Following a volatile period between 2020 and 2023, the collector car market in 2025 has settled into a new normal. Wild price swings have been replaced by more modest changes and ultimately more sustainable conditions, which should be welcome news for enthusiasts, if not newer investors. Here are four charts from Hagerty that help tell the story.
1. The market is stabilizing
From 2023 through 2024, the collector car market gave back a lot of its COVID-era gains. That retreat has continued in 2025, but monthly changes are increasingly smaller, according to the Hagerty Market Index. Although the market is now right around the same level it was at the beginning of 2022, it appears to be locking into a new level.
2. Price fluctuations have slowed
As the market settles, pricing has become more predictable. The average auction sale price is essentially unchanged from a year ago, as is the average asking price from collector car dealers. Even though the average list price has fallen 9% from its 2023 highwater mark, monthly adjustments so far this year have been much smaller compared to 2024. Again, the cooling market appears to be settling into stability.
3. Buyers are taking their time
Even though the market is settling, buyers aren’t. Some dealers call it “selectivity”, others call it “patience” or “pickiness”, but no matter how you view it, more consistent pricing has resulted in reduced urgency. Enthusiasts have noticed that the market is equalizing, and they are willing to wait for the right car, in the right condition, at the right price. This is clear when looking at the amount of time vehicles are sitting on collector car dealer lots, which is the highest it has been in the last seven years.
4. But cars continue to trade hands
Ultimately, though, buyers and sellers are still active and agreeing on price. Slightly fewer vehicles have been offered at auction globally this year compared to 2024, but slightly more have sold. This increased sell-through rate illustrates that a slower moving market doesn’t scare people away, it helps create a more efficient market. After a few years of changing conditions, today’s buyers and sellers are on the same page.
The collector car market is powered by enthusiasts more than it is by speculators or investors, and most enthusiasts prefer stability. While everybody would like to sell their car for more than they paid, most people also buy for enjoyment above all else. Steady markets may provide fewer short-term investment opportunities, but they also carry less risk that push folks to the sidelines. From that standpoint, today’s market seems to be in a healthy position.
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Header Image Photo credit: Cameron Neveu for Hagerty
