Walk into a BMW dealership with £28,000 and there’s not all that much you’ll be able to walk out with. You could get a 216d M Sport Gran Tourer, which sounds pretty sporty but is in fact a seven-seat MPV with a 1.5-litre three cylinder diesel engine.

All very worthy, but are you really ready to hand in your licence to have fun just yet? Instead, how about a 4.4-litre twin-turbo V8 petrol BMW 5 Series that will do the 0-60 in under five seconds, ooze its way to a reined-in 155mph top speed, and save you at least £4k on the 216d in the process?

That’s the beauty of buying used. In the case of this 550i, some other kindly person has taken the huge hit of new-car depreciation, leaving you to secure the keys to a very rare and rather desirable 400bhp executive with just 35,000 miles under its five-year old belt.

It’s true that this is not a cheap M5. It’s a lover not a fighter, with Conservative club paint, a relaxed 8-speed auto gearbox and steering that will send even the most practiced insomniac off to sleep in no time at all. Who cares though, when you’re surrounded by a beautiful leather and wood interior packed with all the toys expected by top-end buyers?

This is a car that will have you congratulating yourself on your purchasing wisdom, and your neighbours wondering which of your relatives has just moved on and left you a fortune in their will.

If this 550i is not sold by the time you see this, you’ll find it here for just £24k or less, depending on your haggling skills.