James Ruppert: why petrol compact SUVs rule the classifieds

There are some cheap 3 Series around. I liked the look of a £500 318i, but really it was a 2001 330i SE saloon with 99,000 miles, 12 months’ MOT, and all for £1900 all in. The gearbox is automatic, which may put some people off, but really, a light blue BMW saloon with a big engine is just about perfect. 

So there we have it: the fastest-selling used cars are petrols – usually with faux off-road bodies on top. We can save the day, though, by turning towards six-cylinder Bavarian saloons. There is hope.

What we almost bought this week

Fiat Croma: Blink and you’ll have missed this large family car when it was new (2005-’07). Shame, since the model was well built and reliable. We found a tidy 2006-reg Eleganza with 57,000 miles on the clock and a new timing belt on the engine. In addition to this 1.8 petrol there was a 2.2 and a trio of diesels, including a 2.4 making a useful 200bhp. 

Tales from Ruppert’s garage

Innocenti Mini, mileage - 6759: Just to let you know that the Italian Mini I bought earlier this year still exists. It failed its MOT in fairly spectacular fashion: the brakes weren’t very good and, of course, there was rust. Loads of it.

There’s not enough room here to detail what’s been happening and I may well go away and write a book about the whole experience. For the moment, though, I’ll just stick to the MOT, which it didn’t even need to be subjected to – and that should scare every road user out there.

Reader’s ride

Hyundai Tucson: Dave Bardsley is back: “My previous Bangernomics Kia Sportage failed its MOT and needed a sum in the hundreds and starting with a ‘3’ to pass, so I bought this 2007 Hyundai Tucson for £1795. It’s got 88,000 miles on it and an MOT until next February, so I’m looking forward to some hassle-free motoring. It’s a lot of metal and gizmos for the money, all electric and a split tailgate. It’s even got a remote-controlled radio.”

Readers’ questions

Question: I’m considering buying my next car at auction. Are there any guarantees or recourse if I buy a dud? Jason Townes, Epsom, Surrey

Answer: Choose your auction carefully. Larger operators such as BCA have detailed terms and conditions that outline what you should expect and offer indemnities should a vehicle be incorrectly described. They also guarantee that good title is transferred to the buyer. If a vehicle’s mileage is warranted, then that should be correct. BCA also offers the Assured scheme, an independent multi-point check by the AA to ensure buyers have accurate information relating to the mechanical condition. Remember that it is up to you to check the car’s overall visible condition prior to the sale, as these parts of the car are always sold ‘as seen’. John Evans

Question: My Mazda MX-5’s windscreen needs replacing but I’m worried about the accuracy of the driver assist systems, which use sensors mounted on the screen. Colin Gordon, Devizes, Wiltshire

Answer: You’re right to be worried: if they are disturbed during replacement, you won’t know about it until you need them. Use a company such as Autoglass, which can recalibrate your car’s driver-assistance systems when they change the screen. It’ll be covered by your insurance. For the record, Autoglass charges £292 to recalibrate a new MX-5’s screen alone. John Evans

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