Summer car convertible

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Tue 5 May 2020 07:46
Summer car convertible - NAthan smith
Hi all
Reached that stage in life where I want a weekend/summer car for a blast around the countryside (when we can). Small budget 3-4k upto 14 yrs old around 100k mileage looking at Z4 or TT. Any advice I understand reliability and problems at this budget and age but it’s purely a weekend car for the summer
Thanks
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Tue 5 May 2020 08:41
Summer car convertible - elekie&a/c doctor
I would guess everyone’s first choice on here is the Mazda Mx5 . Great to drive and very reliable. I have previously owned a 1.6 engine model which is perfectly adequate. The biggest issue with these is serious underbody corrosion. Find one that’s clean , and you’ll be grinning all the way to the pub.
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Tue 5 May 2020 09:10
Summer car convertible - NAthan smith
Personal opinion on the mx5 is it’s a bit girly
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Tue 5 May 2020 09:19
Summer car convertible - SLO76
Personal opinion on the mx5 is it’s a bit girly

By far the best small convertible at this money though. I personally don’t rate the Z4 which was poorly made or the TT which does drive well in my opinion and isn’t as reliable as you’d expect. The later 2wd 1.8 150PS is the one to have though, it’s cheaper, lighter, better on fuel and not really much slower on the road. www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/20200501913...4 www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/20200326875...0 www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/20200314841...9 Do quite like these too... www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/20200310825...7 And these but a few issues to watch for and not as robust as the badge suggests. www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/20200504917...5

Edited by SLO76 on 05/05/2020 at 09:26

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Tue 5 May 2020 09:27
Summer car convertible - NAthan smith
Visually the Z4 is my favourite probably looking at 2.0 or 2.5 litre petrol- any things to look for on these?
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Tue 5 May 2020 09:35
Summer car convertible - SLO76
Visually the Z4 is my favourite probably looking at 2.0 or 2.5 litre petrol- any things to look for on these?

The 4cyl 2.0 is well known for eating timing chains so you must hear it starting from stone cold, many sellers will hide a rattling chain by warming it up before you view. The 6cyl cars are the ones to have but electrical gremlins are common. Many have been through hedges too at the hands of exuberant younger drivers so pay particular attention to the bodywork and look for main dealer or genuine BMW service history with fresh oil every year despite low mileage especially on the 2.0. Don’t buy one that’s been neglected or maintained by Joe Mechanics back street shack or by fast fit monkeys. The MX5 is the better car to drive and own but you gotta pick what you personally like or you’ll never love it. I’ve owned and driven MX5’s and can happily ignore the thoughts of others to enjoy the absolute pleasure these wee cars bring. Only things to watch for on them are rust and brake calippers.
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Fri 8 May 2020 09:14
Summer car convertible - Andrew-T
Personal opinion on the mx5 is it’s a bit girly

No-one has mentioned the Fiat 500 soft-top, but I guess that is even more girly ..... :-)

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Fri 8 May 2020 13:57
Summer car convertible - Engineer Andy
Personal opinion on the mx5 is it’s a bit girly

No-one has mentioned the Fiat 500 soft-top, but I guess that is even more girly ..... :-)

The Citroen/DS DS3 soft-ish top might be worth a look, assuming it in roadworthy condition.

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Tue 5 May 2020 09:11
Summer car convertible - Andrew-T
Find one that’s clean , and you’ll be grinning all the way to the pub.

.... and walking home afterwards ?

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Tue 5 May 2020 09:44
Summer car convertible - elekie&a/c doctor
Don’t dismiss the BMW convertible. An E 46 3 series with the 6 cylinder engine is a joy to drive , and it’s got reasonable rear seats .
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Tue 5 May 2020 10:55
Summer car convertible - Engineer Andy
Don’t dismiss the BMW convertible. An E 46 3 series with the 6 cylinder engine is a joy to drive , and it’s got reasonable rear seats .

A former (nearly retired) colleague of mine bought one of these (admitedly when new back in 2000) and loved it.

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Tue 5 May 2020 09:47
Summer car convertible - nellyjak

Always loved the MX5...nearly bohght one once..just couldn't agree on the price.

I ended up with a 9-3 Saab vert..2 litre LPT...and LOVED it...so very comfortable and with a good turn of speed too...got quite addicted to open top motoring.

I guess if I was going down that road again, then it would probably be the MX5 I'd go for.

As for the BMW Z's...I always preferred the style of the Z3...never liked the Z4.

Edited by nellyjak on 05/05/2020 at 09:48

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Tue 5 May 2020 09:56
Summer car convertible - Steveieb

Just parted with my partners Z3 2.8 auto 1997 and simply no trouble over its long lifetime. Values went down below £2000 but crept up recently and managed £3250 through a dealer.

Bit heavy on fuel and a little rust creaping in at the rear of the sills. But a great long term investment that is going up in value.

This car needs to be given serious consideration!

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Tue 5 May 2020 11:14
Summer car convertible - jc2

Sports car-YES.I drove one with the hood down summer and winter-half tonneau cover and heater blowing on your feet is very nice.Convertible version of saloon-NO WAY!

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Fri 8 May 2020 13:18
Summer car convertible - edlithgow
Find one that’s clean , and you’ll be grinning all the way to the pub.

.... and walking home afterwards ?

If its girly enough you might be able to get a girlie to drive you home in it afterwards.

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Tue 5 May 2020 11:23
Summer car convertible - Metropolis.
Lexus SC430?
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Tue 5 May 2020 14:06
Summer car convertible - barney100

Reached that stage a little while ago too. Got a Mercedes SLK250d 2012. Not everybody's cup of tea but in sport mode it's pretty good if you want a blast but we use it as more of a cruiser. A 350 r171 would be on my search list if I was doing not many miles and it's got a metal roof which I like.

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Tue 5 May 2020 14:58
Summer car convertible - Trilogy.

Go with your heart and buy with low owners.

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Tue 5 May 2020 15:22
Summer car convertible - badbusdriver

Go with your heart and buy with low owners.

So if possible buy one from Warwick Davis.

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Tue 5 May 2020 20:02
Summer car convertible - groaver

Anyone noticed a lot more convertibles being used for "shopping" over the last few days and weeks?

I certainly have.

I guess with a roof down you can pile the shopping in as high as you like...

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Wed 6 May 2020 06:32
Summer car convertible - badbusdriver

Anyone noticed a lot more convertibles being used for "shopping" over the last few days and weeks?

I certainly have.

I guess with a roof down you can pile the shopping in as high as you like...

Can't really say i've noticed, but i was in a garden centre yesterday and there was a guy loading stuff on to the back seat of a Golf convertible with the roof down!

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Wed 6 May 2020 08:20
Summer car convertible - Trilogy.

Now going out in a car is a treat. If you're convertible is your fun car that'd be the one I'd take for shopping. I'm alternating the cars for my every other week food shop.

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Wed 6 May 2020 12:36
Summer car convertible - Engineer Andy

Anyone noticed a lot more convertibles being used for "shopping" over the last few days and weeks?

I certainly have.

I guess with a roof down you can pile the shopping in as high as you like...

Ditto. Apparently lots of people now have flux capacitors in their cars, as they can still go 'shopping' down the local dual carriageway two hours after the shops shut on a Sunday.

Quite a few people on motorbikes presumably popping out at the same to time for a pack of ciggies or some stamps...a pity that the local corner shop or take-away is in the opposite direction and they aren't even carrying a rucksack or storage box on the back to hold groceries.

Lots of 'yoofs' presumably doing 'rapid food deliveries' at the same time, in formation and picking up groceries from the 'beam up point' for Tesco on the other side of town by the bypass when the shops are closed. No need for them to ring the doorbell - the screech of tyres means they are there.

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Wed 6 May 2020 16:03
Summer car convertible - groaver

https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/new-cars/lotus-celebrates-motorsport-heritage-retro-liveries-elise#comment-326058

Right! That's my convertible sorted...now, money?

Actually really smart, I think.

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Thu 7 May 2020 23:20
Summer car convertible - Senexdriver

The bias on this thread is towards sports car convertibles, but my wife has an A3 convertible (as does Mrs Avant, so I understand) and she absolutely loves it. She has always wanted a soft top but when the family were growing up and we were restricted to one car anyway, it was not feasible. So we bought her the A3 as her retirement present and for the first couple of summers, which fortunately were favourable weatherwise, we went everywhere in it. I am not a fan of open top motoring, but I don’t mind us using her car rather than mine when it’s just the two of us.

This spring is so far proving rather frustrating for the beautiful weather we are having when we can’t go anywhere top-down, but with any luck Boris will say something on Sunday that will allow us to go out and about a bit more. I must admit, it will be good to feel the open air again after this lockdown purgatory.

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Thu 7 May 2020 23:35
Summer car convertible - Avant

Yes, we both love ours too. It's a 1.5 petrol manual, so designated as 'her car' as she doesn't like driving my automatic (OK, DSG, but SWMBO has many talents but knowing the difference between DSG and automatic isn't one of them).

Our shops are all 4 miles away, so there have been opportunities to go the long way round and enjoy driving with the hood down. I really can't see anything anti-social about that, given that I could still change a wheel if I had to rather than call out the emergency services.

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Thu 7 May 2020 23:35
Summer car convertible - SLO76
A3 cabrio is a very decent car (depending on what engine’s in it) but it’s not a wise buy at this money - under £4K.
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Fri 8 May 2020 12:21
Summer car convertible - Metropolis.
I’m actually surprised no takers for SC430, any reason why?


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Fri 8 May 2020 13:08
Summer car convertible - badbusdriver
I’m actually surprised no takers for SC430, any reason why?

It's a bit of a marmite car. It was mentioned by John F as a suggestion in another thread. As i said then, when the SC430 first came out, i really didn't like the looks of them at all. In addition to that, they are absolutely a cruiser rather than a racer, with soft suspension and a cushy ride (to disguise the body flex), not to mention the 1750kg kerbweight!. However, i must have changed in the intervening 20 or so years, as i now quite like them, and were i in the market for a cheapish convertible, it would certainly be something i'd want to look at. In its favour is the reliability Lexus is known for, exclusivity (only 35 on Autotrader nationwide) and it is quite brisk (not remarkably though, thanks to the weight). But it is also quite thirsty.

One other thing, the OP says £3-4k. Out of those 35 on Autotrader, only 2 are under £4k.

But, if you were looking for something rewarding to hustle down a twisty country road, i'd suggest looking elsewhere!.

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Fri 8 May 2020 15:23
Summer car convertible - pd

If the criteria is a "blast around the countryside" nothing beats an MX-5. Great to drive, easy to re-sell and the only thing you need to check for really is rust.

If you just want to cruise about there are loads of options. I'm, personally, not a big fan of the Z4 and I don't really like the way it feels or drives but the TT is more capable than people give it credit for and can be used for long trips in comfort too.

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Sat 9 May 2020 13:32
Summer car convertible - Metropolis.
That’s fair enough BBD, many thanks for the explanation. I had a go in an SC430 back when they were just a few years old and although I found the exterior dimensions slightly queer looking it was incredibly refined and the interior (bright cream almost white) with Yamaha wood coupled to a navy blue exterior was quite stunning. That and a v8 engine so smooth you hardly knew it was running swayed me. I know the steering will never be quite what a boy racer would like, but I bet an aftermarket exhaust could certainly change the character of the car enducing the sort of v8 soundtrack that would be wonderful for a weekend blast. No replacement for displacement in my book. Perhaps one with a valve so you could make it refined again for everyday use, but I suspect I’m going outside the OPs budget now!
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Fri 8 May 2020 17:21
Summer car convertible - Avant

Coming back to Nathan -

With a limited budget your priorities need to be: good condition; service history; and fulfilment of your needs (whether blast around the countryside or a cruiser).

Image should be about no. 97 on the list of priorities.

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Fri 8 May 2020 21:08
Summer car convertible - SLO76

Coming back to Nathan -

With a limited budget your priorities need to be: good condition; service history; and fulfilment of your needs (whether blast around the countryside or a cruiser).

Image should be about no. 97 on the list of priorities.

Well said and this is the great secret to buying cheap cars. Forget image, uncool is cool when you want to save a buck or two.
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Fri 8 May 2020 21:21
Summer car convertible - Trilogy.

We have to remember for some image is number one, or pretty close to it, on their list of priorities, irrespective of the amount being spent.

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Fri 8 May 2020 22:27
Summer car convertible - Senexdriver

And I’d add that the best time to save money on a convertible is not during the warmer part of the year. During winter, if you can find one for sale, demand will be lower. Plan ahead!

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Fri 8 May 2020 23:31
Summer car convertible - Trilogy.

Now could be a good time if you're brave. Doubt many will be looking to buy at the moment.

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Sat 9 May 2020 11:30
Summer car convertible - SLO76

And I’d add that the best time to save money on a convertible is not during the warmer part of the year. During winter, if you can find one for sale, demand will be lower. Plan ahead!

Normally yes, but in the current situation no. Many owners are flogging their toys as they don’t see much use for them this season and prices are lower than normal. If you want one and you’re willing to take a few risks now is the time to snap up a cabrio. There’s a fair number of distress sales about from owners that live to their maximum and can’t afford the drop in income furlough brings.
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Sat 9 May 2020 12:22
Summer car convertible - Terry W

If you are of an age (say 60+) and thinking about a convertible for a summer toy (as I am), you also need to think about your knees and back.

Sadly a low seating position puts a bit of a strain on both - particularly where opening the door fully is restricted (as in a supermarket car park). An inelegant gravelly crawl out does not do it for me.

Saloon derivatives at least tend to have more normal height seats - and if you aspire to open air rather than blast around mode they can be fine.

So I'm thinking about Mini, SLK, 3 series, CLK!!

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Sat 9 May 2020 12:41
Summer car convertible - badbusdriver

If you are of an age (say 60+) and thinking about a convertible for a summer toy (as I am), you also need to think about your knees and back.

Sadly a low seating position puts a bit of a strain on both - particularly where opening the door fully is restricted (as in a supermarket car park). An inelegant gravelly crawl out does not do it for me.

Saloon derivatives at least tend to have more normal height seats - and if you aspire to open air rather than blast around mode they can be fine.

So I'm thinking about Mini, SLK, 3 series, CLK!!

Those options may not be as low as an MX5, but they are still much lower than ideal for someone with bad back or knees. The motoring press (who seem to have an utter fixation on being seated as low as possible) praise the 3 Series and Mini in particular for just this. Not sure about the two Mercs, but i'd guess the SLK to have quite a low seating position, maybe not so much for the CLK though.

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Sat 9 May 2020 12:54
Summer car convertible - Avant

Height off the ground is of course an element, but not the only one. I'm always surprised that SWMBO, who has arthritic knees, has no more trouble gettng in and out of her A3 convertible (or the succession of Minis that she used to drive) than my more upright Q2.

The cars she had more of a problem with were my Octavia vRS estates (three in a row): it was a combination of firmly-bolstered sports seats and a big gap between seats and highish door sill.

That said, an MX-5 is particularly low-slung and may not be ideal for those who don't bend so well in the places they used to.

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Sun 10 May 2020 08:49
Summer car convertible - John F

may not be ideal for those who don't bend so well in the places they used to.

If you don't use them. you lose them. I think the widespread problem of northern European arthritic knees and hips is due to the pedestal toilet and the widespread use of chairs. Many go through life moving knees and hips through fewer than 90 degrees, with little or no load-bearing. A good exercise, especially for the over 70s, is to go into the squat position, and rise from it, a few times a day - (not necessarily in the vegetable patch.......;). Then you can continue to enjoy the low seating position of that superb summer car convertible, the TR7 DHC, which if cared for, will outlast many a rusty old MX5.

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Tue 12 May 2020 14:07
Summer car convertible - NAthan smith
Took the plunge got it for £4100 looks and drives great 77k miles 2 owners


www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/20200419899...3
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Tue 12 May 2020 14:32
Summer car convertible - Trilogy.

Good to see you went for a Z4. Bit of a gap in the later service history, no doubt you spotted it.

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