Own a classic sports car it really can be a dream come true for many of us. There’s just something about owning one of these cars that’s unlike anything else. Modern sports cars certainly can’t keep up! It’s also not something that requires deep pockets all the time. Like other types of classic cars, classic sports cars can be quite cheap to maintain. But there are many that can seriously threaten to bankrupt you due to the high cost of maintenance and repair they require!
When classic sports cars are incredibly expensive to maintain and repair, it’s usually because they’re from an exotic manufacturer or they’re a little quirky. This is certainly the case with many cars on this list! More quirky and exotic cars can be quite difficult to work on or require more expensive parts. Sometimes, though, they can be cars that are just plain problematic.
10 Ferrari 308: Up to $1,838 per service
The world of classic Ferraris can be a bit daunting. Stories abound of cars that are difficult to work on and terribly expensive to repair. However, people still love them for the icon they are and how cool they can be to drive. Perhaps one of the most iconic of the “regular” classic Ferraris you can find is the 308. The 4-wheeled star of Magnum P.I it has legendary handling, thanks to development in collaboration with Niki Lauda. But it has reliability issues. Rust can get to 308’s and they can suffer engine problems as well.
The 308 is one of the easiest classic Ferraris to work on. But that doesn’t mean it won’t screw you up! A service on one of these cars can cost up to $1,838 if some seriously major work needs to be done. If you want a classic car that is cheap to run, the Ferrari 308 is probably not the best choice.
9 Jensen Interceptor: Over $899 for repair
The Jensen Interceptor is a much loved British classic and for very good reason. It’s a brilliant ‘best of both worlds’ car, being a British sports car powered by a big American V8. But as great as the Interceptor concept sounds, it has its problems. It is known to be an unreliable car. Rust is a particular problem with interceptors, as are catastrophic problems with electrics.
The Jensen Interceptor was a hand-built car. Therefore, repairs can be made a lot expensive You can expect to pay close to $900 (or maybe even more) if body repairs are needed. Combine that with its well-documented unreliability and the Jensen Interceptor is not a car for anyone who wants a classic that can be maintained on the cheap!
8 Ferrari F355: Up to $2,510 per service
The F355 occupied the same space in the Ferrari model line during the 1990s as the aforementioned 308 in the 1980s. This iteration of Ferrari’s classic mid-engined V8 format was well received at the time, and people still love now It’s a model many people recommend you start with if you want to get into Ferrari ownership!
The F355 isn’t exactly an unreliable Ferrari. But, it could still cost you a lot of money when it comes to servicing and repairs. A major service on one of these cars can cost you up to $2,510! If you want a classic sports car that is cheap to maintain, the Ferrari F355 is one you should give a little miss.
7 Triumph Stag: Over $659 per service
The Triumph Stag is a car that is often remembered as a big mistake by British Leyland. It looked impressive thanks to a design penned by Giovanni Michelotti, but its engine seriously let it down. Triumph decided to create its own 3.0-liter V8 by merging two existing 4-cylinder engines. While this sounded like a great idea in theory, in practice it created a notoriously unreliable unit.
Keeping a deer in good condition will cost you a good amount of money. According to Hagerty, it’s common for a specialist to charge you about $659 for a full service. Costs also go up a lot if you want to swap out that troublesome V8 for a more reliable engine. Specialized Engines LTD in the UK will charge you up to $6000 for an engine swap with a 3.1L Ford Essex V6.
6 Alfa Romeo GTV6: Over $1,643 to repair
There aren’t many Italian sports cars that have a brighter reputation among enthusiasts than the Alfa Romeo GTV6. This gorgeous coupe is best known for the glorious engine it came with. This engine is an early version of the legendary Busso V6. Even in this old 2.5-litre form, it’s an engine that’s incredibly satisfying and sounds amazing. But like all classic Alfas, it suffers from its fair share of reliability issues. Although the Busso V6 is solid, it has been known to blow head gaskets, and the standard clutch it comes with is such a troublesome part that many owners have replaced it with a simpler unit from the V6-powered version of the sedan 75
If you want to access the property of GTV6, be prepared for very large costs. You could very easily end up paying over $1,600 for parts and repairs on one of these cars. If you want a GTV6, you’ll have to be an Alfa enthusiast. Otherwise, the cost of dealing with traditional Alpha weaknesses will just become annoying.
5 Lotus Esprit: up to $1,855 per service
Lotus has never been a brand associated with reliability. The old joke that Lotus stands for “Lots of Trouble, Usually Serious” is one that has some level of truth to it! It is something that is undoubtedly the case of the Esprit. 4-cylinder turbo models have engines that are known to be quite stressed, so it’s essential to stay on top of their maintenance. Its Renault-sourced transaxle is also known to be problematic.
With these inherent weaknesses, the Lotus Esprit is absolutely an expensive car to maintain. A major specialist service can cost you up to $1,855! A Lotus Esprit is definitely not the right kind of car for someone who wants a classic and easy to maintain.
4 Mazda RX-7 (FD): Up to $4,354 per repair
The Mazda RX-7 is perhaps one of the quirkiest classic sports cars you can find. Unlike every other car on this list, the RX-7 is powered by a rotary engine. In the case of the FD generation, this engine had a twin turbocharger to make it seriously powerful Unfortunately, these engines were also noted for being demanding. They must be properly maintained, or they will become very unreliable very quickly! Part of this includes using mineral oil with a high zinc content, as the rotary engine needs to burn oil and synthetic oil will not allow this to happen.
If you decide to buy an FD RX-7, you’d better hope that the previous owner has already done an engine rebuild. If you ever have to do one while you have it, it could drain your bank account! According to one specialist, a complete engine rebuild for an RX-7 will set you back around $4,354. While this isn’t the most expensive price in the world for a full engine rebuild, it’s something you’re much more likely to happen to because of the nature of a rotary engine.
3 Maserati Biturbo: Over $992 per service
You would think that buying a classic Maserati would be a romantic experience. In part, you would be right. Owning any type of classic Italian sports car is very special. But, the Maserati Biturbo has many problems. Not only are Biturbos notorious for being incredibly unreliable, they are also prone to rust. If these cars are not maintained very well, they start to be seriously problematic.
As you can probably expect from an Italian classic, the Maserati Biturbo is expensive to service. It is not reasonable to expect to pay almost $1000 for a major service in one. Factor in its already terrible reputation for unreliability and being a rustbucket, and a Biturbo really isn’t something you should buy if you want to have an easy time with your classic sports car.
2 Ferrari Mondial: Up to $1,838 per service
In general, classic Ferraris are almost universally loved. The Mondial, however, is one that even Ferrari enthusiasts will give a bit of a leg up on! It has a reputation for being slow, underwhelming, and incredibly difficult to work with. They are one of the cheapest Ferraris to buy on the used market, but the reason they are so cheap is that most people won’t even touch them with a 10 foot pole!
Like all classic Ferraris, the Mondial is expensive to service. You can expect to pay up to $1,838 for a major service. Like any other classic Ferrari, you should only go for a Mondial if you’re willing to put up with huge repair bills.
1 Ferrari Testarossa: Up to $2,752 per service
If you like sports cars and supercars from the 80s, the Ferrari Testarossa will almost certainly be for you. These big flat 12 power beasts with their distinctive style and punch are absolutely iconic thanks to the appearance of a Testarossa in Miami Vice (even though it wasn’t real). That 12th floor mentioned sounds great too! But, it has its problems. Classic Ferrari reliability will never be the best, and it’s also a very difficult car to drive because it has absolutely no power steering.
The Testarossa is a very difficult car to work on and, like all classic Ferraris, repairs and servicing are incredibly expensive. You may have to spend up to $2,752 on a major service. It is a car that is definitely only one for people who are willing to spend a lot of money to keep a car running.
