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  1. Five of the best cars for under £1,000
  2. Saab 9-3, Sparing Swede
  3. Volkswagen Passat, Prudent Passat
  4. Peugeot 306, Frugal Frenchie
  5. Volkswagen Corrado, Careful Corrado
  6. Vauxhall Omega, On sale Omega

Volkswagen Corrado, Careful Corrado

You might have been eyeing up Volkswagen's cool new Scirocco before the credit crunch happened, but your VW coupé dreams needn't necessarily be over. The Corrado is something of a forgotten machine among all but a handful of enthusiasts, but it still feels and looks contemporary today. What's more it's available for our £1,000 budget. Okay, so you'll not be getting the storming VR6 at this price, but the 2.0-litre 16v is quick enough and shouldn't sting so much at the petrol pumps.

Golf mechanicals mean it shouldn't be too expensive to maintain either, though the Corrado drives quite unlike the stodgy Golf. The steering is crisp, the turn in sharp and the ride and handling composed and poised. Get one now and you'll never regret it; indeed, the chances are you'll never want to get rid of if, even if you do find the means to get that new Scirocco on your driveway.