Take a look at the list we have compiled of dependable sports cars that you will enjoy driving for many years without breaking the bank.
Some sports cars make a fantastic used buy. Quite a few of them are now victims of depreciation, but they’re still cool, fast, and mostly good-looking. They also make for a great second car if you’re looking for a fun daily driver. Not to mention, there have been tons of underappreciated sports cars from the last decade that are easily accessible.
A big concern when buying a used car is reliability. Indeed, many older sports cars proved hideously unreliable, but it doesn’t have to be a rule of thumb for all used sports cars. As it turns out, some of them can be reliable and potentially last a lifetime.
13 Audi TT
Those looking for a good sports car without the huge price tag associated with them should check out the Audi TT. The model debuted as a concept at the Frankfurt Motor Show in 1995, and three years later, in 1998, it rolled off the production line and into dealerships. It has remained in production thanks to its design, layout, performance, and reliability, making it a hit among gearheads worldwide.
Like German cars of the past, the Audi TT has been pretty much bulletproof regarding reliability. Ownership is as simple as regular servicing and maintenance, whether it’s the old 1.8-liter turbo engine or the current 2-liter unit.
12 Lexus RC F
Those looking for reliability can’t go wrong with a Lexus. Lexus launched the RC F in 2014, so there’s been plenty of time to determine if it’s reliable, and we’re not surprised to learn the RC F is about as solid as a rock.
Those who don’t have enough cash to get the RC F should consider the standard RC because it’s just as good. We prefer the RC F as it’s sportier. The 5.0-liter 2UR-GSE V8 engine is bulletproof, so regular maintenance should provide owners with a lifetime of joyful motoring.
11 Caterham Seven CSR
Based on the old Lotus 7 design from the ’50s, the Caterham is the perfect example of “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it!” Sure, Caterham has updated the lineup over the years, making some models supercar fast! Caterham launched the 7 CSR in 2005, and with so much time passed, we can conclude that this is a very reliable sports car, partly due to its Ford Duratec engine.
Caterham’s cars are simple and basic, but in a good way; there just isn’t very much that can go wrong. Those looking for the purest sports car experience should give one of the models in their lineup a shot.
10 BMW 2 Series
It’s no secret that BMW doesn’t exactly have a stellar reputation for reliability, especially the V8 and V12-powered models they’ve made over the years. However, as it turns out, the 2 Series coupe is surprisingly more reliable than many might expect.
The M235i of this generation, which later became the M240i, is a brilliant sports car. Some of its outstanding characteristics are a well-sorted RWD platform, a potent powertrain, and an available manual transmission. They are dipping below $30,000 on the used market, so they’re worth considering.
9 Mazda Miata
Pairing the words “reliability” and “sports car” in a sentence is impossible without mentioning the iconic Mazda Miata. When Mazda introduced it in the late 1980s, they intended it to be a nod to classic British sports cars of years prior, minus the reliability and maintenance concerns.
Indeed, that’s exactly what the Miata proved, and that still holds true today. There are hundreds of them on the used market, values have stayed relatively cheap, there are tons of aftermarket support, they’re easy to work on, and maintenance and reliability are fantastic. Not to mention, the package includes possibly the best-handling small roadster of all time.
8 Chevrolet Corvette (C5)
Many enthusiasts struggle to believe how much of a bargain the C5 Corvette still is. Pretty much all sports cars from the ’90s are cheap nowadays, but none offer a naturally aspirated V8, an iconic nameplate, and a gorgeous exterior design.
It gets better because that naturally aspirated V8 under the C5’s long hood is none other than one of the first iterations of GM’s LS V8. At its peak, the LS1 in the C5 made 350 hp, and it was available with a six-speed manual transmission in the later model years. Not to mention, there was also the C5 Z06, whose LS6 V8 made 390 hp.
7 Porsche 911 (996)
When the 996 first hit the scene in the late ’90s, 911 enthusiasts and purists alike inundated it with criticism. The main critiques the 996 endured were the controversial exterior styling and the switch to a water-cooled engine.
Later, the infamous IMS bearing problems surfaced, and people had concerns about buying them. As a result, the 996 is just about the most affordable generation of the 911. But, once you’ve done all the preventative maintenance, this is a reliable, gorgeous, and breathtakingly good-handling sports car that doesn’t break the bank.
6 Toyota 86
First debuting in 2012, the Toyota 86, along with the Subaru BRZ and short-lived Scion FR-S, was a true back-to-basics affordable sports car. It was much like its spiritual predecessor, the AE86 Corolla of the 1980s.
The 86 was affordable when new, and it’s really affordable on the used market now. Even though it doesn’t have all that much power, it’s a reliable car with plenty of aftermarket support and a chassis so well sorted it’s a great drift car.
5 Toyota Supra Mk3
Obviously, due to a variety of reasons, the Mk4 Supra is currently out of reach for many enthusiasts. Some have even sold for over $200,000, so it’s better to look at the Mk3 Supra for a used sports car buy.
No one seems to give the Mk3 Supra the attention it deserves, which is a shame. It’s still a fantastic sports car, looks great, sounds incredible, and handles amazingly well. Aftermarket support is excellent, and while it has the 1JZ I6 rather than the 2JZ, being a Toyota powertrain, it should be fairly bulletproof.
4 Honda/Acura Integra
Since it arrived on the market, the Honda/Acura Integra Type R has become one of the best-handling FWD cars. This was a serious sports car developed on racetracks, and Honda used every trick in the book to make it as lightweight and responsive as possible.
While it does have some serious race car DNA, it still retains that legendary Honda reliability, which means it can get driven daily as a commuter car and wrung by its neck around a track on the weekend. Unfortunately, prices have skyrocketed recently, so it’s out of reach for most gearheads.
3 Ford Mustang (’90s – Up)
The ’90s saw the introduction of the SN95 generation of the Ford Mustang. While the styling was also controversial, this was a pretty solid vehicle. The V8 engine was reliable, tunable, and surprisingly brisk.
Any Mustang from the ’90s and upwards is a solid used buy. They are total performance car bargains with tons of aftermarket support, decent reliability, and longevity, and give you the ability to say that you own a Mustang.
2 Honda S2000
As most S2000s got modified and/or crashed, values for nicely kept ones have started creeping up. However, they’re still well within the realms of affordable in most cases, except for the special editions, like the CR.
The 2.0-liter high-revving naturally aspirated four-cylinder made 240 hp, which meant the S2000 was fast. It boasted a great chassis and could hold its own around corners. If four-cylinders aren’t your thing, the S2000 has (just) enough room under the hood for an LS motor.
1 Ford Mustang
Arguably, there aren’t many car models that perfectly define Ford’s automotive ethos, nor has shaped the company’s heritage like the Mustang. Welcomed with a tremendous sales success upon its grand entrance in 1965, the Mustang has remained a staple of the American automotive scene ever since. Its form is also quite unique and highly significant, influencing the design of several coupes produced after it.
Fun, sporty, with potent powertrains, the Mustang is an ideal sports car for driving enthusiasts, and its continuous production with great patronage attests to the marque’s favorable reliability rating. Nonetheless, all Mustang models do not have equal reliability ratings, but the current generation models are among the best. According to J.D. Power, the 2020 Mustang remains one of the best with a reliability rating of 88/100 while the 2016 model is also a great contender with 80/100 reliability rating.
