Today, in a down economy, foreclosures and repossessions are becoming a daily occurrence. For some, in order to keep the bills paid, they are giving up their classic and collector cars. And for those car owners going through tough times, one man’s loss is another man’s gain.

Since 2007, America’s love affair with the automobile has been fading away. With rising gas prices and exponential job losses, it has become more difficult to maintain and pay for our cars. Many drivers have opted for hybrid and economical vehicles that save more fuel. But what about the classic car owner who pampers their pristine 1965 Mustang or 1972 Gran Torino? Scan the classified ads of local newspapers and your topic to find classic or vintage cars in mint condition that are selling in droves. Many have viewed classic car collecting as an investment and a hobby. But when it comes to a shrinking retirement fund, or losing the money you’ve been saving for a college education, cashing in on that classic car becomes more appealing. Lovers of classic car sales who never dreamed of selling their cherries are beginning to make amends and giving up their cars.

In places like the Inland Empire, a vast populous suburban desert east of Los Angeles, the culture of classic car sales is a way of life. Every year, many collectors and enthusiasts travel historic Route 66 from Riverside east to Pasadena, Glendale, and Eagle Rock. Automotive traditions like cruising have been a part of American culture since the invention of the T-Model Ford. In movies like George Lucas’s “American Graffiti,” car travel is portrayed as the pentacle of weekend entertainment. Washing and waxing your car, dropping the top and cruising from one end of a long street to the other may seem like a waste of money and gas today, but during the golden days of the automobile it was an experience for many Americans. look forward to.

The image of the American car has gone from golden to heavy. Most American-produced classic car sales are labeled as heavy gas guzzlers and bad investments that won’t last as long as their European or Asian counterparts. But even the collector car is now meeting the same fate as its modern descendants. The most current trend is the burning or sinking of classic cars that have been heavily insured. The federal government reports an increase in personal property destruction for insurance payouts. Once-prized classic cars are now doused in gasoline and burned in sparsely populated areas or driven and abandoned in Mexico, then reported stolen.

But for classic car sales enthusiasts who have never been able to afford their dream cars, now may be the time to make their first purchase. Many owners who are desperate to sell are appraising their classic cars to make them move and move fast. In fact, if you choose to pay in cash, you may be able to walk away with a steal…if you can afford it.