MERCEDES-BENZ G-CLASS
If you aren’t afraid of miles, you can find a G500 all day
long for these prices. This distinctive SUV is one of the most rugged vehicles
made for the street, which is where 99.99% of them spend their entire life.
That’s great news for you, as you can pick up the 5.0L V8 Bavarian off-roader
for about the same price as a loaded Wrangler. And for about the same
reliability. If this truck isn’t nuts enough for you, the AMG version is
available at this price, but with twice the mileage.
TOYOTA SUPRA TURBO (93–02)
The MKIV Supra has been hot essentially since it hit the
market. Prices dropped to about half MSRP, then started increasing. The
combination of ‘90s good looks, Toyota reliability, and the potential for
massive power on stock internals is what makes this one of the ultimate
Japanese GT cars. Since most buyers took advantage of that huge potential,
factory stock examples are getting rare and valuable. Buy it now, before we
have to put it on the list of “affordable” $100,000 cars.
BMW M5
The M5 is one of the absolute greatest driving sedans ever
made. The price reflects that. Depreciation allows $50,000 to get you pretty
much any M5 you could want, as long as you want one at least 3 years old. Want
the 4.4L twin turbo V8 riding on 19”s? You got it. Want a Dinan S2? Not a
problem. At this price point, engines vary from inline sixes, to V8 and V10
power, with a choice of precise manual transmissions. Get an earlier E34 model
for the brilliant handling, or a 4,000 lb E60 that performs like a Ferrari
F430. With an M5, you can’t lose.
PANOZ ESPERANTE
Take the bare chassis of a previous generation Mustang, add
lightweight bits from a legit race company, and sell at a profit. That’s the
business model for the American made sports car with the foreign name. While I’m
not a fan of the nose or center gauges, the Esperante is said to be a blast to
drive due to proper suspension and steering tuning. I can’t say for sure, as
I’ve never even seen one, much less driven one. There’s something to be said
for owning a car so rare that you will never see another out and about.
FERRARI 456
Okay, I lied. I totally forgot about the turn of the
millennium Ferraris that just don’t get a ton of love, like the 456. For less
than the price of your boring factory Corvette, you can buy an Italian prancing
horse with a 5.5L V12, a real manual transmission, and none of the electronic
nannies that limit your driving fun/feel. Sure, it’s got a JLo butt, and the
wheels are hideous, but keep it stock, and you’ll be able to sell it for twice
this price in ten years.
SUMMARY
When searching eBay, Autotrader and the like, everything
screams out as a great deal, as cars that were once unthinkably expensive are
now within reach. Many of these could be
a great buy right now as they could become future classics worth exponentially
more. While I don’t recommend looking
for supercar deals if you have work to do anytime soon (searching can be quite
addictive), let us know if you’ve found a depreciated dream car that needs to
be on our list.
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