18 Classic Dream Cars We Love That Are Actually Nightmares to Own

Sure, it might have an American V-8, but don't forget, the Jensen Interceptor is still a British automobile. It looks and sounds great, but when it comes to longevity, be prepared to take a hit.

Like the Jensen, the Pantera used an American engine. The thing is, '70s Italian engineering wasn't much better than British engineering, meaning build quality wasn't the best on early cars. Still, it's a stunner.

The Alfa Romeo GTV6 still looks beautiful after all these years, but it's also sneaky. It tries to lull you into thinking it's a sensible hatchback that has a little more space than your typical exotic and could maybe be a little bit practical. The truth is, it's an Italian car from an era when Italian reliability was a punchline. Still, we love the style.

Most people who see an Aston Martin Lagonda on the street are going to look past it and keep going about their day. But to someone who knows, it's a car worth getting excited about. As much as we'd love to be seen in one, can you imagine trying to get one serviced? Or having to find replacement parts for that crazy futuristic digital dashboard?

Neither the French nor the Italians are known for building cars with bulletproof reliability, so clearly the solution was for them to conspire together to build a car. The result was the undeniably wonderful Citroën SM. Yes, certain parts may as well be ticking time bombs, but who cares? The SM is awesome. Burt Reynolds even famously drove one in The Longest Yard.

The Ferrari 308 looks incredible, and it's actually a car a normal enthusiast could conceivably afford. For a little less than the cost of a base Porsche 911, you could have an exotic Ferrari with a gated shifter. But even if nothing broke, we don't want to think about how much maintenance would be. And things are probably going to break. This one, formerly owned by the late Miles Davis, sold at auction last year.

Of course, buying a newer Ferrari doesn't mean it's going to be any cheaper. The F355 is famous for its high routine maintenance costs and fragility. Any engine-out service will run you north of $10,000. Check this one out for just under $63,000.

Often called the most beautiful car ever made, the E-type is known for a lot of things—but reliability isn't one of them. The prettiest Series I cars are especially prone to issues. This one needs a restoration, and the seller's still asking nearly $35,000.

The XJS isn't nearly as desirable as the E-type, but you do get a lot of bang for your buck. Even the V-12 versions of these cars can be had for not a whole lot of money. For the first few months, you might look cool driving a V-12 Jag, but after that? Something will probably go wrong, it will probably be electrical, and it will almost definitely be a big deal. Thanks for nothing, Lucas. Check out this convertible for sale on eBay.

We're pretty sure anyone who's ever driven a Lotus Elan has loved it. That opinion might not be based on the most scientific of surveys, but you can't pretend it's not a thrilling car to drive. You just have to be fine with plenty of repair time. We say bring it on. This one's for sale for just under $28,000.

The Elan isn't the only Lotus with a reputation for breaking down. In fact, most Lotuses (Loti?) are rather unreliable. The Esprit stands out thanks to its hard-to-work-on mid-engine layout and range of turbocharged engines. This early model looks to be in good condition and can be yours for $33,900.

It's old. It's Italian. It has a V-12. It's one of the most beautiful cars ever built. Those are all perfectly legitimate reasons to want to own a Lamborghini Miura, and if we had the money, we'd absolutely go for it. We'd just have to make sure we were prepared for gargantuan maintenance costs. This one was painstakingly restored by Lamborghini and was originally featured in the 1969 film The Italian Job.

Yes, there are plenty of SUVs we could probably buy that would still be cool. Heck, Land Rover will gladly sell you a new Range Rover that's truly excellent. But the original Range Rover is about as cool as an SUV gets, and that's the one we want. The list of things that will probably go wrong is pretty much endless, but who cares? It's a Range Rover.

Look at how much fun those people are having. That's the kind of fun we want to have. We want to put the top down on our gorgeous convertible sports car and laugh as we enjoy each and every corner. Maybe the wiring will catch on fire. Still worth it. This one is up for bidding on eBay right now.

The first-gen RX-7 was an immediate hit with enthusiasts everywhere thanks to its fantastic handling attributes and smooth power delivery. But as with any rotary engine, costly apex seal replacements are a common sight. Still, we wouldn't mind having one in our garage. This one has 50,000 miles on the clock, and it's listed for $13,000.

How confident would you feel if you knew there were a bunch of 30-year old computers controlling the V-12 engine in your car? That's reality with the first-gen 8-series. Still, that smooth power delivery and fantastic styling will have people coming back no matter what. This one's for sale with an asking price of just under $17,000.