All cars, no matter how valuable or desirable when spinning round in a bright showroom like your favourite Ultravox LP, eventually become old cars.
Those very same cars twinkling behind the pane of glass you pressed your face against as a kid become attainable, as long as you’re happy to accept they’ve been owned by someone you probably don’t know, and almost certainly driven in a way you wouldn’t appreciate.
So how great are these bargains? Is a low-priced great car better value than a high-priced (i.e. new) family car? Is it a risk? Could it even be a better way to invest your money than in a nice safe bank account (if that’s even a thing now)?
We won’t go into the investment opportunities as we don’t want you throttling us if it turns out our crystal ball’s due a cambelt change; but we can see a lot of tasty motors available for less (sometimes far less) than the list price of a new basic-spec Ford Focus – so that gave us £18k to play with when we scoured the cars on offer at the ACA’s 27th August classic car auction to grab that car you always promised yourself.
Audi Quattro
Pre-sale estimate: £16,000 – £18,000
We’ve done well here to resist the inevitable Gene Hunt impressions – you’ll not hear us ask you to ‘fire up’ anything, but you will find us eagerly waiting to see whether this cracking example of the
All images via ACA.
All future values suggested are entirely speculative.
Have you spotted a classic car you lusted after when it was new that’s now cheaper than a Ford Focus? Leave a comment below and let us know. Audi that revolutionised the way cars put their power down can really go for less than the price of a new Focus. People are bound to keep reminding you that “it’s not a red one” but for us that’s all adding to the appeal. This car could be yours instead of that Ford Focus for £18k, and this list of 10 cars you always promised yourself we’ve started with the most expensive – they just get even better value from here on down…
BMW 635 CSi
Pre-sale estimate: £12,000 – £14,000
Not only could this brute of an M-car be yours for an estimated £12-£14k, you can join a pretty exclusive club as it’s claimed only 181 were ever produced by BMW’s M-Sport branch. Cheaper versions are available elsewhere but not as reassuringly-packaged as this one. Exclusivity like that surely means the only way this car’s value can go is upwards – and while you’re watching your investment appreciate, you can enjoy the best that late-80s BMW had to offer with an interior befitting a luxury car, and the gut-punching thrust of that six-cylinder fuel-draining operatic engine pushing you forwards. Braces, Filofax and brick-like mobile phone are optional.
Little red Corvette (Stingray)
Pre-sale estimate: £10,000 – £12,000
Corvette values follow a very predictable pattern. Starting high, dropping like a stone before bouncing back after a few generations have passed. For the S3 – like this one – that bounce happened a few years back, but nobody seems to have told this one – and that makes it a bargain against its peers. Recently imported from the US, this 25th Anniversary editionis a limited edition in its homeland, and so here in the UK it’s even more limited and it truly is an eye-catcher. There’s a reason Prince wrote a song about a little red Corvette – one prod of the gas pedal to awaken that V8 while the sun glints off your scarlet coachwork and you’ll know why.
Lotus Esprit S4
Pre-sale estimate: £10,000 – £12,000
While the likes of Senna and Mansell were winning Grands Prix in black and gold cigarette packets, the engineers at Lotus were busy tweaking one of the most iconic supercars of all time. The Esprit S4 is an iteration that kept all the lessons from that track and fixed (almost) all the foibles of the previous Esprits. Keeping it lightweight meant the engine was not a monster either, keeping running costs down, although occasional repairs are almost inevitable on such a fragile thoroughbred. But, for an estimate starting at just £10k, you can enjoy roadholding like no other while watching the jaws of onlookers hit the ground almost as quickly as you get to 60mph, in between trips to the garage where you may quickly learn the mechanics’ names.. and favourite tipples.
VW Camper Type 2
Pre-sale estimate: £9,000 – £10,000
Has there been a more often yearned-for vehicle than the ever-useful and super-cute VW Type 2 Campervan? As the rising values of these sought-after original Type 2s generates debate across pub lounges as much as used car forecourts it’s safe to say it’ll be a good idea to buy while there are still a few around. This one showed an estimate of £9k – £10k. We think it’s safe to say that after a few years of enjoying the freedom of a home from home, alongside simple mechanicals that your mate with the metal toolkit can fix, you will end up with a vehicle still worth at least what you paid for it. Plus, there’ll be a load of great photographs of you with your ‘van to clog up your social media timelines with for years to come. Can they throw in an overly-energetic dog and a couple of surfboards too?
Triumph Stag
Pre-sale estimate: £7,000 – £9,000
One of the most surprising things about the super-macho Triumph Stag was just how many were available at this price in the auction. In fact, this splendid red example with a proper manual gearbox had an estimate of £7k – £9k and so was by far the most expensive – with three more in the pre-sale catalogue jostling for position with estimates ranging from £2k – £6k. Now that the Stag is priced like a fawn, isn’t it time for you to put the chest wig on and listen to the warbling exhaust with the roof down?
Jaguar XJS V12 Cabrio
Pre-sale estimate: £4,500 – £5,500
Let’s tick some boxes. Bear with us, there are quite a few… Jaguar badge – yep. Huge V12 engine – of course. Silky automatic ‘box – naturally. Soft top and integrated removable sunroof – all present. XJC number plate – sure. Massive price tag – er… not quite. Staggeringly, this carwas expected to make just £5k. Although details on this majestic Brit are a bit thin on the ground we can not think of a more amazing car to cruise around in than this beautiful 31-year-old from Coventry, with a willingness to go topless.
Porsche 944S
Pre-sale estimate: £3,500 – £4,500
With more Porsche 924 and 944 examples in the ACA’s classic car auction than you can schüttel ein stick at, this was the pick of the crop; and yet the estimate still barely reaches the sum usually reserved for a motorcycle rather than a car – let alone a Porsche. This one has been subject to an insurance claim but that was back in 1991 when it was just three years old and Kylie & Jason were stealing hearts, so we’re sure it’s been sorted by now, especially as the current owner clearly likes to keep it tip-top with £1,200 spent to get it ready to sell. That’s clearly saved you the job of post-auction roadworthiness-ing and you can concentrate on blasting around the countryside in your iconic German sports car.
Bentley T1
Pre-sale estimate: £2,750 – £3,000
With an interior akin to a luxury yacht and a grill that makes it clear to people you need them to get out of your way, the Bentley T1has been an icon for over 45 years. With this example being in the hands of its current owner longer than Google has existed you know it’s not had a patchy history, and so for an estimate of up to £3,000 you could own what could possibly end up being the most luxurious car you’ll ever have the pleasure of driving. Really, what else would you rather buy for under £3,000? How much more kudos could that possibly buy? Well, actually, the next car may surprise you…
Rolls Royce Silver Shadow
Pre-sale estimate: £2,000 – £3,000
We had to check this one a few times. Surely the pinnacle of marques to name-drop, or to proudly display on your key fob, this Rolls Royceis expected to cost less money than a week-long family holiday to a UK woodland-based holiday park. There are a couple of niggles, but the car is road legal and has been driven from Hull to the auction house. A dozen weddingslater and not only would the car have paid for itself, you could be making a profit. When this car was new, there’s no way anyone would believe you’d see it with this estimate.