It’s no secret that cars depreciate quite quickly these days. In fact, right when you drive a car off the lot at a dealership, it immediately loses a substantial amount of value. The industry average depreciation rate for a car is 35% in three years. But there are also cars that lose a whole lot more, for some reason or other, which is bad news for drivers who bought these cars new, but great news for shoppers on the used car market looking for a good deal.
Car research site iSeeCars has stated that “A new car can lose more than half its value within the first three years of ownership.” And Ford is very aware of this fact, and they’re doing everything they can to cut losses. As it stands, the car company relies on big pickups and SUVs to stay afloat. CEO Jim Hackett is taking the company in a new direction, though: He’s eliminating every nonluxury sedan from their lineup. That means the Fusion, the Fiesta, the Taurus, are all out.
Hackett told AutoNews.com, “We’re going to feed the healthy part of our business and deal decisively with the parts that destroy value.” In this way, car buyers should be like Ford’s CEO: They should purchase cars that are going to give them a good return on investment in the long run. It’s simply not worth it to buy a car that’s going to be practically worthless in three to five years.
To help you, here are 12 Fords that have lost all their value, and 12 Fords that have skyrocketed in value in recent years.
24 Skyrocketed: 1956 Ford F100
Yes, modern Ford F-Series trucks sell pretty well, retain value, and you can often turn a small profit selling one (especially if you wait a few years). But that looks like peanuts when compared to the second generation F-Series, in particular the 1956 Ford, which has been prized by hot-rodders and collectors alike for decades.
Back in ’56, a number of one-year-only changes made it the cream of the crop.
They sold for $1,611 back 62 years ago, though today a restored F100 is worth about $65,000, which is a 4,034% increase! It truly is one of the most iconic trucks in the world, and the rarity and value of the F100 surely reflects its collectability.
23 Skyrocketed: 1999-2003 Ford Super Duty
We mentioned an earlier Ford Super Duty diesel truck that should be avoided, the 2003-2007 year model, but the generation directly preceding that truck is one you should consider buying. In recent years, inflation for trucks has been rapidly increasing, making them worth more and more every year. The 1999 to 2003 model had the massive 7.3-liter Power Stroke V8 engine, which had been worked on throughout the ‘90s. These engines were extremely reliable, lasting several hundred thousand miles, and with its turbocharger it was capable of producing up to 525 lb.-ft. of torque. These trucks often retain their value well, as 2003 models sell for $15,000 to $20,000, down just $9,000 from its original MSRP.
22 Skyrocketed: Ford F-150
Generally speaking, trucks and SUVs are selling like hotcakes right now, and after three years they will often still sell like new. Nothing is more evident of this than the Ford F-150, the most popular selling car in the United States.
The F-Series pickups have been the top-selling pickup in this country for a very long time.
They’re powered by 3.6-liter V6 engines, improving fuel efficiency, and new tech and entertainment brings the truck to the 21st century. F-150s start at $27,610, and the resale value they retain after three years of ownership is 70.4%, which is huge. And, F-150s still see more demand than entire other vehicle categories.
21 Skyrocketed: Ford GT
This should come as no surprise, but Ford’s very own supercar, the GT, is worth a huge bundle these days. The GT was in production from 2004 to 2006, and then from 2016 to the present. In 2005, the retail price for a Ford GT was $149,995, which was a huge sum and didn’t take in optional equipment like the McIntosh sound system, racing stripes, painted brake calipers, or forged alloy wheels (another $13,500).
Nowadays, you can’t find a 2005 Ford GT for less than $250,000! That’s right, in 13 years the car has jumped up 66.6% in value. And the 2017 models? They started at $400,000, and right now are selling for about $2,000,000 on Car Gurus!
20 Skyrocketed: Ford F-150 SVT Raptor
According to Car and Driver, the first generation F-150 Raptor is destined to become a classic. It’s the first true high-performance off-road truck in existence (with a factory warranty) and was an instant hit in its 2010 debut.
Its popularity steadily increased over its four-year production run (restarted in 2017), and the Raptor was the highest-volume vehicle ever developed by Ford’s Special Vehicle Team.
The base price for an SVT Raptor was $38,995 in 2010, equipped with a 6.2-liter V8 engine. Those models typically sell for around $45,000 to $50,000 now, and 2017 models start at $50,000 and are selling for upwards of $70,000.
19 Skyrocketed: Ford Mustang Shelby GT350
The name “Shelby” has a way of turning any car into an instant classic, whether it’s found on a Mustang or a Cobra, or even a Dodge Omni. This is certainly the case for the new Ford Mustang Shelby GT350, which Car and Driver believes is destined to become a classic. The GT350 is powered by a screaming 5.2-liter flat-crank V8 engine with 526 hp.
Car and Driver says it could be the best Mustang in history, and it’s certainly the most visceral. A 2018 GT350 starts at $55,940 MSRP, though if you look for one used, you probably won’t find one for less than $65,000, because people are already assuming it’s going to be a classic.
18 Skyrocketed: Ford Mustang Boss 302
Car and Driver’s John Phillips met with Ford’s Jim Farley at dinner once, to celebrate the Mustang Boss 302. Farley told Phillips, “My dream for the car was that it would make a lot of money for a guy street racing. It should be a car that winds up on YouTube doing something illegal.” And with its 444-hp, 5.0-liter V8 engine, we agree.
Ford relied on hard work to coerce the Mustang’s dated S197 chassis and powertrain into a harmonious relationship.
It was only produced for two years (2012-13), with less than 8,500 manufactured total. The base price was $40,995 in 2012, and they still sell for similar amounts, though you can probably find them for cheaper if you look hard.
17 Skyrocketed: 1969-1972 Ford Bronco
To be fair, ANY Ford Bronco is worth quite a pretty penny these days, but the first generation Bronco especially is one of the most valuable old trucks on the planet. It has kept pace with the meteoric rise of the Toyota Land Cruiser, and surpassed it in many collector circles. For a car that once cost $2,834 MSRP, these off-road, original, unmodified trucks can now easily be worth $50,000-plus on the vintage car market, which is a 1,764% increase in value. In fact, many restored Broncos from the late ‘60s often go up into the six-figure mark, selling for upwards of $150,000.
16 Skyrocketed: 1970s Ford Falcon GT/GT-HO
The Ford Falcon GT-HO has long been one of the most expensive Australian cars on the used market, according to ExecutiveStyle.com.au. This comes from a result of its small production run and the fact that it was the fastest four-door car of its day.
It was only produced between 1967 and 1976 as the GT, with the GT-HO variant with an increased 300-bhp engine.
The 5.8-liter V8 engine redefined Aussie muscle at the time, and sales of the car have often exceeded $500,000 in recent years. Even regular, early-model GTs command upwards of $100,000 to $200,000, if they’re restored, but a recent GT-HO sold for $750,000, and another is set to sell at auction for $1 million.
15 Skyrocketed: 1957 Ford Thunderbird Supercharged Convertible
The 1957 Ford Thunderbird is an absolutely iconic car in the United States. The Supercharged convertible version, or “F-Code,” is even more popular in collector circles, and restored, nicely cleaned ones can fetch a small fortune. The ’57 Thunderbird retailed at $4,108 when it first came out, which was quite a bit even then (approximately $36,000 inflation-adjusted).
But that’s nothing compared to what they command these days: two recent F-Codes sold for $135,000 and $148,000, and they more commonly sell at auction for around a quarter of a million dollars. That difference from $4,108 to $250,000 is an increase of 594 percent, making the F-Code one of the most valuable old Fords out there.
14 Skyrocketed: 1946-1948 Ford Sportsman Woodie Convertible
Another absolute classic in the vintage car collector market is the Woodie, or the Ford Sportsman. The woodie is its own car body style, constructed of wood framework with infill wood panels.
There are only approximately 100 original 1946 Ford Sportsmans still remaining, and they typically sell for around $250,000 at auction.
The car originally MSRP’s at $2,282, or $23,500 as adjusted by inflation, which is an increase of 964%. A recent 1947 model sold on Hemmings.com for $237,000, though you might be able to find a later model year Woodie for around $150,000, if your blood isn’t that rich.
13 Skyrocketed: 1969-1970 Ford Mustang Boss 429
The third Mustang making it onto this list comes from an older generation, particularly the middle of the first generation—the Mustang Boss 429. 1965 Shelby Mustang GT350s often sell for around $425,000, so it should come as no surprise that these Ford versions also sell for a boatload. The Boss 429 retailed for $4,740 in 1969, or $30,600 in today’s money, but they can often sell for the same as a Shelby GT350, or $450,000, which is a 1,289% increase in value. The Boss 9 is arguably one of the rarest and most valued muscle cars in the world, with only 859 made in 1969.
12 Plummeted: Ford Taurus
A couple of months ago, car research site iSeeCars put out a study looking over 4.1 million car sales, in order to identify the 10 cars that depreciate the most over the course of three years. The cars on their list depreciated between 46% to 53% over that time, much more than the average depreciation rate of 35%.
Right in the middle of the list at number 5 was the Ford Taurus, which depreciates 49.7% over three years, nearly half of its value.
The Taurus has been around since 1985, and has remained in near-continuous production for more than 30 years. Between 1992 and 1996, the Taurus was the best-selling car in the United States, eventually losing that title to the Toyota Camry in 1997.
11 Plummeted: Ford Focus
The Ford Focus is already one of the cheapest cars on the market, with a 2018 mode starting at just $17,950. It isn’t a bad car by any means, but its depreciation value is very high. The average price of a Focus after just three years is $11,853, or around a 45% depreciation rate. That’s 1.3 times the average. The Focus is set apart from other small sedans by its 35 mpg on the standard model, Microsoft’s SYNC system, its bevy of available apps, touchscreens, backup camera, parking assist, and other technology. But none of that saves it from its terrible depreciation.
10 Plummeted: Ford Fusion
The Ford Fusion is a bit higher on the totem pole than the Focus, as a mid-size sedan. A 2019 Fusion starts at $22,840, which is still very cheap for a pretty good car.
But don’t expect to get a lot from your Fusion after three years, as it will be worth less than $15,000 by then.
ICarSales has put the Fusion’s depreciation rate at 45.1%, which is 1.31 times the average. The Fusion has a lot of amenities similar to the Toyota Camry, but its 28.5 mpg isn’t great, though it does look more like a sports car than a mid-size sedan (or an Aston Martin, which is kind of handles like one).
9 Plummeted: 1982-1993 Ford Mustang
When you think of collectible Ford Mustangs, the 1982-1993 third generation models are usually not the ones that come to mind. The Mustang is an icon, but subsequent generations after the first have caused discord between fans. Aside from the Mustang II of the late ‘70s, no other Mustang has divided fans as much as the Fox Body platform of the ‘80s and ‘90s. The four-cylinder base model produced just 88 hp, about as much as a Smart Fortwo. The ‘90s Mustang was bumped up to 110 hp, and maxed out at 200 hp from the 5.0-liter engine. But these 1982-1993 Mustangs are pretty worthless today, with current valuations of just $2,000 to $3,000.
8 Plummeted: 1982-1993 Ford Mustang GT
The Ford Mustang GT was the more powerful version of the 5.0 Mustang, though not by all that much. The GT was basically a clutch, a slung-back body style, and some perks (fog lamps and 15-inch rims), but that was about it. However, these are the kinds of things that obsessive Mustang fans pay attention to, which is why they still fetch almost twice the amount that a 5.0 Mustang brings, and other cars of this era like 1982-1992 Chevy Camaro, and more. You can hope to get about $4,000 to $5,000 for your 1982-1993 Ford Mustang GT, a big step down from its MSRP of $20,950 in 1993.
7 Plummeted: Ford Fiesta
Ford has had a bit of a crisis over the last couple years trying to compete with Toyota and Honda. As it stands, the company is completely reliant and dependent on big pickups and SUVs.
They predict that light trucks will account for nearly 90% of its sales in the United States soon, and so they’re phasing out cars that won’t help their bottom line. The Fusion, for instance, is a goner.
The Mustang and Focus will survive (but only as an import from China). Also out is the Ford Fiesta, Ford’s recession-era attempt to woo young buyers. Also out is the Taurus (all the cars mentioned so far, basically).
6 Plummeted: Lincoln Continental Mark VII
The Lincoln Continental Mark VII was a rear-wheel drive luxury car that was manufactured during the same exact years as the Mustangs above, from 1983 to 1992. The diesel-powered car, which just doesn’t sound right on a Mark VII, existed in the ‘80s, and is the true culprit of terrible depreciation here.
Usually, Lincoln’s large, luxurious barges were powered by gasoline V8 motors and twin-turbo V6s, but between 1983 and 1992, Ford pushed the Mark VII coupe as a performance luxury car due to its optional LSC trim, though it still needed 13 seconds to hi 60 mph! This 115-hp land-boat isn’t worth the money and should be avoided.
5 Plummeted: Ford Tempo
Another car that should be avoided is one that most drivers of this younger generation have probably never even heard of, the Ford Tempo. It was a compact car that, together with its twin the Mercury Topaz, was produced between 1984 and 1994.
Compact cars have improved so much since the ‘80s, and the tiny Tempo simply isn’t acceptable today.
They’re powered by lethargic 2.0-liter Mazda diesel engines, producing only 50 horsepower. It got an impressive 39 mph highway, but these cars are utterly worthless today, and certainly not classics. A quick look at Car Gurus shows that there are hardly any Tempos for sale that crack the $1,000 mark, with most hovering around $500-$800, which is pretty bad considering the 1994 MSRP of $12,900.