Mercedes-Benz Problems

A great car, but they consume rear tyres at an alarming rate. It’s also now old and has possibly been thrashed by previous owners. Get it checked by an independent Mercedes-Benz specialist.

Obviously you're in the market for a performance drive, and the biggest difference between your preferences is seats. Specifically, just two in the Porsche. So, despite the fact the Cayman has a pretty handy boot in the nose, it's never going to be as practical as a C-Class sedan. The 6.2-litre V8 in the (W204) C63 is a naturally aspirated dream. The sound and fury of 372kW/620Nm (in the Edition 507) driving the rear wheels is a rare pleasure, and on the right road, its balance and mid-range punch are sublime. The current (W205-based) C63 S's 4.0-litre turbo V8 just pips it on outputs (375kW/700Nm), but the biggest difference with that unit's forced induction is that all that torque is available from just 1750rpm. The new chassis is brilliant, and is even quicker point-to-point than the Edition 507. Then there's the Cayman. Although we've somehow missed seat time in the GT4, experience with previous ‘special' models, including the (881) Cayman R and GTS point to this being the purest (or purist's?) choice. The 3.4-litre atmo R produces 243kW/370Nm, the GTS 250kW/380Nm, and the 3.8-litre GT4 is at 283kW/420Nm. The Cayman's mid-engine layout, and ideal weight distribution makes it one of the most precise and agile sports cars on the planet. So if you can live with just the two seats (that aren't exactly easy to get in and out of), it's our pick in terms of outright driving enjoyment.

It’s not a common failure, and I doubt that Mercedes-Benz would contribute to the cost of repairs.