Welcome to the topsy-turvy used car market of 2021, where values for most vehicles are on the up and demand for pre-abused vans is hysterically high.
Now, I know that you don’t come here for light commercial vehicle updates, but I’ve been working with the trades a lot recently. In particular, a plumbing relative went from an MOT-fail Ford Transit to an emergency Ford Transit Connect. The truth is that a diddy Connect doesn’t have space for all the stuff that such a tradesman needs.
Tempted as I am to recommend MPVs that could double as a van with windows, let’s not go in that boring direction. He’s a plumber and he’s loaded, so I reckon he should buy a new van and something he can really enjoy on his rare days off.
I’m thinking a cabriolet: a great big, large-engined, wonderfully indulgent motor in which he won’t have to worry about getting copper pipes stuck under his feet.
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How about a BMW 6 Series Convertible? These are rather affordable now, and our plumber can certainly afford the £8995 that will get him into a 2004 645 CSi with just 50,000 miles. Everything is standard, the mileage is warranted and it has a full service history. It’s not the cheapest one, but then you wouldn’t want that.
He might really want a Jaguar, though. I seem to be stumbling over many an XJS at the moment, and these are on the classic rise. They can be a pile of trouble, so you want one without any gaps in its history.
Care and a physical inspection are needed, but as an initial online swoop, a 1987 5.3 V12 looked fairly fabulous. The dealer’s website has no fewer than 100 photos to flick through. The mileage is a fairly marginal 56,000 and the fuel bills won’t faze the plumber, nor will all that pipework if it ever needs fixing. It even has a factory rear hard top, which isn’t just rare but also looks great and makes the car so much easier to use all year round. A £12,500 asking price is eminently reasonable.
As breaking down shouldn’t be an option for someone who’s often treated like the fifth emergency service, the awkwardly styled Lexus SC430 is certainly in the running. When you’re inside it, you don’t have to see the outside, and it delivers fresh air along with V8 propulsion.
Paying a solid £10,000 gets you a one-owner 2002 model with 43,000 miles. It has one of those electric folding roofs: what could be more comforting or cosy?
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Had an hour with a BMW 630i about 14 yrs ago, I liked it, but really needed four proper seats, now that I'm almost passenger free in the rear, maybe something like this would be fun.
Ooooh. Brave pills needed for a diesel engine that has only done 10k a year and is well known to go badly wrong.