Valuations

It’s reckoned that more than 100,000 Fiat 500s have been snapped up by British buyers since the car arrived here in 2008, so it won’t be difficult finding a good secondhand one for sale.

Needless to say, the cheapest will be the 1.2 in Pop spec, which kick off at about £2300. The real budget buys are ones in austere-looking white, black or silver with steel wheels. The 1.3 Multijet generally begins at £2500, while the cheapest Twinair will start at £3000, with a 1.4 sitting somewhere in between. But it’s worth holding out and spending a little more on a really nice one in a vibrant colour, with a comfy, well kitted-out interior with air-conditioning or preferably climate control as an absolute minimum.

To give you an idea, we spotted a 2011 Twinair in red with 97,000 miles in Sport spec for £3890. Better still, we found a 2015 Twinair S in lively Electronica metallic blue, with the 105bhp engine, 34,000 miles from new, part-leather interior, privacy glass and a number of other options being advertised at £6600. Considering this would have cost the best part of £14,000 three years ago, it offers great value.

The Abarth model starts at £8000 and, for this, you’ll get a 2013 model with possibly as little as 30,000 miles on the clock. There are fewer of these to choose from, and they’re something of an acquired taste, but it will be a case of finding one in the right condition at the best price.

A realistic starting point for the convertible 500C in decent Lounge guise is £3500, although you could spend as much as £6500 for a well-specced 2015 Twinair.