15 surprisingly affordable classic cars

Spring sees an uptick in classic car purchases, as nostalgic enthusiasts snap up historic convertibles for summer country drives or trips to the continent.

Classics will never be the most practical cars for regular use, but there a few models that are relatively inexpensive to buy, easy to maintain and barely depreciate.

Car insurance and road tax costs can be remarkably little too, and if you own a car registered before 1972, there is no road tax at all.

1. MGB GT/ Roadster

Hugely popular in its day and still one of Britain’s most accessible classic cars, MGBs are easy to repair with many models available today having been extensively restored by loving owners.

Widely considered a good “starter classic”, the hardtop GT is less popular as a summer run-around that the convertible Roadster but they are also generally less expensive than their soft top cousins.

GT owners also have the added kudos of driving a car that has the hand of Sergio Pininfarina in its creation. The design house best known for helping to model generations of Ferraris, was commissioned by MG to develop the GT’s revolutionary sloping roof, providing coupe styling with hatchback practicality.

One MGB GT went on the market this week for £15,000, and only 1500 miles on the clock, but a good target price would be £3,000 to £7,000.

2. Triumph Spitfire

Built to honour the Spitfire fighter plane, the very first Triumph Spitfires appeared at the London Motor Show in 1962 and were in production up until 1980.

In common with many cars of its age, classic Spitfires are at risk of acquiring a rust build-up on the floor panels and in the sills, which can be extremely expensive to repair. The bonnet area and headlamps are also particularly susceptible to rust.

The later models are usually more reliable, and come with added chrome. Aim for £4000-7000.

3. Land Rover Defender

Produced between 1948 and 2016, many Land Rover enthusiasts were dismayed to see the final “classic shape” Defender roll off the production line at Solihull in January last year.

Land Rover has promised a new, if radically different, Defender design this year, and the British start-up Ineos is planning to build a “spiritual successor” to the original model.

While you’re waiting for one of the new models, the market for used Defenders might be a place to turn to. They typically cost between £3,000-£8,000, with prices varying heavily depending on the extent of modification. Over the years many Defender owners have uprated their vehicles with better tyres, suspension and light fittings, spawning unique cars optimised for different driving environments.

On the flip side, like many rural vehicles Defenders can receive a lot of abuse in their day-to-day use so a thorough inspection of your prospective vehicle would be prudent.

4. Mini

A revolutionary design in its day, the Mini was originally conceived in the depths of the Suez-induced fuel crisis as an efficient city runabout.

Produced between 1959 and 2000, 5.3m Minis were rolled off the production line under successive owners, Austin, British Leyland and Rover.

It was the best-selling British car of all time, and there are plenty left over that can be picked up for a fair, if steadily increasing, price. £3000-8000 should be enough for a reliable model and it may prove to be a good investment.

5. Jaguar XJ

The final Jaguar to receive the attention of the company’s illustrious founder, Sir William Lyons, the XJs were large saloon offerings from Jaguar. The Coventry-based firm used the Daimler brand to market the top-of-the-range XJ, re-bagded as the Daimler Sovereign.

Today they carry a reputation for being expensive to maintain, with parts and servicing likely to be more more of a burden than most of the cars featured in this list.

6. Jaguar XJ-S

Designed as a successor to the iconic Jaguar E-Type, the firm surprised many with the look of the XJ-S when it was first launched.

Today the car has a growing fan base, with prices ranging from £6,000 to £20,000 depending on engine size and condition.

7. Ford Capri

Initially conceived as the European answer to the Ford Mustang, and proved to be huge success for Ford in the UK. Several models were produced, which today have a price range of between £5,000 and £20,000 for a model in good condition.

8. MG Midget

Designed as a cheap 2-seater sports car, the Midget is not an appropriate purchase for the very-tall, but a practical buy for owners with less headroom and legroom requirements. Produced between 1961 and 1980, the earlier chrome-bumpered versions attract greater attention, and higher prices, than the later rubber-bumpered models.

Like the larger MGB GT and Roadster models, the continued popularity of the Midget is helped by the availability of cheap parts from MGOC and Moss Europe as well as a reasonable purchase price: around £3000-£7000.

9. VW Golf GTI Mark I

Regularly cited as very first of the “hot hatches”, the Golf GTI was a major success in its segment, even if the Renault 5 Alpine and Alfa Romeo Alfasud also compete for the mantle of “first hot hatch”.

The GTI’s iconic status has only grown over time, as has the cost of owning one. You can expect to pay around £20,000 for a Mark I.

10. Ford Cortina

With a production run spanning five generations, the Cortinas are enjoying a bit of a renaissance amongst classic car enthusiasts, with high-profile owners such as Jon Culshaw indulging their 70s nostalgia with a string of Cortina purchases.

Prices for the Mk1 Lotus Cortina have gone the way of the Sierra Cosworths, putting them way outside the reach of most enthusiasts. Prices vary considerably between the different marks, but typically you can expect to buy around £5000-8000 for a good model.

11. Triumph Herald

James May’s adventures in an “amphibious” Herald brought the nifty two-seater national attention back in 2006. Similarly priced to some of the other small British classics from the period, the convertible versions are in higher demand than the hardtop or estate versions.

12. Mercedes Benz CE (W123)

There’s a reason why there’s still so many of these cars rattling around, they’ve got a well-deserved reputation for indestructibility. You’ll see many of these cars listed for less than £1,000, but a budget of £2,000 would be safer.

13. Porsche 924

This is a “practical, inexpensive starter classic with relatively basic mechanics”, according to the Porsche 924 Owners Club, which recommends looking for models priced between £2,000 and £4,000.

14. Saab 900 Turbo

The Swedish car-maker famed for its safe and reliable cars began production of the Saab 900 in 1978. Today you can expect to pick up a good example for somewhere between £2,000 and £6,000.

15. Triumph Stag

Produced between 1970 and 1978, the Stag was a luxury offering from Triumph, sporting a V8 engine and styling by Italian car designer, Giovanni Michelotti. Sean Connery’s car of choice in Diamonds are Forever, the Stag is a popular car with a loyal band of followers.

Around 9,000 Stags are believed to still be in existence across the UK, with many having been restored by enthusiastic owners.

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Follow Ashley Coates on Twitter: @Ashley_Coates.