Wanted Convertible Hunt - Scaabs, Pugs and Other Automobiles.

[BorniteIdentity]

With the 75 heading along the gravel driveway to its new owner in Lincoln on Thursday, I'm hoping to [autoshite] replace it with two cars [/autoshite].

 

The current Mrs Identity is perfectly up for having a topless beauty for me to enjoy of a weekend, so I've had a little flutter with a few ideas.  

 

• The recent thread on MGF's was, in fairness, enough to put me off for life.
• I've got a watchlist full of MK3 MR2s (I really want a green one tho!)
• Every MX5 seems to be for sale conveniently before the MOT expires in 8 weeks time

Then I saw this

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1996-SAAB-900-SE-AUTO-CONVERTIBLE-FSH-LONG-MOT-Removable-Tow-Bar-/122355702554?hash=item1c7cf7db1a:g:fxUAAOSwTglYmeaY

 

Would I enjoy it?  Four chairs is probably more suitable than two, even though the majority of the time it's just me at the helm.  

 

I don't know anything about them really, but this looks nice.

 

I'm really looking for a keeper now.  Something I can sink some money into and make lovely.  The colour is nice, the MOT history stacks up etc.

 

Thoughts?

[Cavcraft]

They suffer from scuttle shake a bit but are a nice, solid feeling car. An MX5 (if you can find one) is exactly 235,000,000 times more fun though. 

[BorniteIdentity]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Saab-9-3-2-3i-1998-SE-Convertible-/262837102606?hash=item3d324fe80e:g:slMAAOSwPCVX83l-

 

Or perhaps I should pick up an ex telecom fleet car? Newer but less Saab and more GM.  Right up your street, Billy....

[Fat_Pirate]

I always say this when these are mentioned, but I strongly advise you have a proper drive of one before buying.  My Mrs loves hers, but I can't abide the wooden steering, poor ride, and Underground train levels of NVH.  It is quite fast though.  Bulkhead cracks around the steering rack can finish them off (there's a procedure to check for this but I've forgotten it), and oil sludging is an issue on the later ones.

[eddyramrod]

Don't rush into anything.  There's every possibility that I'll be wanting to move mine on in a few months, I'm so bloody fickle......

Oh and any you buy here will be a LOT cheaper than that ebay one!

[DVee8]

Buy paulplom's pug 306.

[BorniteIdentity]

buy paulplom's 306

 

I did think about it, but I just don't like them.  It's not a personal thing, but they just don't really do it for me.  That in itself is amazing, because most people look at my fleet of shite and say "I just don't like them".

[Asimo]

I know I am repeating myself, but MR2 mk3 is a really dissapointing car.

 

What about a Volvo C70? Five cylinder engines, good looking, very good value! This one is about the same money, low miles and look at the seats!

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/VOLVO-C70-2-4T-CONVERTIBLE-2001-/322434524891?hash=item4b129866db:g:ev4AAOSwx6pYsV8m

[DVee8]

Like you i am looking for a floppytop.Also mgf's.

The one i looked at,at the weekend just wasn't the one.

A 2 seater is what i really would like but I have 2 lads of similar age who would fight for the seat,so a 4 seat is needed.just not what I want.

[BorniteIdentity]

I know I am repeating myself, but MR2 mk3 is a really dissapointing car.

 

What about a Volvo C70? Five cylinder engines, good looking, very good value! This one is about the same money, low miles and look at the seats!image.jpeg

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/VOLVO-C70-2-4T-CONVERTIBLE-2001-/322434524891?hash=item4b129866db:g:ev4AAOSwx6pYsV8m

 

This is the kind of thing I'm talking about.

 

I will never own a silver car as long as I'm alive, worse still with a plain fabric interior.  WLTM something a bit special.

 

I'm rapidly going off the MK3 MR2s.  It is seemingly impossible to find one that's been loved.  All seem to be a stream of fails on basic stuff, leading me to think that finding one that's been cherished will be very hard indeed.

[Asimo]

I cherished my MR2 and apart from the handbrake, it was faultless when it mattered, ie after the warranty had expired. Just a dissapointing thing to drive, much more like a Corolla than the "reliable Lotus" I was hoping for.

[BorniteIdentity]

I cherished my MR2 and apart from the handbrake, it was faultless when it mattered, ie after the warranty had expired. Just a dissapointing thing to drive, much more like a Corolla than the "reliable Lotus" I was hoping for.

 

It does seem that these well loved cars are very few and far between.

 

I don't mind buying something that needs a bit of work as long as the price is favourable (PaulPloms 306 selling for £100 is enough to convince me any car makes sense) but it sees that all MR2s are roughly the same price, regardless of condition and care.

[Guest Breadvan72]

I know I am repeating myself, but MR2 mk3 is a really dissapointing car.

 

What about a Volvo C70? Five cylinder engines, good looking, very good value! This one is about the same money, low miles and look at the seats!image.jpeg

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/VOLVO-C70-2-4T-CONVERTIBLE-2001-/322434524891?hash=item4b129866db:g:ev4AAOSwx6pYsV8m

 

 

There is a 2001 Volvo C70 T5, alleging 245BHP, on the Facebook Shite Cars for Sale page, asking price £750.  Green, cream leather, autobox.  Needs an ABS sensor and emissions for MoT, the ad says.  

 

Also, I think that I saw a V6 Saab 900 (GM era) advertised for much cheapness last week, on eBay or wherevs.  

 

I am about to buy njgleeds' Saab 9-3 convertible for my wife. If she doesn't like it, it may be for sale again soon, but I think that she may like it.

 

I assume that the Pug 206 CC that I am currently trying to sell is not your thing, although it is very different from a 306.

[overrun]

I know I am repeating myself, but MR2 mk3 is a really dissapointing car.

With the 1.8 boat anchor, agreed. I have driven one with a 2.0 turbo running about 260BHP, that one delivered.

[Sigmund Fraud]

Despite all their merits, GM900s are a very, very, very dull drive. 9-3s are meant to be slightly better, i.e. you don't become stuporous after a brief run to the village shop.

 

If you want something fun to drive, I recommend an NB MX5, a welder and a large sheet of zintec !

[The_Equalizer]

Or, also coming with four chairs, are Merc CLK cabs. Comes in a variety of engine sizes and specs sir.

[DSdriver]

I bought my Saab floppytop at the back end of last year and it has been under wraps in a barn since then awaiting summer.

When I was searching to buy it I was horrified by seemingly all Saab floppytop owners lack of car maintenance respect. On every car I looked at the MOT history had a fail because of tyre wear, sometimes serious.

I haven't had a chance to find out yet whether this is because these cars go through tyres at an incredible rate or if the type of person who owns Saabs can't be arsed to check his/her tyres occasionally.

[Guest Breadvan72]

Despite all their merits, GM900s are a very, very, very dull drive. 9-3s are meant to be slightly better, i.e. you don't become stuporous after a brief run to the village shop.

 

If you want something fun to drive, I recommend an NB MX5, a welder and a large sheet of zintec !

 

 

GM 900s are, I agree, rather meh because of poor steering and handling.  9-3s are bit better, and Abbott mods (upmarket Barrying) improve them a tad (expensive to get done, but fine if a previous owner has done them).  I still quite like them, because Saab, but only a bit.  I will be driving one on a collection caper tomorrow, and I gather that it has had some Abbottage, so I may only doze on the M6, rather than actually sleep.

 

They are mega cheap, presumably because Saab is dead (see also: Rovers) as well as because of their limitations.  

 

As for tyres, being mingebag about tyres appears to be a national hobby for non shiters.  Look at all the quite good cars for sale, even otherwise well cared for ones, that have knackered and/or Dang Bang Ditchmissile tyres.

[Sigmund Fraud]

I will be driving one on a collection caper tomorrow, and I gather that it has had some Abbottage, so I may only doze on the M6, rather than actually sleep.

 

An Abbott Racing SAAB can keep you awake in many different ways...

 

They can rapidly accelerate to multiples of the national speed limit (fun) but the suspension is hard enough for you to require the services of a dentist or chiropractor after a drive along a typical potholed B-road (not fun) and they do love violently understeering towards other cars/the kerb/the edge of the cliff if you try to pretend you're Carlsson or Blomqvist (not fun at all).

[The_Equalizer]

Look at all the quite good cars for sale, even otherwise well cared for ones, that have knackered and/or Dang Bang Ditchmissile tyres.

 

I think that tyres are the first 'car expense' people cut back on. If someone's splashed out on decent rubber I automatically presume they've spent money on maintaining the car too.

[stripped fred]

I think that tyres are the first 'car expense' people cut back on. If someone's splashed out on decent rubber I automatically presume they've spent money on maintaining the car too.

I agree with this. Lack of tyre maintenance doesn't bode well for the rest of the car

[Guest Breadvan72]

An Abbott Racing SAAB can keep you awake in many different ways...

 

They can rapidly accelerate to multiples of the national speed limit (fun) but the suspension is hard enough for you to require the services of a dentist or chiropractor after a drive along a typical potholed B-road (not fun) and they do love violently understeering towards other cars/the kerb/the edge of the cliff if you try to pretend you're Carlsson or Blomqvist (not fun at all).

 

Luckily this Saab will be for my wife, who used to be a 205 GTi supersonic whizzbabe back in her younger days, but nowadays drives somewhat sedately.  Having said that, I still enjoy driving like a wazzock, and possess a highly unfavourable ratio of skill to enthusiasm. I have to go and fetch the car, so I may manage to spear into a tanker full of biohazards at some inconvenient point on the drivetime motorway network, or bin into a ditch on a twisty bit near home.

[HMC]

If you can stand it wobbling over bumps in the road ( I couldn't) then a classic shape 900 'vert is an interesting choice. Turbos seem pricey but n/a hobbies still seem affordable.

 

A208 clks are quite cheap, and they did a 430 which looks just like a 200 and can be found cheaply. Alternatively as per your original post, embrace CLASS when you see it and get an MGF!

[BorniteIdentity]

If you can stand it wobbling over bumps in the road ( I couldn't) then a classic shape 900 'vert is an interesting choice. Turbos seem pricey but n/a hobbies still seem affordable.

 

A208 clks are quite cheap, and they did a 430 which looks just like a 200 and can be found cheaply. Alternatively as per your original post, embrace CLASS when you see it and get an MGF!

 

The shape of SAAB's I like seem to be pretty strongly priced.  There are a couple of interesting ones around including that red one above and the yellow 9-3.  

 

All the CLK's seem to be resale silver or doom blue, and the one that I really liked seems to be suffering with the typical wiring issues of the time.

 

The £100 PaulPlom 306 cabrio has lead me to eBay and, in fairness, there are some beautiful examples around.  I've made enquiries on one.

[andy18s]

Why not remind yourself about the heartache of missing out on the yellow peril,and go for 1 of these.....admittedly it's not a mk3 or yellow,but it's the cheapest I could see..

As a side note,when did These get so feckin expensive?????

[Kiltox]

I had a mk2.5 MX5 for a summer - it was great fun even though it was just a 1.6

 

Ferocious rust both to the body and power steering pipes killed it

 

My current 216 cab isn't as much fun to drive but still feels right on a summers day with the roof down!

 

Hate both with the roof up though - my MX5 was pants because it was FUCKING ROASTING without air con and the Rover is worse than an equivalent non soft top R8 would be by miles.

[Junkman]

Style never goes out of fashion.

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1997-Rover-216-cabriolet-covertable-220-coupe-kit-Cream-Leather-/122371562882

[Kiltox]

Fuck sake!

[NorfolkNWeigh]

I agree wholeheartedly about not buying silver or black Mercs, here's Mrs N's a couple of years ago.

It is now suffering from the usual wiring and rust problems, must sort it before summer.

[Vince70]

Can I suggest going German when it comes to a floppy top.. Under a grand will get you a tidy low mileage MK3 golf cabriolet.

I had one for a few years about 8 years ago and I paid £850 and it never missed a beat and was economical with a good sized boot also cheap for spares and room on the back seat for a big German Shepherd but the previous owner did pay £800 to get the auto hood working so when it comes to old convertibles I prefer a manual hood.

 

Also another brilliant convertible is the old Audi 80 I bought mine for £750 with approx 63000 on the clock it was 22 years old and it still looked new without a rust blister in sight and with the 5pot made a lovely noise and I recently saw a really nice low mileage one for sale in bright yellow for £900 on eBay

 

The best one though I think from the driving point of view is the E36 as I've currently got one which is also immaculate with low mileage and I picked that up for £730 with a roof problem but that had the fully automatic roof which I wouldn't go for if I had a choice and if it packs up it can be costly but I got mine working ok but I managed to also buy a new roof and frame off Facebook in the right colour so I bolted and wired that one up and have kept my old one as a spare.

 

The only thing with the E36 is finding a decent original car is hard as most are now on 19inch drug dealer style alloys or been have been owned by drift kings also it's getting harder to find a completely rust free example but although the 80 doesn't drive as well it seems to resist the rust bug better than the E36 from what I've seen for sale.

The only problem for me is I hate green cars but all the decent ones I wish to buy are always this colour plus the golf was the same colour,

Did the German car manufacturers have a job lot of green back in the 90s

 

You can't have my green E36 though as my dad has decided to have the car, it seems every decent car I buy he ends up talking me into selling on to him when I want to keep them but this time I've said I want first refusal if he wants to sell it again.