Cars are getting fat. And not “phat” like the kids might say (do they say that?), but fat like a 5 year old hippo on a diet of lard and cake. I’m not just talking kerbweight, but they’re ever more laden with technology that makes them expensive to repair and very difficult for an enthusiast to work on at home.
They’re also more expensive than ever – you’ll have to hand over at least £30k (at time of writing) to put anything new and remotely exciting, interesting or fun in your garage. Older classics have got seriously punchy in price now (not to mention they’re not always practical as a daily driver), and many 80s and 90s cars are skyrocketing in value due to the hazy glow of nostalgia.
So what’s a petrolhead who loves a weekend drive and a bit of a tinker to do?
There is an answer. There are heaps of cars built between 1990 and 2000 that offer superb comfort, excellent dynamics, a good level of parts-supply and reliability, are relatively easy to work on yourself and have not yet rocketed in value. I know this because I have two myself – a 1997 Hyundai Lantra 2.0 which I run as my daily and a 1994 Ford Probe that I am slowly bringing back to life.
They’re not hard to find either. To see how easy it was to find a gem, I set myself the task of finding a few sensible choices and a couple of brave pills in each of two categories: cars for up to £5,000 and £10,000, built between 1990 and 2000, in great condition, under 80,000 miles, petrol-powered and with a manual transmission. Oh, and I allowed just 15 minutes search on a single website (Autotrader) for each category. How many crackers could I find in half an hour? Read on to find out… (Disclaimer: the pictures are not from the actual car adverts as I didn’t fancy contacting a heap of people to ask permission to use their photos.)
First off, let’s look at the ‘up to £5,000’ category. You’d think you wouldn’t get much for that these days, especially if you wanted something fun and a bit different from the norm. However, while it’s true that choices are more limited at this price point, there are some absolute delights available.
SENSIBLE (ISH) CHOICES
£1,750 – 1999 Ford Cougar 2.5 24v V6
Forgotten and ignored by most people, I think the Cougar is something of a gem. Yes, it’s front-wheel drive and it’s a 90s Ford, but that sharp-edged retro-futuristic styling is great and that V6 is a peach.
Mechanical parts are readily available and cheap, and it’s nice and simple to maintain. As long as you get one that’s free of rot, then a well-cared one should give you many years of service. It’s rare, quick-ish, interesting and I reckon the price has properly bottomed out now. I found a 57k miler with a great service record and long MOT for less than £1,800!
£3,250 – 2000 Mercedes-Benz SLK320 Designo
You want something rare but delightfully under the radar? Love to drop the top when the sun peeks out, but want the security of a coupe? Then this is perfect. That V6 lump is gloriously tough and unstressed, offering a meaty 215bhp that’s delivered to the rears with a healthy dollop of torque. The example I found is finished in a fabulous shade of burgundy, features desirable Designo trim and actually has a manual gearbox. Yes, a manual. In a V6 SLK. Crikey. I found a pearler, that had just 57k on the clock and looked near immaculate. Make sure all the electrics work, ensure the roof operates smoothly and quickly, and this could well be a genuine future classic.
£3,500 – 2000 Toyota MR2 (W30) 1.8VVT-i
Not, as many would suggest, a poor man’s Boxster, but actually a very fine little roadster in its own right. Lightweight with great handling, beautifully engineered and featuring a revvy little midships 138bhp four-cylinder, if you want maximum smiles for your cash then this is the car for you.
It’s a Toyota, so the chances of it expensively detonating are minimal and there are tons of them about, so spares shouldn’t be an issue. You can get a usable one from a grand, but spending a bit more for a well-maintained one (like the one-owner, 54k mile example I found) is the sensible option. Again, rust is the thing to look out for.
£4,000 – 1998 Mazda MX-5 NB
It’s the obvious answer for anyone that wants a fun, sporty and relatively inexpensive little weekend weapon, but the MX-5 really is very good. It’s becoming a theme, but underside corrosion is the only thing to really worry about. Engines are solid, the drivetrain is nice and simple and the minimalism means there’s not heaps of electrics to go wonky.
The less-loved NB is definitely the one to go for if you want to maximise what you get for your money. The one I found had one owner from new, a decent service record and had covered just 27,000 miles. Not sure you can get more automotive joy for four bags of sand…
£4,490 – 2000 Audi TT 1.8 Quattro 225 Convertible
Many cars are pretty. Some are interesting or clever. Very few are actual design icons, but the Mk1 Audi TT can legitimately lay claim to that status. Looking almost exactly like the concept car, they may not be the most dynamic driving experience, but if you’re looking for something stylish, beautifully built, reliable, pretty quick and genuinely nice to waft about in, don’t dismiss it.
I found a silver (in this case, the colour you want) convertible Quattro 225 with black leather upholstery, all in lovely condition with just 51,000 miles on the clock for less than £4,500. A nailed on future classic.
£4,850 – 1999 BMW Z3 2.8i
Unfairly sneered at on release, the Z3 is rapidly becoming a bit of a darling amongst those who know. As long as you go for the 6-cylinder versions and not the under-powered and underwhelming 4-pots, they make for fabulous high-days and holidays machines. Build quality is generally excellent, although make sure it’s been mechanically cared for and serviced regularly, as a poorly maintained one can be catastrophically expensive to sort out.
I think they’re a great looking thing, especially if some of the chrome has been deleted, and I have a feeling it’s the kind of car that you’d become evangelical about very quickly. I found a nice one with the 2.8-litre straight-six (the one you want), a good history and less than 70k on the clock. Potentially a modern classic, certainly a heck of a lot of car for the money.
BRAVE PILLS
£3,999 – 1996 MG MGF
I have questions about this one. It’s either going to be the bargain of all time (14,000 miles on the clock, one owner from new, appears to be in excellent condition); or it’s hiding all manner of issues and will snap in half at the first hint of a bump. Either way, the much maligned yet really quite good MGF has much to recommend it. The K-series engine is much more reliable and strong than people give it credit for, the car handles well and, to my eyes, it looks great. How much courage can you muster?
£4,450 – 2000 Subaru Impreza Turbo WRX 4dr
With its charismatic 4-pot turbocharged boxer engine and rally-derived all-wheel drive system, the WRX is very much a hero car for a generation of drivers – and secondhand prices reflect this. But I managed to find one in a handsome dark green finish (rare), just one owner from new (even rarer) and with just 56k on it (ridiculously rare). There appears to be no damage or corrosion and it looks in great condition. Should be £10-15,000 all day long. The catch? It’s a non-runner and won’t start. Could be something simple that you can fix for a few hundred quid, and then you have an absolute gem of a car and your quids in. Of course, the flip side of that is that it’s something horrifying, you go bankrupt and end up living in it. You pays your money, you takes your choice…
SPENDING A LITTLE BIT MORE
Naturally, bumping the budget up to a chunky £10,000 opens up a lot of options. Some of them are sensible, but all of them are definitely better than dropping £25,000 or more on some new SUV crossover thingamajig…
(MOSTLY) SENSIBLE CHOICES
£6,500 – 1995 VW Golf Mk3 2.8 VR6 Highline
Leather, classic VW build quality, a torque-laden V6 and just 66,000 miles on the clock. Forget all the chat about the MK3 Golf, the VR6 Highline is an absolute gem of a machine. A properly cool, under the radar Q-car that’s built like a tank, nicely appointed and as rare as the proverbial wooden donkey droppings.
If it’s been well cared for and isn’t rotten, there’s almost literally nothing to worry about here. With no complex electronics to worry about, it’s simple enough for you to work on and service yourself too. We dare you to find something as capable, cool, rare and reliable for this kind of money.
£7,500 – 2000 Alfa Romeo GTV 3.0 V6 Lusso
You want an Alfa. I want an Alfa. We all want an Alfa. But, more often than not, the head overrules the heart and we buy a Volvo. This is the perfect way to remedy the situation. The GTV is a beautifully proportioned, gorgeously styled gem. Yes, it’s front-wheel drive, but in Lusso spec it makes for a handsome and very capable grand tourer. Not to mention the fact that it’s available with one of the finest engines ever made – the 3-litre Busso V6. Possibly the best sounding road car engine of all time.
I found a stunning example with just 54,000 miles on the clock and an extensive service history for just £7,500. Where else can you get so much motoring heritage, style, excitement and, let’s be honest, peril, for so little cash? Yes, it may explode in a shower of oil and tears one day. Yes, all of the electricity might fall out randomly one Tuesday on the A34. But you’ll still have a Busso powered Alfa. Which would make you a legend. And you never know, this might be a good one and then you have a WORKING Busso powered Alfa. Which would make you a deliriously happy legend.
£8,990 – 2000 Renault Clio 16v RS
Ask any motoring journalist for a list of the greatest hot hatches of all time, and I can guarantee you that an RS Clio will be on there somewhere. It’s easy to see why, the recipe is hot hatch perfection: simple and light, small footprint, great visibility, punchy 2-litre naturally aspirated engine putting out 172bhp, fabulous handling. Bosh. Job done. While some of the more exotic special editions will cost you significantly more than my self-imposed £10,000 limit, it’s more than enough to get a really nice example of a more standard car. Which is probably what you want as a daily driver, in all honesty.
The example I found could be yours for a tenner under £9,000, has just 45k on the clock and is the increasingly rare and desirable Phase 1 version. Which I reckon is the nicest looking of all the Clio RS models. Collectible, with a fabulous engine and relatively cheap maintenance costs, there’s nothing to lose here. Don’t quote me on that.
£8,995 – 2000 Porsche Boxster (986) 3.2S
When is a 911 not a 911? When it’s a Boxster. Whisper it, but for 90% of people, a Boxster or Cayman is a far better bet than a 911. You certainly get a lot more for your money. Razor sharp handling, thanks to that midship layout, the usual Porsche build quality and, in the case of the 986, naturally aspirated flat-6 engines. Which is a very good thing. In the case of the 3.2S of this era, that meant a healthy 250bhp and a seriously delightful soundtrack.
I found what appears to be a very fine example that’s covered just 45k. And you’d still have enough change from £9,000 to grab a coffee and a flapjack on the way home. If you’re looking for something you can enjoy on sunny days now and maybe even sell on for a profit, then look no further.
£9,490 – 1997 E36 BMW 328i convertible
While most E36 have sadly been sacrificed on the altar of Ken Block wannabes or comprehensively ruined by the stance crowd, there are still some nice ones out there. And that’s a good thing, as the E36 is a genuinely great car. The 328 offers up a potent straight-six, they’re well built and there’s no shortage of spares or experts about to keep it all running perfectly. Some may scoff at the fact that this is a convertible, but it’s a handsome thing and there aren’t many better ways to bomb around the countryside with three mates in tow.
The one I found is completely standard and has covered just 74k miles. While the asking price may seem a bit rich, these are becoming genuinely collectible now, and should definitely be considered a modern classic. Besides, you try finding one that hasn’t been crashed, thrashed or modified to within an inch of its life…
£9,500 – 1998 Fiat Coupe 20v Turbo Limited Edition
Before Chris Bangle went to BMW and did interesting things to their range, he did interesting things at Fiat. One of those things was the Fiat Coupe, which in our opinion is one of the best looking and most desirable vehicles to emerge from the 90s. Striking from every angle, ageing really rather well and possessing a properly potent and characterful 5-cylinder turbo lump that pushed 220bhp and 210Nm to the front wheels, the coupe has the looks and the grunt to back it up.
I found a 71k mile ‘Limited Edition’ example – of which fewer than 1,500 were apparently made – for a monkey under £10,000. The LE adds a unique bodykit, fresh internal and external trim, uprated brakes, more supportive Recaro seats, and a new 6-speed transmission with a longer top ratio for easier cruising. You could probably negotiate down to an even £9,000 too, if you’re charming. I can’t think of much else for the money that has the personality, rarity and swaggering 90s cachet of the riotous coupe.
(EXTREMELY) BRAVE PILLS
£10,000 – 1999 TVR Chimaera 4.0HC
Four litres of angry V8 wrapped in the sinuous plastic body of a British muscle car is awfully tempting at this price point. Naturally, it will be utterly ruinous and, on the three or fur days each month when it works, it will try and kill you. But what a way to go.
£8,750 – 1990 Lotus Elan
“Better than you think it is” may sound like feint praise, but that’s exactly what the Elan is. It’s fun, it looks good, it handles well and it wears that classic yellow badge. And let’s not forget the pop-up lights. What’s not to like? I mean, I found one for under £9,000 with just 71k miles on it. Bargain. Let’s just not mention the servicing costs and general panic every time it makes any kind of noise whatsoever… But still, it’s a classic Lotus. And who wouldn’t want one of those?
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Allowing myself another hour or so of search time, and widening out to a range of other websites, I found a wealth of interesting and fun motoring, all for between £3,000-£10,000. A few of the highlights were: Suzuki Swift Sport, Hyundai Coupe S3 V6, Peugeot 406 Coupe V6, Mk1 Seat Leon Cupra, Mk1 Vector GSI V6, Mondeo ST220, VW Scirocco Mk2, Mk6 Celica GT or Mk7 Celica 190, Honda Prelude 2.2 (believe), Renault Clio 172 Cup, Peugeot 206 GTI 180, Honda Accord V6.
There are some great choices there. Of course, there may well also be some absolutely disastrous choices there, the kind that lead to extremely awkward conversations with the bank and/or your other half. Still, better than giving up on life and buying a Nissan Qashqai, right?