If you're looking at a slk of this era I'd try and find a 320 which is a much nicer drive and doesn't use much if any more fuel.

Main thing to look out for is rust, otherwise they're pretty solid. I reckon the Mk 1 SLK will soon bottom out price wise and eventually become quiet collectable.

I had a CLK 320 for about six years lovely to drive but a wee bit thirsty.

Thanks

Any experience of the CRZ ?

Try the owners' reviews - admitedly only a few, but a good score, but I think its a very niche car. You may also find it difficult to find one (and in your price bracket) as a result.

www.honestjohn.co.uk/owner-reviews/honda/cr-z-2010/

I'd stick with the MX-5 - loads to choose from, lots of experience in maintaining them, owners' clubs for help and great fun. Just make sure you fit in it!

I have owned a CRZ for 5 years. Mine is a 2012 GT but without the Sat Nav (which isn't v good anyhow). It counts as a pre facelift model ie pre late 2013. You will be looking at a 2010-2011 car at your price range.

I love it -particulary for its looks. It is the only car I've owned where people ask me what it is and when I catch the reflection of the car in glass showrooms or see the car from afar I do smile and feel proud it is my motor. Next to all the greyish big blobby cars in car parks now the CRZ is lithe, small, low and with flowing lines. It's the opposite of the ever bigger bulkier frankly indistinguishable car world we live in. At my local hand car wash the Eastern European boys say it is cool - and they get rather bored with endless Mercs and Range Rovers.

I will list out the positives:

The looks, its compact size, It's unusual, it is utterly reliable, surprisingly large boot esp with the seats down - I am off to a certain swedish big box retailer tonight and it's not a daft prospect to bring stuff home in it. I have done trips to the tip in it and also week long holidays also v easy. I find the performance perfectly adequate. Fully equipped - good climate, electric folding mirrors, fixed moonroof in GT, heated leather seats in GT too. Economy is around 48-52mpg. Depending on where you live it counts as a hybrid/alternative fuel car so can mean lower residents parking charges. It never was CC exempt and still isn't.

Negatives

Ride can be crashy and a bit firm esp on thinner rubber. I have the 16 in wheels with Michelin Cross Climates. The seats are a bit thin - I find them okay for a couple of hours at a time. rear visibility isn't brilliant but then in many cars now it's not great. I actually quite like the cross bar breaking the rear screen in two as at night it blocks headlights. Combination of good mirrors and parking sensors helps.

I belong to a group on F***book for the car and it has a loyal following - not so many were sold so it has rarity value. We tend to wave at each other as we drive about or ask if "I saw one in Asda Swindon was it anyone from here? " type posts. Nobody, literally nobody has reported problems with the IMA battery. Nobody has had to get it replaced. Mine still works at 8 years old in the same way it did when I bought it at 3 yrs old. The 12V battery does need to be replaced occasionally (it doesn't start the car but it "starts the brain" to start the car (using the IMA battery).

Small areas of weakness - rear brakes can stick/go rusty. the CRZ uses regenerative braking for 50% of the brake pedal travel so uses its brakes very lightly. The rear brakes gets the least use of all as you'd expect. plus point being the pads wear a long time all around. People have reported occaisonal door lock problems. I haven't but if you get to look at one just check they all work.

Biggest problem is usually finding one. I bought mine as honda approved used but went from London to Lancashire to buy one (they were cheaper up north and away from South East/London).

It is being talked about as a future classic. It was very much a "punt" by Honda to test the market for a sporty manual hybrid. It didn't sell well even in Japan. I have been to the mother country twice in last 4 years and saw precisely 4 CRZs in over 5 weeks of travel.

There are ways to soup them up eg superchargers, engine work. Plenty in the F book group can help if that's your thing. Quite a few get "modded" or lowered. Mine is original.

Fiesta is a great car , but getting into the back of a 3 door model is a challenge. Young and agile spring to mind .

I was thinking the same thing!.

The Hyundai Velostar I mentioned back near the start of the thread is a distinctive looking car full stop, but one of the more distinctive aspects is that it has two doors on one side and one on the other!. This means if you need to get someone less mobile in the back, they can get in the side with the rear door, with relative ease.

Both the Fiesta and Astra GTC are decent enough cars though.