Mercedes-benz SLK230

TIPPED BY: DONALD OSBORNE

‘I happen to own one, a 1999 model. There are very few manual examples here in the United States but rather more in Europe, though I think the automatics still outnumber them. But the manual gearbox transforms the car – it feels like a Miata [Mazda MX-5] but built by Mercedes. The later SLKS lost that light, nimble feeling, becoming a bit too heavy for my taste.’

These first-generation SLKS are at rock-bottom money on both sides of the Atlantic, but with some early signs that good, well-preserved cars with low miles and low ownerships are going up. The bad ones are expensive to maintain and so are disappearing. Yes, you can still buy dog-eared ones for a couple of thousand, but that’s not where Donald is sending us.

‘Even the best ones, which are currently $12k-$15k (£8.8k-£11k) over here, are remarkable value for money. Having the Vario roof, that folding hard-top, makes them so versatile but the driving experience is great too. Just buy the best one you can find and stay on top of the maintenance. For instance, I raise and lower that roof three times every winter, whatever the weather – it’s important to keep everything moving.’

When it comes to paintwork options, the more widely popular colours may be the obvious choice, but why not look beyond that? ‘The SLK world is sharply divided,’ says Donald. ‘Enthusiasts like the brighter colours, which are rare. Mine happens to be one of the sombre colours; silver over dark grey. I think it’s elegant and suits the shape, but the brighter Designo colours with contrasting interiors have a lot of appeal because they’re closer to the original SLK show car.’

Whether bright or sombre, you will still be able to find a 50,000-mile SLK 230 manual with a full history and get change from £10,000.