Used Car Bargains from the 1990s

From hot hatchbacks and sports cars to convertibles and grand tourers, our list includes an affordable 1990s icon for everyone. Grab them while you still can…

Volkswagen’s junior coupé was always a tidy steer, but its full potential wasn’t unleashed until 1992. The fitment of a potent 2.9-litre narrow-angle V6 made it the fastest front-driver of the day, and it somehow improved the handling compared with the smaller (but turbocharged) four-pot.

Every Corrado was made from galvanised steel, so they hold up better against rust than many rivals – and it’s a good indicator of a dodgy repair, which should be easy to spot.

Don’t be scared off by high mileage examples: these are generally reliable bona fide modern classics.

WE FOUND: 1995 Volkswagen Corrado 2.9 VR6 Storm, 128k, £11,995

A howling flat six, celery-crisp steering and stunning wide-hipped looks – they can all be yours from just £3000. Of course, the cheapest Boxsters are best avoided, but the truth is that these are surprisingly hardy little roadsters – provided you buy carefully.

Its best-known Achilles is the intermediate-shaft (IMS) bearing, which in some cases fractures or even shatters after a long and hard life. This then throws off the engine’s timing and shunts pistons into valves, requiring a really rather expensive rebuild.

Thankfully, many examples’ bearings have already been replaced, and typically with a sturdier aftermarket item that isn’t prone to exploding. If it hasn’t been done, add another £800 or so to the car’s price, if you get it done alongside a new clutch – which you probably should. It’s also worth checking the immobiliser, locks and alarms work as intended: blocked door seals or a leaky roof can mean the ECU (located under the driver ’s seat) gets wet and dies. Replacements are £500-plus.

Still, it’s easy to snag a good ’un – and you absolutely should, before prices soar.

WE FOUND: 1997 Porsche Boxster 2.5 986, 57k, £9895

This was the car that really put the Type R name on the map when it landed here in 1998, thanks to an all-time-great engine - a 1.8-litre, naturally aspirated DOHC VTEC four-cylinder unit - and tremendous handling. Plus, they look great - especially in the classic Type R spec of Championship White over red cloth bucket seats. 

Clean cars go for about £15k, but it’s also worth considering importing one from Japan while the yen’s value is low. Many examples have been extensively modified, too, so if you're after a standard Integra Type R you might be looking for a while. 

WE FOUND: 1999 Honda Integra 1.8 Type R, 95K, £16,990

“The hardest-hitting, least compromised all-rounder on sale for less than £30,000,” is what we reckoned of the 328i back in 1995. Much of the same remains true today, except you can snag one for one-tenth of the as-new asking price.

Many have led hard lives, though – these were sub-£1000 cars for a long time – so buy carefully. Also, if you’re looking to own a manual example, or a 328i ‘Sport’, be prepared to reach deeper into your pockets for the privilege.

WE FOUND: 1997 BMW 3 Series 2.8 328i SE, 83k, £6,995

A Chris Bangle masterpiece, and not half bad to drive either.

The five-cylinder, 20-valve engine, offered in both naturally aspirated and turbocharged forms, has the most exotic feel, but the four-cylinder option (a descendant of the Delta Integrale powerplant) still has the means to entertain.

Rust is by far the biggest issue: inspect the sills, subframes, wheel arches, footwells, boot floor, exhaust… Basically, just give the whole thing a thorough going-over. Interior plastics are prone to developing a horrid sticky finish, too. Running project cars can be found for £500, but the best examples are north of £10,000.

WE FOUND: 1996 Fiat Coupe 2.0 Turbo 16v, 38k, £8950

Forget the second-generation MR2’s reputation for having a wayward tail – we never thought that held very much water.

Still, Toyota revised the model no fewer than five times, with updates two (in 1991) and three (1993) gradually softening the handling to tune out the risk of snap oversteer. Any MR2 is a great drive and a fairly reliable proposition, barring rust or any extensive modifications.

It’s worth seeking out a Japanese import Turbo model or one with the atmospheric ‘Beams’ engine that came with Yamaha-developed cylinder heads; either example brings with it the soundtrack and performance that the car’s chassis and looks deserve. Such cars will set you back around £10,000.

WE FOUND: 1997 Toyota MR2 2.0 GT T-Bar, 48k, £11,500

The Twingo has aged like Mr Blobby: once a tad unsightly, but now remembered for flouting convention and embracing the absurd.

In the Twingo’s favour, it didn’t single-handedly traumatise a generation of children, so it’s looked back upon a bit more fondly.

You can occasionally find one here from £5k, although it’s perhaps easier to source and import a clean car yourself. The Phase 1 Twingo is starting to become something of a cult car though, and a glance at the classifieds will show you that the best examples are being advertised abroad for almost twice that.

WE FOUND: 1994 Renault Twingo Phase 1, 48k, €4900 (Netherlands)

Technically speaking, the R129’s life started in the late 1980s, but the fourth-generation SL didn’t really hit the limelight until a few years later. Its sheer desirability – thanks in no small part to those futuristic lines and stonking £50k-plus price tag – made it the darling of the burgeoning hip-hop subculture. And if you can picture yourself rollin’ in a 500 Benz, just like Tupac, the good news is that SLs are shockingly affordable today.

Just £3000 gets you behind the wheel of a ropey car, but we’d budget £10,000 or so for something more dependable.

Engines ranged from a 2.8-litre V6 all the way up to a 7.3-litre V12 fettled by AMG (good luck finding one of those), but our pick was the grunty 5.0 -litre V8, badged 500 SL.

Look out for an original car with a good service history, and you shouldn’t encounter too many issues. A hard-top roof is a desirable extra for the colder months, but the standard soft-top should prove adequate, providing it’s been properly looked after (or replaced in the relatively recent past with an official Mercedes-Benz part).

WE FOUND: 1993 Mercedes 500 SL R129 5.0, 70k, £12,500

If it’s a pure driver ’s car you want, look elsewhere. But the Z3 has otherwise aged tremendously, with long-nosed, low-slung proportions and – as long as you go for the 2.0 -litre engine or bigger – some of BMW’s greatest straight-six lumps.

Prices – from £1000 – are on the up, so now is the time to buy. Unfortunately, if you’re after an affordable Z3 M, especially in ‘Clown Shoe’ coupé form, you’re too late; good luck finding a good one for less than £15,000.

WE FOUND: 1997 BMW Z3 2.8, 57K, £8000

Hot hatches are nothing new, but it’s rare that the treatment proves to be the redemption story for what was otherwise a huge dissapointment.

So it proved, however, for the maligned Mk5 Escort, transformed by a fizzy 148bhp twin-cam four, quicker steering and a chassis overhaul.

The addition of four-wheel-drive in 1994 only raised its limits, making it a genuine Cossie-lite. As remixes go, it’s tantamount to The Prodigy turning a kids’ safety ad about not talking to strangers into a rave classic.

Not cheap today, though: expect to pay about £8000 for a good runner.

WE FOUND: 1994 Ford Escort 2.0 RS2000, 63k, £8295

“The GTi is back,” declared our road testers after sampling the performance-enhanced 306. For years, hot hatchbacks had been iced over, hamstrung by horrendous insurance premiums and the looming threat of theft.

However, the French machine’s combination of a 167bhp four- pot (then one of the most powerful engines to have featured in a hatch), a six-speed gearbox (when most rivals made do with five ratios) and a simply stunning chassis raised the bar. Suddenly, the race was back on.

Avoid track-converted cars; clean examples should start at £5000 or so.

WE FOUND: 1997 Peugeot 306 GTi-6 16v, 88k, £6750

All the joy of the 306 GTi, but in a smaller, lighter and slipperier package. The 106 GTi was as close as Peugeot ever came to properly replacing the 205 GTi, and today a good example can fetch a five-figure sum.

At that price, though, you should also consider the 106 Rallye, which went without power steering and much of the cabin kit in pursuit of pure driving thrills.

Again, prices have risen sharply in recent years, and low-mileage examples will set you back a small fortune. Not exactly a bargain anymore, but incredibly rare and still less than a new Peugeot 208…

WE FOUND: 1994 Peugeot 106 Rallye S1, 36k, £20,995

The original Focus was the car that righted all the later wrongs of its Escort predecessor. More importantly, though, it was better known for being the car that democratised the attributes of all the best driver’s cars for the masses.

Handsome, light, fun, affordable and practical, it proved a great success for Ford, while also becoming one of the most important hatchbacks ever produced. 

Today, ignore the ST and the eye- wateringly expensive RS, and instead look for a tidy Zetec or Ghia petrol that has managed to elude rust. 

Just a few thousand pounds should snag one you can enjoy for years to come.

WE FOUND: 2002 Ford Focus 1.6i Ghia, 34k, £2999

Munich’s Icarus was too heavy and too blunt in its responses to be a proper grand tourer, and it cost around the same money as Mercedes’ SL. But in 1993 the tide began to turn with the introduction of the 850CSi.

It was an M car in all but name, with its V12 engine upsized and boosted to a hearty 375bhp so the 8 could finally provide a driving experience that lived up to its gorgeous looks.

It’s also well worth considering the later 4.4 -litre 840Ci, which finally felt like the 8 Series had become a proper GT car. Prices for the 8 Series start at around £10,000, but CSis are now hitting £50,000-plus.

WE FOUND: 1999 BMW 840Ci Sport V8 4.4, 22k, £34,995

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