Top 10 best used investment cars - top 100 used cars 2017

Peugeot 306 GTi-6 - Built 1996-2001 Price range £500-£6000 We’d pay £2500 See Peugeot 306 GTi-6 for sale on Pistonheads

It will never quite have the cachet of its predecessor, the 205 GTi, but the
 306 GTi-6 was the hot hatch to beat for most of the 1990s. Combined with its near-perfect proportions, that’s going to make it a desirable car soon – and with top examples starting to crest the £5k mark, prices are creeping northwards. There are still plenty of tatty snotters around, though, so only buy clean, tidy, standard cars with a reasonable mileage. 

Subaru Impreza Turbo - Built 1992-2000 Price range £1500- £100,000 We’d pay £3000 See Subaru Impreza Turbo for sale on Pistonheads

The Impreza Turbo needs little introduction, but its status as a near-classic might do, especially if you’ve grown accustomed to seeing badly modified examples droning around. Clean, original examples of these are quite hard to find now, especially in saloon form. And, what with that rally heritage, they’ll soon be worth a bit – as evidenced by the fact that the rare and special 22B is now going for utterly bonkers prices. The cooking models will soon follow, so get in quick. 

Citroën XM - Built 1989-2000 Price range £500- £6000 We’d pay £2000  See Citroën XM Turbo for sale on Pistonheads 

Big Citroëns always rise in value eventually, and so it will be with
 the XM. Late V6 Exclusives are the most desirable model right now, but early 24V V6s will soon overtake them. Both are as rare as hens’ teeth, though, so a clean, tidy 2.0 turbo or 2.1 diesel sounds like a good bet if you can’t find one. Don’t expect values to rocket, but they should creep up gently, as was the case with the XM’s predecessor, the CX.

Land Rover Discovery - Built 1989-1998 Price range £1000- £6000 We’d pay £3000 See Land Rover Discovery for sale on Pistonheads 

Pre-facelift Discoverys aren’t going to be cheap for long. We’re not talking Defender levels here, but such was the early Disco’s importance to Land Rover that it’s bound for cult- classic status. Fortunately, prices suggest it isn’t quite there already,
 so jump in while you can – but make sure to buy the tidiest, straightest
 car you can, as most have had hard lives and corrosion is just a smattering of salty road grime away. 

Audi TT - Built 1998-2006 Price range £1500-£15,000 We’d pay £2500 See Audi TT for sale on Pistonheads 

Is there a more nailed-on classic than the Audi TT? It’s hard to imagine
 so; prices for these are unbelievably low given their import for their manufacturer and latent desirability. The TT is a truly pretty car with an interior to match and, while not the last word in excitement, gives you plenty of shove and grip to play with. A Quattro Sport is the one to have, but these are already pricey, so a tidy 225 is the one we’d choose, in coupé form to make the most of that lovely roofline. 

Ford Puma - Built 1997-2002 Price range £300- £3000 We’d pay £1200 See Ford Puma for sale on Pistonheads 

The Puma is currently one of the best-kept secrets of the used market. You’ll struggle to find a car that’s more entertaining for less cash, and when a tidy, usable example can be had this cheaply, it’s a shame not to. Sub-£1000 examples are now rusty or high-mileage, so spend a little more and get one that has been well-maintained. Be prepared to spend on keeping it rust-free, though, if you want to maximise its investment potential, and knocking or tapping engines are a no-no. 

Porsche Boxster - Built 1996-2004 Price range £3000-£15,000 We’d pay £6000 See Porsche Boxster for sale on Pistonheads 

All the Porsche talk is of 996-era 911 Turbos at the moment, but the Boxster is more usable, more approachable and more accessible too. Early 2.5s can now be had for peanuts, and there’s a chance these will become as desirable as the ‘originals’, but we’d spend a bit more and get a slightly later 3.2 S – it’s more fun, with performance more befitting of a Porsche and a few extra toys. Reliability is an issue with these, so do your research first and make sure you buy one that has been carefully maintained. 

BMW 328i Sport - Built 1995-1998 Price range £1500- £12,000 We’d pay £5000 See BMW 328i Sport for sale on Pistonheads 

It might have been much maligned in the pantheon of BMWs, but the E36 3 Series is starting to look like a classy classic. Any E36 is a good bet right now with prices still low and tatty examples still working their way out of the system, but the 328i Sport is the best of the non-M models. Values have been on the rise, but you can still get a bargain. Peek at the prices of its predecessor, the E30 325i Sport, to see the investment potential. 

Honda S2000 - Built 1999-2009 Price range £3000- £20,000 We’d pay £9000 See Honda S2000 for sale on Pistonheads

The Honda S2000 isn’t quite as cheap as it once was, but make no mistake: there’s room left for this cracking little drop-top to rise, and rise it will in the coming years, albeit gently. Buyers love the fact it delivers manic VTEC thrills together with roof-down chills but also promises Honda’s legendary reliability, making it useable and easy to look after. Pre-facelift cars can be skittish, so go for a post-facelift with revised suspension. Those examples are a lot more manageable. 

Mazda MX-5 - Built 1991-1998 Price range £500-£12,000 We’d pay £3000 See Mazda MX-5 for sale on Pistonheads

Time was you could buy a clean Mk1 MX-5 for under a grand. You still can if you’re prepared for big miles or a write-off, but a rust-free, low-mileage example can cost up to £5000. There are cheaper ones around, though, so go hunting in the classifieds and don’t be afraid to put right a little surface rust – as long as that’s all it is. Roadster motoring doesn’t come much cheaper in terms of running costs and, if you keep on top of the tin worm, an MX-5 should be reliable, too, making it an ideal investible toy if cash is tight.