When new, the SLK was considered poor next to rivals. With an average of 247 g/km CO2 across the range, its emissions are quite high for a sports roadster. It’s worth noting that the line-up does not feature any diesel models, which typically produce less carbon dioxide than petrol engines with similar power outputs.

Real-world economy for a four-cylinder model is usually between 34 and 42mpg, but V6 models and the dominance of automatic models mean the SLK as a range has relatively poor economy on paper. Expect big fuel bills if you’re doing short drives in an SLK 320 V6.

When new, we wrote ‘It’s a Mercedes-Benz – build quality is peerless and reliability almost unrivalled. Especially impressive when you see that wonderfully complex folding roof mechanism working’. Some of that remains true of a used buy, but the build quality does not extend to the bodywork and automatic gearbox wiring. However, the engineering means that it is an easy car to repair if you are a reasonably competent DIY mechanic or have a trusted specialist.

Some Mercedes-Benz dealers offer cheaper servicing for older cars and it remains the case that genuine service parts are often just as affordable as unbranded, mystery items that typical garages or DIYers might use. Unless the car is an exceptional example, we would recommend investing in some tools to service it yourself, and using an experienced Mercedes-friendly garage for the bigger jobs.