Modern Collectibles: Discontinued Values Vary Wildly
A new report from Black Book uncovers the reasons behind recent product cancelations and shows that no two discontinued models depreciate alike.
by Staff
July 30, 2018
2 min to read
The Toyota FJ Cruiser has enjoyed sustained popularity since wrapping production in 2014-MY, increasing in value by more than 25% compared with other vehicles in its segment, according to a new report from Black Book. Photo courtesy Toyota Motor Sales USA Inc.
LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga. — Black Book (div. Hearst) released a new analytics-driven report that looks at why certain vehicle models were discontinued over the last several years and how they’ve retained their values.
Analysts noted that some car and truck models, despite their popularity, are discontinued simply because manufacturers move production strategies in a new direction. Such models appear to retain their values better than their segment average, while others see retention values plummet. Black Book conducted an analysis that includes a mix of small and midsize cars, trucks, SUVs, and minivans. Their discontinuation dates vary over the last few decades, and the reasons for their discontinuation are as diverse as the vehicles themselves.
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As an example of this analysis, Black Book data shows that the Toyota FJ Cruiser, whose last model-year was 2014, has actually gone up in value by 25.7% compared to other vehicles that were listed in its segment. The Hummer H2 is second-best in retention at 18.5%.
The FJ Cruiser was acclaimed for its off-road performance and known for its quirky combination of a wide stance and short wheelbase. In 2014, the FJ Cruiser’s last model-year of production, it sold only about 14,000 units. Given the uniqueness of this vehicle and the relative high demand from enthusiasts, it became a modern collectible. The change in three-year retention for FJ Cruisers was a whopping 26 percentage points better than the average for the midsize SUV/CUV segment.
Conversely, the Mazda MPV minivan, last produced in 2006, has lost 15.8% of its value compared to other vehicles in its segment, and the Mercury Milan has lost 9.5% compared to others in its segment since it was discontinued in 2011.
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