15 Classic Cars Perfect For Collectors On A Budget

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While data from Hagerty shows that the classic car market has cooled in recent years, many desirable classics remain far from affordable. According to the outlet, average collector interest remains around the same level as the start of 2022, and still far above the levels seen during the depths of the pandemic in 2020. Even so, cool classic cars that are cheap to buy and relatively hassle-free to keep running are still out there.

No matter whether you're looking for a quirky JDM classic or a refined British roadster, you won't struggle to find a classic car with a budget of $10,000. These 15 top picks are among our personal favorites that remain within reach for cash-strapped collectors, and each one is currently available under budget in running condition. These cars all also have dedicated communities of enthusiast owners and model-specific forums for help and advice on maintenance and repairs.

Saab 900

Produced between 1979 and 1993, the Saab 900 is an affordable Euro classic that's flown relatively under the radar compared to other cars from its era. It's available in a variety of body styles, including a convertible, although two-door and four-door hatchbacks are more common. Collectors often prefer turbocharged examples, but with a budget of $10,000, it's best to prioritize condition over the rarity of any particular example you find. Running, usable examples remain readily available for within that budget.

A key consideration for any 900 — and virtually all other cars on this list— is how rusty it is. Battling against rust will quickly eat up any remaining budget you have left over, so to save yourself the hassle, keep a look out for hidden rust in spots like the wheel arches and suspension. Although the 900 remains a fairly out-of-left-field pick, there are plenty of owners' forums around that should be able to help should you encounter an issue when you're wrenching.

Mazda MX-5 Miata (NA)

It certainly isn't the most original choice, but if you're a first-time classic car buyer looking for a usable car on a budget, it's difficult to fault a first generation Miata. Prices for clean examples aren't quite at the bargain levels that they once were, but it still won't be difficult to find one within a $10,000 budget. The NA Miata is a long-running favorite among weekend racers and modified car enthusiasts, which is both a good or bad thing if you're shopping for a used example.

It's a good thing if you're looking to build your own budget track day toy, since there's a huge aftermarket and a helpful community of owners who will be able to answer virtually any question you have about the car. However, if you're looking for a clean, unmodified example, and planning to keep it that way, be prepared to look a little harder to find one within budget.

Datsun 280ZX

The Datsun 280ZX of the late '70s and early '80s didn't follow the traditional Z-car formula, being more of a luxury cruiser than a stripped-back sports car. This makes it more of a usable classic than its predecessors, with extras like cruise control and power windows available in some examples.

It was a commercially successful model for its maker, and that popularity has ensured that there are still a few sub-$10,000 cars floating around the used market today. However, prices for pristine, low-mileage examples have risen in recent years, and the most desirable special edition variants can now sell for $40,000 or more.

As well as watching out for rust, it's also worth ensuring that any fitted electronic systems are in working order. The 280ZX was equipped with more technology than earlier Z-cars, including a voice warning system, but fixing these old-school electronics might be a challenge for buyers on particularly tight budgets.

Ford Mustang SN95

It's one of the newest cars here, but the Ford Mustang SN95 is still firmly into modern classic territory. Unlike some of its peers, even slightly rarer variants of the car remain relatively attainable, and so finding an example for less than $10,000 shouldn't be tricky.

The SN95 was based on the long-running Fox chassis, but was thoroughly overhauled for better handling than the outgoing car. Early examples of the car have a pushrod V8 engine, but later examples came equipped with a modular V8. Both types are well catered for in the aftermarket. A V6 engine was also available in base-spec models.

The SN95 first debuted in 1994 and was given a facelift in 1999. Cars produced from 1999 onward are known as "New Edge" cars, and they remained in production until 2004. While the usual classic car issues — things like rust and water leaks — are worth watching out for, the SN95 is generally easy to repair should you find them later down the line.

Honda Beat

There are a few good ways to stick out at any classic car show. One of the most reliable ways is to have a car that's smaller and quirkier than anything else that's there, and few affordable cars are smaller or quirkier than the Honda Beat. Examples of the tiny Japanese kei car regularly change hands for less than $10,000, yet they'll stand out among a crowd of cars that cost an order of magnitude more.

Its 63 hp 0.66-liter engine might not sound like much, but it'll hit a redline of 9,000 rpm and propel the car to a highway-friendly top speed of 86 mph. Not that this is a car designed for highway cruising, of course — it's most at home on narrow, winding roads, or doing duty as a zippy urban runabout. Parts availability isn't as plentiful as some of the other cars here, so buy the cleanest example within budget you can if you don't want to spend too much time calculating the shipping costs for new-old parts from Japan.

MG MGB Roadster

Despite the overall reputation of old British sports cars, the MGB isn't particularly unreliable by classic car standards. That makes it a good starting point for collectors on a budget who are looking to purchase their first British classic, as well as being a solid choice for anyone who simply wants a good-looking weekend cruiser. Like nearly every classic of its age, the MGB suffers from various rust issues, with the front wing being a particularly common corrosion spot.

However, the car's popularity in the U.K. means that almost every part, including body panels, can be sourced if you need them, at least if you're willing to ship from overseas. Since shipping can get costly and the MGB is so cheap in America, it's worth shelling out extra for an example in better condition, to save yourself the hassle of repairs. Even clean examples are available for well under $10,000, and there's a wide range of model years available, from 1962 to 1980.

Honda Del Sol

There are a few things worth considering before buying a Honda Del Sol, but arguably the most one is to decide whether you're looking to modify the car or keep it stock. If it's the former, buying an example that has already been modified could give you a head start on your dream build. There are plenty of high-dollar Del Sol builds out there for inspiration, and plenty of owners to talk to for advice.

If you're looking to keep the car stock, it's worth paying for a cleaner example with lower mileage. There are plenty of clean examples out there for within a $10,000 budget, with even the most ultra-low mileage examples rarely selling for more than $20,000. Since the Del Sol's platform was shared with the Civic, parts are generally affordable and easy to find to boot. The car was in production between 1993 and 1997, with around 75,000 examples sold in the U.S. over that period.

Volkswagen Beetle

Much like a Miata, buying a Volkswagen Beetle won't win you any originality contests, but there's such a large aftermarket available that it's easy to make any example feel like your own. According to Hagerty, the Beetle is also the most popular non-American classic car in the U.S. That means finding cheap examples is easy, with later model years being particularly common to find under $10,000. The Beetle was available from the '50s up until 1979 in the U.S., though Volkswagen's Mexican division continued to churn them out until 2003.

In general, the cheapest American-market classic examples tend to be from the '60s and '70s, with earlier cars becoming sought after by wealthier collectors. While the Beetle is a generally straightforward car to work on, it isn't without its issues, and unsurprisingly, one of the biggest issues is hidden rust. Models built after 1971 also used a specific type of foam in the C-pillars that's known to hold moisture, which in turn can cause corrosion that's hard to fix.

Toyota MR2 (SW20)

Despite the stereotype that Japanese cars are always reliable, some demand complex maintenance schedules and frequently costly repairs. The Toyota MR2 isn't one of them — in fact, a wide range of model years are considered highly reliable, including every model year of the SW20 generation. Produced between 1991 and 1995, the SW20 was the second generation of the MR2, and saw the car transformed with sleeker, less boxy styling, borrowing design elements from European exotics of the era.

Those looks, combined with the car's mid-engine layout, have led some to describe it as the "Poor Man's Ferrari." However, unlike its Italian contemporaries, the MR2 was affordably priced at launch, and remains so today. While the cleanest, lowest-mileage examples have appreciated in value beyond the reach of cash-strapped enthusiasts, a $10,000 budget will probably be enough for high-mileage ones. However, be wary of poorly maintained examples — what you save in upfront costs, you'll probably spend on additional repairs.

Volvo 240

It's not very fast and certainly not sporty, but the Volvo 240 still delivers a dose of old-school Scandi cool for minimal upfront cost. Many examples sell for less than $10,000, and like all other cars here, it's worth opting for the best condition one you can afford. Generally, rust isn't quite as much of an issue with the 240 as it is with some other classic cars, but when it happens, it can be costly to fix.

Buyers looking for ultimate practicality could opt for a 240 Wagon, which looks a lot more quirky today than most modern SUVs and has more cargo space than many of them to boot. Alternatively, sedan and coupe models are similarly affordable. Volvo's four-cylinder engines are known to be very reliable, assuming they've been properly maintained. As well as being generally well-built, the 240 was also both popular and long-running, with production spanning from 1975 through 1993. As a result, buyers can afford to be picky when shopping for classic examples today.

Lexus SC

The first generation Lexus SC developed a reputation as being a cheaper alternative to the A80 Toyota Supra, thanks to its shared platform and 2JZ-GE engine. However, it's an appealing classic cruiser in its own right, whether it's equipped with the iconic 2JZ engine or the larger 1UZ-FE V8. The SC was sold between 1992 and 2000, and was replaced with a second generation model that has arguably aged less well than the original in terms of styling.

Out of the two generations, the first generation is the more athletic looking of the pair, and it's also just as cheap. Examples are still available for less than $10,000, although the cleanest examples — particularly those with the five-speed manual transmission — sell for significantly more. With manuals edging out of reach for enthusiasts with more modest budgets, the SC's days as a stripped-out, Supra-rivalling project car might be numbered. However, buyers looking for old-school Japanese luxury will still find plenty to like.

Chevrolet Camaro (fourth generation)

Much like the SN95 Mustang, the fourth generation Chevrolet Camaro remains cheap to buy, although it might not stay that way forever. Available with the legendary LS engine under the hood, the Camaro is a great starting point for a drag strip-ready project build, but it's also becoming increasingly appealing from a collectors' perspective. The rarest variants already sell for sums way beyond the $10,000 budget, but more everyday examples remain plentiful on the used market.

Later fourth-generation cars were known as "catfish" thanks to their oddly shaped front end, but aside from the divisive looks, the Camaro sticks closely to the traditional pony car formula. It's a segment that's slowly but surely being wiped out, with the Camaro now discontinued and the Mustang's future looking far from certain, having become one of the slowest selling cars of 2025. Whether that will eventually lead to a spike in the prices of older pony cars remains to be seen, but for now, the fourth generation Camaro is a thoroughly affordable classic.

Mercedes-Benz W123

Although the W123 is best known for having a turbo diesel engine, it was also available with a gasoline engine in its earlier years. Mercedes-Benz built the car between 1976 and 1985, and built many of them — around 2.7 million of them, in fact. That popularity has helped prices stay low, and they're very easy to find within a $10,000 budget. The cheapest examples are probably worth staying away from, since they're likely to have been less well maintained and therefore will likely be less reliable.

Given that one of the key selling points of the classic W123 is just how durable it is, it's well worth buying the cleanest example that your budget allows. As with all old cars, rust can be an issue, and earlier models are particularly susceptible. Parts are not particularly expensive compared to other German classics, and thanks to the car's lasting appeal as both a collector classic and as a daily driver, they're generally easy to source.

Volkswagen Rabbit GTI (Mk1)

Hot hatches as a segment never really caught on in America in the same way that they did in Europe, but the Volkswagen Rabbit GTI nevertheless left a lasting impact on a generation of enthusiast drivers. The souped-up version of the Rabbit was only available between 1983 and 1984 in America, although it had been offered in European markets since 1976.

American-spec models were slightly less powerful than their Euro-spec counterparts, although neither was particularly fast by modern standards. Instead, it's the car's handling and its Giugiaro-penned looks that make it stand out from its peers.

The GTI can be found for less than $10,000, although values for the best-kept examples exceed that budget by a significant margin. A handful of pristine examples on Bring a Trailer have even sold for more than $40,000. Nonetheless, if you can find a clean GTI within budget, it should retain its value for the foreseeable future as surviving examples continue to get rarer.

Ford Taurus SHO

The "SHO" in the Ford Taurus SHO's name stands for "Super High Output." With some cars, these kinds of names are little more than marketing hype, but in the Taurus SHO's case, it was deserved. A Yamaha V6 engine sat under the hood of the otherwise unremarkable sedan, churning out 220 hp. The original SHO debuted in 1989 and ran until 1991. It was subsequently replaced with a second generation, which arrived for the 1992 model year, then a third generation, which hit dealerships in 1996. After being axed in 1999, Ford briefly resurrected the SHO in 2010.

The first and second generation SHO both remain available for less than $10,000 today, with both having the same V6 engine. The third generation, with its larger, less eager V8 engine, makes less of a compelling classic today. Thanks to its understated looks, the Taurus SHO is a true factory sleeper, and an under-the-radar alternative to the usual array of '80s and '90s affordable classics.

Our selection methodology

To whittle down our list of classics to a final selection of 15 picks, we focused on several key criteria. Each of the cars selected is readily available for less than $10,000 in running condition, with recent prices verified through auction listings on platforms such as Bring a Trailer. Each also has a good level of parts availability, and a keen fanbase of enthusiasts on owners' forums. Many of these picks also have significant aftermarkets, so owners looking to add their own personal tweaks to their new cars will be able to affordably do so.