Used Mercedes-Benz SL 1993 - 2002 reliability

There's a whole host of potential problems, kicking off with automatic gearboxes that can jump out of gear. If the problem is terminal, you'll be looking at a repair bill in excess of £3000.

Also, look for rust around the base of the hood and check that the air-con systems work, as they can be a little temperamental and costly to fix. Likewise, some models have had problems with the dashboard bulb failure warning light showing when all the bulbs are fine, and the sat-nav system is a little unwieldy even compared with aftermarket units.

Try to avoid models that have high mileage and those where the leather is starting to look a little worse for wear; anything that has an unreasonable amount of smoke coming out of the exhaust is going to cost you dear later on, too.

And, if you're looking at a 1995-96 model, check that the work set out in the 2001 recall (following some instances of airbags deploying unintentionally) has been done.