We recently named our favourite cars on the market. Are you tempted by one of them for their specialties, but can’t quite stretch to the full price?We come with good news: by turning your attention to the second-hand market, there are plenty of bargains to be found. We’ve trawled the classifieds to put together a handy guide to sourcing a budget version of our best of the best, from the Toyota FJ Cruiser (pictured) to the Maserati MC20 and beyond.In those cases where some of our top 50s are too new to have a used version, we have swapped it for the next-best thing – or a wildcard alternative.PORSCHE 911 (991)The current-generation 992 has resisted depreciation remarkably well: the cheapest versions are still worth as much as 75% of their new price five years on. But the previous 991, launched in 2012, is less than half as much as the cheapest 992s. Yet it’s every bit the driver’s car, and maybe even a bit better suited to road use than the later 992 thanks to its slightly tighter proportions. Entry-level 991s also come with a sonorous, naturally aspirated flat six rather than the duller turbocharged engine you get in the current equivalent.From $40,000SCION FR-SWith so few examples of the GR86 out there, what about its predecessor? The FR-S is a small sports car with less than 200bhp and eco-friendly tyres that just happen to lend themselves rather well to travelling sideways, is one of the finest-handling cars you’ll come across, and is available for less than you might expect. Being a Toyota, it’s reliable with regular servicing.Check, however, for a lumpy idle and, because of the type of car it is, bodged repairs from previous accidents. From $15,000MAZDA MX-5 (ND)Mazda’s MX-5 is the Nintendo Wii of the car world: as accessible as it is fun, and so many have found homes that it’s absurdly cheap to buy on the used market. Indeed, just $8000 now gets you into an early Mk4 MX-5, and you can take your pick of 1.5 and 2.0 -litre engines. Both are stellar. Reliability is very good on the whole, but watch out for grinding gears (the gearbox is a weak link) and for the early signs of chassis rust on older or higher-mileage cars.PORSCHE TAYCANIs this the performance car bargain of our time? A drop in popularity of electric cars has meant that Taycan prices have dropped quite dramatically. That means half that the money it was new is enough to get you into a prestigious and prodigious electric luxury saloon that will leave most supercars for dead off the lights. Keep an eye out for air-con and infotainment issues, and use a home charger to maximise the value for money. From $57,000MASERATI MC20In true Maserati fashion, this wonderful supercar is beginning to depreciate rather quickly. They’re still a lot of money, but it is a little more stomachable, you’ll dodge the steepest part of the depreciation curve and it nets you one of the best all-round supercars available, with savage performance allied to a softness that lends itself well to craggy roads. It helps that it’s a looker, too. From $160,000TOYOTA COROLLA (Mk12)There’s a good reason why Toyota has sold more than 44 million of these over 12 generations: they are economical and come with a stellar reliability record. Pretty much all the engine options, and especially the hybrids, are as efficient as the Corolla’s exterior design. Inside, you are greeted by a healthy dose of Japanese logic too. From $9000ALFA ROMEO GIULIAThis is the car that flew in the face of the four-door one-upmanship practised by the usual suspects from Germany. When the Giulia arrived it had few shortcomings, making it a more than credible rival for the Merc C-Class, Audi A4 and BMW 3 Series. Reliability, however, isn’t always so rosy, though currently JD Power rates this car a 4.7 out of 5. From $10,000ROLLS-ROYCE WRAITHThe Spectre may be the most expensive EV on sale, but surely the next best thing is its spiritual predecessor? A car of considerable allure and pomp, it’s something that is as dynamic as it dares to be and luxurious as it ought to be, complete with a crystal rotary controller, inch-thick carpets and surreal sound suppression. From $100,000PORSCHE CAYMAN RThe Cayman GT4 RS is a special thing, but it’s unattainable for most of us. The Cayman R of a decade ago is almost as good to drive, but it costs a lot less.From $80,000LAND ROVER LR4If the entry price of the new Defender doesn’t pique your interest, you could try a similarly rough-and-ready, and impressively capable, LR4 for way less. And ones on sale have often done serious miles, a good sign.From $5000TOYOTA GR YARISPretty much unrivalled on point-to-point pace and, thanks to more hitting the market than first thought, falling in value. It is just as excellent as everyone says they are, so get one before it has been ragged apart. Never sold in the US (boo), examples can be found in Mexico and some have made their way to the US.LAMBORGHINI GALLARDOThe Revuelto has sold out until 2026, so what to drive to pass the time before then? A Gallardo might tide you over – be it until the waiting list is clear or your lottery numbers finally come up.From $100,000MERCEDES S-CLASS (W140)So much was spent on the development of the W140-generation S-Class that it was nicknamed the Billion Dollar Car, but as a result nearly half a million were sold. Unfortunately few remain, but those that do are often well cared for, and are worth picking up as they’re sure to become future classics. Many clunkers are out there of course, but decent examples can be had from $6000MCLAREN 12CThe 12C (or MP4-12C as it was first known) came under fire when it was new for its clinical feel when compared to the characterful Ferrari 458. However, now they’re less than half the price they were new, and much cheaper than Ferrari’s of the same age too. Find one that has been well looked after and it should look after you – early gremlins should have been sorted by now.From $86,000RANGE ROVER SPORT 4.2 SUPERCHARGEDThe new Sport is brilliant, but it has quite some entry price, especially compared with its mid-noughties forebear. We find the bargain basement prices of the first gen too good to ignore, although set aside some budget for repair costs. From $6000VW PHAETONIt’s not an ID 7, or an EV. Quite some way from it, in fact: the Phaeton’s only battery powers a sizeable alternator. Still, a heck of a lot of car at a bargain price: alternative options don’t come much more different than this. Opt for the 6.0-litre W12 if you fancy petrol power. From $5000ASTON MARTIN DB9A DB12 is a lovely thing, but it doesn’t have a V12 engine or a manual gearbox. A DB9 comes with both, and it just so happens that you can snag one for a fraction of the DB12’s price.From $30,000FERRARI 456This credible alternative to the Roma comes with a 5.5-litre V12, a six-speed manual gearbox and a price that’s less than a house – novel for a Ferrari. Check for cracked suspension bushes and rusty wishbones, and you’re living the dream. From $80,000TOYOTA FJ CRUISERFancy the retro-styled charm of the new Land Cruiser but find yourself restricted to a budget? This six-cylinder beast is the answer. The FJ has cult-classic appeal, you will rarely see another on the road, and its famed for its reliability. From $6000BMW M240I (F22)How much more can you expect from a straight-six-engined, rear-wheel-drive BMW that blows away its closest rivals and is available for the same price as a new Dacia? Not much. The M240i coupé delivers in spades and won’t disappoint. From $20,000