I like Hagerty Insurance a lot, but I’ll never understand their impulse to talk about how collector car prices are on the rise year after year. First off, suggesting to regular Joes that collector car prices are out of their reach really turns off people who might be thinking about diving into the hobby. Secondly, it just isn’t true. Sure, there are a handful of one-off Ferraris and Shelby Cobras that bring record-setting prices. But Rembrandts are expensive, too. It doesn’t mean nobody can afford to buy the Who poster they always wanted. And if you ever wanted an F-body Camaro, there hasn’t been a better time in history to purchase one. Take a gander at this 1997 Camaro SS somebody picked up a few weeks ago at the Mecum Original Spring Classic at the Indiana State Fairgrounds.

Fourth-gen Camaros and Firebirds — especially the SS and WS6 trims — are NEVER going to get cheaper. You find me another car with an honest 375hp, a six-speed manual transmission in bright red that you can purchase for $7,500. For God’s sake, you can’t buy a Corolla with 100,000 miles for that kind of money today, and this animal probably gets comparable fuel economy if you leave it in 6th gear everywhere you go.

The auction information suggests that it’s been a Florida car since 2002. Not sure if that’s much of a selling point, because it could’ve been a New Hampshire car for the six years prior. The photos show what looks like a really clean car, though, and what we can see of the undercarriage looks pretty nice.

We did a little research on the VIN: On December 15, 2013, a dealer in Miami, Florida was trying to sell this thing for $14,900. It also showed up on eBay with the same BuyItNow price.

The 42,000 miles it shows on the odometer lines up with the condition shown in the pictures. This is a car you could have a blast with for a LOOONG time for a minimal investment.

The option list is extensive: six-speed Borg-Warner, T-Tops, 12-disc CD changer, power windows, remote hatch release, a Positraction 3.42 rear diff, six-way power seats. It’s also got everything you could possibly throw at at SS including the SLP composite Ram Air hood, the 10hp boost of the stainless steel exhaust, a car cover and brand new SS floor mats.

It’s going to be a while before cars like this are recognized by collectors, but when it happens, it’ll be cars exactly like this one that will cost a lot more money in the future. Now’s the time to get in on one, for what you’d spend on a used minivan.