At the last count Volkswagen had five SUVs in its ranks but, if you ignore its R and GTI models, no traditional sports cars. Rewind to 1989 and the company had no SUVs but two sports cars: the Scirocco and Corrado.  Volkswagen Corrado, £6000: Today the Corrado, which was dropped in 1995, three years after the Scirocco, is the more sought-after, but either in good nick is worth having.  The 2.9 VR6 is the most plentiful Corrado, and prices begin at £3000 for a high-miler. The potent 1.8 G60 is rare, partly because its supercharger had a tendency to self-destruct. The 1.8 16v and 2.0 16v versions were the bread and butter but again, few remain. That said, we found a 1990 1.8 16v with 82,000 miles and full service history for £6440.  The remaining model is the 2.0 8v. Like most eight-valve engines of the time, its power was more immediate than the peakier 16-valve’s. To our delight we stumbled across a one-owner, 1996 2.0 8v with 54,000 miles and full service history (22 service stamps in the book) for £6000.  What to check? A faulty idle stabilisation control valve can cause erratic tickover (replacements are available). With the gearbox still cold, we’d feel for graunchy first and second gear selection. On the test drive, we’d expect some looseness from droplinks and suspension arms.  More serious is the threat of rust. Front wings and sills corrode, although the seller claims the bodywork is in good condition. Fortunately, the headlights and foglights look clear – replacement units are rare and expensive. Finally, we’d check the dynamic spoiler rises and falls, and inside, that the round heating dials aren’t broken.  Perhaps not Chrysler’s finest hour, but today, with the sun blazing, this Sebring cabrio is tempting. It’s a genuine four-seater, too. The 2008/08-reg car has done 67,000 miles. There’s no mention of service history, but it looks pretty straight. : Vauxhall’s trail-blazing plug-in hybrid could travel 33.4 miles on electric power. Using its 148bhp 1.4 engine and regen assistance, it returned 54.2mpg overall. This 2012-reg Electron version has done 78,000 miles. New, it cost £31k post-grant. Here’s a rare thing: a rust-free Lancia – and what a pretty one it is. So many Betas have been scrapped that this 50k-mile 1983 example is gold dust. It’s a left-hooker but that just makes it more authentic and all the excuse you need to have that Riviera holiday.  If Andrew Frankel’s V12 tribute got you thinking, why not try your luck with this? It’s a 1990/G with 78k miles, restored in ’07. It’s just had a gearbox and oil service, plugs and fuel pipes. It’s just been Waxoyled, so check there’s no rust underneath. Auction watch  In case you’re wondering, yes, this 911 has had a new intermediate shaft bearing. The 996 of 1998-2004 has such a poor reputation – in particular pre-facelift cars such as this one – that without it, it would probably have been knocked down at least by the price of the bearing job, not to mention a rear main seal (which can also let go). The car showed 85,000 miles, was registered in 1999 and sold or £10,000. Its four previous owners seem to have taken care of it, if the 12 service stamps plus sundry later service receipts are anything to go by.  Future classic Everyone raves about its sister car, the Mazda MX-5, but the chances are that the Abarth 124 Spider will be the one people pay a premium for in years to come. Its 168bhp 1.4 MultiAir turbo develops maximum power earlier than the 2.0-litre unit in the Mazda, so you don’t have to wring its neck anything like as hard. There’s a sports exhaust, Brembo brakes, Bilstein dampers and a limited-slip diff, too, but it’s the car’s Italian associations and its exclusivity that will attract future enthusiasts. And the fact that it isn’t an MX-5.  Clash of the classifieds Brief: Find me my first EV for less than £7k. Toylander Land Rover Series I, £4150 Max Adams: Oh, crikey Mark. You appear to have taken John’s words way too literally and gone for something only a five-year-old can drive.  Mark Pearson: John said to find him “my first EV”, so what we have here is a wonderful homage to the Series 1 Land Rover, beautifully made and fully electric, brand new and ideal for a spot of (very) light off-roading. It’s got lights, a folding windscreen, even a tow hook for a small trailer.  MA: That’s not a proper car. My Leaf, on the other hand, was praised for being as much when it came out back in 2013. You can put five real people in it, and it has a decent-sized boot. Plus my 24kWh example has a range of about 100 miles, not 10 laps of the back garden.  MP: Have you driven that generation of Leaf? You wouldn’t want to go 100 miles in it, believe me. You’d be happy to attend any fifth birthday party in my Landie, though, or be dropped off outside nursery or the local zoo. And what better way to acquire the necessary off-road skills a budding young farmer will need as he or she grows? 
Origin: Buy them before we do: second-hand picks for 23 August

If you think today’s 8 Series is an eyeful, its forebear of 1990 to 1999 made an even bigger splash. We found a 1999-reg 840Ci Sport, the version with the later 4.4-litre V8 engine that arrived in 1995.  BMW 840Ci, £2995: It has done 100,000 miles and costs just £2995. It must be whiffy at that money and there’s certainly no mention of service history. Still, it could be worth a punt…  The 4.0-litre motor, the 4.4’s predecessor, suffered problems with its Nikasil bore liners. Most cars were repaired under warranty and the rest scrapped, so if you find one, it’s likely to be okay and they can be cheap.  We spotted a 1994-reg 4.0-litre with 140,000 miles for £5600. It’s not as cheap as our £2995 4.4-litre find, but in 2006 it had a new engine at a cost of £11,000. It has since had a gearbox rebuild (£2500) and a diff rebuild (£1000).  If you want a V12 engine, then there’s the 850i and later 850Ci, and the more powerful 850CSi. We saw a 1993-reg 850Ci with 118,000 miles for £12,995. If you can find one, a good CSi can be as much as £60,000.  But back to that cheap-as-chips 4.4-litre 840Ci. If we were serious, we’d like to know the timing chain tensioner had been replaced. Then we’d look for smoke on start-up and on the overrun, suggesting problems ranging from poor fuelling to worn piston rings. Next, we’d want to be sure the temperature gauge was sitting properly and would be worried if the diff was noisy because parts are hard to source. Rust can break out on the jacking points and rear wheel arches, so we’d check these, too.  “Don’t buy this A3 if you’re expecting an entertaining drive,” our 2003 review concluded. Not this particular example (a 2004-reg with 98,000 miles) but the model in general. That conclusion still stands but we’re willing to make allowances at this price.  The Bocanegra isn’t the sharpest hot hatch, but with 178bhp, it can rattle off 0-62mph in 7.2sec. It’s rare but we found this 2010-reg with 68,000 miles. It has a seven-speed DSG auto and Seat’s XDS system that mimics a limited-slip diff, both standard kit.  Rover Coupé 1.8 VVC, £1795: Here’s a rare thing: a Tomcat free of rust. At least, that’s what the seller says. They also say it has a huge service history and recent work includes a new timing belt and water pump, and a rebuilt head. It’s a 1998 car that has done 102,000 miles. They don’t make ’em like this any more… The CE is a wonderful-looking motor and built like a battleship, although front wings and undersides can rot. Fortunately, this one, a 1989- reg with 66,000 miles and full Merc service history, looks to be pristine. Auction watch Cars like this Mk2 CR-X (the model was produced from 1988 to 1991) make you wonder where Honda’s mojo has been hiding all these years. It was an exquisite thing that came in 1.5, 1.6 16v and 1.6 VTEC forms. This one, a 1990 1.6 16v with just 46,000 miles and described as being in very good condition, made £6216 at auction.  Meanwhile, if you’ve another £1500 to invest, there’s an unmolested and rust-free 1991-reg 1.6 VTEC with 100,000 miles, and a new cambelt and water pump, going for £7750 in the small ads. Good VTECs are rare, so it’s worth checking out.  Future classic It’s a brave person (or idiot) who proposes an X-Type as a future classic but one day, when all Jags are electrified, XJSs have crumbled to dust and all the E-Types are locked in strong rooms, Jaguar’s orphan motor may just have its day. Not all versions, obviously, but possibly ones like this 3.0 V6 Sovereign estate. The 230bhp V6 is good for 0-62mph in 7.3sec and Sovereign spec brings proper Jag kit, including leather, walnut veneer, powered seats and climate control. Our 2005 car has done 42,000 miles and has full Jaguar service history.  Clash of the classifieds Brief: I want a fun yet small automatic car for £6000 or less. 2005 Mini Cooper S Convertible, £4995 2007 Chrysler Crossfire 3.2 Roadster, £5950 Max Adams: Let’s face it: small, fun cars are a bit of a Mini speciality, and a convertible version only makes the experience more vivid. Show us what you’ve got, Mark.  Mark Pearson: This beautiful and immaculate Chrysler Crossfire will blow your socks off, Max. It’s got a 3.2-litre V6 under its fruity bonnet – think 0-60mph in 6sec – and its sheer style will make passers-by swoon. It’s Fun with a capital F.  MA: F for flabby more like. That’s just a mouldy old Mercedes SLK underneath. My perky little Cooper S will run rings around your car in the bends. Plus mine is supercharged.  MP: In fact, the rear-wheel-drive Crossfire is a remarkably stiff old Hector and capable of over 1g in the bends: that’s fun. It’s Brit designed and built by Karmann. My one has a low mileage and full history and is ready to roll. Next to all that, I’m afraid your Mini is a boring bag of predictable old bones.  MA: Err, I think you’re ignoring the fact that mine has done fewer miles than yours and also has a full
Origin: Buy them before we do: second-hand picks for 16 August

Back in 2014, you could get a 2001 Y-reg 3200 GT with 86,000 miles for £9995. Fast forward five years and this 2001 Y-reg that we found with 73,000 miles is £3000 more expensive. In fact, it’s one of the cheaper ones. Next up the price ladder is a 2001/51-reg auto with 55,000 miles for £14,700. They top out at around £21,000.  So what caught our eye, apart from it being the least expensive? First, it’s the automatic. The ’box has only four speeds but works well with the 370bhp twin-turbo 3.2-litre V8. In any case, replacement clutches are becoming almost impossible to find for manual versions.  Second, the car’s service history is described as “fantastic”. It’s just had a fettle and a cambelt change. There’s lots of paperwork, too, so it may be possible to assemble an invoice trail that shows what was done and when. A shame the numberplate appears to be hanging off. Doesn’t say much for the seller’s self-respect…  It’s a reminder that while we’re cooing over this GT’s sporty lines, we should check for the engine’s revs hunting at idle (a faulty throttle potentiometer), for oil leaks from the cam covers and for coolant leaks from the top hose into the V of the engine.  We’ll cross our fingers that on startup there’s no ‘engine check’ light. It’s a common fault and early cars without the later, universally compliant OBD (on-board diagnostics) port require main dealer or specialist diagnosis. Finally, on the test drive, we’ll feel for looseness in the steering and suspension and pray a pothole hasn’t dislodged the captive nut on the top front suspension mount. It requires removal of the engine to refit. Daimler Limousine 4.2, £4150: Eight-seat Daimler limo, anyone? The 2000 W-reg car has done just 17,000 miles, most of them, we suspect, to and from departures… Still, we’d be more worried about the effect of all that idling and low speeds on the engine. Best get it checked, first. The GTV is a sweet-looking affair destined for classic status and this 1999/V-reg has covered just 46,000 miles. It has piped leather trim and full Alfa and specialist service history. It also comes with a spare set of Brembo brake pads. Nice touch.  It was either this 106,000-mile 2005/55-reg Tigra or that other sub-£1k coupé-cabriolet, the Peugeot 206 CC. We’ve gone with the Vauxhall because it looks sharper, the roof folds more neatly, the boot’s bigger and the whole plot feels tauter.  Now showing 112,000 miles, this 2004-reg JCW represents a brave purchase for someone. However, it has full service history and it’s oddly comforting that the floor mats are the original, branded ones, suggesting past owners have taken pride in it.  Auction watch This 30-year-old cab has done 52,000 miles and was knocked down for just £3922, making it a good-value, emerging classic. On paper, the fuel-injected engine has a modest 105bhp but that’s 10bhp more than the naturally aspirated XR3.  Talking of which, in the same sale, a 1980 XR3 hatch with 92,000 miles, partially restored in 2011, made £5088. Meanwhile, a 1986 Sierra 2.0 fetched £3604 and a 1991 Granada 2.0 GL £1900. Biggest miss of the day, though, was a bronze 88,000-mile 1973 Cortina 1.6 XL Mk3 that sneaked out for just £2756.  Future classic Kia has made much of the Stinger’s association with Albert Biermann, its RD chief and former head of BMW’s M division. That the model performs is what matters, but his presence is the kind of ‘papal’ blessing enthusiasts like. The car we found, a 2018/67-reg with 11,000 miles, is £10,000 less than new. If Biermann and his team can deliver at least 10 years of even better sequels, the values of old Stingers may one day bottom out. At least they should make safe buys thanks to service histories born of their uniquely long, new car warranty.  Clash of the classifieds Brief: Find the best super-hatch for £20k. Mark Pearson: We waited a long time for this beauty and, boy, was it worth it. With a screaming turbocharged VTEC, all those spoilers and skirts and more scoops than Häagen-Dazs.   Max Adams: Oh, it is a warm day, so I could do with an ice cream. Mostly because of how hot my A45 AMG is: 360bhp is an insane amount of power for a family hatchback. Remind us how much your car has to play with?  MP: Power corrupts, Max. We all know that. What matters more is response, and in that, this 2016 Civic Type R has all comers defeated, including that ghastly and overblown Merc. And how long will that engine last?  MA: If you won’t tell the reader, I will: 306bhp is all your car has, which explains why it’s a second slower to 62mph. Besides, Mercedes still makes some great engines and the latest A45 has 415bhp, so I’m not concerned about my car’s longevity. How come your Civic Type R looks like it’s on steroids anyway?  MP: I don’t recall any Nürburgring lap records on your car’s CV. Why’s that? Oh, and why is yours so old? 2013? Blimey.  MA: You have to pay extra for a desirable
Origin: Buy them before we do: second-hand picks for 9 August

The Audi S8 of 2006-2010 may not be the first choice of BMW M5 or Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG fanciers, but don’t underestimate its deeply interesting 5.2-litre V10 or the value of its quattro system when conditions are less than ideal.  Audi S8, £10,995: And what a talking point that lump is. It’s closely related to the V10 in the Lamborghini Gallardo and, while it’s less powerful, with 444bhp to the Gallardo’s 552bhp, it’s just as torquey, although at half the revs (3000rpm).  Other S8 talking points include the car’s aluminium body (reasonably dent resistant but difficult to repair if it gets a bad knock) and suspension. However, things to keep under wraps are a heroic thirst of around 20mpg, a firm ride and high servicing costs – cylinder 10’s spark plug in particular is expensively difficult to access.  Our interest in this Audi flagship was prompted by a 2007/07 S8 with 93,000 miles that we found, advertised for £10,995. It’s finished in black and has been serviced every 10,000 miles, although we’d want to scrutinise every invoice to establish exactly what was done. It’s had two previous keepers, the last one its custodian for the past six years.  The car is for sale at a dealer with a 12-month MOT. We’re a risk-averse bunch so we’d check the engine for leaks from the cam covers and oil pump, and that the six-speed Tiptronic ’box performs smoothly.  Turning to the suspension and brakes, any noises from the front end would have us running for the hills – it could mean replacement of whole suspension arms is needed. Worn brake discs are super-expensive to replace and we’d want to be sure there are no issues with the electronic parking brake. The size of a Land Cruiser but with two doors plus a couple of miniature suicide ones, and powered by a 4.0 V6 with 239bhp, the FJ is an uncompromising beast with a spacious cabin that’s full of details. This ’02 car has done 114,000 miles.  Some say the 309 GTi’s stiffer body gave it the edge over the 205. With the numbers of both falling like a lift, it no longer matters. This 1991 309 has 150,000 miles but, says the seller, it runs sweetly. Seats and door cards have just been restored, too.  Not pretty in its day but by Jove this one-owner XM estate, with 26,000 miles and a full history, looks the business now. It’s had its suspension spheres and LHM fluid replaced and has no rust, dents, scratches or tears. The velour seats are fully electric. For sale at a Ford dealer, this old Model T is fresh from a restoration at a motor museum. It’s authentic in every detail but has a few mod cons including a push-button start for those times when turning the crank handle seems like too much effort.  Auction watch Never mind that this Bluebird made £4000 at auction, has done just 86,000 miles, is over 30 years old (it was registered in 1988) and has one owner in the logbook; more remarkable is that it survived the 2009 scrappage scheme. You’d have thought such an unloved repmobile would have been ripe for the crusher but no, some free spirit had the sense to save it. Its 1.8 turbo engine makes 135bhp and is good for 0-62mph in 8.6sec, and being in Executive spec it has leather, air-con and a radio – in 1988, all sought-after options on more expensive cars.  Future classic For a time it looked like the prices of Saab’s big saloon were stabilising, but it was an illusion and now they’re entering the basement. This £3600 SE is a 2010 car with 112,000 miles on the clock and a recent full brake and cambelt service. At the other end of the spectrum, prices peak at around £10,000 for a 2011 TiD with 46,000 miles. However, we’d prefer to put our money in one of the rarer petrols, such as the 2010 2.8 T Aero XWD with 98,000 miles we saw for £7650 (new price £37,795).  Clash of the classifieds Brief: Find me the best Q-car for under £5000. 2004 Audi S4 Cabriolet, £4995 2002 Jaguar S-Type V8 R, £4995 Mark Pearson: We’d nearly given up on the dear old S-Type when this humdinger came along, with an Eaton-supercharged 4.2-litre V8 making near enough 400bhp and 0-60mph in 5.3sec. Rock and roll! It’s the perfect Q-car, unlike your, what is it, an Audi A4 convertible?  Max Adams: Have you seen the grille on the S-Type? Subtle it is not! Unlike my gloriously understated Audi that also packs a 4.2-litre V8 with 344bhp on tap.  MP: Only 344bhp? Why so low? Has it got a fault? I’m surprised it can push that heavyweight drop-top along at all. Mine can carry five fast and in discreet luxury. Wood and leather, old boy…  MA: Wood and leather won’t make a car fast; if anything, your luxo-barge will weigh more than my stealthy convertible.  MP: So it should, it’s built to impress. Luckily, the S-Type R has got more than enough shove to make life fun – you can hang the tail out and everything. I can’t imagine that Audi’s much fun.  MA: Your argument hinges on sliding the tail out? That’s not the fastest way round a corner, so I
Origin: Buy them before we do: second-hand picks for 2 August