Jaguar XK8, Foxy old cat
Jaguar's design department's success has been hit and miss over the last twenty years or so, but most would agree than the last generation XK was a bit of a hit. Striking that lovely balance between beauty and aggression - as a good Jag should - the 1996 XK coupé even today has an air of luxury and quality (the latter often unjustified). Early cars were fraught with problems, with some even experiencing catastrophic engine failures - often resulting in the entire V8 powerplant being replaced. The suspension is also prone to wearing out (costing a few hundred pounds) and the automatic gearbox is sealed so that its oil can't be renewed. A replacement can cost up to £1,000.
So, a beautiful car that's cheap to buy - but it's hardly in the city car league when it comes to running costs. If you're thinking about it, make sure you take a proper test drive and insist on a full service history, but make sure you don't need the back seats too much - the XK is a proper coupé, whose back seats aren't really seats so much as parcel shelves.
