What is the next generation of ‘affordable’ semi exotics?

So ten years ago, heck even five years ago there was a plethora of affordable quasi exotics. You could get a nice 308 GTB/GTS for $30-35K. You could get a nice 308 GT4 or Mondial for $25K. Air cooled 911’s were $20K, 930’s were $30-35. Meraks were around $30K etc. Now these have all gone nuts. Suddenly a nice 3.2L 911 is $35, more for a good G50 car. 308 GTB/GTS’ are suddenly $60k with really nice ones asking well over $100K. As per ‘Maseratiguy’s post his Merak is suddenly worth close to $100K. Traditional red headed step children (I’ve always had a thing for cute red heads though) have gone nuts too. For years 914’s were derided by even the air cool faithful and you could barely give them away, now nice ones will bring $25K+ and a 914/6 will set you back up to $70K. In the Ferrari camp 308GT4’s are suddenly $50K in good condition. The Mondial market seems to start at $30K and go to double that for a nice Mondial T (basically a 348 with Mondial bodywork).

So what are the next generation of bargains? I’d say the 996 and 987 S’s are obvious choices. Though very few and far between a mint (yes really, they do exist) BiTurbo can be had for around $20K. That a car that really suffered from American maintenance aversion, they don’t seem to have newly as bad a rap in Europe where people maintained them better when young. Early 00’s Maserati Coupe’s and Coupe GT’s are now in the mid $20’s for a car with a Ferrari V8 under the hood, but also Ferrari running costs. Some would add the Lotus Elise, but a) they are already on the rise and b) they are not really in my mind Exotics. Fun, but too kit car ish for me. The Lotus Esprit is still affordable and I think the Evora will hit free fall soon. What about F cars? The 348 series cars are still in the $50-60 range and the 355’s are almost in the same category as is the ugly 360 series. With the better looking 355 and the far lower running cost 360 so close to the 348 on price I think the 348’s are due for a drop and it will be a while before they go up again.

What are other peoples thoughts? I know nothing as I was sure 10 years ago that Ford GT’s would now be in the $50K range. Instead they are $250-350K and the far more expensive 360/430 F cars are way way cheaper than the Ford!

Here are some that seem to have wound up in the bargain bin. They may not be all that exclusive, but were great performers for their day and are still a lot of fun to drive.

C4 Corvettes - you can get a good TPI one for $5000 or less, and LT1 versions for just a bit more. The Z51 package has more aggressive suspension tuning, but doesn't command a premium.

Nissan 300ZX Twin Turbo - seems to have been completely overshadowed by the Supra TT.

Is the NSX an exotic? They never really plummeted in prices but I think it's all up from here. The 360 Ferrari will go way up, I think they're done depreciating.

If you want affordable there just isn't much out there now. The 300ZX is not an exotic in my view, neither are the RX cars. Corvette? Maybe.

Short of the ZR1 I don't consider any Corvette exotic. Great cars, I love C4's, don't get me wrong, but I don't see them as exotic.

NSX's are already on the upward trajectory.

360's I can see falling further, they are not yet beloved enough. They made something like 16,000 of them, way more than any other Ferrari. They made about 11,000 355's and only around 6,000 348's. I think the supply and demand side will keep the 360 down for a long time. So will the fact that it's so similar to the 430 which is still dropping. Plus for me after the 456 and 355 Ferrari styling just went down the toilet for 15 years. It's starting to stabilize and get better again, but nothing since the 355 ended production has hit my want button.

Not that any of this matters. It's pure daydream stuff.

What about the C4 ZR-1?

The Exige, Elise, Evora, Aston DB9, Maserati Coupe Cambiocorsa, ... C6 Vettes, 997s.

I'd suggest for the list:

Porsche 928 (Especially M/T) Porsche 944 Turbo Porsche 968 Porsche 944 S2 Lotus Elise/Exige 3000gt Vr-4 Supra TT Detomaso Pantera

I'd say the 944 Turbo should be in that group. Fast, one of the best driving cars Porsche has made. Also, not that many pristine ones around, so numbers will be lower for good cars.

Also would agree on the Supra TT. Technically it is not all that exotic, but it should have a big following in the coming years.

The biggest problem is that most companies do not produce low volume cars any longer except for the really expensive ones (think Bugatti and McLaren). Almost no F-car depreciates like they did in the past. Probably the 348 and 355 are your best bets now. Not sure the 400i will ever be worth all that much. I've driven one and it is not that inspiring for a Ferrari.

I do perhaps see the Elise and all it's brothers being worth more in the future though, even with its relatively high production numbers.

Your comments on the Corvettes are exactly the reason they make good bargains. A buddy just got a 2000 XK-8 Jaguar for used car prices. If you can figure out the relays and idiosyncrasies, they are cool.

I'd add the Aston Martin Vantage V8, Bentley Continental GT.

The V8 version of the R8 could keep falling into the $50k range like the 360. After all, a refresh has been announced. That's probably a year or two out, so who knows.

In reply to Adrian_Thompson:

Ah, the 456. That definitely belongs on the list. It's a Ferrari for adults.

not sure if quite exotic, but pristine Alfa Romeo GTV6's are getting harder to find. The mediocre ones are rotting into the earth, and the nice ones are starting to climb in value.

On Ferrari chat there was a mondial coupe in decent shape that was still sub 20k. That was a one off. 30k is more the range these days. Maserati coupes will bounce back eventually. I've seen a few cambios right at 20k. The GTs seem a bit closer to 30k. If there's a diy option for clutches it could be intriguing. Esprits seem like a good buy, same with an Elise. Not sure on ergonomics though. Dr. Hess would have to weigh in.

The lotus cars have never really depreciated--I've been watching. Check out the Jaguar XKR series. Maybe not exotic enough for many but a heck of a lot of used car for the money.

In reply to oldtin:

I'm 6'3" and really lacking in flexibility, and I've climbed into an Elise. My wife indicated that she was horribly embarrassed by the spectacle that was my graceless ingress. I'm glad I didn't have to see it.

Once there, I liked where they put all the controls, and was very comfortable.

I'm pretty sure I still want one.

I think the last time we had a thread like this, dodge vipers were brought up.

I know opionions are like shiny happy people in that we all have one, but I don't consider Elise's or regular Corvette's or Vipers exotics. They are all amazing sports cars, but they don't hit the exotic button in my head. C4 ZR1 Corvettes do hit the button, but the later ZR1's don't. I can't answer why, but it's my list so it's good enough. XKR's while amazing cars also don't make the grade, but certain Aston's do.

there's a qvale mangusta on ebay for $23,000 buy it now, fairly rare

My friend's nineties era NSX appreciated nicely in the 5-6 years he owned it. A couple months ago he decided to sell it. A month ago it was rear ended by a scum-bag drunk driver with suspended license doing eighty in in a fifty zone. Totaled. Fortunately he collected nearly twice his purchase price from the insurance company. Unfortunately there's now one less NSX on the road.

Lotus Europa nice driver cars are $15-$25k and you won't find many that sell for more.

Would the Boxter be in this group? After seeing the one listed here for < $5k it certainly seems analogous to the 914s of days past.

I think the Elise value will generally hold pretty steady for a few years. Between their questionable ingress/egress, limited practicality, and concern for knowledgable maintenance & repair, I think only the more hard-core sportscar type or true collectors are the primary people buying them now.

I never really liked them and I'm not sure if they qualify as semi exotics, but I predict that values 964 C2s are about to skyrocket.

In reply to Woody:

I was looking for a 964 cabrio for my dad this spring. It was a challenge to find a decent one under 30k. Might have been timing and location, but the values are way up.

Lotus, especially foreign market ones like the Eclat

R32 Skyline GTRs are as low as they will get right now and have been climbing lately. Last chance to get one for $15k probably.

Late 80s early 90s rally icons like Lancia Delta Integrale (pre-evos) are still inexpensive and won't be for long. It may be a while for the Galant/Eterna EVO, early Lancer Evo, WRX, Pulsar GTIR, to rise in price. Escort Cosworth is right now but is rapidly rising. Galant and Eterna EVOs are almost extinct in the wild and when they vanish they will start to climb since Japanese cars are reaching collectable status finally. I talk regularly to a JDM importer and he says he hasn't seen an Eterna ZR4 let alone an EVO for export, sale, on the road, or in a car show in YEARS now. Only reason I consider these semi-exotics is because they are not USDM and are race homologation cars.

Some Alpine Renaults seem at a reasonable price. Less than I see Supras go for.

Detomaso Pantera

These have doubled in price in the last 5 years.

Also would agree on the Supra TT. Technically it is not all that exotic, but it should have a big following in the coming years.

lol the way this is worded it sounds like this should have been said 10 years ago. They have a HUGE following and they are sometimes like $30,000 for a nice one and it's a asian car from the 90s. I've seen them priced higher than NSX. Meanwhile people are picking up 300ZX twin turbos for like $7000

Speaking of 300ZX I think that and the 3000GT is going to be much more expensive eventually.

Supra TTs have been $30k for a long time. I've seen some go for much higher. One of the reasons I say this is that we raced them in the old Speedvision Cup, and kids would run us down st every stop and drool over them. Its the only car I've seen that got that kind of reaction from ordinary kids...and that was the '90's. That will eventually play out in pricing as those kids can afford them.

I think the trick is to just buy and drive what you like. You never know what will be collectible, but if you have what you like it will always have value to you. The cars are really for enjoyment and you, (as I ) will have to sink a lot of money into the car over the years, which is much easier to do if you like the car. Everyone loves to hate bi-turbos, but I think a good one is great, they are very comfortable, fast, look good, handle well, and there are a zillion parts available from all of the deceased ones. Yes, they've had a lot of problems but the later FI ones were far better resolved than the earlier carbed ones.