Cheap luxury is easy to find, but the value offered by Jaguar’s XJ is spectacular. Five grand buys a mint XJ6 and a thousand more doubles the cylinder count; choose either and you’ll have one of the most comfortable cars ever made.

Car of the Year in 1969, the XJ marked the start of a new era for Jaguar. Offered in three series with a choice of wheelbases, transmissions and engines, your XJ could also be ordered in coupé form. Working out which to go for can be a challenge, but always buy on condition and treat the specification as secondary.

Jaguar and Daimler versions are worth the same, and which series you buy makes little difference. Condition is all, but coupés are worth slightly more than saloons. A worthy XJ6 is £2000-plus, £3500 bags a nice one, and £5000 gets you something really special. Add 20% for an XJ12 and the same again for a coupé.