Thinking about buying a used sports car, but worried about maintenance costs

I’ve been eyeing a used sports car for a while now, and I’m really tempted to pull the trigger. The performance and style are just so appealing, but I keep hearing horror stories about how expensive they can be to maintain. Has anyone here owned one long-term? I’m curious if the driving experience makes up for the potential repair bills, or if it’s smarter to stick with something more practical. What’s been your experience with reliability and upkeep on older sports models?