Interest in classic cars has for a long time been the preserve of knowledgeable, keen enthusiasts who have often been prepared to spend more money than the car is worth to keep it on the road or track. 

When the credit crunch snapped, many people chose to take money out of the bank and put it into a classic car, which fuelled a second classic car boom.

The previous classic car price boom of the late 1980s saw cars being traded from one owner to the next, seemingly with no alteration other than to add an extra zero to the price tag. 

Inevitably, this all came crashing down when the recession hit and the only upside was the frenzy helped save cars that might otherwise have been consigned to the scrapyard.

With the current surge in interest for classics there has been concern among many industry insiders that the same boom and bust pattern would emerge. 

However, low interest rates in the UK and a slack worldwide economy have encouraged those with spare cash to buy a classic they can use, instead of a savings account they can only stare at in dismay.

This has created a two-tier classic car world, with the majority of classics remaining in the reasonably affordable bracket while the more exotic machinery has spiralled higher and higher. 

If you’re lucky enough to have bought a rare Ferrari, Lamborghini or Aston Martin when prices were depressed, you're sitting on a goldmine now.

However, can the prices of these classics continue to soar? Isn't there a point where all those wealthy enough to afford them have either got one or had one? 

In some cases, yes, there are those who are not interested in the cars themselves, but only their ability to deliver a financial return.

As with most hobbies, which is what classic cars are to most owners, those who are not really interested soon move on to another pastime.

This is good news for the true enthusiasts, even if they cannot afford the cars themselves, as keen owners will still drive, show and race these cars for the enjoyment of others.

Back down at the more affordable end of the market, there is a lot of discussion about what will be the next car to swell in price. 

Many are seeking the next big thing and they are happy to talk up the value of cars that were, in their day, pretty humdrum machines.

If we could all spot the cars that are going to be very popular and rise in value, we’d all be getting rich, but the market is less predictable nowadays. What was once cool can quickly become yesterday’s news.

Instead of trying to view classic cars as a way of fattening your wallet, it is far better to choose the make and model you really want to own. 

Then, if prices do drop or you have to spend more than you expected maintaining the car, you will be happy to oblige in return for enjoying your time driving it. 

Invest only to make money and you may as well get back to the computer and study those stocks and shares, which are a whole lot less fun than a classic car.