When I saw a 156 parked up in the local supermarket, I just had to enquire, and was shocked to find out that I could buy a brand-new 1.6 for less than a similarly spec'd Ford Focus. Then the bad news: there's a five-month waiting list, and I didn't want to wait. So I looked for a used model and found a lovely '99 2.0 TS with one owner and 8000 miles for under £12,000.

What an absolutely stunning car to drive! It feels like a luxury car. The engine is silky-smooth and, when pressed, makes a gorgeous rasping sound. Cruising on motorways, the cabin is very quiet and relaxed. Because of the sporty suspension you do feel the ripples on poor road surfaces, but this is a small price to pay for the car's precise handling and steering.

The other great features of this car are the stunning looks and its rarity - you don't see many on the road so it feels even more special.

People expect a car like this to be very expensive to run, but that's a fallacy. Try 33 mpg and £93 for a 12k service from a main dealer. There's also a three-year warranty on mechanical parts and paintwork, and eight years for corrosion.

Brilliant car - buy one.