In conjunction with Hagerty Insurance, which specializes in covering collectible cars, here are 10 vehicles presented as “Collectibles: Best of the Dirt Cheap.”
The first on the list, with text written by Peter Valdes-Dapen, a CNNMoney.com senior editor, is the V8-powered Ford Mustang.
“With demands for fuel economy rising, performance took a back seat in most late 1970s and early 80s cars,” writes Valdes-Dapen. “That made the 205 horsepower Mustang 5.0 HO a particularly desirable model for performance fans. Starting next year, Ford is bringing out a new 5.0-liter displacement V8 for the Mustang, which will bring more attention to the original.”
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Here’s the top-10 list and estimated value (in average condition) for each car:
1985-93 Ford Mustang 5.0 HO, $3,000 1975-80 AMC Pacer, $4,300 1974-80 Triumph Spitfire 1500, $5,000 1975-78 Datsun 280Z, $5,000 1989-91 Ford Taurus SHO, $3,400 1977-83 BMW 320i, $3,900 1968-76 Volkswagen Beetle 1986-88 Pontiac Fiero GT, $5,000 1979-81 Fiat Spider 2000, $5,000 1956 Buick Roadmaster Sedan, $5,000
To read the complete article, visit: 10 Dirt Cheap Collectible Cars
Article Last Updated: May 1, 2026.
James Raia
A sports, travel and business journalist for more than 45 years, James has written the new car review column The Weekly Driver since 2004. In addition to founding this site in 2004, James writes a Sunday automotive column for The San Jose Mercury and East Bay Times in Walnut Creek, Calif., and monthly auto review and wellness columns for Gulfshore Business, a magazine in Southwest Florida. An author and contributor to many newspapers, magazines and online publications, co-hosted The Weekly Driver Podcast from 2017 to 2024.