It’s often said by car enthusiasts that you’re not a real car guy until you’ve owned an Alfa Romeo. Perhaps, but there’s an Australian variation on that theme: You can’t be a proper car bloke (or gal) until you’ve owned a V8.
The dawn of the downsized-engine, hybrid and EV age has changed the motoring landscape here and across the rest of the planet, but there’s still an interest in Alfa Romeos and, in many parts of the world, the V8 engine.
Right now, in Australia, pretty much the only way to get into a brand-new traditional V8-powered car with the right V8 noises and the tough-guy packaging to go with it, is to visit a Ford dealership and drive away in a Mustang.
And plenty of people do. But even as a relatively new second-hand car, the Mustang still represents more cash than most folks can justify on a thirsty, impractical car.
Beyond that, when it comes to brand new V8 cars Australia is best served in the off-roader and full-sized pick-up category. And even that is changing.
But what if the V8 bug is still nibbling away at your psyche? The solution is to look for a second-hand car with the requisite eight cylinders arranged in a vee.
Fortunately for Aussies, there have been plenty of these sold over the decades (V8s started to become really popular in local cars in the 1960s and 70s) so there’s plenty of choice. And you might be surprised by how cheaply you can swing your feet into a V8 car with lots of life left in it.
There are, of course, things to remember during this mission. Firstly, many of these are now very old cars. And old V8 cars share all the problems of any other old car.
So, before you even start revving that lovely engine and listening to the music it produces, do the right thing and check out the car’s basics.
The structure and panels need to be rust-free, the interior shouldn’t be shredded, and make doubly sure everything is there, because the trinkets and trim pieces on these cars can be very hard to track down.
Even though conventional wisdom states the mechanical bits of a car are the easiest and cheapest to fix, V8 engine cars can throw that out a little, as fixing a V8 up means eight, not six or four of many components.
Make sure the rest of the mechanical gear is in good condition, too. A car is, mechanically, much more than an engine, so the transmission, suspension and brakes all need close scrutiny on the basis of age and kilometres. And, as always, the cheapest example of a particular car is not always the best option.
You’ll find when making a list of the best cheap V8 cars Australia is pretty well placed globally. Our love affair with the V8 engine means we’ve bene offered plenty over the years, so they’re definitely out there.
Certainly, it’s easier to find a Ford V8 for sale or a cheap V8 engine on its own than in, say most of Europe, but it is getting harder as the cars in question get older, rarer and worth more.
For that reason, as much as we’d love to mention cars like the XE Fairmont Ghia ESP (or even the much more humble XE ute for sale or four-door XE Falcon for sale with either of its optional V8 engines) the fact is that these are now collector cars and demand a premium price. The same goes for any US-sourced car with a Hemi engine for sale.
Ironically, however, US makes and models often offer better value for money than the home-grown stuff that is often very similar. For instance, it’s possible to buy a late '60s Ford Torino Hardtop with a V8 engine for about half as much as a local Ford Falcon Coupe with the same powerplant. That’s the power of collectability and nostalgia, right there.
What about SUVs? While there are a few V8 SUV for sale ads, this type of vehicle is more about the packaging than the engine, so won’t appeal to the same buyer who wants the music and thrust of a V8 over anything else.
And let’s not forget that any time you see Toyota LandCruiser utes for sale, if they’re the V8 model, they’ll be super-expensive thanks to the laws of supply and demand.
So what about cheap V8 sports cars? The problem there is that you’re talking about sports car which, if they’re the real deal, will be expensive regardless of what’s under their bonnet. Instead, stick with the more practical cars out there with V8 power and use the left-over money for the inevitable visits to the service-station.
With all that in mind, here’s a list of our favourite cheap V8 cars for sale right now. In no particular order…
Commodore SS VT Series 1
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Years: 1997 to 1999
Price: $7000 to $12,000
Description: Holden’s full-sized family Commodore has always been available with a V8 option. These are good, solid cars provided they’ve been maintained and not hooned. Big and comfy, they’re also easy to run and parts are everywhere.
Why is it here: The VT Series 1 is about half the price of the later Series 2 car, for one important reason: The hyped Chevrolet-built LS1 engine didn’t arrive until the Series 2, which means the series 1 was stuck with the local 5.0-litre V8. The extra weight of the new VT tested the older engine, but it remains tuneful and good fun. And cheap.
Ford Falcon AU XR8
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Years: 1998 to 2002
Price: $9000 to $17,000
Description: Another fast family four-door from a local carmaker, the AU XR8 arrived as the last model to use the ancient but characterful Windsor 5.0-litre V8. With an independent rear end, the Falcon in XR8 form suddenly jumped up a few refinement notches and the AU package remains Ford’s best steering Falcon ever. Decent sales when new mean there are now plenty of AU XR8 for sale adverts.
Why is it here: Prices suffered because of the AU’s – frankly – dreadful looks and reputation. But in XR8 form, the quad-headlight nose disguises the ugly more than a little. Meanwhile, that fuel-injected version of the old Windsor was a great engine. Later ones with roller rockers and trick cylinder heads were sublime.
Lexus LS400
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Years: 1990 to 1994
Price: $4000 to $12,000
Description: The first generation Lexus LS was Toyota’s bold move to take over the world. Hmm, maybe, but it remains that the Lexus brand has by far been the most successful of the Japanese halo brands. Designed to tackle the Mercedes S-Class and BMW 7 Series head on, the LS400 was a comfy, serene way to travel with impeccable quality credentials. Getting harder to find now.
Why is it here: That lovely, quad-cam 4.0-litre V8 isn’t just nice to use, it’s also capable of racking up huge mileages with zero fuss. The looks are a bit derivative, but the Lexus trumps its main competition for reliability every time. No list of cheap V8 cars under $5000 can exist without mention of the LS400.
Chrysler 300C
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Years: 2005 to 2008
Price: $13,000 to $18,000
Description: The Gangsta looks were enough for most people to take the Chrysler 300C seriously when it landed in 2005. The one you want now is the V8 and while there was also a V6 and a turbo-diesel variant, the 5.7-litre V8 is the real deal. Quality wasn’t brilliant, but the 300C had the attitude to get away with it.
Why is it here: This is a bit harder to fathom as the car wasn’t brilliant in any one regard. But it’s that combination of a fruity, grunty V8 engine with a big dollop of American kitsch thrown in for free that makes it work. Don’t try to justify it, just enjoy it.
Holden Statesman WK/WL
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Years: 2003 to 2006
Price: $8000 to $17,000
Description: Okay, so it’s a long-wheelbase Commodore if you want to be brutal about it. But these early-mid-2000s Holdens were loaded with gear and are not too bad to drive, either. If the budget will stretch a bit further, the Caprice has even more fruit. Just beware an ex-hotel limo.
Why is it here: These cars used the 'Gen3' engine built by Chevrolet and fitted to V8 Holdens for almost two decades. With 5.7 litres of capacity and a good reputation for reliability and durability, they remain a popular choice. Oh, and if it’s an earlier model Statesman with the Holden 5.0-litre V8 engine for sale, it’ll be even cheaper, unless it’s one of the 1970s models at which point, prices rocket up again.