Inflation busters: top used cars for tough times

So if you want that new car smell, you will need at least £12,595 to bag a Dacia Sandero or a chunky deposit to climb aboard the easy payments train. But it doesn’t have to be like that. In truth, there has been a cost of living crisis for decades, to varying degrees, but all the while Bangernomics has been fighting against it.

There has been a noticeable bangerflation just recently, so a couple of hundred quid won’t get you much with an MOT anymore, but it’s still possible to buy something interesting and useful for less than a new car deposit – if you know where to look. Here are my three top sub-£3000 choices in each category – and a trio for the gamblers among you:

Kia Picanto 2004-2011

The Picanto is a corker of a tiny car: a five-door hatchback with lots of charm, equipment and, best of all, reliability, not to mention 57mpg. A slight price spike comes with 2008 models, due to a restyling. Its safety rating is only average, but that’s not a deal-breaker. There’s not much in it between the 1.0-litre and 1.1-litre petrol engines. The specs are confusing, but LX and SE provide most of what you want. Beware of oil leaks; loosening crankshaft-retaining bolts are the most serious issue, often arising if the car has missed services.

ONE WE FOUND: 2006 Kia Picanto 1.1 LX, 64,000 miles, £989

This is the big-headlights Fiesta. Like the previous models, it’s fun to drive. It had a spruce-up inside and out in 2005, but that made little difference. There’s a baffling number of specs, but Zetec will do the trick for most. The 1.4-litre is probably the best petrol and gets a decent 40mpg; the 1.4-litre diesel delivers 60mpg. Watch for oil leaks, especially on diesels, ECU failure and broken heaters.

ONE WE FOUND: 2005 Ford Fiesta 1.4 Flame 5dr, 85,000 miles, £700

Better decades late than never, right? Certainly so in this case. The 1.2-litre petrol is good, the 1.3-litre diesel is 65mpg great. Dynamic trim gets a CD player and even air con. Buy a Skydome just for the name, never mind the sunroof. Splitting/sliding rear seats appeal too. The suspension dampers, clutch master cylinder and power steering are your main worries.

ONE WE FOUND: 2005 Fiat Panda 1.1 Active, 49,000 miles, £995

Vauxhall Insignia Sports Tourer 2009-2017

This is refined, comfortable and practical enough, if not quite as spacious as the old Vectra. Standard kit is comprehensive across the eight trim levels. Company car drivers bought Tech Line models with all the fancy Bluetooth and DAB. The 2.0-litre diesel is the one to buy. Beware dual-mass flywheel failure, dashboard gremlins and power steering leaks.

ONE WE FOUND: 2011 Vauxhall Insignia Sports Tourer 2.0 CDTi SRi, 105,000 miles, £2495

This massive Mondeo has a very large luggage area, flat and wide, with no loading lip. This is boosted by folding the rear seats down, plus there was the option of a cargo net and a sliding floor, both of which are worth finding. Buy a 2.0-litre petrol if your miles are low, a 2.0-litre diesel otherwise. It was restyled a bit in 2010. Watch out for air-con failure, remote locking problems, minor ECU glitches and electrical issues.

ONE WE FOUND: 2008 Ford Mondeo Estate 2.0 TDCi Titanium, 115,000 miles, £2500

The Passat became bigger than ever before in its sixth generation, and with this growth came a bewildering number of engines. The 1.9-litre diesel remains the go-to option, while the turbo petrols are the ULEZ-safe plays. The estate made a perfect company car, which is why some caution is always required when it’s time to buy. Be on guard for oil pump failure, ECU failure (especially after water leaks into the cabin), electrical faults and a flat battery.

ONE WE FOUND: 2007 Volkswagen Passat Estate 2.0 TDI SE, 113,000 miles, £2695

Mitsubishi Shogun Pinin 2000-2005

This pocket-sized Shogun was designed by the Italians and engineered by the Japanese, so it offers the best of both worlds. It’s small, yes, but it’s as big as a decent supermini inside, so it’s day-to-day practical. The GDI petrol engines (1.8-litre and later 2.0-litre) are very efficient, returning MPG figures in the early 30s. It dives in and out of potholes but is pretty good in the dirt. The Shogun Pinin is very reliable too, although sourcing body parts is a problem, as is some rust.

ONE WE FOUND: 2002 Mitsubishi Shogun Pinin 2.0 GDI Elegance, 65,000 miles, £2495

The Mk3 Vitara was softened up to be more road friendly as out went the separate chassis, but it’s still something of a tough nut compared with the many style-over-content 4x4s out there. There are both 3dr and 5dr models, but Suzuki never bothered with a multi-seat option. Electronic roadholding upgrades and perkier engines came in 2009 for a more sophisticated drive (shown by an SZ badge). A reliable buy; just check the brakes and suspension.

ONE WE FOUND: 2009 Suzuki Grand Vitara 2.4 VVT SZ3, 85,000 miles, £2390

The Sorento is the king of the budget big 4x4s that are tough and reliable. Choose between a 2.5-litre diesel and a 3.5-litre petrol, depending on your day-to-day running allowance. The four-wheel drive system varies between the variants, going from part-time to full-time. The Sorento offers good basic specifications, but overall it’s a no-brainer full size off-road banger package. There was a revamp of equipment and engines in 2006. Watch for wear and tear issues and test the suspension and brakes.

ONE WE FOUND: 2005 Kia Sorento 2.5 CRDi XS, 77,000 miles, £2000

Toyota Corolla 2002-2007

This was the last banger gasp of the Corolla legend – the Mk10, no less. There were 1.4-litre, 1.6-litre and 1.8-litre petrol engines and two diesels (both 2.0-litre), plus a Verso MPV flavour too. A 2004 revamp made it look even duller and along came a 1.4-litre diesel to replace the 2.0-litre unit. Recalls are related to airbags they didn’t make. Otherwise, just check the usual worn-out parts such as brakes, bushes and tyres, caused by multiple owners and neglect.

ONE WE FOUND: 2004 Toyota Corolla 1.6 VVT-i Colour Collection, 110,000 miles, £999

The Astra was still pretty good in its fifth generation. The pick of the bunch is the 1.6-litre petrol as an all-rounder or the 1.7-litre Ecoflex diesel if you do big miles. There have been engine issues, but these should have been sorted out by recall and natural selection at this point. Look for oil leaks, caused by a failing crankshaft oil seal. Otherwise, it’s worn suspension bushes, rusting turrets and niggles with electricals (such as the lights, wipers and locks) to worry about.

ONE WE FOUND: 2006 Vauxhall Astra 1.6i Elite, 102,000 miles, £650

The Mk2 Focus was more of the same all-round excellence but in a less striking body. It’s roomy, rather than having anything really clever seat wise. It’s straightforward to fix and easy to live with. And it’s certainly frugal, as even the small petrol gets 42mpg and the diesel 20mpg more. It was revamped in 2008, when Ford went down the 70mpg-plus Econetic route. There are no serious issues, save for wear and tear plus suspension and brake niggles. It needs regular servicing.

ONE WE FOUND: 2008 Ford Focus 1.6 Zetec Climate, 121,000 miles, £995

Kia Sedona 2006-2012

The second-generation Sedona was solid, sensible and actually smaller than the original. Its seven seats aren’t especially clever, although they still slide and recline like before, plus there’s the walk-through section in the centre, like on a plane. The 2.9-litre diesel often gets used as a minicab, so be cautious about those. On the whole, the Sedona is very reliable. Just check for serious wear and tear and the condition of the brakes and suspension.

ONE WE FOUND: 2008 Kia Sedona 2.9 CRDi GS, 118,000 miles, £2490

The Previa is one of those actual legends: a super-sized MPV that seats up to eight people and will just keep on working for the family. It came as a 2.4-litre petrol or, from 2002, a 2.0-litre diesel. Reclining and sliding rear seats feature and give you the option of a double bed. Mostly this is the best big family MPV. Just watch for wear and tear problems with the tyres, suspension bushes and brake components. Smoky tired diesels, too.

ONE WE FOUND: 2004 Toyota Previa 2.0 D-4D T3, 123,000 miles, £2990

This is the MPV that looks like the Ford Galaxy and Volkswagen Sharan but is actually neither. It comes with the German’s better engines; diesel is the sensible option. The seats fold down and are removable if you’re strong enough to hoof the old things out. The front ones on some models do the swivelling captain thing. It’s pretty tough overall as a banger buy, but watch out for oil leaks, turbo wear, MOT-failing structural rust, corroded brake pipes, air-con on the blink and failing gearboxes.

ONE WE FOUND: 2007 Seat Alhambra 2.0 TDI Reference, 113,000 miles, £2995

Range Rover 1994-2002

The P38A-generation Range Rover doesn’t have the best reputation for reliability, and it absolutely needs looking after. It suits V8 power, and the bigger 4.6-litre unit is best. For economy reasons, it’s the 2.5-litre diesel, which got a power boost in 1999. There was a cosmetic overhaul in 2000. Seek decent HSE spec and possibly a Vogue or Vogue SE. Faults? Leaking air suspension, weak ABS pumps, and oil and coolant leaks.

ONE WE FOUND: 2001 Range Rover 4.6 V8 Vogue, 152,000 miles, £2000

Incredibly, the 1007 isn’t a Bond car – unless, that is, he makes it to retirement. By then, he will find the electric sliding doors a boon – or broken. Yes, the unintended core market for this idiosyncratic supermini was OAPs. Go for the semi-automatic for the full immersive retirement experience. It’s a heavy little bus, so the smaller engines (1.4-litre and 1.6-litre petrols) have a harder time, meaning more wear and tear. Avoid the 64mpg diesels, which have failing timing belts.

ONE WE FOUND: 2006 Peugeot 1007 1.4 Dolce, 52,000 miles, £1795

As the name obliquely suggests, this MPV was one of three – see also the Fiat Ulysse and Peugeot 806. It’s essentially a box with seats, which went from six to seven and eventually eight depending on the model. All were upgraded for 1998, and overall the specification was fine, even though this was the cheapie of all the family van versions. There are few around now, and many of them are quite tired. Watch for leaking coolant, clutch failure, ECU issues and MOT-failure levels of rust.

ONE WE FOUND: 2001 Citroën Synergie 2.0i SX, 117,000 miles, £750

Audi TT Roadster 1999-2006

Chopping the roof off the TT worked well. Your choice here is over the state of tune for the 1.8-litre turbo petrol engine and whether or not four-wheel drive is required. There was the option of a 3.2 V6, too, and sporty S Line spec. The manual fabric hood is easy to use and there’s a glass electronic wind deflector, which is useful. The ignition packs aren’t great. Check the ECU, brakes, bodywork and hood for damage.

ONE WE FOUND: 2004 Audi TT Roadster 1.8T, 100,000 miles, £1500

Being based on the original Ka, the StreetKa isn’t just a cheeky fashionable drop-top but also fun to chuck around and powered by a perky 1.6 Duratec engine. It’s all topped off with a fabric roof that takes about 30 seconds to pack away behind the metal cover. There’s lots of basic equipment, while Luxury trim delivers leather and a heated screen. Neglect, rust, corroded brake lines and a smoking engine may kill it.

ONE WE FOUND: 2003 Ford StreetKa 1.6i Luxury, 67,000 miles, £995

It’s like Toyota copied the MGF and made it better, apart from the luggage space, because there isn’t very much of that at all. More importantly, putting the MR2’s hood down is a flick of the wrist from the driver’s seat – an absolute doddle. Plus, it has a proper heated glass window. It even has air-con, which is great if you have the optional hard top. It’s reliable and will take a ton of abuse.

ONE WE FOUND: 2001 Toyota MR2 1.8 VVTi Hardtop, 78,000 miles, £995

Rover 75 1999-2005

The 75 was the best Rover saloon since the rebadged Honda ones, a BMW-backed retro reimagining of what a retired colonel drove in 1955. It offers three petrols and a diesel and carefully crafted trim levels. Avoid the K-series for its head gasket issues and the 2.0-litre V6s because they’re uninspiring. The diesel is probably the pick of the bunch and will get you 48mpg. Watch for rotten sills and wheel arches and corroded suspension; a blown head gasket or diesel pump failure is major grief.

ONE WE FOUND: 2005 Rover 75 2.0 CDTi Connoisseur, 105,000 miles, £1695

Here’s a Vectra with executive ambitions and determined to put the CEO in the huge back seat. Nobody really understood the Signum, though, so very few bought it. It was all about the Flexspace system, meaning you could have five or ideally four passengers in sliding and flipping seats. It was revamped for 2005 with better engines and, yes, there’s a V6. Be on the lookout for smoky worn diesel engines, and all the electric gadgets will need checking.

ONE WE FOUND: 2004 Vauxhall Signum 2.0 DTi Elite, 59,000 miles, £2195

The looks don’t matter, because it’s still a Jag. First of all, it came with a 3.0-litre V6 and a 4.0-litre V8, which are all it needed to move around. A diesel V6 arrived in 2004, after a mild facelift, so that it made company car sense. It’s comfy, easy to operate and pretty quick when required. Take advantage of its unlovedness. Listen for V8 timing-chain tensioners. Check for rust. Suspension parts are pricey.

ONE WE FOUND: 2001 Jaguar S-Type 3.0 V6, 95,000 miles, £1450

Skoda Octavia 2004-2012

The Octavia is spacious and useful. That’s all you really need to know. There was a very broad range, from high-performance vRS models to the super-eco-friendly Greenlines. All are cheap and simple to service. There was a styling revamp in 2009, so prices rise there. It has always been a popular choice as a diesel taxi, like many Skodas, so avoid buying a worn out one. Check electricals such as the climate control, ABS and ESP sensors and the ECU.

ONE WE FOUND: 2008 Skoda Octavia 2.0 TDI Elegance, 122,000 miles, £1995

The Accord has always been a proper quality package. This seventh-generation model is safe, well made and always going to work, provided that it’s looked after. Buyers were delivered a diesel in 2004, which means a solid 50mpg; otherwise, the petrols are fine if you’re only pottering about. This is a luxury car but in a modest package and a perfect used buy. Rare faults can afflict the ABS sensors and the wheel bearings.

ONE WE FOUND: 2006 Honda Accord 2.0 VTEC SE, 101,000 miles, £1795

The second-generation Mazda 6 is a handsome old thing. The saloon was cancelled in 2009, but the hatchback and estate continued until 2012. Aim for either the 1.8-litre petrol or the 2.0-litre diesel and TS2 spec. That should be everything a Mazda driver needs. An update in 2010 brought a better diesel and a fuel-efficient 2.0-litre petrol. These later cars seem to be ultra-reliable, which is good. Still, it’s best to check for leaking air-con and the short recall history, especially on petrols.

ONE WE FOUND: 2008 Mazda 6 2.0 TS, 144,000 miles, £1593