Top 8 Used (And Awesome) Sports Cars You Can Actually Afford

Looking to upgrade your car? Not sure how best to add some spicy awesomeness to your garage? Don't won't to buy new and looking for a bargain of sorts? Don't worry, we may have the perfect list for you. 

The idea here is to find the cars that aren't going to eat your wallet alive and that are classics in the making. These are the best fun used cars and they just happen to be reasonably priced. These hot cars could be the perfect buy for someone willing to scour the market for a deal in exchange for a great driver's car.

BMW M3 (E46) (2000-2006)
The best all-round performance car you can buy

BMW M3 (E46) 2000-2006. Awesome sideways fun.

Specs: 3.2 straight six, 338 hp, 269 lb ft, 6 speed manual, 5.0 sec 0-60mph

Munich's iconic muscle car. Sharp looks, space for four with luggage and a rear drive chassis thats laugh out loud funny. We would argue that the engine is worth the money alone. A 3.2 liter straight-six with 338hp, 296lb ft of torque and a redline north of 8,000 rpm. With a menacing sound and metallic rasp that sends shivers down your spine as the revs rise, it is an intoxicating car to drive. 

The last ones were built in 2006, but it never really changed that much over the years.  You could get a 2000 car for less money and it will look and drive much like the very last cars. The pick of the bunch is the ultra-rare CSL, but that's not just a bargain or easy to find.

Things to look for: head gasket failures are common on 80k mile plus cars. Check rear springs, they have a habit of cracking, rear exhaust flanges can fail.

Porsche 911 GT3 (1999-2000) & (2003-2004)
Porsche built an animal and future classic

Almost everybody agrees that this is a future classic

Specs: 380 hp @ 7400 rpm, 284 lb-ft @ 5000 rpm, 4.3 seconds to 60mph, flat six, manual, RWD

A visceral experience, with pointy communicative steering and nimbleness that made it hard to believe it weighed more than a base 911. The GT3 is a rare beast though so trying to find one is going to be harder than you think. Well worth the search though because this is a classic and one of the finest cars you can ever drive. 

Mercedes C63 AMG (2008 - Present)
Genuine M3 alternative and one of the best engine's ever

Mercedes C63 AMG. Great looking and beastly sounding.

Specs: 6.2 liter V8, 450hp, 443lb ft, rear drive, 4.3sec 0-60mph

This is a hugely talented car that has a stinking 6.2 liter V8 shoehorned into a small sedan. With an easy 450hp (481hp with performance package) and 443lb ft of torque, it easily outmuscles the BMW M3 and just about any other car in this price range. All this power is put down to the ground via the rear wheels, which makes the C63 AMG one fun car to drive. 

Where the C63 AMG is different from other AMG cars is the beautifully balanced chassis and genuine steering feel. Sure, it won't beat an M3 on a track, but day to day driving is way more fun in the C63 AMG. With so much torque and a tight chassis, we love driving this car. 

Things to look for: There was a mild update in 2011. It updates the look and interior, and has a nicer multimedia screen. We think it is worth the money if you can spring for the upgrade.

Porsche Boxster (Mk2) (2004-2011)
Simple the best value used performance car on the planet

The best handling car ever? It's pretty close for sure.

Specs: 3.2 flat six, 276hp, 236lb ft, RWD, 5.5 0-60hp

Steering and feel. Most modern cars have neither. We're lucky that Porsche built the Boxster because it has both steering and feel in abundance. A Boxster in good condition is one of life's great joys to drive and at the kinds of prices we're seeing them, they are spectacularly great value. 

The main reason for the cheap prices is that lots of them were made so there are a lot around. For such an amazing and fun car and that nameplate to go with it, you can't go wrong buying a Boxster if you want a true sports car thrill.  

Our advice is to buy as new a Boxster as you can possibly afford, and save up for the S (3.2L). If you really want to spend extra, a later model PDK is one to get or go for the 6 speed manual. We love the S models, with six speeds, close ratio gears, desirable PASM adaptive dampers being optional it is the one we would get. 

Pricing on Boxster's is absolutely wild. Near identical cars in features, engine size and mileage and the price can differ as much as $4000 or more. Do your homework and know the value of the model year you are seeking to buy.

Things we like:

• Brilliant handling regardless of what engine you wind up with.
• One of the great steering cars of all time. Fantastically tactile.
• S with 3.2-litre engine is properly fast and they all have a great soundtrack.
• Looks like fun and is. Convertible roof even makes sense.

Audi S5 (2007-2011)
Quietly brilliant fast Audi

The Audi S5 still looks hot today.

Specs: 4.2 V8, 349hp, 325lb ft, 6 speed manual, fwd, 5.1 second 0-60.

Fast, brilliant looks, powerful high revving V8, loads of technology, AWD, killer exhaust note. The S5 Still looks awesome and modern today and hasn't aged much at all. The S5 also has unflappable handling. Definitely more cut-price Continental GT than M3 fighter.

Aston Martin V8 Vantage (2005 till Present)
It's an Aston for cheap money for gods sake.

Yep. You can have an Aston Martin for a bargain price

Specs: 4.3 liter V8, 380 hp, 302lb ft, RWD.

We realize that any Aston Martin is pushing the "bargain" label, but we consider the ability to buy a naturally aspirated V8 Aston Martin for half the original price as bargain central. This is one of the best sounding engines ever and we would recommend the upgraded 4.2 liter unit that came in 2008 and raised horsepower to 420hp. It is worth the extra money and you'll thank us when you have more midrange torque and an even more intoxicating sound. The other key recommendation is to take the manual, the semi-automated manual sucks. These cars aren't cheap, but for the money you can't get close.

BMW Z4M (2006 - 2008)
It's a TVR, built by BMW

Specs: 3.2 liter six, 330hp, 262 lb ft, 6 spd manual, rear drive, 4.8 sec to 60mph

The most recent BMW Z4 M was produced from 2006-'08. This Z4-based sports car was available as a convertible two-seat roadster or a two-seat hatchback. Power came from a 3.2-liter inline-6 that delivered 330 horsepower and 262 pound-feet of torque to the rear wheels. BMW's M division stuck with a "back to basics" approach, forgoing some of the Z4's features like the SMG automanual transmissions and active steering in favor of a slick-shifting six-speed manual and hydraulic steering system.

Chevrolet Corvette (C5) 1997-2004

Offering the speed and power of a much more expensive sports car has always been the Corvette's signature. The C5 (1997 to 2004) was no exception. While no match for the 385-hp Z06 (which became the only fixed-roof model in 2001), the regular Corvette's LS1 V-8 engine cranked out 345 hp and 350 lb-ft of torque. Besides being instantly responsive to the driver hitting the gas pedal, the engine was also capable of sprinting the car from 0 to 60 mph in under 5 seconds.