Boss Car Buys
James Walshe discovers the finest cars in the world are now the planet’s best value bargains
How you can get some of the world’s finest cars for peanuts.
If the objective of any vehicle purchase is to get the most bang for your buck, this particular gathering of heavyweights takes the premise to considerable extremes. The cars we’ve assembled here are not only the best of what their makers could achieve at the time, but they are all worthy contenders for the title of finest in the world .
Most of these highfalutin choices of the business supremo can be snapped up now for less than £4000. Okay, you might need to perform some minor surgery and the odd electronic gizmo will doubtless be on the blink but will your wallet survive? And how much of the maintenance work can you do yourself?
Buying any of these cars is a responsibility as each is a vehicle built to take on Crewe’s finest. So wading into our mosh pit with a cocky, brutish arrogance is the Bentley Turbo R – these days yours for under £10,000. Given the other players here can be had for significantly less, is it still the headline act? Let’s rock.
BMW 7-Series E38
PRICE C1: £5250 C2:£2500 C3: £1250 Being the best car in the world is no mean feat, so if you’re going to make the boast, you need to be more trousers than mouth. BMW’S confidence in this respect is justified, since the firm’s ‘ultimate driving machine’ ethos is stamped over the 1994 E38. Whether you plump for a straight-six, V8 or V12, you’ll be rewarded with a fine balance of luxury and agility – and a very Nineties mobile telephone handset complete with curly-wurly cable. The BMW might seem relatively modern but there are era-defining delights in the detail. There’s even an in-built terrestrial TV in this particular model – a system which later made its way into the Rover 75.
While not so different visually from its E32 predecessor, the E38 was packed with new tech. As well as traction control, ABS and rain sensing wipers, it was the first car to be offered with curtain airbags and the first in Europe to get sat nav.
As you might expect from all of the cars here, there is an awful lot of stuff to go wrong but this appears to have been a good era for BMW reliability. It’s worth snuffling through the paperwork on cars built before 1998 as there were some cylinder bore issues with many 728i and V8 models – some units will have been replaced under warranty by BMW. Rough idling and excess oil consumption will be a clue. It’s also worth avoiding former chauffeurdriven examples (most likely to be a 750il) as long periods idling outside hotels will have put extra strain on engines.
A well sorted 7-Series is an absolute delight to drive and our V12 example – owned by Jonathan Mills – is a rock-solid machine that’s a joy to pilot and is naturally bursting with all manner of useful gadgets. That said, the E38 was most famed for an option that BMW never actually offered. Pre-dating Elon Musk’s smart phone-activated Tesla tech, the 7-Series was driven remotely by Pierce Brosnan AKA James Bond via his mobile phone handset in
Tomorrow Never Dies. That car is in a museum in Germany so if that excites you, there are few classics capable of covering long distances as effortlessly or dependably than a BMW 7-Series.
BMW Owner
JONATHAN MILLS Jonathan’s ‘750 has only done 93,000 miles. He also owns an E34 Alpina B10 Biturbo, E23 Alpina B10 7-Series, M5 Touring and a 635. ‘BMWS are my thing – they’re just perfect.’
Need to know...
Walk away if… The plastic radiator body is weak, so check paperwork for replacement. It’ll save you . Survival secrets Don’t be put off if the car ‘shimmies’ at around 50mph on the test drive. It’s likely to indicate some wear in the front suspension – reportedly an easy fix. Club 7-Series Register, bmwcarclubgb.uk
Audi A8
PRICE C1: £4250 C2:£2500 C3: £1500 The Audi A8 also found fame on the big screen in the Nineties, outgunning a Citroën XM in the second of two breathtaking chase scenes in Hollywood thriller
Ronin. It made BMW’S James Bond performance look more like a scene from The Little Mermaid.
Audi’s flagship was billed as a car for the new millennium, being as it was equipped with a lightweight aluminium chassis, all-alloy construction, four-wheel drive and a range of powerful but cleverly fuel-efficient engines. The A8 was unveiled in 1994 – the same year as the BMW E38 – but it feels two generations ahead of the Bavarian. Within yards of driving it, the Audi feels lithe, slick and planted, exposing the BMW and Mercedes for the two-ton fatties they are. Nowadays Audi might well have reinvented itself as the must-have badge of the 2010s, but used values of the classic models (Quattro aside) remain oddly low compared to German contemporaries. The A8 can be bought for relative peanuts with anything from a 2771cc V6 to a monster 400bhp, 5998cc W12 but for this comparision, we’ve opted for this outrageously rapid S8 owned by Bert Youell. Its 4.2-litre V8 packs a preposterous punch way beyond anything in the group.
It only cost Bert five-grand but he has since spent significantly more on parts – which is the A8’s only real downfall. As with any classic Audi, there are fewer specialists and components can be pricey and difficult to source. Almost 25 years after launch, Audi’s £400m investment in quality has paid off with impeccable shutlines and interior quality ahead even that of the near-perfect Lexus. Spend enough time inside and you’ll notice numerous pleasing details – for instance the interior lighting’s enchanting red glow and the knowledge each slice of wood comes from a single tree. Providing the history is right and you’ve had a good rummage through the bills, a cherished A8 makes a shrewd used purchase and whilst you won’t get the charm or cosseting ride of the other cars here, the outstanding Audi A8 is captivating for its extraordinary competence. It was a sign of things to come.
Audi owner BERT YOUELL Bert bought his S8 after accidentally blowing up a Subaru. ‘I cried, drank wine and watched Ronin. Then I went on ebay.’ He loves the way the Audi drives and enjoys its almost indestructable feel. ‘Virtually nothing unsettles it.’ Walk away if… The aluminium body panels are prone to dents and will prove complex to repair yourself, unless you’re a bodywork expert. Survival secrets A lesser 2.8-litre model is a far simpler DIY animal to the 4.2-litre S8, the latter possessing many more complexities both electronically and mechanically. Club Audi A8 Owners Club, a8oc.net
Lexus LS400
‘Despite its age, the Audi feels at least two generations ahead of the rest’
PRICE C1: £3950 C2:£1750 C3: £800 When a car maker like Toyota initiates a project without a specific budget or development timescale, you know there’s something good on the horizon. Four years in the making and product of sixty designers and almost 3000 engineers, the LS400 surfaced in 1989 with the aim to be the best luxury car in the world. It certainly resembled the best car in the world, widely considered at the time to be the W126 Mercedes Benz S-class.
While the Japanese car’s styling possessed neither originality or presence, on closer inspection it was clear of Lexus’ intent to build a car capable of shaming every other luxury car on the planet with its flawless quality. Rival manufacturers scrambled to obtain examples – some even stripping them down for analysis. The LS400 still feels astonishingly refined today. Occupants glide serenely across the worst of roads, tugged along by a powerful V8 that hums effortlessly, and almost silently, in the background. Toyota’s obsession with precision build (each came with a full three-year 100,000mile
warranty) means it’s unlikely you’ll buy a dud, as they most likely don’t exist. Our example is thought to be the second earliest example in the UK and despite being used every day of the week and having a fair number of miles behind it, the car still felt tight and squeak free. Much like the exterior, the décor inside might look a little plain but it’s a joy to use with beautifully damped switches and a futuristic electronic holographic instrument panel.
The LS400 could well be the used car luxury bargain of the decade, with reasonable examples available for just a few grand. Potential buyers must check the paperwork for evidence the timing belt has been changed (every 60,000 miles) while the transmission fluid ought to have been renewed each year. Exhausts are expensive, so a recent one will be a bonus. Tick those boxes and few luxury cars will reward you with such dependability, well-appointed comfort and serenity. In fact, so quiet is that V8, during the process of moving these cars into position for the photographer, we kept having to check the Lexus’ engine was running.
Lexus owner JOHN KINGSFORD John bought this stunning early Lexus reasoning that it’d make a reliable everyday cruiser and it hasn’t gone wrong in the five years it has been in the family. ‘My mother has borrowed it and decided it was better than her Volvo. She refuses to give it back!’
Need to know...
Walk away if… If it has been slammed to the deck and ‘pimped out’ by the boy racer brigade. Survival secrets A non-starter is usually fixed with a simple jiggling of each earth point, as corrosion in them is common. Club lexusownersclub.co.uk
Mercedes-benz S-class (W140)
PRICE C1: £3500 C2:£2000 C3: £1000 To paraphrase Douglas Adams, it can hardly be a coincidence that no language on earth has ever produced the expression: ‘as pretty as a Mercedesbenz W140’. When viewed alongside its tasteful, graceful predecessor, the 1991 S-class is a bit of a porker. However, given decades of successfully building the best car in the world, Mercedes could afford to be confident. The W140 was clearly and deliberately designed as a symbol of excess and that in itself is something to relish nowadays, in an era distracted by weight-saving petrol preservation. To appreciate the W140 fully, you must consider what an astonishing achievement it is. Despite this mass of over-engineering and its preposterous bulk, the car handles superbly and with virtually none of the wallow you would expect. The engorged exterior proportions will constrain the more enthusiastic driver on an average B-road, but you can still hustle the Merc with surprising vigour. This particular example is equipped with a 282bhp 4196cc V8 and although it doesn’t enliven the senses like the Jag, it propels the Mercedes swiftly and completely without fuss.
There’s no drama for occupants either, who get a smooth, silent ride and more space than any of the other cars here. The chairs are enormous and you’re surrounded by handy features such as double glazing, self-closing doors and a heating system that stores warm air after the engine is switched off. It’s definitely of the semi-advanced late Eighties era, though. This was a time before electronic parking sensors, so two small retractable markers pop up from the tops of the rear wings to help you
‘The LS400 was built to be the best car in the world. For a time, it was.’
work out where the back of the car is. Very quaint…
Asking prices have tended to yoyo a bit on this particular Merc – most likely thanks to uncertainty over the inelegant W140’s classic credentials and fearsome running costs. Parts are predictably exceedingly expensive from both dealers and specialists though, so beware of cheap basket cases. On the upside, the engines are smashing. All S-class models love the open road and the bigger units in particular are unruffled by the cars weight and unlikely to have suffered. The V8 would be our choice, for its combination of power, dependability and, dare I say it... ‘economy’. We’d say 18mpg in this company isn’t too bad.
Merc owner LONDON JAMES Steve Hanks, of classic specialist London James, says it’s never a chore to sell a Mercedes-benz W140 such as this 52,000 mile 4.2-litre SE. ‘They’re so well designed, you know you’re buying a precision piece of engineering.’ He agrees that you need to prepared to spend a little extra on upkeep. ‘The reward is a million miles of contentment!’
Need to know...
Walk away if… certain gizmos don’t work, particularly complex self-closing doors, seat heaters and air con. Survival secrets Join the club, learn about every nook and cranny. And check bills – Merc parts are always expensive. Club mercedes-benz-club.co.uk
Jaguar X300 PRICE C1: £3000 C2:£1500 C3: £750
Numerous manufacturers claim to be the titleholders of ‘best car in the world’ and amid the recurrent quarrels between Crewe, Stuttgart and Munich, since 1968 there has always been a Jaguar XJ lurking in the background. Be it Jag or Daimler, there is a special kind of magic in Coventry’s limo. Any of the models available, from base spec XJ6 to V12 Daimler Double Six, have a captivating appeal unlike any other – especially for the keen driver. The X300 in this group was launched in the same year as the Audi, BMW and Mercedes. Quality was improved over the XJ40 but the new car retained that svelte, classic look – and thank goodness for that. Even today, it still has huge presence and its slender shape makes the other cars assembled here look decidedly podgy. It is admittedly smaller inside, so it’s worth seeking out a long wheelbase model if you regularly carry passengers with legs and heads. Behind the wheel is where you really want to be, anyway. While it might not deliver the all-conquering B-road punch of the Audi or Lexus-like serenity, the Jaguar carries itself in its own uniquely elegant but sinewy manner.
Unfortunately, the way some of the interior trim moves is equally unique in this company. Although superior to previous generations of big Jag, the build can still be hit and miss so inspect your potential purchase thoroughly. The electronics can develop multiple personalities so make sure you get a response to every prod of the cockpit switches. More mysterious maladies can be solved with the assistance of a very willing band of enthusiasts, specialists and clubs who’ll offer warmth, wisdom and a friendly smile. It’s that kind of car.
Jag owner
CRAIG CHEETHAM Craig paid £700 and began learning that ‘it’s very difficult to find a cheap, fully functioning Jag for less than a grand’, culminating in extensive body and paint repairs in 2016.
Need to know...
Walk away if… you see rust in the windscreen area as it can be tricky to repair and if it’s a wallowy drive, you’ll potentially need to perform a fair bit of suspension surgery. Survival secrets Most jobs on an XJ are straightforward DIY prospects, including head gaskets which tend to go at 140,000 miles on all models. Club Jaguar Enthusiasts Club, jec.org.uk
Bentley Turbo R PRICE C1: £12,000 C2:£6000 C3: £2500
Far more expensive than any of its rivals when new, the Bentley exudes the impression of class, wealth and potential financial ruin from every one of its towering corners. Despite its brutish face, the Turbo R manages look elegant with chiselled features and a subtle application of chrome. Inside, the interior is in a different class to the others. The sumptuous materials are delicious, with a refined mix of leather and wood delighting the senses. However, those expecting the precision build of more modern cars will have to look past the imperfections of this hand-built leviathan. It’s an older design, after all.
Once underway, there’s oodles of power and the car disregards bumps and undulations. The steering is beautifully weighted gentle clicks of column change (four-speed from 1990) sees you threading through bends without causing undue alarm to yourself or your passengers.
A full-service history is important with any of our chosen luxury carriages but none more so than this one. You absolutely must know that your Bentley or Rolls-royce has been cherished by its previous owners. Oil leaks can spell danger, check for corrosion and watch that temperature gauge because if you can’t do a head gasket yourself, it’ll set you back £4000 at a specialist.
You might want to excuse your decision to buy the Bentley by sticking some pencils up your nose whilst wearing a pair of underpants on your head but providing that you can tackle some of the maintenance work yourself or afford those hefty fuel bills, you most likely won’t ever regret buying a Bentley Turbo R. All together now: ‘Wibble’.
Bentley owner
ANDY WATERS Andy runs CBR Prestige Cars alongside his CBR Motor Bodies restoration business. ‘The Bentley is my pride and joy and a luxury car I’ve always aspired to own.’
Need to know...
Walk away if... they aren’t the worst DIY prospect, but turbo issues and engine damage caused by infrequent oil changes will be potentially dear to repair. Survival secrets Watch out for ‘Bentley Tax’ – overpriced parts are common. An OE fuel pump is £700, but thankfully an aftermarket equivalent can be had for under £70. Club Bentley Drivers Club, bdcl.org
‘Sniff that interior and you can’t help feeling like you’ve really made it’