MERCEDES' pretty CLK coupe and cabriolet are very expensive new or nearly new, but ten years down the line, you can buy one for under five grand.

As with all expensive cars, it's surprising how reasonable they become after the first few years and good reliability and build quality means they will last for very long mileages.

The CLK is a four seat coupe or rag top with good looking lines in both its forms.

Engines range up from a rather tame two-litre with 136bhp and a later one with 163, to a 2.3 with 190, a 3.2 V6 with 218, a 4.3 V8 with 279 and a 5.4 with 347.

All come with an excellent five or six speed tiptronic automatic as standard which is just as it should be in such a car.

The ride is excellent, the handling safe and sure and the road holding much better than such a big old softie should be capable of.

Even oldest models have ABS and traction control, front and side airbags and aircon.

: BMW 3-Series