Top 10 Used Coupés You Could Buy & Insure For Under £5000

If you happen to be between the ripe ages of 19 and 21, I'd put money on the fact that you drive a small hatchback, and I'm not normally a betting man. If I was, I'd also put money on Chelsea getting knocked out of the Champions League soon. Don't take my opener the wrong way though, what's not to love about a good ole hatch? They're practical, potentially nippy and if not packing too much heat then they're normally fairly easy to insure too.

But what if you want to be different? What if you don't need to give three or four mates a lift regularly or ferry various family members home from the pub to make some extra cash? What if you want a car that either looks good or delivers a more involving drive on a strict £5,000 total budget for car and insurance? Am I asking too many questions? Sorry. I may have the perfect 9-14 year old coupé for you and all it requires is you reading this post, simples. Here are the best used coupés I've found from scouring the classifieds on your behalf.

10. Renault Megane Coupé (1996-2003, Megane I)

The cheapest coupé in the countdown is the Renault Megane. You can easily pick one up for peanuts and it's also cheap to insure if you go for either the 1.4 or 1.6 petrol. I got three quotes under £1,500. So why is it at number 10 then? Well it's good looking and praised for being comfy but many used car experts and owners reported that it's not the most fun car to drive and it gets quite noisy at higher speeds. It's also quite a common sight too and has a nasty characteristic of loving an above-average slurp of BP's finest petroleum. If none of those things bother you on the other hand then it should be a joy to own. The 1.6 Monaco is the best bet as the engine provides enough pull yet is frugal and packs in a good range of equipment.

Average Total Cost = £2,400

9. Mercedes Benz CLK (1996-2003, W208)

Believe it or not you could get something as big, brash and luxurious as this Mercedes CLK, as long as it is the CLK200 which has the smallest 2.0 petrol that isn't turbocharged. Quite a few 12-14 year old examples are on sale nationally in the £1,500-£2,000 bracket and the cheapest insurance quotes ranged from £1,500-£2,500 per year. Anyone with a head though will definitely be put off. If something fails it's going to cost a bomb to replace and the chances of that happening on cars this age are high. Plus the 2.0 petrol is the only affordable engine and it is quite slow with only 136bhp but it returns 30mpg.

Average Total Cost = £3,500

8. Alfa Romeo GTV (1996-2005, 916)

It's the same story with the Alfa Romeo GTV. Your heart will fall for those drop-dead gorgeous looks but your head will tell you that you're nuts. There's a reason why people are selling them for peanuts; they are a nightmare to look after. They rust easily and often break down. Once they do breakdown, repairing them won't be cheap. Insurance premiums for this are quite high too. However if you are prepared to put those foibles aside, it's a totally loveable car. Also, if you can put up with it for years to come and look after it properly you could make money by selling it as a classic. The 2.0 Lusso is the one to go for here.

Average Total Cost = £4,000

7. Fiat Coupé (1995-2001)

Slightly more reasonable than the Alfa is the Fiat Coupé. Like the Alfa, it looks great, it's Italian and you can get it with a 2-litre 16v petrol with 195bhp which is reasonable to insure in comparison to the other ones in the range plus in some cases it's cheap to buy. It's a rare sight too although like the Alfa and many other Italian cars from this era, problems can occur. If loads of smoke comes out of the exhaust when you're testing the Coupé then avoid it like the plague. And cambelts must be changed every 36,000 miles. Fit and finish inside isn't the best and some bits can squeak. Plus you should check all the buttons work as electrics can be an issue too. If you can put up with all that and you find a gem then you'll love it. Wouldn't get it in yellow myself but take no notice of me.

Average Total Cost = £3,500

6. Vauxhall Astra Coupé (2000-2004, Astra G)

Being a Vauxhall you would expect this car to be cheap to insure and to buy. It certainly is and is cheap to run with a 1.6 petrol being available. It gets praise for being fun to drive too but not everyone will find it comfortable as the suspension is firmer than on the Astra hatchback. Reliability shouldn't be an issue and if anything does go wrong the repair costs won't drain your bank account. It's just that it isn't the most exciting coupé and the interior is straight plucked from the unexciting Astra hatch. 1.6 litre petrol engines aren't nippy enough either so if you can afford the running costs of the 1.8 then go for that.

Average Total Cost = £2,600

5. BMW 3 Series Coupé (1998-2007, E46)

Yes you could afford one, only if you go for the 1.9 petrol 318Ci that is. It's not a bad engine as it provides decent pace. Most E46s should be trouble free but on a test drive listen out for knocking noises from the suspension and check it has a fully stamped service history. The rear wheel drive car will be a joy for driving enthusiasts but buying the car itself won't be as cheap as most of the others on the list. Insurance is only reasonable on the 1.9 petrol and too expensive with any other engines (even the diesels)!

Average Total Cost = £3,900

4. Mercedes-Benz C Class Sports Coupé (2001-2008, CL203)

If you found the CLK a bit too large then this C Class Sports Coupe might be more appealing to you. With the smaller, more economical 1.8-litre petrol engine you will get cheaper insurance. It's more reliable than the CLK too yet just as roomy inside. The only trouble is that it is quite desirable meaning finding one within your £5k budget will be a challenge, but it's possible. It's recommended to get one with an automatic gearbox and there are plenty of examples out there. If that breaks though, it will cost a small fortune to replace, but you're driving a Merc so who cares?

Average Total Cost = £4,700

3. Ford Puma (1997-2004)

Small Fiesta chassis with a coupé body on top. According to most auto hacks, that's perfection on wheels. It's also cheap to buy, insure and own, with 1.4, 1.6 and 1.7 petrol engines available and even the 1.7 returns nearly 40mpg yet is brisk. However, it isn't that spacious inside which means if you are over 6ft, you're sadly going to struggle to fit in it. If you can fit in one you might wonder if there is any point in spending extra on a BMW when this is just as fun, maybe more fun to drive. This isn't the kind of car for anyone that likes aggressive styling, of course. It's quite the opposite.

Average Total Cost = £2,600

2. Hyundai Coupé (2002-2007)

Looks great, drives great and is cheap to buy, cheap to run and cheap to insure if you go for the 1.6-litre petrol unit. Only go for the 1.6 petrol if all you care about is image since it isn't swift and can get quite noisy at higher speeds. All the reviewers will tell you the V6 is better but us young guns can't quite afford that so the 2.0 is the one to go for if your pockets are deep enough. It should be reliable and well looked after since Hyundai gave original owners a five year warranty.

Average Total Cost = £3,100

1. Toyota Celica (1999-2006, 7th Generation)

And the winner of the best coupé you could buy and insure for under £5,000 goes to the Toyota Celica. It looks super sharp and only a 1.8-litre engine was available back in its heyday, with either 140bhp or 190bhp churned out from the block. According to "experts" on all things Celica, spending the extra on the 190bhp version isn't worth it as the 140bhp one is very good plus it will cost less to insure and will achieve better mileage. The only things to check include looking through the history to see if recall work has been done, check the brakes haven't rusted and check that the tailgate struts haven't collapsed.

Average Total Cost = £3,200

When buying a used car there are precautions you should always take. Don't look at one alone. Always bring someone else with you because two heads are better than one and if a friend or family member knows their mechanics then that's a bonus. Thoroughly check all around the car inside, outside and underneath and press every button to see if it works. Always check the oil caps too. If oil caps have some horrible milky gunk on them then walk away. Always check the registration plate either online or by text to see if the car is legit and not something completely different.

Finally, if it looks too good to be true, it probably is. Move away from the vehicle, sir!