Here are 10 low(ish) mileage used bargains for under £2,000

Let’s begin with a tasty ‘Winning Blue’ Mazda RX-8, fitted with a 1.3-litre Wankel rotary engine which sends 227bhp and 156lb ft of torque to the rear axle through a good old manual ‘box. It has a bunch of extras fitted too, including a nine-speaker Bose audio system and wonderful five-spoke 18in wheels. Yes please.

Or, if you fancy something more Italian, how’s a 76,000-mile Alfa Romeo GTV? It remains one of Pininfarina’s great designs; from the Teledial alloys and the single strip rear light bar to the tiny triangular front grille. The black finish over red leather isn’t a bad combination either.

Something far less exciting to drive than the first two, but it does claw back some brownie points for the almost factory-fresh condition. There’s a generous bit of tech in this B180 too, despite the fact it's somehow 16 years old. Where has the time gone?

If you want something in which to hypermile in relative comfort and that doesn’t drain your wallet, a Volvo S60 is a strong shout. This one has a 180bhp 2.0-litre five-pot, which is expected to return an average of 31.7mpg. Plus, who doesn't want five cylinders?

We can’t away from the sporty stuff for too long, so here’s a convertible Mini Cooper S with a centrally-mounted Milltek exhaust system that allows the 168bhp four-cylinder to breathe freely. That means 0-62mph in 7.4s, which may not sound quick, but this thing weighs just under 1.3 tonnes. Should be a hoot on a back road.

A 308 GTI with 50,000 miles on the clock for just £750 - how’s that for a bargain? OK, there are a few blemishes on the body, the interior has a fair amount of wear, and the first-generation 308 isn’t the most fondly remembered driver’s car, but it’s rare and looks it cool. Sort of.

The first generation is arguably the best-looking of all the Audi A3s, and here’s one with just 68,000 miles on the odometer. It’s been garage-stored for much of its life and despite the minor bumps and dents on the body, there seems to be plenty of life in it still. Oh, and it’s ULEZ-compliant.

This Freelander represents a lot of car for just under two grand. It’ll do the off-road stuff just as well as long motorway hauls, and there’s enough space in there for four people to comfortably tour England’s most scenic countryside (like the A13 at rush hour). Great option, this.

Remember the Escort-based Ford Orion saloon? Benefitting from fresh brake discs and pads, and various other bits like pistons and seals, this one-owner Orion is all but ready for its next chapter. Reckon you’ll be tempted to take the plunge at £1,850?

This is a proper wildcard because we’re unsure of the exact mileage, but with an interior that fresh it might not actually be too high. The real issue here is the exterior, which needs… some work. But table an offer of £500, spend a little more on restoration, and we reckon you’ll have a mint SLK for well under this week’s budget. Maybe.