Usable modern classics, for less | Six of the Best

As cars from the (relatively) recent past become more valuable seemingly by the month, so a conundrum presents itself: is the joy of driving it worth the potential impact on the value? Well, there’s a simple solution – buy the modern classic that’s already been used and enjoyed. Well used. Then there’s nothing to stop you driving exactly as intended; the car can still be kept well, but there’s much less concern about what adding miles could do. Once beyond 100k – as everything here is – then it’ll never be considered low mileage, really. So go have some fun already. That’ll be simple enough in a M3 CS, the run-out E46 that took some of the CSL’s best bits but kept the manual gearbox option. This one has it – and plenty of life to live beyond 130k…

If a BMW seems a little humble for your high-mile manual sports car from 2006, how about this? A bonafide Aston icon, with a clutch pedal, for less than £25,000. The various merits and drawbacks of the V8 Vantage have been discussed at length over the past 20 years (we won’t rehash them here), but it feels safe to say that the looks, theatre, handling and sound still outweigh any reservations about performance or running costs. Little at this money is going to give you the fizz, even parked outside, like a V8 Vantage. This example has 21 stamps in the history file, £30k in receipts, and 108k on the clock. The price has already been dropped by £2k by the looks of it as well, so over to you…

There isn’t a Lotus Elise on the planet that isn’t recommendable to some extent; hard to think of any, however, that appeal quite so much as this one. There’s the obvious stuff like the Norfolk Yellow paint, the unmodified spec and smart wheels. But get this for provenance: this Series 1 goes to auction later on this month consigned by the first owner. Yes, really. The same person who bought it new from Lotus in 1999 – and has covered 160,000 miles since then – is selling it now. For more than 20 years, it’s been cared for by the same garage, too, and there’s an MOT until 2027. See you at 200k…

You don’t need to spend long looking at classics over 100,000 miles in the classifieds to notice a theme: there’s an awful lot of German cars from the late ’80s and early ’90s around. When they were really built to last, solid and stoic while also very desirable. Nothing quite encapsulates the era as well as the Audi quattro: technologically advanced, fast as heck, cool as cucumber sorbet and tougher than a marine. What’s good for rallying is good for long-term use, surely. 130k looks to have been a walk in the park for this 20-valver, and such is the iconic status of the quattro that it’s never not going to be desirable. With a recent spend of almost £5k, too, it’s on the button and ready to rock. Which retro rally to visit first?

Sometimes looking at the values of old 911s is a pretty disheartening experience. Cars that couldn’t be given away not very long ago because they were too track-focused or strangely specced are now prized for their rarity and spartan chic. Restomodding has hoovered up a lot of air-cooled cars. And have you seen what Targas cost? Anyway, help is at hand, in the form of this 997. You know, the 911 that’s still loved as the sweet spot between classic charm and modern usability. Its six-figure mileage puts it well under £30k, but that use is backed up by a full Porsche history. There was a £10k option spend when new also, so it still looks smart. And even an early PDK will feel a world away from dozy Tiptronics. Don’t be surprised if many more miles fly by…

If you really want the miles to pass effortlessly, though, there can’t be many better ways than by Bentley. Indeed, a smidge more than 100k for this Red Label – so that means the 6.75, fret not, not the 4.4 – in more than a quarter of a century is very modest use. Of course, it will be a formidably expensive way to travel, but when has the lap of luxury even been affordable? A comprehensive history and recent head gaskets should mean a tad less fiscal woe. Just look at the leather, the veneers, the sheer majesty of such a saloon. Every single mile of many thousands more would surely feel very special. Especially having paid less than £20k for the privilege.