Cheap thrills | Six of the Best
Fast fun for £5k is harder to find than ever - but it's not impossible...
Jaguar XK, 2006, 128k, £5,000
Sometimes the search for a lot of power that doesn’t cost very much money - to buy at least - can feel like a fruitless one. All too often it can seem like anything that’s hit 15 years old is an ‘appreciating modern classic’ (and priced accordingly), which has put a whole host of interesting and previously affordable machinery out of reach for a lot of folk. But help is at hand: there are fun, fast cars of all shapes and sizes still available for £5,000 - if you know where to look. Driving experiences will vary as much as running costs, but all will be plenty brisk enough in one way or another. As is often the case with these things, it’s hard to do much better than an old Jag for maximum muscle and minimum outlay. The X150 XK remains a handsome beast 20 years on, and this one looks in fine fettle for a 2006 example. There aren’t many other cars that can boast 300 V8 horsepower for £5k, but the Jag isn’t alone here…
Volvo S80 V8, 2007, 99k, £4,995
Yep, found one. The S80 V8 was always a tough sell new, because it wasn’t an awful lot faster than the turbocharged T6 model (which cost a useful amount less) while feeling very similar to drive. It wasn’t the rip-snorting flagship some hoped for when a V8-engined Volvo S80 was confirmed. Nevertheless, all these years later it’s nothing if not interesting, the 4.4 B8444S engine built by Yamaha in Japan mated to Volvo’s design and famously providing the foundations for the Noble M600 motor. These days too, the appeal of V8 rumble over turbo six as a fast-for-£5k solution is easy to understand; once upon a time, the S80 was capable of six seconds to 62mph and 155mph, too, so plenty fast. This one needs an MOT but there’s nothing from the recent past to suggest anything but an easy past, and there are 15 services in the history. You’re tempted too, right?
Peugeot 208 GTI, 2013, 62k, £4,995
If the idea of running an old, cheap V8 is a little too intimidating (understandable), then a hot hatch is a surefire way to fast fun on a budget. And there’s plentiful choice for five grand, from the usual suspects to something a little more left field. The Peugeot 208 GTI could hardly have arrived at a worse time in 2013, vying for attention with the best small fast Ford in yonks and the most controversial Clio ever. A shame, really, as it was a decent little pocket rocket, a huge improvement on the lacklustre 207 and the basis for the excellent 30th Anniversary/By Peugeot Sport specials. This one will offer a usefully more modern experience than the rest (don’t pretend like it’s not useful sometimes), and benefits from a new timing chain last August. Plus an MOT that lasts until the first week of this year’s advent calendar is eaten. Something to be said for the new school sometimes…
Renaultsport Clio 197 R27, 2007, 101k, PH Auction
But if you prefer your French hot hatch thrills a little more traditional, do the PH Auctions have a car for you. The Renaultsport Clio 197 F1 Team R27 was created to celebrate success on the track, Renault famously securing its double double - back-to-back F1 Drivers’ and Constructors’ titles - in 2005 and 2006. There were 500 Clios to mark the momentous achievement (as well as a Megane R26, don’t forget), which benefitted from the Cup chassis upgrade and a few other limited edition goodies to make for the best 197 going. But nobody needs reminding that the mid '00s were a long time ago, and many Renaultsport Clios have been driven to death since then. Not this one, though, with the same owner since 2010, a service last month and Recaro repairs to keep the seat looking great. The perfect thing for a track project perhaps, or an old school summer hot hatch for not much - there isn’t a reserve, either…
Ford Mondeo ST220, 2004, 84k, £4,995
Despite the continued existence of crazy money classic Fords, there remain a few gems for relatively little. Obviously there could have been a Fiesta ST in here, or a fast Focus of some kind, but it was an easy decision to make with a Mondeo ST220 around. This really was early-'00s Ford at its best, with a lusty engine, smart design and engaging chassis coming together to make for a brilliant performance car at not very much money. Few found homes in period because UK buyers would do anything to get a German badge and the V6 meant high running costs (a later ST TDCI sold better), which actually makes them more interesting now because they’re so seldom seen. This ST220 comes in the best colour, boasts a good service history, and seems to have plenty spent to get it through the most recent MOT. The remaining advisory about the exhaust could be sorted with something fruitier, too…
Mini Cooper S, 2004, 72k, £4,490
While it’s never wise to predict future values with too much authority, surely things look bright for the first new Minis of the 21st century. The latest car has already retired the manual gearbox, and will soon relinquish combustion altogether, so those rowdy, fizzy, slightly silly Coopers of our youth - just like Minis so often have - begin to look really desirable. ‘Specially as modern Minis are so ugly. Whereas this one looks pitch perfect, pert and pretty and ageing very nicely indeed. A 2004 Cooper S, it benefits from the limited-slip diff that came with later R53s, four new Pirellis, a naughtier exhaust and plenty of history. All for significantly less than £5,000. Once upon a time these were the new Minis that were too big, too heavy and too complicated to the diehards - now it looks like a classic hot hatch hero. So they can’t be cheap forever - can they?
I have to say, the Jag steals the show.
Even among the knowledgeable folk who frequent these forums, nobody is believing you bagged an XK for £5k...
There is so much car for the money on offer there and from what I understand, fairly reliable for an old Jag.
I've actually messaged a friend to see if he'll go halves with me!
But, if I was fronting all £5k I'd probably be going for the Mini, I prefer the hot Clios generally speaking, but not overly keen on thr 197s front end which I feel they perfected with the 200.
The Mondeo has that wiff of council about it to me.
I totally understand the appeal, but Fast Fords from that era just seem a little chavvy to me - even though objectively speaking it would be the best option of the bunch for me to use as a daily.
That Pug is underrated but not at the bottom of ts depreciation curve yet.
The Ovlov is lovely but won't be as entertaining as it sounds.
The Mini falls next for me. It's very good but not as special as the remaining three.
The Jag is magnificent but will be an expensive pain to run and tax.
That leaves the Clio and Mondy. I think both are now appreciating classics if looked after properly and both will be fun. For me, the Clio will be more fun and it just clinches it for me.
Any of the six would make me smile though. Great eclectic mix.
Mini looks on point, are they the model with the many engine issues though ?
The hot hatches are good fun and would be fun track options, although £5k for a Clio or Mini seems about right in my mind. The Peugeot's reputation for reliability seems to be off-putting though, wonder how true it is...
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noble_M600
Might be wrong, but I believe the engine was developed by Porsche and is famously the basis for the Aston V12.
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