These Collectors Cars Are a Hard Sell Today
Not every collector car is hot property. Some sit in showrooms gathering dust while dealers pray for a buyer. And the 35 cars on this list just won’t. From weird styling to sky-high prices, these cars all have something holding them back. Curious? Keep reading and see which cars no one wants.
Chevrolet SSR
Chevrolet’s SSR is part truck, part convertible, and fully confusing. They tried to blend retro style with a bit of muscle, but buyers really didn’t know what to make of it. It’s fun to look at, but owning one is a harder sell. Dealers have them collecting dust, not offers.
Chrysler TC by Maserati
A Chrysler with some Maserati flair sounds fancy, right? In reality, it's a weird mix that gets heads turning for all the wrong reasons. It’s too bland for exotic fans, and too odd for Chrysler lovers. Dealers secretly hope someone’s nostalgia will kick in and they’ll buy one.
Cadillac Allanté
The Cadillac Allanté was built in Italy and flown to the U.S. for final assembly. Somehow, it’s still just meh and doesn’t get much attention. The looks are okay, but no one’s lining up to buy this relic, and dealers have a hard time selling them.
DeLorean DMC-12
Outside of Back to the Future fans, no one is lining up to buy a DeLorean DMC-12 anymore. It’s slow, clunky, and tricky to maintain, and dealers just keep them around like museum pieces and not hot sellers. Not even movie star status matters anymore.
Pontiac Aztek
The Pontiac Aztek’s only claim to fame is that Walter White drove one in Breaking Bad. And even that didn’t help. It’s still one of the ugliest cars ever made, and dealers have to practically give them away. Rugged? Sure! Sellable? Not really.
Buick Reatta
Buick’s Reatta was supposed to be a sleek and sporty luxury coupé. Instead, it never quite fit in anywhere and didn’t sell well. Yes, it’s a collector car, but these days it just quietly haunts used car lots begging to be noticed.
Ford Thunderbird
Ford tried to bring back the classic Thunderbird vibes in 2002, but it didn’t really fly. The design was cute, but the performance wasn’t thrilling. It’s aged weirdly, too, and now just sits at the back of the lot like that forgotten piece of fruit in your school bag.
Plymouth Prowler
The Prowler might look like a custom hot rod, but it’s nothing more than a regular sedan. With no V8 under the hood, it disappointed muscle car lovers and gave Plymouth a bad name. People might stare at them, but no one is buying them anymore.
Jaguar X-Type
The Jaguar X-Type looks like a baby Jag, but under the bonnet? It’s basically a dressed-up Ford Mondeo. Sadly, the reliability wasn’t great, and it didn’t sit well with purists. Dealers can’t even give these away, let alone sell them.
Lincoln Blackwood
A luxury pickup truck sounded wild in the early 2000s - and it was. But, not in a good way. It had a fancy bed you couldn’t use, and a vibe that no one wanted. It flopped back then, and it flops just as hard now.
Mercedes-Benz R-Class
Is it a minivan? An SUV? A wagon? Even Mercedes didn’t seem sure. It was too big, too weird, and too expensive. Buyers stayed far away from the R-Class, and now the few left on dealer lots just sit around awkwardly.
Subaru SVX
The Subaru SVX had funky windows and futuristic looks that made it cool - in theory, that is. In real life, it was pricey to fix and didn’t hold up well. That unique design didn’t age great either, and now it’s a hard sell unless you really love quirky cars.
Oldsmobile Aurora
The Oldsmobile Aurora looked sharp for its time, but the brand faded fast. Now, people aren’t exactly rushing to collect Oldsmobiles. Parts are hard to find, and the name just doesn’t inspire the confidence it did back in the early ‘90s.
Dodge Magnum
Dodge’s Magnum is a muscle car disguised as a wagon… And that threw people off. Some loved it, but most ignored it. Dealers still list them with hope, but buyers just aren’t lining up for wagons these days - even the fast ones.
Mazda RX-8
Rotary engines are cool - until they’re not. And the engine on the Mazda RX-8 had issues galore. Throw in a backseat only your cat would enjoy, and even fans of Japanese sports cars pass on these unless they REALLY love tinkering.
Toyota MR2 Spyder
The Toyota MR2 Spyder was a lot of things - light, nimble, and full of charm. But it didn’t quite catch on, and people thought it was a bit too toy-like. Dealers usually need a very patient buyer or someone who is crazy about Toyotas to sell them.
Saab 9-5 Aero
Saab is long-gone, and so is the 9-5 Aero. Sure, it was fast and stylish, but finding parts or getting repairs today is no easy feat. The cult following helps dealers sell these cars, but most buyers walk away when they learn there’s no dealership to turn to.
BMW Z3 Coupé
The BMW Z3 Coupé wasn’t called the “clown shoe” for nothing. You either loved it or hated it. It’s rare, which helps a little, but that doesn’t mean it’s easy to sell. Dealers need to find the right buyer with weird taste and very deep pockets.
Volvo C30
Volvo’s C30 was a cool little hatch with decent power and a comfy interior. So, why doesn’t it sell? Apart from Twilight fans, no one remembers it exists. It’s one of those cars that’s too good to be bad - but too boring to be good.
Fiat 124 Spider
The Fiat 124 Spider is essentially a Miata in an Italian suit. Sounds fun, right? Well, kind of. Whatever your opinion of the car, it didn’t sell well then, and dealers today are stuck convincing people it’s not just another bootleg roadster.
Peugeot 505
The Peugeot 505 is a French sedan with odd quirks and very limited support. Unless you’re deep into Euro cars and nostalgia, there’s really not much appeal. Most buyers give it a confused look and keep walking. Dealers can’t sell them anymore.
Mitsubishi 3000GT SL
The plain version of the Mitsubishi 3000GT SL is nothing special. It looks fast, but it isn't. And without the performance punch of the VR-4 turbo version, it just sits around at the dealer, hoping someone gets confused and buys it by mistake.
Acura ZDX
This is the luxury SUV that forgot how to SUV. The Acura ZDX had a low roof, tiny backseat, and weird looks that just didn’t scream “buy me!” Dealers still keep them around, but only in case a design student walks in.
Isuzu VehiCROSS
The VehiCROSS looks like a comic book car and drives like a tank. Sounds great, right? It’s rare and capable, but the ride’s rough and the styling’s, um, loud. Fun? Sure. Sellable? Only if the buyer really loves weird cars.
Nissan Pulsar NX
Modular roof panels like those on the Nissan Pulsar NX were cool in the ‘80s, but they haven’t aged well. Neither has the styling. The Pulsar NX is an oddball, and while some love that, no one’s lining up at the dealers to buy one.
Chevy HHR SS
Chevy’s HHR SS tried to be retro-cool like the PT Cruiser, but with more speed. Instead, it ended up just being… there. It was fast, but not really desirable, and dealers can only hope someone out there still likes it enough to buy one.
Jaguar S-Type R
Just like the X-Type, the Jaguar S-Type R didn’t get the attention it so desperately wanted. It was powerful, sure, but it looked more like Granddad’s pipe collection on wheels. The design turned people off, and reliability issues didn’t help things.
Infiniti M45
This is one of those cars that we’re in two minds about. The Infiniti M45 is a V8 luxury sedan, but it has no identity. It’s quick and comfy, but also kind of boring. It got lost in the crowd and never found a fan base. Now it just collects dust.
Lexus SC 430
Top Gear called the Lexus SC 430 “the worst sports car ever,” And that stuck. It’s more of a cruiser than a performance machine. And while it is stylish, it’s not winning any hearts in the resale market, and dealers just can’t sell them.
Hyundai Genesis Coupé
Hyundai’s Genesis Coupé looked like a sports car, but never quite acted like one. People expected way more excitement. Instead, they got a car with an identity crisis. It came and went - and now dealers are sitting with collector cars no one wants.
Suzuki X-90
Dealers just want the Suzuki X-90 gone. This tiny SUV has T-tops, only two seats, and is weird in all the wrong ways. No one knows what to do with it. Off-roaders just laugh while city drivers shrug. There’s just no way forward for this poor car.
Saturn Sky
The Sky was kind of cute, but Saturn’s long gone - and so is any dealer support. Parts are super rare, and the charm of owning one of these cars has faded. Buyers might stop to look… but they rarely stay or buy the Saturn Sky.
Pontiac Solstice
Pontiac’s Solstice is another car that had potential, but is now just another car of a forgotten brand. The trunk is tiny, the reputation is nothing great, and the resale is rough. Dealers have a hard time selling the Pontiac Solstice.
Ford Probe GT
The Ford Probe GT had ‘90s styling, but not much else that made it stand out. It had a sporty vibe back in the day. Now it just feels dated, and it’s not collectible enough to excite people, and not practical enough to use.
AMC Pacer
Some people call the AMC Pacer iconic. Most just call it weird. The giant glass bubble look never really caught on, leaving dealers hanging onto them for nothing but novelty’s sake. This is one car you shouldn’t expect a bidding war for.
