We all love a good sports car. We love the thrill they give when driving. Sports Cars were made for pure driving pleasure and are the enthusiast's dream. They were made by enthusiasts for enthusiasts, does it get any better than that?
Over the years, we've seen many different sports cars from many different brands and with different layouts. Some front-engined, some rear. Some all-wheel-drive some only front-wheel-drive. Some with four seats and some with two. However, most sports cars have been quite expensive over the past few years to buy. Luckily, the second-hand market offers plenty of cheap options, some might even be called a bargain.
10 Porsche 986 Boxster - $4000
The Porsche 986 Boxster is a tremendous little sports car that is extremely cheap to buy right now. It is crazy that some examples of this car can be had for under $5000. That is pure value for money considering you get a mid-engined 6-cylinder RWD convertible sports car with the Porsche name on it.
The Boxster is a fun little car that devours corners quite easily. These cars only weigh 1320kg, are pretty well-built, and are quite simple to repair. A perfect first step into the world of Porsches. It may not be the fastest Porsche around but it sure is fun.
9 Aston Martin V8 Vantage - $35,000
The V8 Vantage was once a $100,000+ sports car, but now you can buy one for a fraction of that. The V8 Vantage is an elegant sports car with sharp looks and a punchy 4.2 liter 380hp 302 lb-ft torque V8 engine. This car is a full-on drivers' car, especially with the 6-speed manual gearbox.
It hits 60 in just over 5 seconds and has a top speed of 174 mph. It is a fast car which also sounds incredible. The V8 is very muscular and it revs to almost 8000 rpm. A loud, fast and sporty car that is an absolute bargain under $50,000.
8 Porsche 996 911 - $12,000
The 996 911 may have its faults but at $12,000 who can complain? Here you are getting a legendary and proven sports car made by one of the best sports car manufacturers in the game. The 996 911 is such a fun car that also has room for four and a decent-sized frunk.
The 996 comes in many model forms, with the cheapest being the 3.4 liter Carrera and Carrera 4 models. The handling on them is great and the grip is phenomenal. The flat-6 is naturally aspirated, meaning the noise is superb. Cheaper models may have a few mechanical issues like the IMS, but get that checked before buying and you're good to go.
7 BMW E46 M3 - $10,000
The E46 M3 is regarded by many as the best M-car ever made by BMW. Powered by a 3.2 liter naturally aspirated inline-6 known as the S54, this car stole the hearts of many with it producing 338hp and 269 lb-ft of torque. This beast hit 60 in 4.8 seconds with a max speed of 155 mph. The E46 M3 is a nice car with an awesome engine that revs to 8000 rpm What an absolute screamer!
The E46 M3 handles very precisely. Even though the car is way past 10 years old, the E46 M3 can still keep up with modern sports cars today. The SMG gearbox is a very harsh gearbox, however, it is very good on the track. For purists, the 6-speed manual is the one to get. The CSL E46 M3 is one of the coolest M cars ever made.
6 Mercedes SLK - $3000
The SLK Mercedes was the first car ever to have a folding metal roof. A very iconic car indeed then made to rival the likes of the BMW Z3 and Porsche Boxster. The SLK has always been a fun stylish car with engine options ranging from 2.0 supercharged units to 5.5 V8s.
The SLK was also well-built. Inside they are quite luxurious too with comfy seats and also a lot of technology. The engines were all very smooth and this little sportscar could easily be used every day if need be. It's a fantastic little car and the SLK55 model is one of the coolest 2 seater sportscars ever.
5 Mazda MX5 (Miata) - $1000
The Mazda MX5 is an awesome little sports car that has sold over one million units worldwide. These cars then are quite easy to find with many being littered over every marketplace you search on whether it's Craiglist, eBay, or Auto Trader. You are bound to find many cheap Miatas about.
They are easy cars to drive and maintain. They're not powerful at all with most engines producing less than 200hp however, these cars are very fun to drive and they are all very lightweight. The MK2 models are the cheapest however, the MK1 is a perfect car for teens due to its low weight and that it is one easy car to live with.
4 Nissan 350z - $4000
The Nissan 350Z is an awesome sports car that is part of the legendary lineup of the Nissan Z model sports car heritage. Powered by a naturally aspirated 3.5 liter V6 pushing between 287hp-300+hp depending on the model. The 350Z packs a punch and also a very good soundtrack from its exhaust. The 350Z is a popular tuner car so parts are pretty common and cheap for it to making maintenance that bit easier.
The 350Z is also quite a reliable car being a Nissan. Mods are also quite easy to do and there is a whole list of mods you should do to a stock 350Z. It's a handsome car that is increasing in value year by year.
3 Audi TT - $2,000
The Audi TT stunned the world upon its arrival in 1998. It was a sleek and sexy sports car that was completely different from what Audi had made before. It was a very good-looking car and some magazines even paired it against some supercars of that period.
The TT is still a good looker and since parts are shared heavily with the Golf, maintenance is pretty cheap and parts are widely available. It is an iconic car that is sure to go up in value very soon since they are discontinuing the model.
2 Honda S2000 - $11,000
The S2000 is an enthusiast's dream. Driver-focused with its sparse interior, soulful 4-cylinder VTEC engine, and RWD layout, what's not to love about this sports car? Manufactured between 1999 and 2009, it was around for a decade and the simple recipe hardly changed. It's fast and it sounds like heaven.
This car rivaled the likes of the Boxster and SLK. It was a unique car from Honda that was a really fun car to drive and was also quite easy to drift. The noise is 100% the best thing about this car as it screams past 8000 rpm.
1 Toyota MR2 - $7000
What's not to love about a mid-engine sports car that was cheap even when new? The MR2 Toyota is a popular car that has been a favorite to use as a base for Ferrari kit cars and the like as the MK2 model does look like a "baby Ferrari." The MR2 was sold between 1984 and 2007 and span across 3 generations, all being mid-engined.
The third generation MR2 shares some parts with the more expensive Porsche Boxster. It is an amazing little car that takes the corners with ease. It's reliable, easy to fix, and also very practical. One of the cheapest mid-engined cars you can buy right now, and they're only going up in value.