Buy them before we do: second-hand picks for 20 August

Mercedes-Benz R500 4Matic SEL auto, £6995: Until an R63 AMG crosses our path, this R500 4Matic will have to do. This 2225kg six-seat MPV’s 5.0-litre V8 makes 306bhp so can propel it from 0-62 mph in 7.0sec. Economy? Don’t ask. Our find is a 2006 car with 60k miles and full Benz service history.

Vauxhall Insignia 2.8i V6 VXR 4x4 Sports Tourer, £8495: Old VXRs like this 74,000-mile estate make good performance bargains. The argument for buying an ex-cop car is the frequent servicing they enjoy, and indeed this one has a fully stamped book. It’s just one of many unmarked Insignias this dealer has.

FS0 Warszawa 204, £9000: Long before it made forgettable cars such as the Polonez, FSO turned out handsome saloons. In fact, it made more than 250,000 Warszawas from 1951 to 1973. On Stalin’s orders, it was based on the Russian Gaz Pobeda. This one has been lovingly restored.

Auction watch

Alfa Romeo Brera 1750 TBi: The 1750 TBi version of the Brera replaced the 3.2 V6 and was in production for only 12 months, making this example that sold at auction recently for £7400 a rare thing. For some, the 3.2 S Prodrive is the better car, but with 197bhp and 236lb ft torque on tap, the 1750 TBi has to be up there. Its name recalls famous Alfas of old, but although the engine is impressive, the car itself feels a little flat-footed. It works best as a long-distance cruiser, but if that’s not enough for its new owner, they can always just park up, step out and just gaze at it.

Future classic

Suzuki Jimny 1.5 SZ5 Allgrip, £26,000: The Jimny became a classic almost from the moment it was launched, and Suzuki dropping it soon after sent prices through the roof. The new van version without back seats hasn’t put the brakes on them, since it has almost sold out already. The priciest Jimny we’ve seen was £36,000, and there are many for £30,000. Does that make this 2018 car with 15,000 miles a bargain – especially as it’s the very car that found fame in 2018 lugging Autocar’s Christmas tree down from Scotland? Hmm… we would wait until the fever abates and prices soften.

Clash of the classifieds

Brief: I have £4500 for a light project with some profit potential.

Porsche 924, £3900

Toyota MR2, £3800

Felix Page: Let me stop you right there before you say: “Oh dear, you’ve gone for a Porsche with a Volkswagen van engine.” This 2.0-litre atmo four may not be sizzling hot, but it appeared in an Audi first, and Porsche’s version had a bespoke cylinder head. This honest example needs a tidy-up and some power-boosting engine modifications, but I reckon 924s are currently about as cheap as they will ever be.

Jack Warrick: You won’t need to break the bank with this absolute beauty of a first-generation MR2. Its previous owner has given it a comprehensive overhaul, but there’s still work to be done inside and under the bonnet. A proper 1980s sports car with 122bhp, a 0-62mph time of 8.0sec and none of that van nonsense to be seen. And they’re rising in value, too.

FP: Yes, I’ve heard you can expect a quick turnaround with those oversteer-prone early MR2s… It needs £800 worth of welding just to get through its next MOT. What does ‘MR2’ sound like in French again?