Buy them before we do: second-hand picks for 14 November

Mini Roadster 1.6 Cooper S, £6799: The Roadster was built and equipped better than its Mazda MX-5 Mk3 rival, but when push came to shove, it felt a little artificial in comparison. Still, it’s a Mini, so worth a try. Our find is a 2012/62-reg with 60,000 miles, a full service history and half-leather trim.

Maserati 4.2 GT Spyder Cambiocorsa, £16,995: It’s the engine note you’re paying for with this car; the performance, too, with 385bhp and 333lb ft on tap from the 4.2-litre V8. Both will, hopefully, blind you to the slow-witted, six-speed Cambiocorsa auto. Our find is a late 2005-reg with just 56,000 miles.

Saab 900 2.0 16v convertible, £3850: It was made to withstand ice, snow and elks, so if anything can cope with our winters, it’s a 900. This one’s a 1991-reg with 139,000 miles. It’s in really good condition with a new clutch and hood, full service history and leather interior.

Porsche 911 Cabriolet Tiptronic, £28,500: Prices of the last air-cooled Porsche 911s have been solid for years, which is why this reasonably priced 1995-reg one with 105,000 miles and 17 service stamps caught our eye. The cabrios tend to be less well treated than the coupés, so we’d have it checked by an expert.

Auction watch

BMW 735i Auto: It’s not often you see an old 7 Series chalking up high figures at auction, but that’s exactly what this 1985-reg E23-generation example did when the hammer fell at £17,205. No doubt its low mileage – 18,000 – and concours condition played a part.

Also, the E23 was the first-generation 7 Series and filled with technical firsts, at least for BMW, including anti-lock brakes, a driver’s airbag and double-link front suspension. Others included an on-board computer and a check control panel of warning lights. All a bit geeky but pointers to the direction future BMWs took.

Future classic

Renault Mégane RS 300 Trophy, £29,495: Like fast Fords, fast Renaults have their following, too. The Clio V6 shows how silly things can get, and although we wouldn’t forecast similar heights for this Mégane, prices for the best cars should firm up once the early-years depreciation is out of the way. Its appeal lies in its seat-of-the-pants driving experience. You can spec a standard Mégane RS with some of the same kit, notably a Cup chassis and uprated brakes, for less money but the uprated turbo and freer-breathing exhaust are unique to the 300. This 2019, 4175-mile car is up for £29,495.

Clash of the classifieds

Brief: I’d like a dependable estate for £5000.

Toyota Avensis, £4295

Subaru Impreza WRX, £3975

Mark Pearson: Blasting out of the wooded forest like DiCaprio being chased by a bear, here comes my Impreza WRX wagon, complete with 227bhp flat four and more grip than a Hollywood impresario at a cocktail party. This 2007 one is immaculate, too, with one owner and a full history. You can spend your weekdays carting antiques around and the weekends pretending to be Mikkola. Oh – yours looks interesting, Max…