When most people think of European classics, cheap isn't the first word that comes to mind. After all, the top 10 most expensive cars ever sold at auction are all European sports cars. They typically aren't associated with easy maintenance, reliability, or practicality either, but most of the time, those aren't the reasons why most people are interested in classic European cars in the first place.
Most enthusiasts are in the market for European cars for their build quality, timelessness, and, most of all, an unrivaled driving experience. There are so many enthusiasts looking for the classic European experience that models that were considered cheap only a decade ago have skyrocketed in price to the point where they are simply out of reach for most people at this point. While you can't pick up a BMW E30 M3 or a Mercedes 190E for pennies on the dollar anymore, there are still plenty of options out there that don't cost an arm and a leg and still provide the full vintage European experience, good and bad.
Classic BMWs are an example of demand being proportional to price, as some of the Bavarian marque's most well-known models, including cars like the E46 M3, E39 M5, and 850CSi, have begun to reach unattainable status for most casual buyers. Even regular classic BMW models — not part of the exclusive M club — are picking up steam in the used car market. While models like the E30 3-Series and E24 6-Series have seen jumps in resale value, one model that hasn't is the E28 5-Seri.