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Dream dropping

I have about £12,000 to spend on a small open top job. I quite like the MINI Cooper cabriolet 2nd hand, pre 2007, but also quite fancy the panache of the new FIAT 500 open top. MINIs seem two a penny and as the fiat is newish which would you go for? It’s hard to know out of the MINI cabrios which model to choose: the cheaper MINI One, Cooper or Cooper S?

Asked on 21 November 2009 by

Answered by Honest John
I'd go for the FIAT 500C, but be aware that the best engine (the 1.3 Multijet) can have diesel particulate filter problems if used for short runs. There will be an Abarth 500C next year but I reckon it will start at £16,000, the same as a new R57 MINI Cooper convertible, though the Abarth is a fair bit quicker.

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