Do you have a friend who continually mentions they drive a Maserati or a Jaguar? Here’s a little-known fact: that deeply depreciated exotic car may have cost them less than the average used Toyota. I’m going to reveal the flashy cars that secret brokies may use to try and flex. But first, a disclaimer.
First: Someone isn’t necessarily rich just because they drive a brand new car with a high price tag. A Lamborghini salesman revealed 75% of luxury car drivers are broke, and struggling with massive loans on cars they can’t afford. A shocking number of true millionaires and billionaires drive stealth wealth cars, such as unassuming Volvos or Lexus cars.
Secondly: There’s no shame in driving the quirky classic luxury cars and sports cars on this list. If someone drives one because they love it, and is honest that it didn’t cost much, fantastic. They have great taste. They may also have good money management skills and some mechanical know-how to boot. But if someone rocks up in one of these models and tries to flex how much it cost, you’ll know they’re just burning high octane BS.
Maserati
Maserati is an Italian exotic sports car and luxury car manufacturer. For years, it was owned by Ferrari and made slightly more budget-friendly vehicles than its big brother. Today, it’s a Stellantis flagship brand with some very cool new supercar models. But used, four-door Maserati cars and crossovers are the kings of exotic car depreciation.
The usual suspects here include the Maserati Quattroporte (2013-2023 sedan)–worth as little as $10,000–the Maserati Ghibli (2013-2023 sedan)–which sometimes resells for as little as $8,000–and the Maserati Levante (2017-2024 crossover)–listed as low as $20,000. A brand new Ghibli can lose 56% of its value in just one year, while a Levante can lose 57%. Used two-door Maserati sports cars (namely the Maserati GranTurismo and GranCabrio convertible) are also relatively affordable, but don’t shed value quite as fast.
Jaguar
You could call Jaguar the Maserati of England. It has built beautiful sports cars and luxury cars for decades, though often plays second fiddle to more-prestigious Aston Martin. Used Jaguars have an unfortunate reputation for being unreliable and so they depreciate rapidly. Like many other brands on this list, sedans and crossovers are slightly less valuable than smaller sports cars.
Carvana currently lists multiple Jaguar F-Pace crossovers for under $20,000. It has multiple Jaguar XE sedans for under $17,000. The king of Jaguar depreciation might be the 2000s Jaguar X-Type sedan, which often resells for between $2,000 and $4,000.
So what about sports cars? My colleague Erik Sherman points out that the Jaguar XK X150 generation is a cheaper Aston Martin alternative. How cheap can you play 00-agent? Early model years (2007-2010) resell for as little as $10,000-$15,000. Note that some truly classic (1970s and earlier) Jaguars are collectors items worth more than a new Ferrari.
Land Rover
The SUV branch of the Jaguar-Land Rover company builds luxury off-roaders. A brand new Land Rover can cost as much as a Mercedes-Benz G Wagon. But a reputation for questionable reliability and quickly out-of-date styling may contribute to faster depreciation.
The Range Rover Freelander LR2 (2008-2015 SUV) was one of the automaker’s most budget-friendly options when new. Today, they are worth between $3,000 and $12,000 on the used market. The automaker introduced the budget-friendly Land Rover Discover Sport after the Freelander (2015-present SUV). So they’re worth a bit more, but you can still pick up one of the oldest models for as little as $5,000. The Range Rover Evoque continues the budget-friendly Range Rover line (2012-present) and early ones sometimes pop up as cheap as a Freelander ($3,000 and up). Note that old Land Rovers with a more timeless (square) style, such as the Defender, often hold their value better.
Porsche
The Porsche 911 has become a default first investment for classic car buyers for a reason: it’s a very well-rounded vintage sports car with gorgeous looks. A new 911 costs over $100k and most generations command a high price on the used market. The 1999-2005 Porsche 911 generation (966) is the most depreciated, but will still cost $15,000 used. Meanwhile, the V8 Porsche 928 grand tourer (1978-1995) and four-cylinder Porsche 944 sports car (1982-1991) are just beginning to catch collectors’ attention. The 928 tends to be worth $15,000-$40,000 while a 944 may still resell for $5,000.
The Porsche Cayenne SUV (based on the reliable VW Touareg/Audi Q7 platform) debuted in 2002 and is still available today. Early models with high mileage resell for as little as $4,000, while a used 2022 may be worth more than $50,000, based on trim. The smaller Porsche Macan (based on the Audi Q5) joined the lineup for 2015. You may be able to buy a used 2015 for as little as $8,000. The automaker also launched the Porsche Panamera sedan for the 2009 model year, and they’re still reselling for at least $13,000.
BMW
Classic BMW M-Series sports cars may resell for over $100,000, and the current M3 starts at $77,000. But that doesn’t mean every BMW is expensive. A personal favorite of mine, the BMW Z3 convertible (1996-2002) os one of the best performance bargains around, with four-cylinder cars selling for as little as $2,000 and six-cylinder versions selling for $4,000 and up.
A 15-20 year-old large BMW sedan can also be a highly-depreciated flex. Note once the BMW 5 Series or the BMW 7 Series get that old, they may be worth as little as a Ford or Chevy sedan from the same era ($3,000 and up). The large BMW crossovers from the same era may have values nearly as low as t he sedans. This includes the BMW X6 SUV (2008-present), BMW X5 SUV (1999-present), BMW X4 SUV (2015-2025), and BMW X3 SUV (2003-present). For example, KBB lists a 2005 BMW X5’s resale value at under $3,000.
Lotus
Lotus is a British company building lightweight sports cars. The Lotus Elise (1996-2021) is a very popular mid-engine sports car that many enthusiasts buy because of their excellent handling on a race track. Because it’s a foreign, mid-engine car sold in several bright colors, it may look at home parked at a car show alongside Ferraris and Lamborghinis. But you can buy a used Elise for as little as $30,000.
Dodge
The final hurrah of the Dodge Challenger Hellcat was the 1,000-horsepower 2023 Demon, which had a $100,000 MSRP. Yet Dodge also sold a V6-powered Challenger the same year for $30,000. Someone could easily buy a 15-year old Dodge Charger or Dodge Challenger with a V6 engine and automatic transmission for $5,000-$7,000, put a shiny wrap on it, and have a muscle car that’s all bark and no bite. Don’t be fooled just because it’s a Dodge.
What about V8-powered performance trims? Before the Hellcat, there was the Dodge Challenger SRT8. Its Hemi V8 makes a respectable 425 horsepower, but this special edition’s value is down to below $15,000 on average.
Chevrolet
The modern Chevrolet Camaro muscle car’s lineup is similar to the Dodge Challenger. You could configure it with a V6 engine and automatic transmission for $30k, and on the used market those cars often cost less than $10,000. Some special performance editions (such as the ZL1) had an MSRP above $80,000. The most depreciated performance trim might be the Chevrolet Camaro SS, with its 426 horsepower V8, that can be had for $13,827 on average.
The same company’s been building “America’s sports car” since 1953. The Chevrolet Corvette C5 is the generation currently nearing peak depreciation. It’s the final generation with flip-up headlights, and a bargain with used ones sometimes reselling for as little as $5,000.
Ford
The Ford Mustang, just like the Camaro and Challenger, has high-dollar V8 trims and low-dollar V6 engine/automatic configurations. But while a used Camaro or Challenger with a V8 and stick shift is usually worth $15,000, a comparable used Mustang may be under $10,000. The first “retro” generation (2005-2010) looks surprisingly like the latest 2025 Mustang, but is dirt cheap on the used market.
