5 Classic '80s Sports Cars You Can Find For Under $30,000

Over the last several years, we've seen a massive increase in the popularity of 1980s cars. It makes total sense. Even the newest car from the '80s is now over 35 years old, so any car from the decade is a certifiable classic by age. But it's not just age that's made '80s vehicles so popular. 

Eighties cars, especially during the later part of the decade, were actually quite good in terms of performance and styling. They were also innovative, too as features like electronic fuel injection and turbocharging lifted the auto industry out of its 1970s doldrums. Finally, they're also just plain cool, too, with features like pop-up headlights, digital dashboards, and a pleasing combination of analog character with more modern features. 

The great thing, though, is that despite rising demand, sports cars from the '80s remain quite affordable overall. A budget of $30,000, which is a pretty typical figure by today's standards, will give you the pick of the litter when it comes to '80s sports and performance cars. There are a few popular '80s cars above that price limit, like the Porsche 911, but $30,000 can actually buy you a near-mint example of many other 1980s cars, be they European, Japanese, or American. And in many cases, you can find nice, drivable examples for half of that budget. Here are five certified classics easily available under $30,000. 

Toyota sold three of the Supra's five generations over the course of the 1980s. Each is cool in its own way, but when it comes to both performance and presence, the third-generation Supra Turbo model is an easy pick for a few reasons. For starters, the Mk3 Supra Turbo, which was introduced for the 1987 model year, represented a big leap for the model, as it abandoned its Celica roots and evolved into a larger, dedicated sports car flagship for Toyota. 

Though it was a bit on the heavy side, the third-generation Supra held its own with a 230-hp, turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-6. It's also remained a relative bargain compared to the ultra-popular and ultra-expensive fourth-generation Supra from the 1990s. Yes, the Mk4 Supra with its legendary 2JZ engine is more powerful, but the third-gen model has the same fundamental formula as its more famous successor. A 2JZ is a pretty straightforward swap into the Mk3, too.

As for pricing, the only examples that crest $30,000 in today's market are ultra-original, low-mileage, manual Turbo models. Anything less than that can easily be found for under $30,000, with plenty of decent cars in the $10,000 to $15,000 range (which is perfect if you plan on modding it). If you want an old-school, rear-drive, turbocharged Toyota sports car without breaking the bank, the third-gen Supra is hard to beat.

The Fox Body Mustang is simultaneously a perfect and somewhat unfamiliar pick for this list. It's perfect because the Mustang is, without a doubt, one of the most iconic and beloved performance cars of the 1980s. But it's also a strange pick because the Fox Body has only recently evolved into a legit classic rather than just a ticket to cheap speed. If you are older, you probably remember when a used Fox Body was the default choice for performance on a budget, with $5,000 easily picking you up a clean example.

Those days are gone now, and the vast number of modified, abused, and crashed examples has only served to raise the value of a clean Fox Body today. The good news, though, is that there are still plenty of nice ones around, and a budget of $30,000 is more than enough to score a prime example. Though Ford sold Fox Body Mustangs all through the 1980s, it's the 1987 and up version that truly put the Fox Body on the map, thanks to its EFI 5.0 HO V8, so that's probably what you'll want. 

You'll have your choice between the LX and GT trims and three body styles — the hatchback, notchback (with a trunk), or convertible. Pricing is very reasonable, with only the most original, low-mileage cars crossing the $30,000 mark. Otherwise, anywhere between $12,000 and $25,000 can land you a very nice Fox Body 5.0 Mustang to enjoy.

The air-cooled Porsche 911 is one of the few "mainstream" 1980s sports cars that cannot be had for under $30,000. Fortunately, you can get a Porsche for less than that — provided you're cool with a front-engined, water-cooled Porsche for your '80s sports car fix. If that's the case, then you'll have no shortage of affordable options. But really, it's unfair to look at a car like the Porsche 944 Turbo as simply being a budget 911 alternative, because it can easily stand on its own as one of the great sports cars of the period.

Beyond the surface-level pedigree of its Porsche badge, the 944 is widely considered to be a highly influential, very capable sports car and an important part of Porsche's performance lineage. Despite that, it's not been subject to the same stratospheric demand curve as the 911 and continues to remain a great pick for budget-minded collectors and driving enthusiasts.

Non-turbo Porsche 944s continue to be dirt cheap to purchase by today's standards, and even the more desirable 944 Turbo from the late '80s can still be had for around $30,000. Do note, though, that the initial purchase price is only part of the formula. The 944 is likely going to be more expensive to repair and maintain than Japanese or American cars, especially if you aren't comfortable working on the car yourself. Fortunately, the car's popularity among budget-minded Porsche enthusiasts means there's no shortage of advice and guidance out there.

The 1985-1989 Toyota MR2 is the smallest, least powerful, and, in many cases, the cheapest car on this list. In a lot of ways, the MR2 is the quintessential 1980s sports car on a budget: it's lightweight, mid-engined, has pop-up headlights, and boasts the kind of sharp, angular styling that defines the era.

There are better choices if you're looking for pure performance, but few cars deliver the original MR2's combination of fun, affodability, and Toyota reliability. Despite its exotic looks and engine layout, the MR2 isn't all that different mechanically from a simple Toyota Corolla. Thus, despite crossing the 40-year-old mark, the first-gen MR2 remains a great choice for a classic sports car experience without massive repair and maintenance costs.

Toyota offered the first-generation MR2 with both naturally aspirated and supercharged versions of its 1.6-liter 4A-GE engine. Though neither is particularly powerful by today's standards, the MR2's low weight and great balance have always outshone its raw performance numbers. Naturally aspirated models can still be found for under $10,000, with even the cleanest, all-original examples rarely crossing the $20,000 mark. The more powerful supercharged MR2s are naturally worth more, but even those are readily available in good shape for under $30,000 — and sometimes for less than $20,000.

This is the most recognizable American sports car of the 1980s and, generally speaking, one of the most '80s car designs out there — the Chevrolet Corvette C4. The C4 had a long production run, spanning 1984 to 1996, and the 1980s versions of the car have long been one of the best budget choices for a V8 sports car, regardless of whether you romanticize the '80s or not.

The value proposition of a C4 Corvette from this era is still hard to beat, and apart from the later ZR-1 models from the '90s, there are few C4 Corvettes of any type that regularly go for more than $30,000. It's very important, though, to know that not all C4 Corvettes are created equal when it comes to performance, reliability, and driving experience. Chevy updated the C4 numerous times during its production run, and generally speaking, the newer a C4 is, the better it will be.

As for the 1980s C4 variants specifically, a late 1980s model with the L98 engine and a manual transmission will likely deliver the best bang for the buck. No, it won't be as fast as a C5 or C6, but it will still be plenty of fun with lots of potential for upgrades if you wish — all while possessing that distinct 1980s Corvette character.