Big bargains: used gems from the past 25 years

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7 mins read

11 November 2025

The last 25 years have brought us some of the most influential cars in modern motordom.

While they might not be the fastest or indeed the best machines yet, they’ve had a cultural or technological impact on the car industry that cannot be overlooked.

These cars have morphed into brilliant used buys: there's performance car bargains, value-for-money supercars and cheap all-rounders that will do it all.

Stay with us as we share some top tips on how to buy some of the best cars of the last quarter century.

Mini hatch

BMW's reincarnation of the storied Mini hatchback is the ideal choice for any savvy shopper on the hunt for a fun, warmed-up supermini. Fine handling, precise steering and a torquey 1.6-litre engine can cost from as little as £500, although buying a Cooper or Cooper S for anything less than a grand will tie you to high mileage examples with plenty of battle scars.

Rusty sills are common, and clutches can wear prematurely. Watch out for oil leaks from the valve cover gasket and oil pan gasket. The R53 Cooper S is a real hoot on a rural back road; its Eaton supercharger boosts power to 163bhp, which is a full 48bhp more than the standard Cooper.

Even today a good example feels incisive, agile and quick, and it was something of an underdog in the early-noughties hot hatch class. You can snap up a tidy Cooper S for around £2500, but be wary of high mileages and find one with a strong MOT and service history. Make sure the supercharger has been serviced with new drive belts, and watch out for overheating. The more hardcore John Cooper Works GPs have rightfully gained modern classic status, and as a result prices for those start from around £12,000. Worth every penny, though.

Aston Martin DB9

A V12 grand tourer for a few quid more than a new Dacia Spring? Okay, buying a leggy Aston Martin DB9 is a bit of a gamble, but low-mileage cars are still good value at around £25,000.

Watch for corrosion on the wheel arches and opt for the reliable auto 'box because the manual's clutch will only last around 20,000 miles.

Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG

The 458 below is on the brink of collector's item status, but the SLS may well be there already.

Rag-tops are cheaper, but it's the coupé you want. They cost from about £150k, but rarer colours and lower miles can drive the price closer to £200k. The 6.2-litre 563bhp atmo V8 is highly strung but robust. Make sure the DCT 'box has had a software update to iron out the slow shifts that affected early cars and steer clear of cars fitted with expensive carbon-ceramic brakes.

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Ferrari 458 Italia

If you want Maranello's hedonistic naturally aspirated V8 supercar in your garage, you better strike now because the 458 is tipped to become a modern classic in years to come.

A budget of around £120,000 is enough for an immaculate example with a full service history. The Getrag dual-clutch automatic 'box should deliver razor-sharp gearchanges, so watch for missing gears or jerky shifts on a test drive.

Corrosion on the wheel arches isn't uncommon, and if buying a drop-top 458 Spider, make sure the roof doesn't jam open.

Ford Fiesta

With a stylish exterior, excellent ergonomics and class-leading dynamics, Ford's vivacious little supermini neatly balances deft handling with a supple ride.

As one of Britain's best-selling cars, the classifieds are abundant with examples of varying age, condition and price. The 1.0-litre Ecoboost (available with 98bhp, 123bhp and 138bhp) is a brilliant little engine that's peppy, efficient and characterful, but it's tarnished by wet belt issues and coolant leaks. Aim for a low-miler with a solid service history.

Fiat 500

The Fiat 500 brought the ailing Italian brand back from the brink when it was launched in 2008 the model won the hearts of more than three million buyers worldwide thanks to its retro charm.

Prices for our pick - the characterful 900cc Twinair - start from around £1200, and the classifieds are packed full of cars with bright colours, liveries and strong kit rosters.

Rolls-Royce Phantom

Once a £215,000 stately home on wheels, the Rolls-Royce Phantom VII is now a bargain super-luxury super-saloon that can be found being offered for sale for less than £50,000. Ride and refinement are second to none, and even well-used examples feel as opulent inside as a modern-day Range Rover.

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Avoid high-milers and ensure any car you buy has a full service history. Maintenance costs and parts can be astronomically expensive, with some engine repairs costing up to £9000.

Nissan Qashqai

This SUV-cum-hatchback sparked the crossover revolution and became Britain's favourite car. The classifieds are full of tired-looking, sub-£1500 early examples that look rather dated nowadays, so we would opt for a facelifted car from 2010, one of which will cost upwards of £2500.

Older cars suffer from shock absorber failure, and clutches don't last very long, so shop with care. Rain leaks into the cabin are common, and clogged diesel particulate filters can taint the popular 1.5-litre dCi.

Volkswagen Golf

As hatchbacks go, the Golf is the out-and-out leader when it comes to build quality, refinement, space and practicality.

Factor in its user-friendly technology and strong ergonomics and it's easy to see why this multi-talented Volkswagen is so popular. It also caters to a broad range of buyers: the GTI is a superb all-rounder, being both fast and relatively frugal, while the lower-powered petrols make everyday commutes efficient and hassle-free. Diesels are best for those who cover big miles, and many cost only £20 to tax.

BMW 3 Series

The 'all-rounder' moniker is bandied around rather nonchalantly, but for the G20 BMW 3 Series it couldn't be more apt.

While many will gravitate towards the refined and abstemious 320d oil-burner, the 330e plug-in hybrid is a tempting alternative thanks to its 37-mile electric range. Keen drivers will be drawn to either of the two six-cylinder options, which also get four-wheel drive.

The B58-powered, 369bhp M340i petrol is fast and acceptably frugal and handles beautifully, but the less powerful but more torquey M340d diesel is just as entertaining. You can buy one for less than £10,000, and overall reliability is good. Diesels can be knocked back by timing chain-, and EGR-related DPFproblems, while infotainment glitches and oil leaks aren't uncommon.

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Tesla Model 3

High-mileage Tesla Model 3s can already be found for less than £10,000, but you can pick up a well-maintained dual-motor Long Range, which can travel up to 348 miles on a full charge, for around £17,000.

Software glitches are common, and the build quality on early examples is poor, so check the standard of the paintwork and consistency of the panel gaps. Battery degradation is unavoidable, so charge to 80% where you can in order to boost longevity.

Bentley Bentayga

While the 600bhp W12 can now be found on sale for a smidge under £50,000, its 18mpg, £760 yearly road tax and significant annual servicing costs make it hard to justify in (relatively) conventional used car buying terms. The rich and characterful W12 engine suits the opulent Crewe-made SUV, but the silky-smooth 4.0-litre V8 diesel is by far the better buy and it produces the same amount of torque as the W12 anyway.

If petrol is more your thing, the 543bhp 4.0-litre V8 is widely available and, thanks to its cylinder deactivation technology, is surprisingly efficient. It's not too expensive to tax, either. The diesel is cheaper to run (35mpg and £190 road tax), but just be wary of cars that have been used mainly for short hops, because EGR valve failures and clogged DPFs are common. Walk away if you feel any vibrations under load: this could spell issues with the dual-mass flywheel or the torque converter in the eight-speed automatic gearbox.

Supple ride comfort is one of the Bentayga's hallmarks, so make sure the air suspension is free of any unusual noises and the adjustable ride height operates consistently; the struts can leak and can cost anywhere between £1200 and £2000 to replace.

Jaguar I-Pace

Value for money is high on the agenda when it comes to used I-Paces. Software gremlins and water ingress are its main foibles, and watch for dodgy charging ports refusing to unlock cables.

The I-Pace is one of the more engaging electric SUVs you can buy: it's quick, poised and, thanks to adaptive suspension, comfortable. A to 200-250-mile real-world range is achievable, and the cabin is pure luxury, with high-quality materials and crisp touchscreens.

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Land Rover Defender

Mightily impressive off road, suave and sophisticated on it: the reimagined Defender is one of the most versatile 4x4s you can buy, and you can snap one up for around £35,000. Spend £50k and you'll get a 90 or 110 with a better service history and fewer miles under its wheels.

Later D250 and D350 diesels are more reliable and suit the Defender's character and find a car with adaptive dampers if you can, because these add an extra layer of ride comfort.

Kia EV6

The 577bhp dual-motor EV6 GT is the enthusiast's choice, but for everyday use the EV6 has greater appeal in rear-wheel-drive form.

"One of the most engaging-handling family EVs of the moment," we said of the EV6 GT-Line RWD, when we road tested it in 2022. The EV6 also has ultra-fast charging speeds, a spacious interior and a decent real-world range. Prices start from around £16,000.

Sam Phillips

Title: Staff Writer

Sam joined the Autocar team in summer 2024 and has been a contributor since 2021. He is tasked with writing used reviews and first drives as well as updating top 10s and evergreen content on the Autocar website.

He previously led sister-title Move Electric, which covers the entire spectrum of electric vehicles, from cars to boats – and even trucks. He is an expert in new car news, used cars, electric cars, microbility, classic cars and motorsport.

Sam graduated from Nottingham Trent University in 2021 with a BA in Journalism. In his final year he produced an in-depth feature on the automotive industry’s transition to electric cars and interviewed a number of leading experts to assess our readiness for the impending ban on the sale of petrol and diesel cars.