Affordable Dream Cars (Under £20k)
So we probably all know about the recent hike in used car prices caused by a reduction in new car supply, caused by the dreaded semi-conductor shortages among other things. Whilst you may struggle to find a used bargain when looking for a Ford Focus, a BMW 3 Series, or a low mileage people carrier; you may actually be amazed to find that there are some extremely exotic cars within your budget.
After spending much of my working day trawling online classifieds I’ve picked out a few very interesting examples. Whilst these may not all be “cherry” examples, they all have a few things in common :
They are all HPI clear
All show less than 100,000 miles on the clock.
Many, like me, have dreamt of owning one in their youth (and beyond!)
Seem likely to eventually go up in value
Do these cars represent great value for money or utter idiocy? let’s find out.
2000 Porsche Boxster 2.7 986 Tiptronic S | 71,000 Miles | £5,895
At less than £6k this 71,000 mile example is a bargain; on the face of it at least
Yes, this glorious little Boxster can be yours for a shade under £6,000. Although often unfairly labeled a “hairdresser’s car” these little rockets are great drivers’ cars. Known for its “best-in-class” driving experience, amazing exhaust note, and all-around daily driving practicality the Porsche Boxster seems like a bargain at this price.
Used buyers must proceed with caution however, the 1st generation Boxster has a long list of common faults as a quick trip to Google will attest. From the IMS bearings to the leaky rear main seal there is a long list of known problems so it’s important to view these cars once well-informed. Luckily for you, some of these common issues are so common that they may have already come to the surface and been dealt with by premiums owners so a deep dive into service and repair history is a must.
The Stats: 0-60mph 6.6 seconds | Top Speed 155 mph | Cylinders 6 | Engine power 220 bhp
2006 Jaguar XKR 4.2 V8 Auto | 85,000 Miles | £13,333
Just over £13k for a gorgeous 4.2l V8 XKR with just 85,000 on the clock
This car was marketed as a “best of British” luxury sports car with plenty of creature comforts on offer. Designed by Geoff Lawson (of XJ220 fame), the XKR was jaw-droppingly beautiful when it launched onto the market and, in my eyes at least, has matured very gracefully indeed. At just over £13,000 this 85,000-mile example comes with part service history and has had the same owner for the last 5 years.
Whilst the XKR is known as being relatively reliable, by Jaguar standards in any case, you should always stick to the normal common-sense rules by looking for a nice original example and making sure it’s been regularly serviced by a main dealer or Jaguar specialist as repairs for these cars are known to be very costly.
The Stats: 0-60mph 4.9 seconds | Top Speed 155 mph | Cylinders 8 | Engine power 420 bhp
2002 Porsche 911 Carrera 4 Cabriolet | 79,000 Miles | £14,500
This convertable Carrera 4 seems to be a snip at just £14,500
Whilst the 996 variant of the Porsche 911 is not currently seen as one of the more desirable incarnations of this German classic, it’s still a full-blooded flat 6 Porsche 911 for under £15k. Whilst you can find coupe examples around this price point it seems that good examples of cabriolet cars are more readily available at this budget.
The odometer on this one shows a very reasonable 79,000 miles with full-service history and receipts galore to help put your mind at ease that the car has been cared for, it’s also spent the last 10 years with the same owner which is always a good sign.
911s tend to only change their styling very subtly from generation to generation which helps the 996 to still look relatively modern despite the design being over 20 years old.
Common issues include coolant loss, rear main seal leaks, and cracked cylinder heads but a good enthusiast owner will often have taken care of repairs or improvements to reduce the chance of those issues seeing the light of day. It’s worth preparing a shortlist of common issues and upgrades/repairs before you go to see a car, this helps you budget for any potential future costs.
The Stats: 0-60mph 5.2 seconds | Top Speed 177 mph | Cylinders 6 | Engine power 315 bhp
2004 Bentley Continental GT 6.0 | 77,000 Miles | £14,995
This motoring equivalent of a bouncer on door of a Saville Row Tailor
Once the go-to car for Footballers, Rappers, and Company Directors alike; the Continental GT was extremely popular at launch with Bentley dealers selling these cars faster than imaginable for cars that often touched £200,000 when specced by their buyers.
Its glorious 12-cylinder 6-litre powerplant is as graceful as it is powerful allowing everything from a relaxing motorway glide to a yobbish tank along a back road - it can do it all. The 552 bhp engine can take you from 0-60 in a breathtaking 4.7 seconds whilst the top speed is just a shade under 200 mph.
Like all the cars here, running costs and repair costs must be taken into account when buying one of these gentleman thugs with something as simple as a replacement windscreen costing the thick end of £2,000 and even “routine” maintenance being somewhat complex meaning that only specialists should be trusted to carry out work. These cars are known for having suspension issues from time to time, as well as one or two other common faults, so it’s worth seeing if any requisite remedial works have already been carried out.
The Stats: 0-60mph 4.7 seconds | Top Speed 198 mph | Cylinders 12 | Engine power 552 bhp
2007 Maserati Granturismo 4.2 V8 Auto | 81,500 Miles | £19,974
Is there a better looking car available at the moment for less than £20k?
Looking at this car does something to me that very few cars truly can. The Maserati GranTurismo is so astoundingly pleasing to the eye that it brings on a feeling similar to the one experienced when watching the Olympic Beach Volleyball competition - you just can’t take your eyes off it.
Whilst the rear seats are by no means generous it is possible to sit adults in the back for short period, something that’s near impossible in many of it’s rivals. The interior offers quiet conservatism dusted with Italian chic that is very pleasing without offering the same level of wow-factor as the sensuous exterior.
Whilst it may not be as much fun to drive as some other premium sports coupe’s, the Ferrari engine delivers a very rewarding exhaust note and, let’s face it, the car is such a work of art that I think it can be forgiven any dynamic shortcomings behind the wheel. Just look at it!
The elephant in the room with Maserati is often reliability but my research suggests that well-maintained (by specialists) cars don’t have any exceptionally common faults with normal small fluid leaks and minor issues being regularly reported. Make sure the headlights are in good shape as replacement units will cost you around £1,500 a piece!
The Stats: 0-62mph 4.8 seconds | Top Speed 180 mph | Cylinders 8 | Engine power 399 bhp
2001 Aston Martin DB7 5.9 Vantage | 85,000 Miles | £19,995
Firstly, a cheap Aston Martin does not exist. Everything Aston Martin is costly, very costly.
The soundtrack of the DB7’s V12 420 bhp engine is music to the ears of any sell respecting petrol loving organism; it’s just stunning; the five-second 0-62 time is not too shabby either.
This Ian Cullum-designed beauty it’s certainly still a looker (despite its fog lights coming from a Mazda MX-3). This design really shaped the design language for future Aston Martin’s that can still clearly be seen to this day.
The interior is less impressive than the exterior with wood aplenty in the cabin plus a few bits and bobs borrowed for the Ford parts bin.
In case you wish to bore your pals in the pub, the Aston Martin DB7 is famously the Bond car that wasn’t with Mr. Bond favoring BMW’s as opposed to one of these during the Brosnan era.
The Stats: 0-62mph 5.0 seconds | Top Speed 184 mph | Cylinders 12 | Engine power 420 bhp
In Summary
Bargain is an often overused word, whilst some of these cars seem to be relatively affordable by today’s standards you really must give great consideration to the cost of running and maintaining these wonderful machines. Also, remember that it’s wise to buy the very best example that you can, that means finding genuine original cars that have been maintained regularly by specialists; that means paying a premium over some of the “bargain basement” cars that we see here.
Finally, I always suggest using a trusted car history check when buying any used car, HPI checks only show a fraction of the story so I choose to use VCHECK - using my link helps support me so please CLICK HERE to visit V-Check for your next used car history check.
All of these examples were taken from live adverts on www.autotrader.co.uk on 25th April 2022.