Life starts at 125k (miles) | Six of the Best
Some people reject six-figure odometer readings out of hand - here's six reasons to go the other way...
Porsche 911 3.2 Carrera, 1985, 146k, £99,900
Everyone has their limit when it comes to mileage. If you’ve been lucky enough to work for a car manufacturer (or had access to their press fleets), then anything with more than 5k on the clock might seem oddly leggy. But the truth is that a well-tended car will essentially go forever if the owner has adopted a money-no-object approach to maintenance - or indeed, restoration after the fact. This original, UK-supplied 3.2 Carrera (the 911 that preceded the 964), has had the full nut-and-bolt treatment, meaning that it carries its 146k of wear and tear with the same glossy ease as Nicole Kidman. A wonderful classic car, in other words, and the perfect way to set our scene.
BMW 550i, 2006, 195k, £4,925
Of course, most people associate big miles with big reductions in asking price - and there is arguably no finer place to look for those than in the PH classifieds. Case in point, this 550i from 2006, which celebrates its 195k miles and ten previous owners with a sub £5k sticker. ‘Unbelievable value!’ reckons the dealer. The inclusion of some non-standard M badges might provoke barge poles from some, yet the saloon remains a shining example of all the things we like about fast BMWs: big, throaty engine, big, swallow-y boot, and, misplaced Ms aside, plenty of Q-car kudos to go with it. Additionally, this has enough questionable veneer to panel an ‘80s fireplace. You know you want to.
Lotus Elise S2, 2002, 153k, PH Auctions
Is there anything more PH than an Elise with 153k on the clock? Yes, there is: it’s this 111S which, when it hit 123k, was treated to a 260S supercharger conversion by the chaps at Hangar 111. As you might expect, this means vastly more power and torque, and a second lease on life for a car that could already be called ‘well used’. Much else has been upgraded alongside the engine and gearbox, and just this spring the car returned from Hangar 111 again following a full geometry setup - always convenient when Nitron dampers are in the mix. In other words, it should be ready for yet more fun in the hands of someone else who’d like nothing more than to drive it all the time. Which is exactly what British summers were built for…
Range Rover V8 Autobiography, 2016, 127k, £17,995
The L405 has been attracting some attention recently for the giveaway prices that some older variants have arrived at. This one, despite having recently cracked 125k, is not quite level with a used supermini of similar vintage (a cursory search will provide many oil burners that are), but is valued at £18k thanks to its omnipresent 5.0-litre V8. Some would argue that you’d be better off with the equivalent diesel, though the supercharged unit has proved itself a reliable power source when tended to - and it brings the grin factor that no black pump-drinker can match. It also maxes out the pomp and ceremony of buying an Autobiography.
Skoda Octavia vRS, 2013, 128k, £6,570
If you’ve got no time for airs and graces, you’ll obviously be wanting a Skoda Octavia. These too have been running into (and through) the high-mile wall pretty much since day one, and for understandable reasons. The people who buy them - a sensible bunch, if the old stereotype serves - expect to get plenty of use out of their investment. Accordingly, this one is relatively lightly used on 128k, though its MOT history testifies to solid reliability. It’s arguably the one you want, too, with the 220hp GTI engine and a manual ‘box. A snip at £6,570 if you're after a well-sized solution to the fast estate conundrum.
Mercedes S600L, 2014, 127k, £26,422
If, however, you’d prefer the wonderfully long stride pattern of a limo - and a V12-powered limo at that - you obviously cannot do any better than buying an old S-Class. Much as with the Range Rover, you don’t exactly need a 6.0-litre engine to enjoy all the saloon has to offer, but paying significantly less than £30k for the twin-turbocharged M279 adds its own frisson to the thought of owning one. You hardly need us to remind you that buying the current version of said engine will cost many times that outlay. Moreover, the S600L in this example is likely to have completed 127k in 12 years with all the mechanical stress of Mo Farah walking to the shops.
Porsche is lovely too.
I think the Octavia seems expensive. Good cars, but that seems a few £k too much to me.
Elise looks interesting.....
But, why oh why photograph in front of a garage door that seems to be rotting away, driveway that needs weeding and dodgy brickwork.
That just screams budget maintenance, no matter what the advert says.
I'm being picky I know, but it's an auction advert. The photographer should have ran the car down the road to a nicer spot.
Porsche is lovely too.
I think the Octavia seems expensive. Good cars, but that seems a few £k too much to me.
Elise looks interesting.....
But, why oh why photograph in front of a garage door that seems to be rotting away, driveway that needs weeding and dodgy brickwork.
That just screams budget maintenance, no matter what the advert says.
I'm being picky I know, but it's an auction advert. The photographer should have ran the car down the road to a nicer spot.
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