Cool cars for under £2000

If you’re in the market for a bargain basement run-a-about, then there’s more choice than you might actually think. Look past the inevitable Fiesta or Polo from the 1990s and discover a whole new world of uber-cool modern classics. Take a peep around and you’ll find plenty of head-turning metal ready to be plucked straight from Auto-Trader for less than £2000. Here’s some I found.

BMW 3 Series Convertible

In the '80s, Joe Public only expected the best, and that’s exactly what they got. David Hasselholff, Top Gun, Duran-Duran and the BMW 3 Series Convertible is to name but a few of the treats the '80s blessed us with. For just £2000 you can find one of the most talked about retro cars of today.

With a selection of sweet purring straight-six-cylinder engines, top down motoring has literally never sounded so good. Today, this drop-top wouldn’t feel out of place cruising down Sunset Boulevard or York’s very own Micklegate. The Hoff would be proud.

Mini

Why look to buy the Mini of today when the original is cheaper, features more character and has stayed exuberantly cool for the past 50 years? OK, so reliability may be an issue, but who cares? Just look at what you get in return. It single-handedly defined an era of British motoring and featured in one the most famous English films of all time. It’s a true British Icon. Flat batteries on cold December mornings are a minor inconvenience for the ownership of a truly awe-inspiring piece of motoring history.

The new Mini may be built in Oxford, but don’t let it fool you, it’s German through and through. Go for the original, the ultimate quintessential British run-a-about.

Golf Mk1 GTI Convertible

The Golf Mk1 GTI is where it all started for today’s hot hatches. VW’s profound mixture of performance and everyday usability showed the world that an average everyday car could still be great fun to drive as well as a school-run bandit. The hard-top will always be a cult classic, but cut the roof off and you’ll find the true VW gem.

For the past year, I’ve been drooling over a slightly rough-looking example found in a car park near the running track. It’s even got a retro white paint job for extra uber-cool points. A word of warning though, too many wide-boy ‘wanna-be’ modifiers have had their grubby hands on this car. So my advice would be, find an original and keep it that way.

Toyota MR2 Mk1

The MR2 was Toyota’s big entrance into the sports car market. It covered all the bases that a sports car needs: a mid-engine layout, rear-wheel-drive, a light body construction and two seats. So it’s certainly not as practical as the previous cars, but that isn’t so bad. Without the need to lug a family about, a student could easily afford to make do with only two seats and a small boot - anything else is just extra weight.

What makes the MR2 an even more desirable bargain is the fact that it was also designed and engineered to be used every day, which means low running costs and easy maintenance. The MR2 could be heaps of fun, and yours for very little money.

So, still thinking of that 1990s Fiesta? You shouldn’t be.

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