Either join the queue, be at the mercy of timetables and share your ride with lots of other people or do Bangernomics – the science of buying and running an old car for next to nothing.

And you can find good cars for the price of a pricey bus season ticket: £2000. Now is the perfect time to plot and research your next purchase so you can pounce as soon as Covid-19 restrictions are lifted - or even before that now that so many used car retailers have perfected 'contactless' sales.

We’ll show you how to pick a motor that’ll be safe, practical and reliable – no matter your meagre budget, circumstances or requirements. We’ll also prove that it’s possible to have fun – because if buying a banger doesn’t involve having a laugh, you’re doing something wrong: