Can you determine in advance which cars will become "classic cars"? What are the requirements to be referred to as "classic" rather than old?

My definition of a classic car is one that has the old-style registration plate on it, as opposed to the obnoxious incomprehensible mumbo-jumbo that has been passing for registration plates these last 15 years or so. That is my criteria in a nutshell. Happy Monday, Rosie!:)

I would say that time would be the major factor.  I know nothing about cars.  In any other walk of life, classic means the ability to endure and be a favorite despite the passage of time.   It has staying power and popularity and endurance and lastability.

Like a great book.  You cannot tell if it is going to be a classic until it becomes one. 

No I cannot.

I used the same plates for ten cars...none of the could be considered classics.

People will be attracted to cars for as many reasons as you can point a stick at Rosie.  Beyond the obvious (expensive, exclusive, etc) it makes it very hard for Joe Public to be sure where the next classic will emerge.  

My first car is now viewed as 'desirable' in certain quarters but I'm damn sure it wasn't desirable when I had it.  It would also be worth about five times more than what I paid for it in 1983/4.

I ran a 'modern classic' (or it was viewed as such in the very late '80s) for about six months until it was stolen.  That would be worth about four times what I paid for it.  Because that model was quick and had some product association with 'exciting' dramas of the day, as well as some rallying history, it was instantly desirable, but because it was common, cheap and 'dated (belonging to the '70s rather than the '80s)' it didn't really find a following as a 'classic' until the early 90s.

If I was looking for something to become a classic I'd go for a limited edition version (though it might not be declared as such) of a rare-ish vehicle that sold in small numbers but was not a poor car.  A less risky option might be to consider cheap, already established classics that could be bought and would almost certainly appreciate.  

My choice of those would be this (one of my older brothers ran one for a year or so and I fell in love with it long ago), in white.  :)

Hello Rosie:

Yes, I can..  If I buy it, it WILL become a classic..  The only problem with that, is I didn't KNOW that when I OWNED those cars..    I had a '58 Impala.  I had a '62 Impala.  I owned a '66 VW window van. I had a '53 Hudson. I owned a '46 Ford coupe.  ALL of 'em are classics today, worth hundreds of thousands of $$'s..

Here's my car today.  I'm keeping it..  Gonna be a classic..  It's my retirement.

excon

Thank you AndyB and Happy Tuesday to thee. Some "old" cars are worth far more now than they were when they were new. Others  are just considered to be old. I often wonder  how that is determined? I mean if you KNOW a car will increase in value tremendously everyone would  buy it, right? Is it a gamble? :)

Exactly. I mean if you KNEW today that a car you buy would be worth ten times as much in, say, 20 years you'd probably buy it as a solid dependable investment. Other cars lose their value quickly.  I guess it's always gonna be a gamble. Thank you for your reply Sharonna! :)

Thank you you for your thoughtful, helpful and informative reply to my question MrWitch and Happy Tuesday. Is the Edsel a classic car? It bombed in its heyday and I think there weren't too many of them sold. The design was more than unlovely  .I kinda sorta thought it was ugly! I'm not a fan of boxy cars. I love sleek/aerodynamic/streamlined cars. The kind of car that appears to be flying down the road when  it's parked!  A Lamborghini for instance. My usta be favorite car was the XKE Jaguar. I LOVE concept cars, most of which are never made. They're the ones that are roped off and on  revolving stages at car shows. Most of them never go into production. Too expensive I guess.

Hahahhahahahahahahahaha! Geez honey that's too funny...in a financially sad way. So you have the golden touch then. Retroactively? I guess that's better that not having it at all!  Thank you for your reply excon. Does your current car have a name or does it just go by "car"? ((hugs))

Me too neither Ele. But wouldn't it be loverly if you could? Some cars are worth tons of money MORE in later years than when they were originally sold! I mean that would be a he** of an investment  wouldn't it? You use it for however long you like and then sell it or store it until its value has increased to your liking and THEN sell it! If we only knew then what we know now! Thank you for your reply and Happy Tuesday!   :)

Good morning m'dear
There is no universal definition of what makes a car a classic.
There are different categories of "old cars". Is it a classic, an antique, vintage or just old, and is it collectable.
Most commonly a classic would be anything manufactured between the early 20's to 25 years to current..but just because a car is 25 years old doesn't make it a classic. A Dodge Kcar will probably never be a classic.
A classic vehicle could be described as a car being special when it was new. It either was a limited edition, loaded with options or a first, or last of a production line.
Let's take the Ford Mustang for example, and compare collectability of different versions..A 67' base model with an inline six and no options although maybe a classic, isn't all that collectable because they made tons of them and there is nothing to distinguish it from all the rest. Now look at a 67' mustang, Shelby GT 350. Very collectable because they were made in limited numbers and they were way more powerful than the average car. Now make it a fastback or a convertible and they are worth even more.
Generally, there had to be something special about the car when it was new.
Anything before the mid 20's is considered vintage.
The Edsel would be classic based on its unusual styling, the story behind it and it's limited production.
A classic car is also one that hasn't been heavily modified from original unless that modification was done by someone well known, as in Shelby or Yenko etc.
Value is also based on the originality of the classic. A car that still has all the original parts will be worth more than the same model that has had its engine replaced.

So how do we know what contemporary cars may become classics, same rules apply.
If it special now, chances are it will be special in 25 years.however, because of the sheer numbers of cars being manufactured today, not many will be considered limited..
Back in 69, theey only made a few thousand Dodge Chargers, This year they will probably produce tens of thousands of them..

Ok, so those are more definitions for the collector. If you want to know what a classic is, it is the one you like..if you think a Kcar is a classic, who am I to argue..
I know you like Lambo's, pretty sure those will be "classic"
As always, have a fantastic day..

 I also like the XKE jag. I think that was the first SLEEK car I fell in love with. I think it was a '69. My ex-husband's cousin-in-law had one and I got to sit in it. But the skinny on it was that it used tons of oil and would be virtually useless because it was consistently in the repair shop. The cousin-in- law was a mechanic and was working on the car in his garage at the time he let me sit in it. I didn't care. I loved the look of it and I still do though I have since broadened my horizons. Don't know if I already told you this but when Old School still lived in California he'd go with Jim and me to auto shows. One time they had a lot of Lambos roped off for whatever reason. While Jim roamed elsewhere OS and I stayed there drooling over the various lambos. I think I also told you that I have a dry-mounted poster of a Lambo Countache that belonged to my son which he gave me. It's red. It's pretty nifty. You know a lot about cars m'dear. So there is not only "classic" but also "vintage", "antique" and "old".  I know "vintage" clothing is popular among some folks. That's just a fancy dancy name for "OLD". I watch "Antiques Road Show" all the time but I can't recall ever seeing anyone bring in an antique car. Sometimes on that Las Vegas Pawn Stars show you will see a restored car. I guess the "Classic" cars are the most valuable? The Edsel was butt ugly in my opinion.  But even so it could be valuable because no one  bought them so there are just a few?  If a car stops being produced and then later on gets manufactured again if it were a classic would the quantity of the new ones devalue the old ones? I were a billionaire I wouldn't mind having every Lambo ever made as well as any other car I have admired. Then I'd auction them all off to the highest bidders and give you the money to use in your restoration/presevation efforts. Yes I would. If I could. Thank you for your thoughtful and helpful reply des and Happy First Day of Autumn 2016 Thursday to you! :)