Used '80s dream cars, an AW list

Ah, the '80s--the time of big hair, MTV and underpowered cars. The decade wasn't a total loss, though. You could find a few diamonds in the rough. You can still find them today, too, with a discerning eye. Here are our favorite used '80s dream cars, with current used prices from Kelly Blue Book. REO Speedwagon not included.

1985-89 Volkswagen GTI

High: $5,995

Low: $4,100

Average: $4,865

One of the original hot hatches, an old GTI in good condition can still cost you some cash.

1985-89 Ford Mustang 5.0

High: $48,995

Low: $1,900

Average: $7,924

Not just a fixture in Vanilla Ice videos, the 5.0 was a potent performer on the strip and in the skate-rink parking lot.

1984-89 Chevrolet Corvette C4

High: $44,000

Low: $2,500

Average: $10,018

The fourth-gen Corvette can still be had at a decent price. Not many rear-wheel-drive coupes from the era can match it.

1987-89 Pontiac Firebird Trans-Am

High: $22,900

Low: $4,000

Average: $10,293

Unbelievably, the 1987 Trans-Am made only 210 hp from its Tuned Port Injection V8 engine, but it looks much faster in red.

1984-87 Buick Grand National

High: $31,700

Low: $9,000

Average: $17,442

The Buick Grand National is the height of '80s badass-ness. Your parents didn't want you to hang out with the guy who drove it.

1981-82 DeLorean DMC-12

High: $26,900

Low: $15,998

Average: $22,572

Mr. Fusion not included, the underpowered DeLorean didn't go much above 88 mph, but that was enough.

1981-89 Lotus Esprit

High: $41,998

Low: $16,495

Average: $23,535

The Esprit was way ahead of its time. One of the biggest Lotus cars ever looks fresh even now.

1988-89 BMW M3

High: $65,000

Low: $14,500

Average: $24,417

The E30 was the first hopped-up 3-series that Bavaria produced. The 2.3-liter made almost 200 hp, fantastic for its time.

1983-85 Ferrari 308 GTS

High: $44,950

Low: $32,900

Average: $37,878

At home in Robin's nest in Hawaii, Magnum's 308 was the real star of the show, next to Tom Selleck's mustache.

1981-89 Porsche 911 Turbo

High: $78,500

Low: $24,900

Average: $40,669

They say art is timeless. The 911 is today what it was 20 years ago--the standard in sports cars.

By Jacob Lingeman