Should you buy, sell, or hold these six sports cars?
As temperatures rise, the days stretch longer and the open road calls like a child crying for ice cream. You suddenly find yourself in the market for something fun to drive. A sports car, perhaps?
But before you tidy up the garage and begin searching for a dream machine of your very own, it is worth diving into some research. Whether you’re a buyer or a seller, timing is everything. Based on Hagerty Price Guide values and insurance quoting activity, we came up with a list of six sports cars to buy, sell, or hold right now.
| Vehicle | |
|---|---|
| BUY: 1984–1989 Toyota MR2 | 90 |
 The MR2 has the mid-engine layout of an exotic car, just on a smaller and much more affordable scale, plus it has Toyota build quality and was made with mostly easily attainable parts. Affordability is a common characteristic among many of the hottest cars in the market right now, and the MR2 definitely fills the bill. Insurance quotes for the Toyota roadster are up 27 percent over the last year, and while values are up nearly 70 percent over the last year, MR2s can still be had for well under 10 grand unless they are in fantastic condition. Plus, with 37 percent of quotes come from millennials, long-term interest looks good. |
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| BUY: 1997–04 Porsche Boxster | 85 |
 First-gen Boxsters are stigmatized a bit because of their unloved headlights and the infamous IMS bearing problem that was, frankly, a little bit overblown. They’ve long been a sensible way to get into a Porsche badge for not much money. With an average #3-condition (Good) value of $10,500, the Boxster is the most affordable modern Porsche you can buy. Values bottomed out over the past 12 months, quoting activity is up 15 percent, and the average sale at auction is up 9 percent over the same period. (And many have had that IMS bearing issue updated.) |
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| SELL: 1978–95 Porsche 928 | 69 |
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Porsche 928 values jumped 75 percent in the last five years, and with an average #3-condition value of more than $30,000—a number that priced out a lot of people looking for a “cheap” Porsche—interest has started to fade. Quotes are down 7 percent over the past year, and the number of cars added to Hagerty policies fell by 2 percent. Values haven’t started dropping yet, but 928s appear to be fully priced for now. |
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| SELL: 1955–57 Ford Thunderbird | 29 |
 Values for the Baby Birds have been creeping up over the years, but more than 85 percent of quotes for these cars come from owners age 54 and older, so there appears to be very little cross-generational appeal. Quotes are down 6 percent over the last 12 months, and as Boomers exit the hobby Thunderbirds will struggle to find new owners at their current values. It may be a good time to sell. |
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| HOLD: 1999–05 Ferrari 360 | 61 |
 Ferrari 360 values bottomed out in 2014, had a brief run up in 2016, and have now slipped by 5 percent in the last 12 months. The car represents a lot of Ferrari for the money, and while not considered as attractive as its predecessor, the F355, it has more performance and is a lot more straightforward to maintain. Quotes are up 6 percent over the past year, and 40 percent of those quotes are from Gen Xers, so long-term possibilities look good. With strong demand metrics and long-term prospects but a recent drop in value, it might be worth taking a wait-and-see approach. |
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| HOLD: 1991–96 Dodge Stealth | 65 |
 Stealth Hagerty Price Guide values are up slightly (1 percent) over the last year, but quotes are up 31 percent over the same period. One sold at Kissimmee this year for more $30K, which was about the original MSRP. Short-term value gains may not be enough to warrant trying to flip one, but current owners might be wise to see how much higher prices can go. For buyers, finding a good low-mileage unmodified car may be difficult. |
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