Every Car Built in 1991 Is Now an Antique

What’s an antique car, really? Is it anything built before WWII, or by hand, or from brass? It is anything that rolls on wooden wheels, or with whitewalls? Surely an “antique” automobile—bearing the privileges of vintage car insurance, vanity plates and separate valuation—should be defined by some aesthetic or technological merit? No. Nope. According to state governments nationwide, the Antique Automobile Club of America and Hagerty Insurance, an antique automobile is any at least 25 years old. Your cousin’s ‘91 Cavalier with two missing hubcaps and a permanent infusion of eau de ganj? Yes, that. These, too.

1991 Buick Century

As your eyes take in this classic Buick, relish the classic post-(Gulf)War details like “wire effect” hubcaps and body color impact bumpers. Famous owners of this piece of late-twentieth century manufacturing include every lunch lady in the country.

1991 Hyundai Excel

With the Excel, you’ll want to get a cherished, later example. Early Excels didn’t have fuel-injection or, well, horsepower.

1991 Ford Aerostar Minivan

Fans of this marque have nothing but praises for clean examples of the Aerostar. “Gorgeous,” “streamlined,” “underrated” are all adjectives that have been used by lobotomy patients to describe Ford’s first minivan.

1991 Toyota Tercel

The ‘91 Tercel, a prime example of the Japan’s excellent “Turd Widget” automotive era, is currently gaining traction with investors. Traction, like that it could not muster in the rain or up hills.

1991 Yugo

There’s a saying about these beautiful, Yugoslavian automobiles: How do you double the value of a Yugo? Throw a gallon of milk in the back seat. What that callous quip forgets is that a gallon of milk can’t kill its owner in a 15-mph impact. Fools.

1991 Mazda 626

Yes, Japanese iron is having a renaissance in the higher echelons of the collector market. Every rabid banker in pursuit of a Toyota 2000GT would be wise to cast his eyes to Mazda’s 626 which, like the Toyota, has wheels.

1991 Pontiac Sunbird

Move over, air-cooled Porsche 911: This American sport-adjacent coupe is coming for your skyrocketing prices. A quick scan of the Internet tells us much about this hunk of American metal: Some of them are for sale.