10 Best Used Car Bargains for Summer

Traditionally us Brits love a good MINI - and although the new models aren’t particularly reminiscent of the Rover models featured in the ‘Italian Job’ you can still pick one of the Roadster models at a steal. MINI’s will hold their value brilliantly compared to alternatives due to the BMW-pedigree and consistent desirability. For just North of £10,000 you too could be nipping around the city centre in an iconic roadster.

Are you the outdoorsy type heading for the beach this summer? Take a look at the Juke from Nissan. The uniquely styled vehicle offers the ride height and ground clearance of an SUV while benefitting from the controllable dimensions of a medium sized hatchback, which is perfect for getting down to the beach, perhaps towing some Jet Ski’s or with a boot full of Surfboards?

Despite the high demand for Juke’s, they can be had for reasonably cheap on the used car market. We’ve found a number of low mileage Jukes on our database from around £8,000 mark, with approved dealers who provide worry-free warranties on all their vehicles. Have a look and see what deals you can pick up.

 The VW Beetle is a much loved and desirable vehicle with a sturdy reliability record and fairly low running costs. The 1.9 TDi engine is an established performer as it is used in numerous other VW vehicles such as the Golf and Passat. This means they are reliable and inexpensive to fix, if anything were to ever go wrong.

Prices for a low mileage Beetle come from as low as the £5,000 mark now and because the style is so iconic and timeless, you can get away with buying a slightly older model while still turning plenty of heads on the high street.

 If you head down to Germany for a drive down the infamous Autobahn, the speed limit-less motorway network in Germany, you won’t find many Audi R8’s or Lamborghinis tearing down the fast lane. What you’ll find is countless ‘wagons’ with a boot full of luggage and a family who are cruising to their holiday destination in supreme comfort. More often than not, the BMW 5 Series is the wagon of choice.

The 5 series estate is a supremely spacious vehicle and will easily facilitate for a family of 5 and a holiday's worth of belongings. Furthermore, the 5 series has a famous range of strong-performing diesel engines which offer very good economy, well over 60mpg in the 520d’s. So if you’re considering driving to the South of France this year for this your summer getaway, you’ll do well to find a more qualified vehicle then the 5 Series Touring.

Available with Quattro, the Audi TT is a more versatile alternative to the BMW Z4 and Mercedes SLK - the diesel engines are economical too although they may slightly detract from the driving experience you’d expect from a true roadster. The non-Quattro variants are front wheel drive which (to purists) isn’t preferable but the steering is still sharp and responsive and understeer isn’t too prominent when really pushing on. Boot space is modest for a car of this size and should be enough for a weekly supermarket run.

While it may not seem like the obvious choice for a ‘summer vehicle’, Octavia owners will not hesitate to admit that their trusty Skoda’s really begin to shine through the summer holidays. The Octavia is the perfect all rounder for the family holiday. Comfortably seating a family of 2 adults and 3 small children while holding a boot full of luggage, the Octavia will economically and assuringly transport holidaymakers from Calais to Cannes and back. The solid reliability record will put minds at ease too. The Octavia also just picked up the 2015 Tow Car Awards Prize for vehicles up to 1,400kg - so you can drag your caravan, jet skis or mountain bikes along too!

Diesel models under 5 years old (which we’d highly recommend) with a modest mileage can be had for around the £7,000 mark from an approved dealership with a warranty. This could be one of the safest purchases any consumer can make on the used car market.

The stylish convertible from the Bavarian giants BMW, the Z4 has proven to be an extremely popular choice in the UK - offering a true driving experience with the front engine and rear wheel drive combination rewarding owners with real satisfaction on British country roads. The early ‘e85’ models can be purchased from the £5,000 mark now, representing great value for money if buying on a budget - perhaps as a weekend car, or alternatively the newer model can be had from £15,500 upwards which is available with turbocharged engines returning better fuel economy and more power.

The third and final offering from the 3 big German manufacturers in the Roadster segment. Competing against the BMW Z4 and Audi TT, the Mercedes SLK is available in petrol models and diesel models, and although the ride itself isn’t quite as rewarding as that of the Z4, the Mercedes interior is far superior in terms of luxury and standard equipment. Early models can now be had from the £3,000 mark but the best value for money lies around the £13k mark - where you can pick up a 2009 model with low mileage.

A hugely popular car among female motorists is the Fiat 500, the supermini from Fiat which is often considered to be an extended fashion accessory, due its cute aesthetics and celebrity status. Jennifer ‘J-Lo’ Lopez, Jodie Kidd and Charlie Sheen all own 500’s and even Fashion superstars Gucci got involved to release their own special edition. You can pick up a well maintained Fiat 500 with below-average mileage from as low as £7,494 now. The car is very easy to drive to the tiny dimensions and superbly economical, the 1.2 Petrol will return 49mpg on a combined cycle, which is perfect for nipping around the city centre and urban areas. Definitely one worth considering if the style matches your tastes and lifestyle.

There’s currently a Mazda MX-5 to suit people of all budgets, with the original mark 1 models now available for less than £1,000 if you look in the right places. The MX-5 is the most popular roadster of all time, with astronomical sales figures and an absolutely solid reliability record too. The Fourth generation is now on sale from £18,000 (brand new) but if you’re interested in the pre-owned market we’d recommend picking up an ‘NC’ (3rd generation model) where £7,000 will get you a high spec low mileage example. The perfect weight distribution, direct steering and having the wheels right in the corner offer an incredibly rewarding driving experience and although the engines aren’t hugely powerful, the mx-5 is a pure drivers car. seemingly built for the British B-roads.