2002 Vauxhall VX220

This is not a low-mileage, one-owner-from-new example, but then it isn’t going to carry a low-mileage, one-owner-from-new price tag either. 

It’s had eight owners from new and is showing just over 80,000 miles, but it’s wearing them lightly and it’s still as tight as a drum. This isn’t an old nag that’s been thrashed and abused without mercy before sliding down the used-car hierarchy into bangerdom and imminent heartbreak for its next owner; the history is comprehensive and shows signs of a number of fastidious previous owners.

As a consequence, this is a car you can use and enjoy without fear; low-mileage, show-queens are all very well but they do leave you with the nagging fear that you are going to pay dearly for every mile covered when it’s time to let them go…

The bodywork is straight and shows no signs of car-park dings or cracks. It’s also a cracking colour and much more interesting than red or silver. The current owner tells us that it’s a real show stopper wherever he goes.

There are, of course, a few minor stone chips on the bonnet. None are serious enough to distract from the car’s overall presentation and if it were ours we’d leave well alone, possibly sorting them out when the time comes for it to find a new owner.

Okay, we acknowledge that there really isn’t much to the interior of a VX220, but the good news is that what there is, is in very good condition. 

The seats are one solid colour, unlike the usual two-tone examples that age the car terribly. They are also developing a lovely patina and are as supportive as those of the Elise.

The one interior distraction is some scuffing to the hard plastic and metal trim to the right of the steering wheel where people have clambered in and out. This may or may not bother you, but if it does replacement trim is cheap and easy to source.

The 2.2-litre, 145bhp, naturally aspirated engine is as free-revving ever, endowing it with sparkling performance. The steering and brakes are as taut as the day they left the factory and the whole car belies its 80,000 miles, driving and rising like a much lower mileage example.

Even better than that is the fact that the car is still in standard specification, which is exactly what you want if you are trying to maximize its future value.

Speaking of which, the wheels could do with a light refurbishment at some point as they’re showing some light scuffing to the rims.

This vehicle comes with a comprehensive service and history file including old MOTs, an original sales brochure and handbook - and someone has even gone to the time and trouble of finding and printing out the relevant manufacturer service bulletins and service updates for the model, which isn’t something we’ve ever seen before.

The online MOT history checks show nothing of concern either, which anyone that has researched buying one of these cars for themselves will know is unusual.

A history check (certificate in the history below) shows nothing untoward and supports the provenance of this car.

We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again: the Vauxhall VX220 is anything but a poor man’s Lotus. While it might not have a Lotus badge on the bonnet in every other respect it is at least as good as the Elise - and in many cases, it is much better.

It’s roomier, for example, and many think it handles even better, being less edgy and less likely to kill you in extremis. It’s easier to drive quickly too, thanks to the torquey engine, and, best of all, it’s cheaper to run and maintain. 

And, cheaper to buy, which gives you the opportunity to get in at the ground floor before prices start to rise, which they surely must. The guide price for the car is £9-9,500 but the reserve is, as ever, much lower. This represents extraordinary value for a car of this quality and ability, and we can see that the new owner using it on both road and track for many years to come before selling it on for a healthy profit.

The car can be viewed in Upminster, Essex, to arrange please use the 'Contact Seller' button at the top of the listing. Feel free to ask any questions in the comments or view our frequently asked questions below.