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6 Iconic Cars You Can Buy for $50K, According to Car Expert Doug DeMuro
Josephine Nesbit
November 20, 2024 5 min read1
You don’t have to spend a crazy amount of money to get an iconic car. In some cases, even $50,000 is enough for you to be the owner of a car everyone recognizes.
On his YouTube channel, car enthusiast Doug DeMuro discussed the most iconic cars that you can buy for $50,000. He also added that these six vehicles were all sold on his online car auction website, Cars & Bids.
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Here are six iconic cars that you can buy for just $50,000.
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E39 BMW M5
- Price: $15,000 to $50,000
DeMuro considers the E39 BMW M5 to be one of the greatest sports sedans of all time and the quintessential high-performance BMW. He pointed out that you can get one for $15,000 to $25,000 in okay condition, but $50,000 will get you something special.
While $50,000 may be overkill, DeMuro said the E39 BMW M5 is becoming more desirable as time goes on, and it’s becoming much more desirable than its predecessors. TopSpeed also noted that this model is slowly appreciating in value — and that’s especially true for clean, low-mileage ones.
“You can really get a nice one for $50,000 and have a car that I do think will probably appreciate in value and will be appreciated by basically anyone on the road when you drive it along,” DeMuro said. “It is a truly special car and in my opinion, a true icon, especially if you are a BMW fan.”
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1992-1995 Dodge Viper RT/10
- Price: $50,000 or less
You can buy a red 1995 Dodge Viper RT/10 — the most desirable color — with low miles in the $50,000 range. However, DeMuro noted that he recently sold a yellow model with more miles for just under $36,000.
According to DeMuro, this car debuted in concept form and was then put into production. “The original ones are laughably raw. They don’t really have windows. They don’t really have door locks in a traditional sense. They don’t really have a roof that works all that well,” DeMuro said. “The whole car was absolutely stupid and absurd, and that’s what made it cool.”
Production of this vehicle was also limited, according to Classic Motorsports. When the car was introduced, Chrysler president Bob Lutz said it wanted to keep the vehicle “extremely scarce.”
FD Mazda RX-7
- Price: $50,000 or less
Although you can find an FD Mazda RX-7 for less, a pristine car with fewer miles and modifications will come at about $50,000. “Frankly, I think that’s a bargain considering how special this car is,” DeMuro said. “This is one of the most beautiful cars ever made.”
Beyond the design, DeMuro says its rotary engine, which isn’t always easy to own or work on, has been a factor in keeping this car relatively affordable. However, it still has a smooth powertrain when running and working properly. The FD Mazda RX-7 also handles and steers well.
“The RX-7 is like a grown-up Miata but without much extra weight,” he said. And Mazda agrees, claiming that the FD’s greatest strength was its balance and lack of weight.
1981 DeLorean DMC-12
- Price: $40,000 to $60,000
If you’re a fan of the ‘Back to the Future’ movie series, then you will definitely consider this an iconic car. DeMuro said that while it’s not exactly the best built or fastest, you can’t deny that it’s an icon that everyone will recognize.
DeLoreans have also begun going up in value, according to DeMuro. “As ’80s stuff in general has started to become more appreciated by Gen Xers who are aging, this car has been one of those things that has started to appreciate.”
However, Autoblog noted that the DeLorean’s primary issue is that it feels much heavier than it is, stating that the steering, throttle pedal and brake pedal are very heavy controls.
Lotus Esprit V8
- Price: $50,000-plus
The Lotus Esprit V8 is a little more expensive, and prices are going up. However, DeMuro said he sold one last year for $52,000. “This car does not get the love that it deserves,” DeMuro explained. “To me, this is one of the most exotic, European, mid-engine, low-slung, wide-body supercars you can buy for the money.”
However, HotCars claimed that it was still a heavily flawed vehicle and that driving it around required patience. However, well-kept vehicles from the 1990s are selling for over $65,000.
R33 Nissan Skyline GT-R
- Price: $45,000 to $60,000
The current price range for the Nissan R33 Skyline GT-R may not last forever. “R34 GTRs are big money, and I can’t imagine that R33s sit at $50,000 while R34s sometimes trade for $200,000,” he said. “I think R33 Skyline GTRs [will] go up in value, but right now you can get one, and it’s an iconic car for $50,000.”
According to DeMuro, the R34 is the more iconic car, but the R33 is only a couple of years older and has very similar styling, a similar interior and the same powertrain.
Prices can also vary depending on the year. For example, the average price for the 1995 model on Classic.com is over $63,500, while the 1998 model is around $51,000.
