There are plenty of legal protections in place to prevent people being ripped off when buying a used car from a dealer. Unfortunately, buy a dodgy used car from a private seller and you're probably stuck with it.

It's a minefield. The vast, vast majority of car sellers, and their cars, are perfectly legitimate - and that 'new job forces sale' story may well be genuine - but it's easy to get caught out.

According to Vanessa Guyll, Technical Specialist at the AA, emotional involvement ...

Summer time and the living is easy, so how about making your driving just as enjoyable and laid-back with a classic car?

Choose the right car and all your motoring worries will melt away in the sunshine and, if you're not keen on a winter's classic motoring, you'll be able to sell up and maybe even make a profit.

All of our choices can be had for £10,000 or less in tip-top condition.

MGB Roadster

The MGB Roadster is the definition of the ideal summer classic. There's a massive selection...

Cheap as chips luxury cars for £5,000

If you're willing to sacrifice the look of a newer number plate and spend a little more on fuel, a true luxury car can be yours for buttons. We're not talking about posh small cars here either, but genuine executive barges with acres of space and mountains of prestige. For just £5,000 - about half the price of a basic new Ford Ka.

Jaguar XJ
Search for Jaguar XJs on Yahoo! Cars

The Jaguar XJ might have a slightly tarnished reputation, having become ...

10 essential things to do before buying a used car

Buying a new car is far less daunting than buying used, so it seems. For a start, there's the welcoming environment of a shiny showroom full of gleaming cars. More importantly, there's also the peace of mind of a brand new car and the long warranty that comes with it.

By comparison, used cars are a minefield of dodgy forecourts, 'sold as seen' runabouts and suspicious odometer readings. That's not the reality, mostly, but buying used i...