In virtually all cases, collector cars are absolutely worth the money. While the prices are steep from an objective standpoint, their rarity, importance, or classic car status makes them justifiable purchases, as their prices will only continue to go up, provided that they're preserved properly.
However, there's more to some collectible cars than meets the eye. Rare and important though they may be, some of them were straight-up bad, some of them even ugly. Badly made, unreliable, horrible to drive, and so on. Still, that doesn't seem to stop collectors from paying tons of cash for one of them.
10 Yugo
The Fiat 127 was one of the most successful cars from the Italian brand. To keep the spirit of the model alive in a much more affordable and like-minded package, Yugoslav automaker Zastava bought the license and released the Yugo in 1980.
By the late 80s, the Yugo arrived in the United States, shooing the Zastava badge and adopting the Yugo GV name. Unfortunately, in the relentless quest to make the Yugo as affordable as possible, Zastava basically removed all the features that made the 127 great. Even though the Yugo is considered an Eastern European institution nowadays, it was a bad car by all counts. Even then, some of them have gotten quite expensive.
9 Lamborghini Countach
The second car in Lamborghini's fabled V12 supercar family, the Countach made its grand debut in 1974. At the time, the wedge shape was considered cutting edge and ahead of its time, and the Countach was hell-bent on conquering the supercar world.
There was a slight problem with that, however. The Countach was truly an awful car and might be the worst supercar to own. The cool exterior design and incredible V12 exhaust note couldn't save the Countach from its elephant in the room; it was basically unusable in everyday driving. The gearbox was clunky, it was loud, impractical, uncomfortable, and most infamously of all, it was impossible to see out of.
8 DeLorean DMC-12
Even with Steven Spielberg and Robert Zemeckis helping this wannabe sports car ascend to icon status in the world of cars, the DeLorean DMC-12 wasn't fooling anybody. Few people could deny that it was striking, thanks to the wedge-shaped exterior and unpainted stainless steel body panels.
Everything else went downhill from there, certainly a lot quicker than the DeLorean could accelerate. Underneath the very 80s window louvers was a lethargic 2.8 liter V6, used in various Peugeot, Renault and Volvo models at the time. The piffling 130 hp output meant it was very slow, and it definitely would have benefited from a different engine. As if that wasn't bad enough, the electrical components were so bad, the DMC-12 could quite literally trap its occupants inside.
7 Trabant
If there was ever a car that was so symbolic of certain political rules in European countries, it's the Trabant. Built in East Germany from 1957 to 1990, it quickly became synonymous with the country it was built in, as well as communist rule and the Eastern Bloc.
In every possible way, the Trabant was a really, really bad car. Early models used a two-stroke engine which required the driver to use a dipstick as a substitute for a fuel gauge. It was also built entirely of very flimsy plastic, and the windshield washer was hand-operated. Even though the Trabant was slightly refined towards the end of its run, it still wasn't good. Despite its status, many people are prepared to pay a good amount of money for a nice example.
6 Porsche 914
Before the days of the 944, the 924 and the Boxster, Porsche was making various attempts to sell cars to consumers who couldn't or didn't want to swing a 911. One such car was the 914, a collaborative effort between Porsche and VW, sold between 1969 and 1976.
The collector status of this car is truly perplexing. Far too many of them were produced for it to be classified as rare, and the 4-cylinder models made anywhere from 80 to 100 hp. While the handling was pretty decent, it wasn't a fantastic car altogether. That hasn't stopped some examples going under the hammer for seven figures, though.
5 Saab Sonett
The Sonett was Saab's first attempt at a proper sports car. Built from 1966 to 1974, the Sonett tried its best to steal some clout from the likes of the Alpine A110. Sadly, it didn't do a whole lot to help its case.
Despite its design suggesting otherwise, the Sonett was front-engined and front-wheel drive, unlike basically every competitor at the time. It was also plagued by a very underpowered engine which took a massive 13 seconds to get to 60. Top speed wasn't good either, at only 103 mph. Even though the Sonett was pretty aerodynamic, it wasn't a sports car by any stretch of the imagination, leading to its unfortunate cancellation.
4 Citroën 2CV
In today's world, the 2CV is an absolute icon. It showed the world that affordable, utilitarian transportation on four wheels was entirely possible, and it didn't have to come in the form of a Beetle. Though the 2CV was originally conceptualized as a glorified piece of farm machinery, it gained a cult following almost immediately.
Of course, that doesn't make it a good car. The windows were separated into two pieces, and only one of them folded out. It was also slow, noisy, featured no creature comforts and was quite scary to drive. But it was so popular and got its job done so well, that Citroën produced it until 1990. That's impressive.
3 Volkswagen Beetle
No conversation about horrible collector's cars can be had without mentioning the Beetle. It was a total revolution in the world of cars, providing Germany and the rest of Europe, and eventually Latin America, with basic family transportation that didn't break the bank.
Over 21 million Beetles were produced over its long, long production run. While the Beetle certainly has a cool factor, it wasn't a good car. Slow, noisy, ungainly, uncomfortable, and badly equipped. Still, the Beetle's icon status means values are soaring by the minute.
2 Aston Martin Lagonda
In 1947, Aston Martin acquired British luxury automaker Lagonda. Decades later, they decided to use this historic name for a brand new, unseen before model; a full-size luxury sedan. Aptly named the Aston Martin Lagonda, it completely shocked the world when it debuted, mostly thanks to its striking styling.
Unfortunately, the Lagonda didn't do much to justify its six-figure price tag back in the 1970s and 1980s. The mechanical components and electronics weren't the greatest, as befits a British vehicle from the 70s, and it was just too weird to attract buyers. Only 647 Lagondas were ever built, and they're getting pretty expensive.
1 Old Mercedes-Benz G Wagons
As you might know, the G Wagon wasn't originally designed to ride around Beverly Hills and Rodeo Drive on 23" Brabus wheels. They were designed for the sole purpose of being used in the military, before eventually transforming into the fashion statements they're known as today.
Due to the G Wagon's utilitarian background, the earliest versions of the car feature little in the way of creature comforts. Or speed. Or safety. Or even luxury features of any sort. Still, just about every G Class generation is shooting up in value, and that even includes the earliest ones, especially in nice condition.