I have a buddy who bought a used C5 as well; he loves it. It's a real performance bargain; and I have never heard anybody having any real buyer's remorse. The market for them is steady so if you get tired of it in a few years, you are not going to take a real hit. As mentioned, the tires and other maintenance are not cheap but probably better than a German car out of warranty. If you are going to go that way, the recent years of a the US pony cars (Mustang and Camaro) should also be considered. Lot's of value in those cars and they are not going to kill you on maintenance.
The other option is to go totally out of the box and get a Cobra replica. Some of them are very tight little cars with monster performance. If its got a simple 5L (or 4.6L) Ford motor, they are practically zero to run. You can get a nice Factory Five build with a 5.0 for less than 30k; or you can go crazy and spend up to 100k for a car with a tuned Rosch motor. It is its own quest to find the right one, but if you are a car guy, that's half of the fun. That community are filled with lots of straight shooters and good guys. Like boats, the happiest two days of a real classic car are the day you buy it and the day you sell it. These replicas don't ride like real 50 year old machines. All the running gear is relatively modern and uncomplicated. If you ever drive one, you will want to own one. Insanely fast, great handling, sound great, looks like nothing else on the road.
The main problem with all used modern-era high end performance cars is the computer, software, and electronics. Most folks replace their laptops every few years because they are basically junk and obsolete after that time. Putting similar electronics in cars does not change their real life spans. The Germans never really had a great electronics industry that matched up with their mechanical prowess, which was always overrated--they made a lot of shitty cars. As cars have become more reliant on electronics and technologically complex, the Europeans just don't have the industry to support long term reliable systems that are going to last beyond the warranty. The days of people buying an E or S class and keeping it for 10 years are over. Most rich folks are leasing cars for 3 years and trading them in for the newest model. As a result, a lot of the higher end German cars are maintenance nightmares after they run out of warranty. Their certified used programs exist solely to keep the Lease residuals from going in the toilet. I can't even imagine servicing the first generation i-drive on a 740.
That being said, Porsche still makes very nice sports cars, and you are not really comparing apples to apples market wise. Compared to a Ferrari, Aston Martin, or another exotic sports car, a 911, in all its variants, is a very reliable serviceable car that can be driven on ordinary roads every day. It is every bit as capable of most of the high end exotics, more capable in certain trims, and just as much fun to drive. I guarantee that none but the most capable drivers will ever even get close to the limits of a Boxster. You've got to break the 250k mark in a used Ferrari before you will outrun a Cayman on a track.
The newest Corvette is also an absolute value in terms of performance, comparable to nearly all of the exotics, but in terms of exclusivity, it might not have the same appeal. (That might change if GM doesn't insist in making the interior look similar to a Malibu or Cruze) The Boxster/Cayman level of Porsches are the same deal in terms of their market. They are more expensive to maintain than other cars in their price class, but they will outperform most exotics costing 2 or 3 times more, on the track and road. The Lotus is also an amazing performer for its price if you can tolerate riding in it for more than an hour.
Simply put, I would drive a 911, Boxster, or C5 Vette across the country without a complaint. I spent 3 hours on a ride in a BMW Z and was like . . . let me out of this little thing. An old Alfa Spyder is more comfortable. Audi's are souless. Sure the Miata is nothing speedy, but I would drive a Miata on a long weekend drive on windy country roads and arrive with a smile. It's a great little package.
At the end of the day, you get what moves you. I'd love to pick up an old Manx dune buggy to lug around my surf boards. Please don't ask me to explain that one.
The other option is to go totally out of the box and get a Cobra replica. Some of them are very tight little cars with monster performance. If its got a simple 5L (or 4.6L) Ford motor, they are practically zero to run. You can get a nice Factory Five build with a 5.0 for less than 30k; or you can go crazy and spend up to 100k for a car with a tuned Rosch motor. It is its own quest to find the right one, but if you are a car guy, that's half of the fun. That community are filled with lots of straight shooters and good guys. Like boats, the happiest two days of a real classic car are the day you buy it and the day you sell it. These replicas don't ride like real 50 year old machines. All the running gear is relatively modern and uncomplicated. If you ever drive one, you will want to own one. Insanely fast, great handling, sound great, looks like nothing else on the road.
The main problem with all used modern-era high end performance cars is the computer, software, and electronics. Most folks replace their laptops every few years because they are basically junk and obsolete after that time. Putting similar electronics in cars does not change their real life spans. The Germans never really had a great electronics industry that matched up with their mechanical prowess, which was always overrated--they made a lot of shitty cars. As cars have become more reliant on electronics and technologically complex, the Europeans just don't have the industry to support long term reliable systems that are going to last beyond the warranty. The days of people buying an E or S class and keeping it for 10 years are over. Most rich folks are leasing cars for 3 years and trading them in for the newest model. As a result, a lot of the higher end German cars are maintenance nightmares after they run out of warranty. Their certified used programs exist solely to keep the Lease residuals from going in the toilet. I can't even imagine servicing the first generation i-drive on a 740.
That being said, Porsche still makes very nice sports cars, and you are not really comparing apples to apples market wise. Compared to a Ferrari, Aston Martin, or another exotic sports car, a 911, in all its variants, is a very reliable serviceable car that can be driven on ordinary roads every day. It is every bit as capable of most of the high end exotics, more capable in certain trims, and just as much fun to drive. I guarantee that none but the most capable drivers will ever even get close to the limits of a Boxster. You've got to break the 250k mark in a used Ferrari before you will outrun a Cayman on a track.
The newest Corvette is also an absolute value in terms of performance, comparable to nearly all of the exotics, but in terms of exclusivity, it might not have the same appeal. (That might change if GM doesn't insist in making the interior look similar to a Malibu or Cruze) The Boxster/Cayman level of Porsches are the same deal in terms of their market. They are more expensive to maintain than other cars in their price class, but they will outperform most exotics costing 2 or 3 times more, on the track and road. The Lotus is also an amazing performer for its price if you can tolerate riding in it for more than an hour.
Simply put, I would drive a 911, Boxster, or C5 Vette across the country without a complaint. I spent 3 hours on a ride in a BMW Z and was like . . . let me out of this little thing. An old Alfa Spyder is more comfortable. Audi's are souless. Sure the Miata is nothing speedy, but I would drive a Miata on a long weekend drive on windy country roads and arrive with a smile. It's a great little package.
At the end of the day, you get what moves you. I'd love to pick up an old Manx dune buggy to lug around my surf boards. Please don't ask me to explain that one.