Buy them before we do: second-hand picks for 12 October

Polski-Fiat 126P, £3195:

If you’re looking for a car so small that it can park in the cracks between the pavements, then this Polish-built version of the Fiat 126 might be for you. Its 24bhp 652cc engine and top speed of 65mph won’t set the world on fire, but you can drive it flat out everywhere and few cars have such character.

Alfa Romeo 147 GTA, £5250:

Stick a lively 247bhp 3.2-litre V6 under the bonnet of the neat 147 and you’ve got yourself an Italian stallion with a real kick: as in, 0-60mph in just 6.3sec. True, there are some issues with putting all that power down through just the front wheels, but at least you’ll have fun trying to keep it in a straight line.

Lexus LS430, £4250:

Picture yourself wafting around in this opulent Lexus, a creamy engine purring beneath its elegant bonnet. It’s fully loaded, and the only possible drawback to owning this luxury limo is the recorded 153,000 miles.

Still, Lexus build quality and all that – it’ll probably go on forever.

Auction watch: 

Ferrari Mondial: Okay, so we all know the Mondial isn’t the most popular Ferrari of all time – a reputation those who have driven one might consider a little unfair – but this one made a mere £19,000 at a recent auction and that’s about the least you’re going to pay for a roadworthy one in the UK. This one’s had quite a lot of work done, including an engine rebuild, full respray and fully restored cabin. It was even sold with a warrantied (and quite moderate) mileage of 78,000 and with a year’s MOT. The new owner will no doubt revel in that sweet V8, and he or she can even take the kids along for the ride.

Get it while you can: 

Audi A6 2.0 TDI Price new £33,925. Price now: £22,380

The Audi A6 might have had the misfortune to be born into a class that included the ice-cool BMW 5 Series but, in recent years, its all-round competence and air of calm have made it one of our favourites regardless. Now, there’s a new model on the cusp of release, which means the old ones are a bit of a bargain. We found an immaculate 2017 2.0 TDI A6 with 5000 miles on the clock for over £11,000 less than it cost new.

Clash of the classifieds: 

Brief: Chaps, I hate pick-ups and the like, but we all need one occasionally. Find me something exciting for £30k, please.

Dodge Ram SRT-10 Night Runner: £26,990 

Style is all well and good, but what use is it when there’s no substance to back it up? This Ram certainly isn’t short on substance. There’s space for five, all the mod cons, and a dry, covered load bay suitable for all manner of stuff, making it more usable than Max’s pretty-boy pretender with its open teak deck. But really, this truck is all about its 8.3-litre Viper V10 – all 500bhp of it. They say there ain’t no replacement for displacement. In this instance, they’re right. Alex Robbins

‘Anti Freeze’ Ford F100: £29,995

If you want to get noticed by buying an American truck, you could go by size as Alex has done. Or you could go for a resto-modded beauty in an obscenely vivid hue. It started out as a Ford F100 from 1954, then a 5.8-litre V8 was dumped in it with 390bhp (there’s your substance) and it was lovingly restored to the A1-grade show star you see here. One thing Alex has forgotten is that he’s got a covered bed, which limits practicality. In mine, you can stack stuff as high as you like. Max Adams

Verdict: 

Oh God, anything with a V10 wins immediately – sorry, Max. That Dodge is practically a Bristol Fighter... Mark Pearson 

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