Readers Regret Missing Classic Cars From $1,500 Challengers to $30,000 NSXs
Updated
Updated · Jalopnik · Aug 24
Readers Regret Missing Classic Cars From $1,500 Challengers to $30,000 NSXs
3 articles · Updated · Jalopnik · Aug 24
Summary
$1,500 Dodge Challenger convertibles, $3,000 Porsche 944s and $30,000 Acura NSXs topped a reader roundup of cars people wish they had bought before values surged.
The regrets were framed against a much pricier 2026 market: a 1964 Volkswagen Beetle that cost $1,100 new would be about $11,900 today, while the average new car now tops $50,000.
Several stories turned on timing and family finances, with readers recalling passed-over DeTomaso Panteras under $25,000, air-cooled Porsche 911s at $5,000 and a 928 GTS under $20,000.
The anecdotes underscore how enthusiast cars once seen as attainable have become symbols of broader affordability strain for younger buyers.