The E85/E86 generation sits in that sweet spot where S54 values haven't fully caught up to the rest of the market. Clean examples with service records are still available sub-$40k, though that window is closing. The S54's 333hp and the roadster's 50/50 weight distribution made this the thinking person's alternative to the 350Z.

Used twin-turbo Mercedes SL55s are flooding the market at Miata money, but depreciation curves tell different stories. The AMG carries $8K/year maintenance assumptions; the ND is Toyota-reliable. One teaches you to fear the next service bill.

The current-gen SL 63 is a 503-hp cruiser built on AMG's twin-turbo 4.0L V8, and it's competent at almost everything except justifying its $120k+ asking price against a 991.2 Carrera 4S. Mercedes prioritized opulence and tech over the raw engagement that made older SLs worth owning.