These Fun, Affordable 21st-Century Cars Aren’t Classics…Yet
Every so often, I engage in a particularly futile and depressing ritual—I shop for cars that I’ve foolishly let go. They’re cars that could have been feasible 10 years ago, but not today. I’ve been priced out of the market for virtually all of them. And while the market might be settling down at the moment, there are few signs of an out-and-out retreat to pre-pandemic pricing. Among cars from the 1970s through the early 1990s, there are precious few bargains. But go a little bit newer, where there’s even some depreciation yet to be done, and the picture gets more enticing. I’m talking cars from the 2000s to 2010s that are getting older, but still aren’t considered any kind of “classic” or “collectible” yet. Here are some highlights.
Fiat 500 Abarth
The 500 Abarth is the closest thing to a real hot hatch that Fiat has ever offered in the U.S., a market that is sadly short on real hot hatches. There were more interesting varieties of the Punto and Ritmo, but those were Euro-only cars that frankly weren’t very good compared to competition from Renault, Peugeot, VW, and Ford. As for the 500 Abarth, although it first arrived here in the early 2010s, the 160-hp pocket rocket feels more like a 1990s hot hatch. It’s crude, the ride is choppy, and a 10 year-old Fiat probably wears more like a 20 year-old VW. But it’s loud, analog-feeling, and fun. Most importantly, it’s cheap. Around $8000 to $10,000 buys one with under 50,000 miles. That’s tons of fun per dollar in a package that offers an old school driving experience in something that’s new enough to have most contemporary features and conveniences.
MazdaSpeed3
Back in the days of the Zoom Zoom tagline, Mazda fielded the incredibly entertaining MazdaSpeed3. Offered from 2007-13, it’s a four-door hatch with 263 hp and 280 lb. ft. of torque. It’s exactly the kind of car enthusiasts and auto journalists beg manufacturers for, but rarely head to a dealership and actually buy. Everyone who tested a Speed3 back in the day found the car fun, especially those of us who were entertained by the torque-steer. Car and Driver wasn’t, comparing driving the car to a game of tug-of-war. But, affordability and perfection don’t often go hand-in-hand, so for $10,000 to $12,000 at current prices you could do far worse than the powerful and practical Speed3.
C5 Corvette
If hot hatches aren’t your jam, there’s always the bargain Corvette of the moment, the 1997-2004 C5. While some variants, most notably the Z06, sailed beyond true affordability in the last several years, a base manual C5 with somewhere between 75,000 and 100,000 miles can still be had in the $13,000 to $15,000 range. That’s a huge bargain for what was an utterly clean sheet design, one of the few in Corvette history, and more performance than almost anything in this price point. Interiors are standard 2000s GM, but livable. And the styling, over a quarter-century after it was introduced, is aging quite nicely.
2003-08 BMW Z4
The 2003-08 Z4 is a bit like the C5 Corvette in that it wasn’t universally loved when new, but is aging well. Available in 2.5- and 3.0-liter six-cylinder forms, the Z4 was larger and more practical than its predecessor, the Z3. Its odd surface detailing and Kamm-tail also look better now than they did 20 years ago. The Z4’s list of maladies is well-known at this point—the VANOS variable valve-timing system can give trouble (it’s often the solenoids), as can the cooling system. These are pricy repairs, but with nice cars available in the $9000 to $12,000 range, if you budget $2000-$3000 to sort things out, these can still be a compelling deal in semi-modern convertible German sports car.
2005-2014 Ford Mustang
You could argue that the 2005 Mustang was the first one to really look like a Mustang since maybe 1973. The brilliant Sid Ramnarace-designed S197 Mustang managed to look the part without being foolishly retro, a hard balance to achieve. Special editions, and certainly the Shelby versions of the S197 are not cheap, but a lightly optioned V-8 coupe or convertible is still one of the best cheap V-8 pony cars out there. Being a Mustang, there are always plenty on the market to choose from at any given time, and a decent manual transmission car can be had in the $12,000 to $14,000 range.
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I picked up my 2013 FIAT 500 Abarth three years ago with 25,000 one owner miles. It’s a blast to drive and it’s great fun to go out on a track day and be able to run faster then many guys in much more expensive cars. I did a track day with the local Porsche club and passed about 80% of them in the advanced group. Another bonus, it’s cheap to run. I pay about the same for four tires as the Porsche guys pay for one.
I’ve got to share this classic picture with a classic car. My wife and I are both 81 years old and been married for 58 years. I picked her up from the assisted living facility and we went for a ride in our 61 year old Porsche 356B with the top down. Bought the car a year after we married. No racing, no tire squealing, no speed shifting. A classic moment in a classic. Don’t know how many years we can still do this.
I currently own and drive nearly everyday a 1995 F150 ext cab It been in my family since new. Next yr it will be 30 yrs young… Some others ya might think about Crown Victoria’s Gran Marquis and Lincolns great cars they drive and handle well and can be bought without mortgaging the farm. I had a beautiful 1987 Crown Victoria LX Coupe All Black full loaded. I’d still have it if it hadn’t burn in a fire. I was so sad to watch it burn and not be able to stop the fire only wait for the FD it was a total loss
I wouldn’t own a single one of these! Not today and not for tomorrow.
I bought a new 2012 MazdaSpeed 3 in November 2011. It was red, like the one shown and was an absolute blast to drive. The torque steer was crazy which added to the fun. Unfortunately, too many cars and not enough space led me to sell it a year later, but I got close to what I paid for it so it was a relatively cheap date!
Totally agree on the C5 Corvette. When new, a lot of these cars were bought by older gentlemen, not daily driven and garage stored. Can’t say any of that about a Mustang. I bought a 1-owner 99 base manual C5 last year with 48k miles for $16.5k. It has some scratches and chips in the paint but weather stripping is fully intact, interior is in good shape, and not a speck of rust anywhere even though it was in Rhode Island for 24 years. I took it to the track in March and couldn’t believe what an enjoyable and capable car it is right out of the box. Just did new tires and racing brake pads on it. It’s an honest, straightforward car. It has a huge trunk and is a great grocery getter, good GM A/C and gets excellent gas mileage.
Enjoyed reading the posts. At 83yrs have owned a wide variety of 50’s and 60’s treasured American cars. Had help when needed from a few local garages that were familiar with my cars. Usually did a lot of maintenance myself and relied on the local “Go To Specialists” for problems but now this help is gone or retired. For me this was one of the major concerns with the hobby. Now have settled back in my twilight years with my 2012 BMW 535i with 45,000 miles that can hit 150mph and a local garage that specializes in foreign cars.
I heartily agree with the Mustang…. Bought my daily driver ‘14 GT 6-speed new as a Black Friday special. Had black cloth seats but I scored full leather set on EBay (Rousch take-offs) for $250 and replaced myself. Thanks to COVID, and working from home ever since, it is low miles at 40,500. Taking me into retirement now!!
I picked up a 2003 Z4 convertible 2.5 at the beginning of Covid to drive in the summer while working on my TR6. Put the best Michelin summer tires on it available and it handles like a cockroach. Funnest thing I ever drove and I kept it!
Is there something wrong with around the 2000 Mercedes Benz SLK? Prices around $10K
We have had many classics over the last 50 years from 1941 Packard to 1989 560sl . Two years ago we purchased a 2004.Thunderbird whereas it maybe not everyone’s cup of tea. We thoroughly enjoy the car: V8 power and smoothness , very reliable and comfortable, with respectable mileage. Its amenities are many and make driving a trouble free experience. That being said we have now relieved ourselves of classics and go to shows to enjoy the experience!
My cheap, fun machine: 2002 Mercury Cougar V6 Sport. It was a 48k-mile one-owner car when I rescued it from an estate auction; fixed a bunch of vacuum leaks to get it purring right and now it’s my weekend toy. I really like the New Edge styling, handling is taut and responsive and the nice thing is you don’t see them on every corner.
One problem: Hagerty won’t insure it because it’s too new or not collectible enough depending on who you talk to. Anyone else have that problem with the cars you have listed here?
so surprised by some of these suggestions. I’ld always thought grabbing a 50th anniversary edition T-bird would be a great idea but was truly affraid of aging electronics and plastic but oh those lines were so cool and reminiscent of the original which is/was seemingly out of my snack bracket. I almost laughed at the suggestion of the mazda but then realized how much I love getting behind the wheel of my mother-in-laws miata convertible which was gifted to my wife and daughter, such a shame it is an automatic and does not have a/c, but neither does my mom’s car. Will the new Jeep pick-up ever be collectible, and how about those old Wagoneers, I think they might become a thing!
I have a 07 mustang ragtop love it doesn’t have all that fancy stuff in it to go wrong like the new ones its a toy so with only 36k on it plan on passing it on to my son when my time comes
I guess a classic is what you think you have or like. I like 60s and 70s cars ‘cause they are from my era. If I was younger maybe I would like something newer. As long as you like it, drive it and enjoy it, go for it. I do!