Getting into the automobile industry can be challenging. You have lots of resources to gain knowledge and experience. However, it requires a lot of money to have a hands-on approach or to get your very own sports car. In such a case, we have to settle with affordable domestic or Japanese sports cars. Buying a brand new sports car from a top brand like BMW, Mercedes, Jaguar or Porsche is something many consider unfeasible or out of reach. The case of Porsche cars is even more clear here. The cheapest Porsche in its showrooms costs more than $60,000. Not everyone has such an amount of money lying around. Thankfully, the used car market is thriving.
While it’s true that even used Porsches can sell for much more than we can afford, there are a few models that are attainable. Worrying about getting a totaled or wrecked car for such a low price can be natural. But we have found actual well-maintained Porsches in decent condition for under $20,000. Some even go for less than $5,000! Now that’s an unmissable deal right there for a Porsche. Not only sports coupes, but we also found a couple of SUVs and convertibles as well. Here are 10 such examples of used Porsches anyone can buy.
10 2010-12 Porsche Panamera S
From the outside, the Panamera might not look anything special, at least by Porsche standards. But step inside, and drive it once and you’ll realize that it is one of the most underrated cars Porsche has ever built. We also get a huge bonus in the form of a manual transmission available in this model. Porsche was ahead of the curve in making SUVs and hatchbacks before brands like Ferrari or Lamborghini would catch up.
Critics initially hated the Panamera but its power and driving dynamics eventually won their hearts. A quick search will yield 2010-2012 Panamera models just north of $20,000. But if you look hard enough, maybe you can find an accident-free one below that mark.
9 2001 Porsche 911 (996)
A while ago, people speculated that sports cars from the early-2000's will be available for a lot less than they used to. Turns out, cars like the Ferrari 360 Modena and 996 Porsche 911 are now very affordable to buy. Now, you must be aware that there are lots of better 911 models out there. But they aren’t as cheap as this one.
It was the first Carrera to have a water-cooled engine rather than an air-cooled one. People either hate it or love it but one thing’s for sure: it’s still an amazing car. Thankfully, the controversy helped depreciate the value of the 996 and now we can have it for less than 20 thousand bucks.
8 1994 Porsche 968
It’s not surprising that many of us either didn’t know about it or have forgotten about it. The 968 is often overshadowed by other models like the 911 and the 944. You can have a good-condition 968 from $10,000 to $16,000.
This 968 has a sweet inline-4 that makes 236 hp and 225 lb-ft of torque. You can already see that the car’s chassis is well-shaped, and hence, it drives great. It’s quick on today’s standards too, achieving a 0-60 time of 6.3 seconds.
7 1974 Porsche 914
Porsche developed the 914 as a small, lightweight race car that you can also use in the city. But people laughed at the ‘ugliness’ of this car. The 914 looked nothing like a Porsche. But under the hood, it was a true Porsche, if you know what we mean.
The 914 had a tiny little 1.8-Liter flat-4 that made just 76 hp and 100 lb-ft of torque. But don’t get fooled by those numbers as that’s all it needs to zip around a track or cruise comfortably on a highway. You can have these for as little as $14,000.
6 2007 Porsche Cayman
Relax, we are not talking about the 987 generation with the egg-shaped headlight design. The 2007 Cayman is a powerful car with a 3.4-Liter flat 6 engine. It makes 295 hp and 250 lb-ft of torque at 4,400 rpm. If you do not want to get a Boxster, and the 911 is out of reach for you, the Cayman will get the job done.
The cargo hold is surprisingly roomy for its size. As long as you don’t need extra 2 seats, the Cayman is very practical too. You can find many used Cayman models in the $16,000 to $19,000 range.
5 1987 Porsche 924 S
The 924 was Porsche’s entry-level model from 1976-1988. But the 924 S had a de-tuned version of the 2.5-liter engine in the 944. So the 924 S is mechanically similar to the 944 seen above. Moreover, it got better suspension and brakes too.
The interior is old and it looks old, but it’s still got a few quirks. For about $13,500 you can have a 924 S that hasn’t reached 100,000 miles and serviced properly. We found a good one with a manual transmission in Kennett Square, PA a few miles from Philadelphia.
4 1987 Porsche 944 Coupe
Porsche 944 has been the go-to cheap Porsche for many years. But as time goes by, they are getting increasingly rare. Now you either get ones that collect dust and rust while lying in the backyard, or heavily modified ones But occasionally, a clean and maintained 944 pops up here or there.
The current average price for a used 944 is about $10,000 right now. These 944 come with a 2.5-Liter Inline-4 that makes 150 hp and 142 lb-ft of torque. The car is lightweight and the chassis is stable so you can potentially turn it into a track-day car as well if you want to.
3 1985 Porsche 928 S
The decade of the 1980s was one of the most important decades in automobile history. We saw lots of experimental designs and giant leaps during those times. Although the Porsche 928 came in 1978, it lasted till 1991 and was one of the best-looking cars of the ‘80s.
It’s got Rally racing, GT racing, and Autocross background. Porsche uses flat engines a lot, but this one’s got a good ol’ 5.0-Liter V8 under the hood. We reckon 288 hp is good enough for this car and it’s a great pleasure to drive. The best part is, you can have it for about $10,000!
2 1998 Porsche Boxster
Used accident-free Boxsters are selling for under $10,000 all over the country. It’s also been around long enough to take the place of the 944 as the go-to choice for Porsche-enthusiasts with a tight budget. The design is impeccably Porsche so it looks and feels great on the road. You may even consider it as a serious racer.
You can find a mid-engine convertible Bosxter with drop-top fun and a great driving experience on a sweet budget. They will have north of 100,000 miles on the odometer, but finding a clean example is not that hard.
1 2006 Porsche Cayenne
More and more people are buying SUVs every year. As a result, the Cayenne has been Porsche’s best-selling model for a long while now. That works for us because now there are tons of Cayennes in the used market to choose from.
Now you can have a very practical, stylish, and luxurious Porsche SUV for roughly $8,000! It’s got a 4.5-Liter DOHC V8 that makes 340 hp and 310 lb-ft of torque so the car may be an SUV, but it’s no slouch either. It’s a Porsche after all.