One for the Road: An understated luxury car

The Audi A8 is unofficially the third-best luxury German marque behind Mercedes and BMW

Stephen Naughton wants a big comfortable luxury car that does not attract much attention. He will pay up to £10,000.

A car for the head

The obvious choice would be a Volkswagen Phaeton. It's a technical tour de force, a sort of Audi A8 without the personality. This luxury car is perfect if Stephen does not want to show off, though the seats and ride are brilliant and much better than many established brands. It depreciates like a Ford Mondeo, which makes it the perfect used buy. Prices start at just below £5,000 but the pick of the range would be a 2006 3.0 V6 TDi with 83,000 miles for £7,000.

A car for the heart

We have already mentioned the Audi A8 (pictured above), which is unofficially the third-best luxury German marque behind Mercedes and BMW, but arguably the most stylish and understated. That also makes it one of the best-value hi-tech barges on the market. The 2005 facelift marks a price spike and there was also a longer limousine version, which can be ignored. There are great petrol and diesel engines which combine with its safe-as-houses four-wheel-drive system. Our pick would be a 2005 3.0 TDi with 70,000 miles for £8,900.

Looking to buy?

Email James Ruppert at onefortheroad@independent.co.uk, giving your age, address and phone number, details of the type of vehicle in which you are interested, and your budget