In classic car circles, it’s known simply as “the hobby.” And this historic car scene is alive and well in Canada. While our climate and inconsistent roads are unfriendly toward vintage vehicles, that doesn’t stop enthusiasts of all ages from getting involved. Buying, wrenching, shining, and showing classics takes place across the country all summer long, and enthusiasts will lavish their love on everything from old Hondas and Fiats to Pontiacs, Chryslers and Jeeps.
Best Vintage Cars to Buy in Canada in 2024
- BMW 3 Series
- Chevrolet Camaro
- Chevrolet Corvette
- Ford Mustang
- Mazda RX-7
- Mercedes-Benz SL-Class
- Nissan 300ZX
- Porsche 944
- Toyota Supra
- Can You Import a Classic Car to Canada?
- Honourable Mention: Canadian-Built Classics
- Frequently Asked Questions
What is Considered a Classic Car in Canada?
Across Canada, there are varying definitions for what is considered a classic car. For the purposes of its insurance, CAA defines a classic car as an unmodified vehicle that’s at least 20 years old. Most provinces will begin issuing historic plates for vehicles once they reach 30 years of age.
We’ve gone with the 30-year designation for this list of the best vintage cars to buy in Canada in 2023. We know this stat will hurt some people, so we apologize in advance: that means we’re exploring vehicles here with a model year of 1993 or earlier. We’ve compiled this list based on a car’s cool quotient, fun factor, and availability to purchase somewhere within Canada through CarGurus.ca as of this writing. (We know plenty of people who have flown from one coast to the other to pick up classics. In “the hobby,” geography is rarely a limiting factor!)
BMW 3 Series
Looking for a labour of love? Look no further than the E30 generation of the BMW 3 Series. These have the classic BMW grille and were the first 3 Series cars built with four doors to serve the family set. Several cars built toward the end of the 1980s are listed on CarGurus for very reasonable prices. This is one situation, though, where the car is cheap to buy but upkeep will cost you significantly more. To own a key piece of German automotive history, you may decide it’s worth it.
Bonus points if you can score a BMW 2002. These are more expensive and much rarer and harder to come by. But the role this car played in the evolution of BMW makes it a highly desirable collector car today.
Chevrolet Camaro
The automotive world will never be the same once muscle cars give way to EVs. If you want to hang onto this era for a while longer, you can seek out a classic such as the Chevy Camaro. Most of the examples you’ll find at CarGurus.ca are from toward the end of the second-generation Camaro, which ran from 1970 to 1981. We spotted a handful of early third-generation cars in our search as well—talk about an ‘80s classic!
Chevrolet Corvette
America’s sports car remains plentiful and popular on the classic circuit today. If you choose to go in this direction for your vintage car purchase, you’ll have a wide variety to choose from. The most common era on CarGurus.ca during our research was the C4 generation, which ran from 1984 to 1996. You can dive down endless internet rabbit holes when deciding which Corvette will grace your garage and how rare (read: expensive) you want to go. No matter which one you choose, you’ll immediately be part of a club. Expect to be making pilgrimages to the National Corvette Museum in Bowling Green, Kentucky, in no time.
Ford Mustang
Speaking of iconic fast cars, the Ford Mustang is one of the most sought-out classic cars around. Fortunately, there are still plenty of examples available, ranging from fully stock to complete restomods. If you want to rock the ‘80s aesthetic, you’ll find second-hand Fox body Mustangs on the used market in abundance. But it’s not unusual to find reasonably priced Mustangs in Canada dating all the way back to the first full model year in 1965. Whichever way you choose, affordable Mustangs make great project cars that will provide returns for years to come.
Mazda RX-7
Mazda fans don’t need to be sold on the automaker’s rotary-engine RX-7. In fact, those lucky enough to have one will often only give it up if you pry it from their cold, dead hands. You’ll have three generations of RX-7 to seek out if you wish, with cars built from 1978 to 2002. The rare examples we found in our research were from the early third-generation cars produced in the mid-1990s. Easy to modify, affordable to maintain, and fun to drive, the RX-7 is popular among enthusiasts for good reason.
Mercedes-Benz SL-Class
There are plenty of Mercedes-Benz models out there that are great classics to own, but few represent the pure joy of driving like the SL-Class. This grand tourer’s history has endured through seven generations and has been in production continuously since 1954. During our research, we found the most readily available SL-Class models in Canada to be early examples of the fourth-generation R129 SL-Class. This was offered as a two-door roadster, a convertible, and a hardtop. If you go a little older, you may find a late third-generation 560 SL with the 5.5-litre V8.
Nissan 300ZX
As with so many classic cars, Z owners are an impassioned group. You can count yourself among them by shopping from among the wide variety of Nissan and Datsun Z cars available at CarGurus.ca. During our searches, we turned up a phenomenal 50th anniversary 1984 Nissan 300ZX, along with other examples from the late ‘80s and early ‘90s. If you have in-depth questions, seek out the Canadian chapter of the Z Owners Club, which is a very active and enthusiastic group.
Porsche 944
It goes without saying that a Porsche 911 is about as iconic as a classic car comes. But they can also be expensive and hard to come by, so some collectors turn to alternates. For something more attainable, check out the Porsche 944. Celebrated for their better-than-average fuel economy and relative reliability when well-maintained, Porsche 944s are regularly wrenched on as project cars today.
Toyota Supra
We’re not talking about the new Supra here, of course. The original Canadian run of the Toyota Supra ended in 1998, which means it will only take five years for every original Supra to qualify for historic plates. Many were sold here, including some later models with the turbo engines, but the Supra can also be imported as a Japanese Domestic Market car, broadening the market for those who want to own a piece of Toyota history. Cars from the third generation of the late 1980s were the most common in our research.
Honourable Mention: Canadian-Built Classics
There are some cars that were built in Canada—the Bricklin SV-1, McLaughlin-Buicks, and Studebaker trucks are among the more famous examples—and a number of Canadian-exclusive marques based on American cars were sold here exclusively. Acadian, Beaumont, Meteor, and Monarch are a few examples. Some models were built exclusively for Canada such as the Mercury M47 pickup. By owning any of these cars, you’ll hold a piece of automotive history that’s nearly impossible to find anywhere else in the world.
Another Honourable Mention: High-value Exclusives
If you’ve got a very healthy budget—think six figures plus—you’ll have access to a completely different segment of the classic car market. At this point, you can consider models such as the first-generation Acura NSX, a pristine Dodge Charger 500 or Chevrolet Chevelles, the Plymouth GTX or Chevy Bel Air, or the original-run Ford Bronco in fully restored condition. You could even expand to Ferrari, Aston Martin, Rolls Royce, Lamborghini, classic Alfa Romeo, De Tomaso, or Maserati, and more. At this point, the sky is the limit.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the most expensive vintage car ever sold?
The most expensive vintage car ever sold was a 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR Uhlenhaut coupe, one of only two in the world. The automaker sold it at auction to a private buyer for 135 million euros, or nearly $200,000,000 Canadian.
What are some popular vintage car models?
Pony cars such as the Ford Mustang and Chevrolet Camaro are very popular vintage car models. The Porsche 911, Chevrolet Corvette, Ford Model T, Volkswagen Beetle, and Mercedes-Benz SL are also popular classic and antique cars.
How to determine the value of a vintage car
A professional appraiser can help you determine a fair market value for your classic car or for a vintage car you’re interested in buying. You can also use online appraisal tools to get an estimated price range.