Browsing used car listings and auction sites can uncover a lot of exotic and exclusive sports cars at suspiciously low prices. To the inexperienced buyer, this might seem like a great deal. But as the old saying goes, if it seems too good to be true, it probably is.
The main reason these sports cars are so cheap to buy is their exorbitant maintenance costs. It takes a special kind of dedicated owner to willingly pay the amounts it takes to keep these cars running. More often than not, they're bought by people who don't know what they're letting themselves in for. Let's take a look at ten affordable sports cars that'll cost a fortune in repairs.
10 Jaguar F Type
Jaguar's successor to the legendary E Type was a long time coming, but finally debuted to customers in 2013. Sporting a price tag of $92,000 MSRP for the V8 version, examples can now be had for as little as $25,000.
That might seem like a bargain but Jaguar as a brand has a reputation for unreliability, and the F Type is no different. It suffers from a plethora of problems including faulty window seals, pop-out door handles that break and exhaust flaps that stick. Those problems mean a used F Type is likely to spend more time in the garage than on the road.
9 Fisker Karma
It's a rare sight to see a Fisker Karma, and that's because only 1,800 units were ever built. That makes it rarer than some Ferraris. It has an all-electric powertrain so it's one of the few sports cars that can also claim to save the planet. Top-spec Karmas retailed at $116,000, but used examples can now be found for less than half of that.
That might seem tempting, but potential owners should be aware of the Karma's one biggest flaw: its penchant for setting itself on fire. It was subject to several recalls for this exact reason but even after recalls there were more combustion cases. Having a car that may try to burn itself to the ground at any given moment is certainly not the most cost-effective route to sports car ownership.
8 Maserati Quattroporte
It's one of the most well-known brands for reliability issues, but as a result there's some super cheap deals for Maseratis out there. That shouldn't tempt buyers though, especially not for models like the Quattroporte.
The most common faults with the Quattroporte are, like many other FCA models, with the electrics. Owners can expect constant issues with everything from erroneous warning lights to in-car entertainment systems. Also, some Quattroportes have issues with their axles and suspension, as if there wasn't enough to go wrong already.
7 Mercedes-Benz SLK AMG
It's a well-known fact that AMG machines, despite being great fun to drive, will likely cost owners a fortune in repairs. The SLK AMG is no different, as owners have reported a host of costly issues with their cars.
Everything from gearbox faults to dodgy electrics have been reported, with the most serious issues taking multiple trips to a specialist Mercedes-Benz dealership to be fixed. That makes the SLK a very expensive car to maintain despite its cheap price on the used market.
6 Lotus Evora
Lotus' Evora was designed as the more comfortable, luxurious alternative to its stablemates, the Elise and Exige. It was something out of Lotus' comfort zone, and that shows in the car's build quality.
Owners say they've dealt with infotainment system faults, windows that don't close, and most concerningly, a faulty transmission. Clutches and transmissions are regularly some of the most expensive parts to fix on a car so it's best to avoid used early-model Evoras despite their attractive second-hand price.
5 Lamborghini Gallardo
For those in the market for a Lamborghini, the Gallardo can seem like a good choice. Examples can be bought for around $80,000, way less than even the cheapest of new Lambos.
It's worth noting though that lots of Gallardos suffer chronic oil leaks, and regularly have to have their oil pumps replaced. It's not just oil that's an issue, as early E-Gear Gallardos have a habit of breaking their clutches about every 20,000 miles or so. Those issues combined mean owners will have to have a big wallet if they want to keep one of these Italian beauties running.
4 Cadillac CTS-V
A 640hp slice of All-American power, it's hard to dislike the Cadillac CTS-V. It combines the brute force of a high-end muscle car with the practicality of a family sedan in a way that's usually reserved for Australian super utes. Unfortunately the CTS-V suffers from a number of issues, and not all of them are Cadillac's fault.
Early models frequently broke their rear differential, and a few owners reported issues with the supercharger. Mostly, though, these Caddys are expensive to maintain simply because many previous owners will have abused their cars. CTS-Vs have a reputation for drawing in owners who prefer street burnouts over track time, and that means they have one of the highest chances of being lemons out of any sports car on the used market.
3 Bentley Continental
Those who fancy a speedy slice of British luxury will inevitably gravitate towards Bentley's coupe offering, the Continental. They depreciate very rapidly, with the cheapest examples available for $22,000. For comparison, a new Continental is $202,000. That's a humongous 90% off MSRP.
The reason for this depreciation, though, is that old Bentleys are some of the most costly cars to keep running. Engine issues and electrical faults are two of the most common complaints, but everything from suspension systems to sensors can and probably will go wrong at some point.
2 Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG
The E63 AMG is, by all accounts, incredible to drive. It's also incredibly unreliable. So much so, in fact, that it was one of the worst cars on the market according to JD Power's 2020 reliability survey.
Combine this with the fact that AMG cars are known to be money pits anyway, and buying a well-used E63 AMG becomes a recipe for financial disaster. Sure, when the car works it'll be a hoot to drive but it'll probably spend more time being fixed than driven.
1 Chrysler 300 SRT8
The Chrysler 300 is a very popular car, with over 1.1 million units sold since launch in the US alone. The SRT8 takes the sedan's winning formula and shoves in a 470hp Hemi V8 to really give the car some punch. Thanks to its relative popularity, there's a lot of good deals to be had on SRT8s on the used market. Unfortunately though, owners have reported all sorts of problems that make it a less attractive proposition.
Electrical faults are a common theme, with owners reporting a surprising amount of mechanical issues too. But perhaps the strangest of problems with the car is its terrible interior. DriveArabia did a long-term review of the car and reported that even when it was still under warranty, the cabin trim kept falling apart even after being fixed at a dealer. If the problem is that bad in its first few years, it's likely that well-used examples might completely fall apart inside as soon as their new owner takes them home.