How long does it take for a hated car to become desirable?

[2011G6E]

OK, this is something that's been nagging at me for literally decades...

When I started driving in 1982, people laughed at P76 Leylands...I remember seeing a V8 one for sale (a manual yet!) in Bundaberg at the time, in pretty nice condition, for $300 and no one wanted it. It ended up going to the wholesalers in Brisbane.
Now I'd give my eye teeth for a nice one. Plenty of people would.

Move forward to the AU Falcon...I hated them when they came out...most people did. Even died in the wool Ford people at the time cringed and said "What the hell were they thinking?".

On the weekend in Rocky while we stayed down there for a couple of days, I saw an AU Fairmont in the Stocklands shopping center parking lot...dark green, lowered, simply fitted with those steel "pursuit" rims with the row of holes around the edge (about 16" wheels), and dark tint with a largish exhaust. It looked factory fresh and very clean and tidy.

...and I loved it. The first thing that popped into my mind was "Wow...that's a damn nice car, and AU's are dirt cheap...hmmm...".


Anyone else got stories of cars that they once laughed at but which they would buy in a heartbeat if a cheap one turned up now, or which they now admire?