Autocar’s guide to spending the average Christmas budget

My garage is a single-walled wooden structure, and has draughty spots in several places: nowhere more so than the entire side open to the elements. I’d like to fill that, insulate and panel the inside, install an antique wood burner in the corner, fit some shelves, a new (old) bench and vice, re-paint the floor and fit more pleasing lights, so it looks as good as the old bikes I’d like to work on in there. I guess £473 would get me most of the materials. Next Christmas, I’ll ask for the time and skills to do it. 

James Ruppert, used car correspondent

You can never own enough cars and there are loads to choose from, even when there’s less than a monkey to spend. What I adore about the BMW Compact is that you could still effectively buy an E30 as late as 2001. It did have E36 trimmings, front end and a 1980s headlight knob, but what a stunted little star it was back in the 1990s. Still works for me and I found a 2001 1.8i model for just £450, so there is £23 to put in the tank. There is a shortish MOT, but enough to get us into 2019

Mike Duff, contributing editor

A quick trawl of the classifieds reveals little but dross for our Christmas budget: would you really want a 188,000-mile Golf TDI with rusty arches under the tree? So instead I’m going to have a proper experience, because nothing blows away the winter blues better than a blast in an open sports car. A Squeezyjet return from Luton to Inverness is as little as £40 in early December and a Seven SV rented from Highland Caterham Hire near Nairn is £210 for a day, which includes 120 miles - enough for a return trip to Ballater via Grantown and Tomintoul. I’d spend the rest on a nice B&B and some warming meals. 

Colin Goodwin, special correspondent

A Christmas present to me from me? That doesn’t sound much like the giving spirit. The answer is simple: I shall take a bunch of pals to Buckmore Park in Kent for a bit of karting. I used to race my own kart at Buckmore in the 1990s and it’s a great track. I’ve made enquiries and Buckmore will for £473 put seven bums in its 390cc four-stroke karts for a 30-minute endurance race. My wrists will be shot after quarter of an hour so a short race is fine. We’ll be competing against up to another 28 drivers, so it will be great fun.

Matt Saunders, road test editor

This sort of cash might buy you a day in a supercar, or a bit longer in a rented sports car, but what I’m suggesting will help you get more out of every drive you take. A budget of £473 is just enough to buy you one of Don Palmer’s Car Control courses (donpalmer.co.uk). I’ve met Don a few times, since we occasionally used to share track space with him at Bruntingthorpe airfield. And although I haven’t been instructed by him directly, I’ve seen him in action and heard many good reports about his tuition. How could anyone fail to enjoy a day with a bloke who teaches you how to drive sideways? 

If you’ve got a bit more budget to throw at the same kind of exercise, I can personally recommend the instruction of motoring writer and historics racer Mark Hales. who, in partnership with Palmer, offers a two-day Masterclass course for £1995. Hales made me think completely differently about circuit driving and to apply a new level of mental rigour to it. 

So go on: go the whole hog and ruin four Christmases for the family. It’ll be worth it.

Richard Bremner, senior contributing editor

Although I already have 13 cars – many non-runners simply because I’m the world’s worst fleet manager – finding a 14th would be irresistible. As I write, there are 245 cars on eBay with a ‘buy it now’ price of £473 or less, my front runners including a rare French limited edition from the early 1990s, an exotic Japanese coupé and an Italian hatchback with eight spark plugs, black leather and a dying alternator.