10 Incredible Cars You Can Buy For Only £1000
The internet is crammed with news of new motors and expensive supercars that most of us can't afford. But here’s the thing: you don’t need to have a lot of cash to buy a truly great car. In fact, we’re lucky enough to live in an age where just one thousand of your British pounds will buy you a plethora of interesting, unusual and downright fun machinery in which to blat around. Don’t believe us? Check out this countdown of our top ten bargain basement hoonmobiles!
10. Nissan Almera GTi
You wouldn’t think it to look at it, but in GTi form, the Almera was a real driver’s car. Under the bonnet sat Nissan’s famous SR20DE engine – and while it wasn’t the most powerful thing in the world with just 143bhp, it was surrounded by an involving chassis that rewarded the keen driver. Throw into the mix sledgehammer-proof reliability, not to mention the fact an SR20DET is a relatively easy thing to drop in, and there are plenty of reasons why an Almera GTi like this one should appeal.
9. Mitsubishi FTO GPX
Although the FTO was only sold officially in Britain very late on in its life, there are plenty of grey imports around, and while caution should be exercised when buying these, they do offer an awful lot on a very small budget. You get a throaty 2.0-litre V6 engine with 197bhp, and a pert, attractive body that hides a decent chassis too. With similar, officially-imported cars from other manufacturers now going for far more cash, a good one like this looks to be could prove great value.
8. BMW 328i (E36)
Although undeniably smart, the E36 is starting to look rather dated these days, especially next to pricier BMs, but make no mistake: the 328i is a deeply entertaining car to drive. Thanks to a 193bhp 2.8-litre straight six engine, 0-60 takes just 7.3 seconds, and the rear-drive chassis is an absolute hoot. E36 328is often spend much of their time sideways on the drift circuit, but you can still pick up an honest example like this one for peanuts. Service it regularly and it’ll provide space, comfort, practicality, solidity – and most of all, plenty of entertainment when you’re in the mood. Plus it offers great sleeper potential, too.
7. Ford Mondeo ST24
Mondeo? Fun? You’d better believe it. Ford’s family car has always been well-known for its sideline in involving, chuckable handling, and with a grunty V6 up front there’s plenty to love about the sporty ST24. This one might lack history, but at this price who’s complaining? And if a stamped book is something you’re after, you’ll still find a car that’s endowed with one for under a grand. Keep an eye out for the delightful ST200, too – find a good one for this money and you’ll be laughing.
6. Honda Civic VTi
The Civic VTi is today a bit of a forgotten gem among ’90s hot hatches. Equipped with a zingy 1.8-litre VTEC powerplant that kicked out 166bhp, it made use of that power with a standard-fit limited-slip differential, giving it excellent traction. Throw in a responsive chassis, tidy looks, solid built quality and the usual Honda reliability and you’ve got a recipe for a real bargain bin favourite. And there’s something really quite cool about the Aerodeck estate version, too.
5. Rover 220 Turbo Coupe
‘What’s a shonky old Rover doing in this list?’ you might be asking – but put those prejudices away, because the 220 Turbo was once a real hero for many boy racers. Consider this: with a 0-60 time of just 6.6 seconds, it’s the fastest car here, and with the TorSen diff up front, it could put that power down in a shockingly effective way. OK, so the chassis was a bit rough’n’ready, and yes, you’ll have to find one with an intact gearbox as they’re prone to disintegrating – but do so and you’ll have a car that’s indecently quick for pennies and, happily, still looks pretty handsome too. This one looks like it could be worth a punt.
4. Alfa Romeo 146ti
The what now? Well, quite. The Alfa 146ti is a real unknown in the pantheon of ’90s hot hatches – but it doesn’t deserve to be. It borrowed the 2.0-litre Twin Spark powerplant from its sexier and better-known sibling, the 145 Cloverleaf; this was an absolute corker of an engine and sounded astonishingly good for a four-pot (and if you don’t believe us, check out this video of a nutter on a mission in one!)
What’s more, a lithe chassis meant it was enormous fun to drive quickly, and it even looked kind of cool, in an odd, dumpy way. Of course, the usual Alfa Romeo caveats of reliability and build quality apply, but if you’re prepared to take a bit of a risk, the Alfa will reward you handsomely when it’s running right. This one doesn’t look too shabby.
3. Citroen Saxo VTS
The Saxo’s come in for an awful lot of stick over the years, mainly as a result of the quantity that suffered an ignominious fate involving fibreglass and under-car neons in the late '90s and early '00s. But we reckon its time in the sun has come. It offers all the lightweight thrills that are becoming deeply fashionable today, and with the VTS packing a buzzy 1.6-litre 16-valve engine, it’s an absolute hoot to throw down a deserted B-road. Don’t expect great build quality or lots of space – this is a small, cheaply-made car, and it feels it – but if all you want is the simple thrill of a supple chassis, a great engine and very little else, you won’t be disappointed. We even think standard Phase 1 cars like this one are starting to look pretty cool these days.
2. Mazda MX-5 (Mk1)
Well, it had to be here somewhere, didn’t it? Yes, the Mazda MX-5 was always going to come high up on this list – the only reason it isn’t right at the top, in fact, is the Mk1’s age and proclivity for structural rust at this price point. But if you can find one that’s been repaired or, better still, that’s still solid, you’ll never regret buying an MX-5. Sure, it isn’t the most practical of things, but who cares? For those summer days when the roof’s down and you’ve a niggly bit of B-road to attack, there simply isn’t anything better for the money. Oh, and if you’re worried people might think it’s a bit effeminate, don’t be. Anyone who expresses such a thing is saying more about their ignorance than your choice of car. This one looks promising.
1. Ford Puma 1.7
So, here we are, then: the best fun car you can buy for under a grand. And it’s the 1.7-litre Ford Puma. Don’t think much of our top choice? Try driving one. Although the engine only kicks out 123bhp, its power and torque is available instantly, at any time, and it revs oh-so-freely too. The chassis, meanwhile, is perfectly poised – turn in is sharp, there’s plenty of back end mobility and it’ll step out progressively and controllably with mid-corner lift. It looked stunning when it came out and is still an attractive car today. Servicing costs peanuts and is easy to do at home, while commonality with the Fiesta and Ka means spares cost peanuts. Their ubiquity has plenty of benefits too: vast reserves of parts in breakers’ yards, for one thing, and exceptional value for another, with even a 51-plate special edition like this one coming in under budget. You’ll get a CD player and even air con for your money if you buy right, and a combination of decent ride quality, a hatchback boot and folding rear seats make it practical and usable too. It even sips fuel. What more could you want for a grand?
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