As a public servant shortly to retire after 40 years service, I quite fancied treating myself to a used convertible to go alongside the family car (a Ford Kuga). My best friend has a soft-topped Alfa Spider (red), but I quite fancy a hard top for security, and saw a stunning used Mercedes-Benz SL350 in a local dealer's with 50,000 on the clock at just under £15,000. I would probably prefer something with a lower mileage, and don't mind paying a little bit more, but I wondered if there are any pitfalls in this model, or points to check for apart from the service history and HPI etc checks?

Incidentally I am 6 feet 3 inches tall and have yet to sit in one. A two-seater is fine as my wife's and my children have long since flown the nest. I am not a boy racer, but would like something that is stylish and has quality.