Five Affordable Sports Cars You Can Buy Before You Hit Your Midlife Crisis
As you approach forty, you might have a lot of things on your mind. Have you done everything you wanted to accomplish? Did you find true love, have 2.5 kids and buy your own home?
Instead of ruminating over your past failures and wistfully looking back at your successes, consider this: buying an affordable sports car could momentarily take your mind off your approaching birthday.
Below, we have compiled a list of five affordable sports cars that can offset your midlife crisis. While buying a car may not necessarily take your mind off your problems, it can certainly serve as a good distraction.
Five Affordable Sports Cars
When people hear the term “sports car,” the first things that usually come to mind are Lamborghinis, Ferraris, and Maseratis. However, these vehicles might be out of your price range. That does not mean that you have to drive around your hand-me-down junk car for the rest of your life, though. You have options, like:
The Dodge Challenger
There’s no getting around it; Dodge has some pretty sweet-looking cars. However, when lining up Dodge’s Challenger, Charger, and Avenger side by side, the Challenger always comes out on top. The 2021 model looks like General Lee and Mustang’s lovechild.
You can get a 2021 Challenger SXT for under $25,000. The hot rod features all-wheel drive, enhanced cargo space, and features found in modern “smart cars,” like backup cameras and touch-screen display consoles.
If you opt for one of the more expensive models, you could get over 700 horsepower. That certainly leaves Dodge’s competitors in the dust.
The Chevrolet Camaro
While the Dodge Challenger looks and feels like it was made for the racetrack, the 2021 Chevrolet Camaro looks like something straight from the space age. Its sleek, smooth curves are designed to cut down on air resistance and improve speed.
Right now, you can get a Chevrolet Camaro for about $25,0000. Aside from its smart features, fuel efficiency, and safety features, Camaro’s are pretty good at retaining their value. In five years, your car’s value will only depreciate by 35%, which is pretty good compared to Fiat, which loses nearly 60% of its value over the same time period.
The Ford Mustang
Let’s face it; love them or hate them, the Ford Mustang is a classic. It is one of the most recognizable sports cars on today’s market, costing about $27,000 for the newest model.
Depending on what model you purchase, you can get anywhere from 310 to 480 horsepower and up to 32 miles per gallon. Additionally, Ford is releasing Mustangs that run exclusively or partially on electricity. Per Ford’s website, if you spring for the environmentally-friend model, you could save over $14,000 within a matter of five years.
The Mazda Miata
Most people don’t hear the word “Mazda” and immediately picture thrill-seeking sports cars. But that’s where they’re wrong. The Mazda Miata, which costs about $26,000, not only satisfies your need for speed but also gets up to 35 miles per gallon.
The Mazda Miata seeks to combine the look of vintage convertibles with today’s aerodynamic designs. The vehicle provides 181 horsepower in a lightweight frame (some models weigh just under 2,400 pounds).
You can also reap the benefits of:
- Bright LED headlights and taillights
- Comprehensive in-car entertainment systems
- “Smart” brake support, which refers to your car’s built-in ability to detect approaching objects
Mazda also grants you the ability to customize your own vehicle. You could add on features that are not included here.
The Nissan 370Z
Want something that looks like a Tesla but isn’t? The 2020 Nissan 3702 could be for you. While there is no 2021 model, the previous edition was extended into this year. There will be a new model unveiled in 2022, but details are scarce.
The car features:
- 330+ horsepower
- 20-inch wheels
- A V-6 engine
- 19 miles per gallon
You can snag one of these models today for about $30,000 MSRP.
Questions to Ask Yourself When Shopping for an Affordable Sports Car
What might seem like an awe-inspiring car to you might seem like a heap of junk to someone else. Here are some questions to ask yourself when looking for your next ride:
- How much am I willing to spend?
- How long do I want this car to last?
- Do I have a family (or plan on having one)?
- How many miles to the gallon sounds good to you?
Of course, you should also take your own personal preferences into account.
What makes sports cars so expensive?
You might balk at the idea of spending more than $20,000 on a sports car. But the fact is, even that’s on the cheap side. Some of the reasons why sports cars cost more than your average passenger vehicle include:
- The cost of materials. When you open the door to a new sports car, the smell of those leather seats is intoxicating. The cost of the seats, rims, tailfins, and internal parts adds up. Depending on the country that manufactured the car, you might also have to pay for the cost of parts only produced internationally.
- Limited production. Some cars can fetch a pretty penny if they are only made in certain quantities. For instance, the Ford Mustang R-Spec (which was only available in Australia) went for $67,500 each. Why? Only 500 were made, making it a coveted luxury car.
- Its design. Many sports cars are designed years in advance. The cost of producing prototypes, running safety inspections, and paying engineers is not cheap. Logically, this can drive up a car’s asking price.
Even the most dedicated car enthusiasts argue that when you strip down a sports car to its bare essentials, it is no different than your average sedan. In fact, some may argue that the price point is what makes certain sports cars so desirable; they are just tantalizingly out of reach.
In Conclusion
More and more automakers are churning out sports cars to meet the needs of the common man. This year could usher in a whole new area of sports car availability. Your next supercar could be just around the corner.
