MERCEDES' pretty CLK coupe and cabriolet were expensive new or nearly new, but a few years down the line, you can buy one for under seven grand.

As with all expensive cars, it's surprising how reasonable they become after the first few years.

Good reliability and build quality means they will last for very long mileages but make sure you have full service history.

The CLK is a 2 + 2 coupe or rag top with good looking lines in both forms.

Petrol engines range up from a supercharged 1.8 with 160bhp to stonking 5.4 V8 with 382bhp. There are also 2.2, 2.7 and 3.2-litre diesels but only in the coupe.

All come with an excellent five or six-speed tiptronic automatic gearbox 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 you might expect.

All have traction control, front and side airbags, climate control, alarm, alloys, cruise, headlight washers, heated mirrors and excellent seat and steering column adjustment.

Most will have up-rated spec from the huge extras list, so many will have leather (which should be standard at this level) multi-CD player, sat nav and more.