to Ferraris for less than £20k, you don’t have to look hard for opinions on where to put your cash.

How often is that advice on the money, though? To find out, we had a rifle through our archive and dug out a copy of Classic & Sports Car from May 1994.

In it, we found a round-up of 21 classics you could buy for less than £5k – and we decided to compare our comments and predictions 25 years ago to the state of play today.

Were we right? Did every classic appreciate or did some prices plummet? And which could you have bought, enjoyed and still sold for a packet today? Click on to find out.

Volvo 1800ES

Price then: £4000

A “sporting estate in the Scimitar GTE mould”, the 1800ES was a short-lived shooting brake variation on the Volvo P1800 theme.

Mechanically identical to the 1800E, it came equipped with a fuel-injected 2-litre engine mated to a “sweet, long-action gearbox” – though handling and body roll limited its sporting abilities.

Back in 1994, we recommended a 1972 example in no uncertain terms: “usable, reliable, rare and easily improved, this Volvo would be an eminently sensible buy.”

Volvo 1800ES (cont.)

Price now: £15,000

Was that advice accurate? Well, there are fewer than 45 left running on UK roads – and those that are still going are worth an average of £15,000.

The P1800 coupé is more desirable today for its purer combination of style, robustness and performance, which means the frequently overlooked 1800ES actually remains worthy of consideration if you’re after an unusual Volvo – though you’d have saved about £7500 if you’d bought one 25 years ago.

Verdict: Winner! That's a 98% rise adjusted for inflation

Daimler Sovereign

Price then: £5495

A Jaguar XJ6 rebadged to signpost its higher status, the Daimler Sovereign was visually and mechanically almost identical to its Jaguar counterpart, the main distinguishing factor being a more luxurious level of trim.

In 1994, we highlighted a late, 1980 model for its refinement and comfort, noting that “XJ build problems were a thing of the past by the Series 3” and “performance is strong, with turbine-like push once the revs rise beyond 3000rpm.”

Daimler Sovereign (cont.)

Price now: £17,000

There are fewer than 500 Sovereigns left on the road today, with tidy examples fetching upwards of £17,000 – and pristine ones can make much more.

Back in the day, we reckoned “you’d be hard pushed to find a better car” than the Sovereign we tested, priced at £5.5k with 36,000 miles on the clock.

If you’d bought it and kept it well for a couple of decades, you’d probably be sitting very pretty now.

Verdict: Winner! That's a 63% rise adjusted for inflation

Lancia Gamma Coupé

Price then: £3800

The Gamma was Lancia's flagship fastback saloon in the late-’70s and early-’80s – and we quite fancied one in 1994: reviewing a 1981 example with 64,000 miles on the clock, we found its big flat-four motor to be “brimming with torque and free-revving sweetness”.

We also reported that it “corners like a giant Alfasud, and its power steering, quick, accurate and full of feel, is magnificent.” High praise indeed.

Lancia Gamma Coupé (cont.)

Price now: £10,000

What would have set you back less than £4000 in the '90s today changes hands for around £10k – in part because there are only a handful left on the road.

While they can be troublesome and “delicate”, Gammas remain today – as they were in 1994 – ”beautiful to look at [and] a delight to drive,” with values climbing slowly rather than rocketing.

Verdict: Winner! That's a 39% rise adjusted for inflation

Alfa Romeo Alfetta 1.6 GT

Price then: £5000

Back in 1994, we described the '70s Guigiaro-styled Alfetta as a “time-warp machine” whose “sharp lines are refreshingly pure.”

Reviewing a 1977 model with 5000 miles on the clock, we earmarked the then-14-year-old Italian GT as a “rewarding driver’s car” that “drives as well as it looks” – though we warned of “fast depreciation” and, worse, a “cheap dash layout”.

Alfa Romeo Alfetta 1.6 GT (cont.)

Price now: £9000

Now, 25 years on, the Alfetta is still holding its own. Accounting for inflation, its £5k price in '94 is roughly equivalent to the £9000 you’d have to fork out for a good runner today.

So, while values haven’t skyrocketed, they haven’t fallen through the floor, either – meaning you could’ve bought a good Alfetta in the '90s, enjoyed it carefully and dodged the devil of depreciation. Records suggest there are just three registered on the road in the UK today.

Verdict: Neutral. That's a 0% rise adjusted for inflation

Ford Escort RS2000

Price then: £3250

Oh, how we wish we’d bought an Escort RS2000. What we described in 1994 as a “cheap, fun car” that “goes well and is quite chuckable” could today be worth close to £18,000 – and would surely remain a fantastic slice of fast Ford fun.

Even accounting for inflation, that’s a tidy profit of around £12k – though that assumes we’d have resisted the temptation to deploy the “raucous” RS2000’s 110bhp for a “cheap giggle.”

Ford Escort RS2000 (cont.)

Price now: £18,000

Admittedly, the 1980 example we reviewed had been reshelled and rebuilt after a rear-end shunt – but with a fair bit spent on new parts and an engine overhaul, it was no shonky runner.

“Boy-racer” image aside, with just 22,000 miles on the clock, we reported that the Escort “drives like new” – and with only 400 or so still on the road in the UK today, it would have been a pretty smart pick.

Verdict: Winner! That's a 192% rise adjusted for inflation

Mercedes-Benz 250CE

Price then: £3995

An iconic post-war Mercedes-Benz, the 250CE was the first production Merc to use all-electronic fuel injection. It was also styled with timeless elegance that still looks stunning today.

Reviewed at just £4000 in 1994, we reckoned a 1971 example of the two-door pillarless coupé to be “an excellent buy for Merc lovers”, with “solid if unexciting” performance on the road.

Mercedes-Benz 250CE (cont.)

Price now: £10,000

Known to be one of the most reliable classics of its era, decent examples of the 250CE today shift for an average of £10k, with fewer than 50 registered on UK roads.

That rise in value beats inflation by a few grand and a medium-mileage 250CE bought in the '90s would doubtless have delivered two decades of quiet, comfortable German cruising.

Verdict: Winner! That's a 32% rise adjusted for inflation

Alfa Romeo Spider

Price then: £5000

First launched in 1966, the Spider soon became synonymous with Alfa – and the Series 2 models of the early-’70s remain as much of a treat today as they were in '94.

Describing a 1974 example – one of the last factory right-hand drive models – as an “Italian temptress”, we praised its “2-litre power”, “sweet five-speed ‘box” and “superb steering”, all of which combined to make the £5k Spider “a joy to drive”.

Alfa Romeo Spider (cont.)

Price now: £15,000

Today, that remains very much the case, with tidy examples of the Italian drop-top offering an enticing formula of fizzy performance, delicate handling and pure cabins.

Prices vary depending on condition, but for the example we drove in '94 – in good but not perfect condition – you’d now need to hand over somewhere between £12k and £15k.

Verdict: Winner! That's a 58% rise adjusted for inflation

Rover P4 100

Price then: £2200

Rover’s P4 100 was a car built to be luxurious, from the leather-and-wood trim to the heater fitted as standard – and, at 30 years old, the appeal of this traditional saloon was clear: “everything was designed with comfort in mind.”

Not one for those in a hurry, we reported that the engine in our 1962 example “shows its dislike for speed by throwing out some oil past the rocker cover gasket.”

Rover P4 100 (cont.)

Price now: £8000

Well-built for its time, some 1300 examples remain registered on UK roads today.

Values have crept up faster than inflation, but the 100 is still a relatively reasonable classic at around £8k for one that’s been looked after.

Now getting on for 55, it stills looks as elegant today as in the '60s and continues to offer accessible luxury.

Verdict: Winner! That's a 92% rise adjusted for inflation

Austin Seven

Price then: £3750

An affordable car for the masses, the Austin 7 was a bestseller in the UK in its day – and it was a steal at less than £4000 in 1994.

“The phone should be red-hot for this,” we reckoned, given its “beautifully scruffy” appearance.

In fact, we were rather besotted: “Everything about this saloon, including the maligned brakes and suspension, is just right, and we wouldn’t change a thing.”

Austin Seven (cont.)

Price now: £17,000

Today, an 85-year-old example in good running condition can be expected to sell for around £17,000 – a healthy improvement on its early-’90s price and one a car of this character richly deserves.

They don’t make them like this any more and, if you’d bought one in 1994, you’d now have the choice of selling up for a nice profit, holding on for more or simply enjoying its pure '30s personality.

Verdict: Winner! That's a 139% rise adjusted for inflation

Ford Granada Ghia

Price then: £1600

As we said in 1994, in its day the Mk I Granada was a fine car, with a refined chassis and good handling. With a torquey 3-litre Essex V6 in the mix, it was quick, too.

We reviewed a 1976 example 24 years ago and found it to be a quiet, relaxing car that, when pressed, “slurs effortlessly” through the gears and enjoyed a supple ride, even if body roll belied its age.

Ford Granada Ghia (cont.)

Price now: £7000

Despite healthy Mk 1 sales in the day, you don’t see too many early Granadas on the road today – with fewer than 200 Ghias registered in the UK – but that relative rarity hasn’t seen values shoot through the roof.

However, prices were so low back in the '90s that you could still have made a tidy profit on one. Around £7k will bag you a healthy runner with a good history, though it’s possible to find them for less. And if you’d kept an example of the top-end Ghia well and in its original state, you’d be looking at closer to £11,000.

Verdict: Winner! That's a 131% rise adjusted for inflation

TVR Tasmin 280i

Price then: £4995

Back in 1994, we rather enjoyed the Capri-engined TVR Tasmin – reporting that the '82 model we drove (with 60,700 miles on the clock) felt “slightly rattly in the chassis and steering departments...but the engine sounds strong and pulls hard.”

Of course, “in TVR tradition, the panel gaps are all over the place” – but “the only bits that have fallen off are a couple of minor pieces of interior trim.”

TVR Tasmin 280i (cont.)

Price now: £9000

Trickier to find in good condition today – particularly given those TVR build quality concerns of the time – if you can hunt down a Tasmin 280i that’s been well-kept, you can expect to pay something close to £9000. Adjusted for inflation, that means you'd be spending now around the same as what you would have shelled out 25 years ago.

However – much like 20-something years ago – good runners can still deliver “antisocial hilarity for the summer”, with “just enough power to kick the tail out”. Remember, profit isn't the main concern here!

Verdict: Neutral! That's a 0% rise adjusted for inflation

Hillman Imp Californian

Price then: £2995

We reckoned £3k was “a lot of money for an Imp” in 1994, even one “so solid and original” as the 1966 example we reviewed – and we were probably right.

Today, the small British saloon – first built by Rootes and later Chrysler – would probably fetch around £7000 in good condition, which, taking into account inflation, is only a slight increase.

Hillman Imp Californian (cont.)

Price now: £7000

That said, if it remained as original and tidy as it was in 1994, the model we tested would be one of the loveliest Imps around: in '94, we said “this car looks so good it’s hard to believe it’s not a restoration job.”

We also reported that “on the move, the Imp is refined...with interesting but not dangerous handling” – suggesting that, while not such an appreciating classic, it’s probably a very rewarding one.

Verdict: Winner! That's a 24% rise adjusted for inflation

Lancia Fulvia Coupé 1.3

Price then: £4500

Plucky and pretty, the Castagnero-designed Fulvia Coupé was a “fairly heavy, small-engined car” but in 1994 – as now – it went “exceptionally well... running up to an easy 110mph”.

Our 1974 example was good through the corners, too, hanging on “magnificently” and offering “firmer steering feel without compromising the delicacy of the standard setup.”

Lancia Fulvia Coupé 1.3 (cont.)

Price now: £15,000

The Fulvia we drove in '94 was a “potential concours winner”, in stunning condition and with a relatively low mileage of 60,000.

We reported it to be “as nice a Fulvia coupe as you will find.” For something in similar condition today, you’d be looking at upwards of £15,000 – though well-used examples can be picked up for closer to £12k. Even with inflation, that’s a tidy £7k profit.

Verdict: Winner! That's a 76% rise adjusted for inflation

Riley RME

Price then: £5000

In our '90s feature, we declared a neat 1953 example of this desirable and refined post-war saloon to be “screaming out for regular use on long rural straights.”

Often overlooked, “only 3500 of these gorgeous fabric-roofed sporting saloons were built with all the refinement and improvements over the earlier and more common A-series cars”.

Riley RME (cont.)

Price now: £10,000

Values for this luxury '50s sports car still haven’t shot up – though you’re looking at closer to £10k today for a low-mileage runner with a leather interior in good condition.

The one we drove had “obviously been garaged and covered in a satin dust sheet all its life” and would surely today offer a sumptuous slice of period elegance.

Verdict: Winner! That's a 5% rise adjusted for inflation

Lancia Beta Monte-Carlo S1

Price then: £4995

Uncompromisingly set up for track use, the 1977 Lancia Beta Monte-Carlo we drove in 1994 derived 200bhp from its works spec twin-cam motor and, paired with upgraded suspension and brakes, delivered “dramatic acceleration...sky-high grip and...rapid cornering.”

At just £5000, we reckoned the uninsulated racer “would be a fun but punishing machine” for the road, with its price tag failing to reflect the amount spent on its development.

Lancia Beta Monte-Carlo S1 (cont.)

Price now: £20,000

Unrivalled as a “budget thrill machine”, unrestored roadgoing Monte-Carlos today can fetch anywhere from £15,000 to £25k – though in racing trim there’s no telling how much a well-kept runner could be worth.

And, whatever the value, you can bet this '80s sports car would still offer a thrill a minute, even on a dry A-road.

Verdict: Winner! That's a 111% rise adjusted for inflation

MGB Roadster

Price then: £4000

A British-built slice of accessible summer motoring, the MGB Roadster was and is a “very usable, fun car”.

We drove a 15-year-old example in 1994, in “fair condition” and mechanically “sound enough” – though we reckoned it “would benefit from attention”.

MGB Roadster (cont.)

Price now: £11,000

Unspectacular but enjoyable, the thousands of MGBs built mean that prices have remained low for what is a relatively forgiving runner that’s easy to keep going even today.

Condition determines a lot, with restored Roadsters fetching upwards of £25k. For an average example like the one we drove back in '94? You’d be looking at around £11k today – though it would need some tidying up.

Verdict: Winner! That's a 45% rise adjusted for inflation

Reliant Scimitar SE5a

Price then: £3500

For our early-’90s bargain round-up we got behind the wheel of what we thought was “probably one of the best SE5as in the country and, in our opinion, superb value for money.”

What did you get for £3500? A Scimitar in “incredible condition”, with a Ford V6 that “feels bulletproof”, together with an excellent transmission and suspension – and “not a squeak from the taut and together running gear.”

Reliant Scimitar SE5a (cont.)

Price now: £8500

SE5as remain less sought after than some of their sporting contemporaries, which means a tidy example bought in '94 would today likely net around £8500, a little more than inflation.

Factor in running costs and you wouldn’t really have made a profit – but you would have had the run of a fast, practical classic that’s easy to maintain and even easier to enjoy.

Verdict: Winner! That's a 28% rise adjusted for inflation

Triumph TR7

Price then: £2500

Following the mighty TR6, the TR7 had big shoes to fill – and by and large failed to do so.

It was a relative steal at £2.5k in 1994, with apparently solid mechanicals belied by a dull paint job – though, as with every TR7 ever made, there was “a question mark over the body’s long-term prospects.”

Triumph TR7 (cont.)

Price now: £6000

Alas, an appalling reputation for bad build quality means prices have barely risen in 25 years, with average values hovering around the £5-6k mark.

Factoring in running and repair costs, you’re as well buying one today as you would have been back then – and, despite the reputation, the underrated TR7 in fact makes for an excellent entry to classic car ownership. One for the drivers, not the bankers.

Verdict: Winner! That's a 26% rise adjusted for inflation

Riley 1.5

Price then: £2500

Built on the basics of a Morris Minor but equipped with a bigger 1.5-litre B-series engine, the Riley 1.5 was a plucky alternative to its sister Wolseley 1500 – and better by 68bhp.

We weren’t sure about the price tag for the one we drove in 1994, given its uncertain mileage, rough paint and scruffy interior – though performance was reportedly excellent and “when you get over 50mph, you tend to forget the faults and enjoy the ride.”

Riley 1.5 (cont.)

Price now: £8,000

Examples in slightly better condition today – perhaps given a little care and attention, including the new seats we recommended for our 1.5 – can change hands for £8k.

If you’d bought the one we drove in '94, spent a few grand on restoring and refurbishing it, and kept it carefully, it would be worth closer to £10,000 today. Worth the effort? More for enjoyment than monetary return.

Verdict: Winner! That's a 69% rise adjusted for inflation

Triumph Spitfire 1500

Price then: £3000

Gifted with classic open-top Triumph styling, the Spitfire 1500 was the last incarnation of the MG Midget rival and, even in '94, was regarded as “the most desirable Spitfire of the range.”

Our example had been extensively rebuilt, from the shell to the mechanicals – though the engine was original and it “gave up the ghost while on our test.” Oops.

Triumph Spitfire 1500 (cont.)

Price now: £6000

Even well-kept today and with a good engine fitted, 1500s top out at around £11k – with mid-range runners going for £5-6k.

It wasn’t an investment-grade classic, then – and repair bills can be frequent, with a vulnerable engine, gearbox and chassis – but Spitfires remain great fun on the road.

Verdict: Winner! That's a 5% rise adjusted for inflation

Wolseley Nine

Price then: £5000

Britain’s biggest car manufacturer in the early-’20s, Wolseley’s rapid expansion would eventually lead to financial difficulties and a buyout by Morris – but not before the four-cylinder Nine arrived in 1934.

Some 7200 were built, including the 1935 example we sampled 25 years ago, which we described as “a different pre-war saloon for short country drives that seems fairly priced.”

Wolseley Nine (cont.)

Price now: £10,000

Much like its performance – “push hard then wait long enough, and the speedo will hit 60mph” – Nine prices have essentially held steady, despite very few being available for sale – or, indeed, in running condition.

There are projects and half-restored Nines around, but you’ll be hard pushed to find a runner you can buy. If you do, £8000 to £10k would be about right, though prices will obviously vary wildly depending on condition.

Verdict: Winner! That's a 5% rise adjusted for inflation

Which are the winners?

So, which of our 21 bargain classics should you have bought in 1994? In truth, few of them would have been a bad bet: almost all have appreciated in value – and they’d all have given you a good time over the last two decades.

Even so, here’s every one of our picks ranked by rise in value (adjusted for inflation):

1. Ford Escort RS2000 – 192%
2. Austin Seven – 139%
3. Ford Granada Ghia – 131%
4. Lancia Beta Monte-Carlo – 111%
5. Volvo 1800ES – 98%
6. Rover P4 100 – 92%
7. Lancia Fulvia Coupé 1.3 – 76%
8. Riley 1.5 – 69%
9. Daimler Sovereign – 63%
10. Alfa Romeo Spider – 58%
11. MGB Roadster – 45%
12. Lancia Gamma Coupé – 39%
13. Mercedes-Benz 250CE – 32%
14. Reliant Scimitar SE5a – 28%
15. Triumph TR7 – 26%
16. Hillman Imp Californian – 24%
17. Riley RME – 5%
18. Triumph Spitfire 1500 – 5%
19. Wolseley Nine – 5%
20. Alfa Romeo Alfetta 1.6GT – 0%
21. TVR Tasmin 280i – 0%