40 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 8 APRIL 2 020
ROADSTER FOR
THE PRICE OF
A POSH UMBRELLA
Spring is now here and you always need an umbrella,
especially when getting off the bus. But instead of a Dolce &
Gabbana brolly at £975 (it has an eagle head), get the wind in
your hair in a posable drop-top.
2002 MERCEDES-BENZ SLK 200
120,000 miles, £865
Better than a tired CLK, the SLK is slowly gaining
classic status, but without prices being tugged into
the stratosphere. It has an insanely complicated roof,
of course. It’s still possible to find quite tidy ones with
a complete service history, but there are sometimes
rust and electrical issues.BANGERS FROM BUS MAKERS
Firms that build proper buses must also be pretty good at spacious,
practical, tough cars. After all, they’re just like buses but with fewer seats.
2004 SAAB 9-5
ESTATE 2.3 VECTOR110,000 miles, £795
Saab may be gone, but it shared a badge with Scania. The closest it got to a people mover was
the exceptional 9-5 Estate. Even the old model still looks stylish. It’s satisfying to drive and
has bags of room, but the diesel engine can be smoky and leaky and the turbo can fail.
2005 RENAULT GRAND
SCENIC 2.0 VVT PRIVILEGE
70,000 miles, £490
There are lots of Scenics in circulation at the
moment and the Grand version has a few
more centimetres to play with. The petrol
ones are especially cheap and worth finding
because they’re more reliable. This isn’t
the most solid of vehicles and its electric
windows and dashboard can go on the blink.
2003 VOLVO V70 2.4 D5 SE
158,000 miles, £999
It’s impossible to go wrong with what is the consummate load
hauler from the Swedes. It has the legendary flat load bay and
there are seven-seat options for maximum family flexibility. The
petrols are good but the diesel suits it perfectly. The V70 will take
huge mileages and still look fresh.