Your success stories - used car buying guide

We asked you for tales of success in the classifieds and you responded in earnest. Here are some of your bangernomics wise buys.

1 - Audi A7 3.0 TDI 272 S Line (2015)

Buying nearly new was a strategy that paid off for Roger Hanson, as he explains: “I was due to change my Jaguar XF and wanted a four-seater with an element of exclusivity and performance but wished to avoid smaller prestige manufacturers, such as Maserati and Porsche, where dealerships are scarce and maintenance costs are at a premium. 

“I purchased an eight-month-old Audi A7 3.0 TDI 272 S line with 3600 miles on the clock for £36,750, a saving of more than £16,000 against the list price. It’s a pleasure to drive: fast, practical and economical. Bang for buck indeed.”

2 - Alfa Romeo SZ (1992)

Stuart Underwood from Weston-super-Mare used Autocar for buying inspiration in 2004. “I was sorely tempted after reading the excellent road test result of the oh-so-sensible Volkswagen Golf 2.0 GTD, although I thought its as-tested price of over £24k a bit steep,” he says.

“Later that week, I spotted an ad for a car I had lusted over for years, the Alfa Romeo SZ, and it was £5k cheaper than the Golf, so in a fit of insanity I bought it.

“Eleven years later, the Alfa is now worth considerably more than I paid and every time I look at it I still can’t believe it’s mine. For an easy life, buy new. To realise your dreams, buy used.”

3 - Subaru Legacy 3.0 Spec B (2007)

Nigel Johns says: “I bought my automatic version in 2009 for £13,500. The original retail price was over £30k. The car has been totally reliable and the performance is outstanding. It brings a smile to my face each time I drive it.

“This car seems to have been very much overlooked by British car buyers, although it is very popular elsewhere in the world.

“The fuel economy isn’t great if the performance is used but, taken steadily, it can return more than 31mpg on 99-octane petrol.”

4 - Porsche 911 (2008)

Nick Tiley from Cambridge faced a decision when the time came to move on from his much-loved five-cylinder Ford Focus ST. “You might think that the obvious choice was a Volkswagen Golf R.

But the cash outlay on a new one also covered a 2008 ‘997’ Carrera Gen 2 with reasonable mileage. I’m sure that over three or four years, my cost of ownership will work out significantly lower than the Golf and the smiles per mile will be higher. It’s a very special car.”