A guide to collectible car brochures

Car brochures are items that most of us view as disposable. They're something that you tend to amass when you look at the options for a new car and then, they just lie around until you are fed up of them and throw them away. For some, however, they are an invaluable illustration of a car's history and can be very valuable. This article provides you with a guide to collectible car brochures.

One man's trash

Believe it or not, there are a large number of collectors who will buy anything that has to do with their favourite cars. Many of these items fall into the "automobilia" category which includes such things as owners' manuals for old cars, vintage car ads, old British auto adverts and car brochures. The UK Ebay site This isn't a small market, either. At the time of writing (06.07.11) the UK Ebay site listed 32,723 brochures for sale or auction. Many date back to the 1960s and before, but there are potential sales even in the new car literature.

How to judge a brochure's value

Prestigious manufacturers Much of the value of a piece of literature, be it a car manual or brochure, lies in its rarity. As a result, older examples fetch more money. Classic British cars are particularly popular, with Jaguar, Rolls Royce, Bentley and Aston Martin always selling well. You may have noticed that these examples are all prestigious manufacturers and this is another prime indicator of value. The car dealers in the luxury market are far less willing to hand out their literature to all and sundry. The result of this policy is that there are fewer pieces being sold and this keeps the prices high. Prestige brochures tend to be of higher quality and are even issued in hardback format which adds further to the exclusivity. Recent literature One shouldn't ignore the more recent literature. Some pieces can be almost worthless one day and fetch large sums the next. A good example of this situation is when the MG Rover Group announced its closure. Their sales literature, in particular that of the MG range, became valuable overnight as collectors raced to own the last pieces of the firm's history. Author's tips
The trick to make profit from car brochures is to look for older, rarer and more prestigious examples, or pieces from firms that no longer exist. To enjoy them, however, you should buy brochures for cars that you've owned and loved, and keep them.