10 Cheap ’80s Classic Cars You Can Buy Right Now
When it comes to pop culture, the 1980s movies, music, and fashion were the most memorable, but what doesn’t get a lot of credit is how awesome the cars were. There were so many different cool rides with eye-catching style in the ’80s that made a statement about the person behind the wheel. Nowadays, there’s this soul-sucking conformist movement of interchangable SUV crossovers, and while there are definitely some hot performance vehicles, they are generally very expensive. In the ’80s, a young person with a part-time job at Carl’s Jr, (yeah, back then teens actually worked for their own money) could actually afford a rad set of wheels. The best thing about ’80s vehicles is that now, owners are practically giving these bitchin’ rides away, so you can relive your youth or catch a piece of gnarly retro style for next to nothing.
10
1988 Chevrolet Camaro IROC-Z
Average Retail Price: $12,450
Of all the ways to be cool in the 1980s, being behind the wheel of an IROC-Z was one of the best. The slick styling of the third-gen Camaro combined with the 220-horsepower of the 5.0-liter or 230 ponies from the 5.7-liter V-8, made for a totally rad set of wheels. A 1988 Chevy Camaro IROC-Z, according to J.D. Power, has an average retail price of just $12,450, though that number doesn’t specify the engine. We were able to find several auction sales of 5.7-liter cars well under $12,000 and 5.0-liter ones as low as $6,000. These aren’t beater cars either, and in some cases they were excellent condition restorations. As with all of the cars on this list, there are some low-mileage, big-money rides, but with a little perseverance, it is definitely possible to snag a great one on the cheap.
9
1985 Buick Grand National
Average Retail Price: $12,050
The 1987 Buick GNX was the baddest ride of the entire 1980s that was punching Porsches and flaying Ferraris, but those cars are like $150,000 and up. The 1985 Grand National, which looks just about the same, however, is super-budget-friendly and there’s nothing stopping you from giving it the same kind of legendary performance the GNX had. With an average retail price of barely over $12,000, there is plenty of meat left on the bone to crank its 200-horsepower 3.8-liter turbocharged V-6 up to the GNX’s level that had it running 13.5-second ETs. It turns out, that price may be a little high, as that ’85 Grand National pictured above sold for only $9,900 at a Mecum auction, and there doesn’t appear to be anything wrong with it.
8
1986 Toyota Supra
Average Retail Price: $10,450
Toyota introduced the Mk3 Supra in 1986, declaring its independence from the Celica, and launching a legend. The styling was off the hook, but what really made the ’86 Supra special was front and rear double-wishbone suspension that gave it possibly one of the tightest rides in automotive history. The turbo version wouldn’t show up for another year, and that’s a car that enthusiasts go nuts for because it can be turned into a supercar with very little effort. The ’86 also has massive potential for upscaling the performance, but is a hell of a lot cheaper with a $10,000-ish average retail price. That’s a doable price for this awesome Japanese import with Bring a Trailer selling a 45,000-mile example for $10,000 even in 2020 and another that went to some lucky buyer for $5,000 a year before that.
7
1987 Ford Mustang GT
Average Retail Price: $6,725
The Fox Body Ford Mustang GT 5.0 was the defining ride of the 1980s and starred in more rap videos than an Impala 6-4, as well as being the got-to set of wheels when Hollywood needed a hot car. This was the car that most Gen Xers wanted when they were teenagers and the one they want now that they’re reaching retirement age, to help relive that glorious decade. The OG MSRP on a 1987 Ford Mustang GT hatchback was $11,835, or roughly $30,000 in today’s money, but also going on today, you can pick up one of these bad boys for under $7,000. That J.D. Powers average retail price might be a little unrealistic, and we’re feeling like $10,000 is more accurate for a good-to-great condition ’87 Five-Oh!, but auction sales tend to be higher than local ones, so a little leg work can probably get you a better deal.
6
1988 Volkswagen Cabriolet
Average Retail Price: $3,500
A common sight in the 1980s was a Volkswagen Cabriolet packed with cute girls with big hair blasting Bon Jovi on the stereo, and that’s one of the many reasons why it was such an amazing decade. This car was nothing but a funmobile and despite its 90-horsepower I-4, it was surprisingly quick, because it didn’t weigh anything. A 1988 VW Cabriolet was actually more expensive than a Mustang GT new, so it was kind of a “rich girl’s car,” but today they’re practically giving them away with an average price of just $3,500. Things have become much less gendered today, so it’s okay for dudes to pick one of these up and experience what a joy it is to drive. We couldn’t find one that cheap, but the flawless red one pictured above sold for $7,400 in 2025, which is still a complete steal.
5
1983 Toyota SR5 4×4
Average Retail Price: $3,350
It wasn’t just cars making statements in the ’80s, but trucks too, as the off-roading craze was starting to heat up. Known to the rest of the world as the Hilux, here in America it was simply the Toyota pickup, and it was a rock solid 4×4 with a nice price. There is a reason many owners altered the Toyota letters on the tailgate, removing “ota,” leaving just “Toy” because that’s what it was. This is kind of a tricky one to find for the J.D. Power average retail price of $3,350 because one of the other appeals of the pickup was that it was ultra-customizable. All the ones we found in auction listings had lift kits, big wheels, and all manner of adronments, so they run closer to $10,000. Still, there’s probably more than a few available locally that haven’t been super-sized and chances are, they’ll be less pricey.
4
1986 Mitsubishi Starion ESI-R
Average Retail Price: $2,650
The Mitsubishi Starion is one of the most tragically slept-on ’80s sports cars with styling that rivaled Porsche, but with a price tag that was much easier on the wallet. With a 176-horsepower 2.6-liter turbocharged I-4, the Starion wasn’t putting the fear of God into Porsche 944 Turbo owners, but it did come at half the price and realistically wasn’t that much slower. The Starion continues to be slept on to this day by collectors and enthusiasts, because ’86 Starion ESI-Rs sell on the reg for under $3,000. Those sales, however, apparently take place offline and outside the auction block because listings are few and far between. Combining the ’86 Starion ESI-Rs on BaT and Mecum yields a total of three listings, with the cheapest one being a high bid of $9,000 in 2019 and a high sale of $16,750 in 2020.
3
1986 Dodge Daytona Turbo Z
Average Retail Price: $2,425
Another ’80s ride people snoozed on was the 1986 Dodge Daytona Turbo Z, which was one of the hottest designs of the decade that also came with credible performance. During the 1980s, Dodge took classic muscle car nameplates like Charger and Daytona and slapped them on front-wheel-drive badge-engineered Mitsubishis with four-cylinder engines, which seems like an affront to Mopar history, but the ’86 Daytona Turbo Z was actually a pretty cool car. With a 146-horsepower 2.2-liter turbocharged I-4, it wasn’t the fastest thing on the road, but it wasn’t the slowest either, and with the performance suspension, it was extremely fun to drive. Less fun is trying to find one now, because apparently not many folks hung on to them. There are only a couple of auction sales with a high of $12,500, which is significantly more than the $2,425 average retail price but, again, they’re cheaper if you hunt them down locally.
2
1988 Suzuki Samurai
Average Retail Price: $1,800
As a dirt-cheap 4×4 that was somehow both cute and badass looking, the Suzuki Samurai ranks as one of the funnest vehicles ever conceived. It was, unfortunately, robbed of its lasting legacy by a Consumer Reports article that claimed it posed an extreme roll-over threat and sales tanked before it was unceremoniously discontinued in the U.S. As it turned out, the Samurai was no more prone to roll-overs than any other vehicle in its class, but the damage was done. Speaking of damage, the average retail price of $1,800 for a 1988 Samurai will leave no visible scars on your wallet or bank account. Much like the Toyota pickup, Samurai owners had a blast customizing them, so finding a factory ride is nearly impossible, at least on auction sites. We did find some mostly original ’88 Samurais in the $7,000 range and some pretty impressive customs for under $10,000, all of which still represents a good deal.
1
1986 Honda Civic CRX Si
Average Retail Price: $1,275
Another common sight in the ’80s was a Honda Civic CRX Si packed with cute girls with big hair blasting Billy Idol out of the stereo. Predating the concept of the Hot Hatch, the CRX was primarily a “chick-mobile”, and please don’t take offense at the terminology, that’s just what they called it back in the day, as well as being a fairly accurate description. On the other hand, street racers, most of whom are male, love these things as they can be turned into burners with ease and they’re cheap as hell. This is not really a car that frequents the auction scene, and in fact, we only found one that has ever sold, but the pictures were completely unusable, so that one above is just a regular CRX. That single sale was for $5,000 in 2021, which is more than the average retail price of $1,275, but not by much. This is, for sure, a car that some sleuthing will turn up for that golden price.
Sources:Bring a Trailer, J.D. Power, Mecum
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