Forgotten But Affordable 1990s Two-Seaters
Many households have more than one car. Sometimes, that additional car or two is for fun weekend driving or events. For those, often, a two-seater fits the “fun” requirement. Inevitably, the search will begin for an affordable purchase that is fondly remembered from the recent past. So, what two-seaters from the 1990s for under $20,000?
1. Cadillac Allante
The Cadillac Allante model years run from 1978 to 1993. This two-seat convertible was a front-wheel driven, V8-powered luxury sports car designed by Pininfarina for Cadillac. The hard-top option was made of lightweight aluminum. By the end of the vehicle’s production run, the Allante had traction control, four-wheel ABS, and a built-in cellular phone. According to Hagerty’s Valuation Tool, depending on condition, a 1990 Allante currently costs $2,800 to $16,300 for a concourse quality unit.
2. Honda Del Sol
The Honda Civic Del Sol, or Del Sol, had a model year run from 1992 – 1998. It was a two-seater created upon the Honda Civic chassis of the time. It had a removable targa-top that was stowed in the trunk. It was front-wheel driven by four-cylinder engines, the most desired of which was the 1.5-liter VTEC. In 1995 Honda dropped the Civic nomenclature and called the vehicle simply the Del Sol. According to Kelly Blue Book, valuations for the Del Sol range from $1,800 to $3,200 for an excellent unit.
3. Buick Reatta
The Reatta was a limited-run vehicle from Buick built upon a shortened Riviera chassis. Production would run from 1988 to 1991. It was a two-seater sports car motivated by a 3.8-liter V6 engine driving the front wheels. Later, model years of the Reatta became available as a convertible. Depending on the condition, Hagerty puts the value on base models from $3,100 to $17,100 for a concourse quality unit.
4. Toyota MR2
In 1991, the second generation of the Toyota MR2 was launched. It was a mid-engine, rear-wheel drive sports car. It had a four-cylinder engine that could be outfitted with a turbo or a supercharger. Hagerty placed the value range between $5,000 and $17,000, depending on the condition.
5. Chevrolet Corvette
The Chevrolet Corvette needs no introduction. It is a legendary vehicle that dates back to the 1950s. This is the first vehicle on our list that is still in production. It’s been available with a hard-top or a convertible option. Its motivation in the 1990s came from a V8. In the early 1990s, the Corvette was in its fourth generation. Now in its eighth generation, the 1990s Corvettes have been largely forgotten. Hagerty places 1990 model values from $4,900 to $24,400 for a mint condition vehicle. But, this vehicle had so many special editions that the values could shoot up significantly. For example, a 1990 Callaway convertible model ranges from $13,000 to $51,400, depending on the condition.
6. BMW Z3
The BMW Z3 was offered from 1996 to 2002. It was available as a two-seater convertible or as a coupe. The rear-wheel drive Z3 was available with either a four-cylinder or six-cylinder powerplant. However, a prototype of the vehicle was shown with a V12 that never came to production fruition for the Z3. Hagerty has a 1996 base model valued from $3,600 to $13,500.
If it’s time to look for a fun, two-seater weekend car that’s affordable, looking no further than the recent past will reveal a lot of opportunities. Cadillac, Honda, Buick, Chevrolet, and BMW will offer tantalizing prospects. Vehicles from the 1990s will offer those prospects an affordable price point of under $20,000 with power from German and Japanese four-cylinder vehicles all the way up to American V8 muscle.
Stay tuned tomorrow for a list of even more 1990s forgotten but affordable two-seaters. Click Here
Editor’s note: HJ Pizarro contributed to this article.
