Summer lovin- what would you ride?

[Stroller133]

Was think of buying a cheap car while I decide what to do with my current car. Initially wanted something for bridge money, but started thinking I might like to have an early and cheapish mid life crisis.

I currently think I want a convertible for the summer, ideal budget is a bag maybe 2 if I can find something that should be easy to sell and get (most of) my money back.

 

My current targets are:

BMW Z3

Toyota MR2

Mazda mx-5

M(or H)GF

 

Any better ideas? ideally no more than 4m long as need to put in garage with other non car stuff

[Cavcraft]

Peugeot 205

[Asimo]

 

These are so woeful I think I might try and swap my MR2 for one.

[Stroller133]

I would consider a CTi 205 but don't seem to see many of them about now.

[spike60]

I've got a 2.8 Z3, quite a nice brisk thing apart from a lumpy gearbox which spoils it around town, I've been threatening to put a clutch in it ever since I got it. Wide tyres exaggerate the fidgety handling over bumps, stick with standard. Noisier with the roof up than an Alfa Spider

[dollywobbler]

I've driven four and six pot Z3s. They're annoyingly pleasant. MX5s are nice, but watch the spec. Some are feeble. MR2s are great, but dissolve. I can't really get on with MGFs. Nasty, plasticky interiors and HGF worries.

 

Mazda MX3 V6 is your oddball, no sun-worship solution.

[Stroller133]

I've got a 2.8 Z3, quite a nice brisk thing apart from a lumpy gearbox

How thirsty is the 2.8? I'd probably look at the 1.9, as some weeks I could do 500+ miles, really want 30mpg

[Jim Bergerac]

Reliant Scimitar SS1.

[Shep Shepherd]

Escort Cabriolet?

[Stroller133]

MR2s are great, but dissolve.

 

Mazda MX3 V6 is your oddball, no sun-worship solution.

What era dissolve? I'm interested in the 2000? Onwards model. Seem to be a few at around £1400 and reviews suggest they are reasonably easy to live with if you only carry yourself.

[Stroller133]

Reliant Scimitar SS1.

I like them, good call.

[spike60]

2.8 Z3 does about 26 mpg locally, 7 mile trip to work etc, and it did 34 on a 120 return trip on A roads on Saturday. It is it's own worst enemy, it feels well on full throttle in 2nd and 3rd gear accelerating off roundabouts!

In 2 years/9k miles it has had an inlet cam sensor, both front door lock solenoids and the inlet trunking changed, all 3 series bits. It uses no oil or coolant at 100k.

Rust doesn't seem to be an issue, well built.

[dollywobbler]

Not sure about the third gen MR2, but the first two rot nicely.

[fordperv]

Escort Cabriolet?

This was my 1st thought as well

[Stroller133]

Escort Cabriolet?

I like Mk4 cabrios based on XR3i but do these suffer from OMG scene tax now? The later models are not nice in my view, don't know why but didn't like them when new either - sorry if that causes offence but we have different tastes.

[eddyramrod]

306 Cabrio?  I had one of those as a rental in Ninerife (it was before inflation) and found it singularly pleasing.  2.0 for added fun, it's a bit of a sleeper.  Looks like hairdresser, goes like racehorse (well the ones I bet on anyway).

 

My mk2 MR2 is fine when I'm solo, which is most of the time; also 2.0 so I have "enough" power... and of course mine has a proper gearbox, none of yer porridge-stirring here.

[anonymous user]

In the spirit of autoshite, I shall ignore your specification for a less than 4m long, cheapish, mid-life crisis, sportscar and suggest either something V8 and American, or an XJS is just* what you need. Alternatively a Series Land Rover with the roof off.

[Asimo]

What era dissolve? I'm interested in the 2000? Onwards model. Seem to be a few at around £1400 and reviews suggest they are reasonably easy to live with if you only carry yourself.

My 05 MR2 is very good on fuel, I find it easy to get 40+mpg and it is a good car for 200+ miles a day. The MR2 forums are reporting rust failure of the rear cross member on early cars. It does feel like a car built down to a price but mine has no obvious rust so far. More a sporty Toyota than a reliable Lotus, if you see what I mean. Avoid anything with oversize wheels and there are many that have been "improved" for trackday buffoonery. Not practical for two plus stuff as you say.

[Ghosty]

Convertible Golf of some sort?

Renault 19 cab?

Punto convertible?

Saab 900?

[Stroller133]

Hopefully in the future an XJS could be considered, but just couldn't justify running costs now. There is a SIIa land rover on my watch list, but not a serious contender.

Liked 306 cabrios back in the day, but not sure now.

[Stroller133]

Had a mk1 golf gli V reg about 10 years ago. Bought it on a sunny weekend in Sept that led on to a miserable winter. Sold it for £30, which was stupid. The steering wheel even then was worth about £60 alone.

[Ghosty]

I was thinking of the Mk4:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/VOLKSWAGEN-GOLF-2-0-AVANTGARDE-CABRIOLET-CONVERTABLE-POWER-ROOF-MOT-AND-TAX-/111349260992?pt=Automobiles_UK&hash=item19eceee2c0

 

Same engine as the GTI for exhilarating* performance.

There's a very similar Mk3 version that's usually a fair bit cheaper too - ISTR Trigger had one?

[wackywacerwill]

[twosmoke300]

^^^^ BOOM BABY

 

Thats the money shot right there

[Ratdat]

The only singe reason why I wouldn't choose an MX5 is the complete lack of any luggage space in them. You can't do you shopping or even go to a carboot sale in it as there's so little space to put anything. Shame as other than that they tick every box. Mine is an early 1.6 and is terrific fun and plenty quick enough. Despite me thrashing the hell out of it, it's also been pretty reliable. Probably the last of the quality Mazdas.

 

Given the choice now, I'd probably get one of these as I think they're a good looker and are cheap as chips...

 

[Vince70]

I think the Golf 3/3.5 is a good call as a good one can be picked up for under a grand these days..

I had one a few years back with the 1.8 petrol engine and it was a great trouble free car and economical if a tad slow but was truly immaculate and well screwed together.

 

The boot space is also good for a few bags of shopping and the weird thing I now have an Audi 80 cabriolet and although nearly twice the size the interior and leg room in the back is smaller so the golf also has a tardis interior.

 

I would say go for an Audi Cabriolet for the summer months as they really are a well built tank but the golf comes with a heated glass rear screen which really is an added bonus (Audi doesn't ) but I find an Audi does fit in a standard 1960s garage as long as you put a mattress on the far wall and drive the car to it hits said mattress lol.

 

Also I forgot to say the Mk3 cabriolet doesn't have that silly RSJ stuffed in the boot like the mk1 golf cabriolet which is an added bonus plus it has brakes which work unlike the mk1 golf cabriolet which is obviously an added improvement and doesn't seem to suffer scene tax as a pineapple can't be attached to its roof easily.

 

The only really thing I can say which is slightly negative about the golf is mine seemed to be sensitive on which tyres to use..

When I bought mine it was on cheap Unbranded shite on the front and it drove diabolical till I changed them for a pair of Avons which transformed the car and the difference was night and day.

But saying that any cabriolet is never as good as it's tin top brother in the scuttle shake handling department unless you buy one which was designed from the offset to be a convertible, something along the lines of an MX5.

[Pillock]

Yeah, there is no Mk4 Golf Cab, there's a Mk3 with new metal from the windscreen forwards. As such all the handling and interior is pretty much the same and the engines are carried over. Might as well buy a looked-after mk3 than a newer, tattier Mk3.5 for the same price.

[Stroller133]

Like the 306, but fairly rare now and many seem to the victim of Lexus lights! Some dealers seem to asking about 2k+for original low mileage cars so maybe now is the time to buy?

306/golf might be borderline for garage, for a 10 year old house it a reasonable 5.0m/16ft. By 2.85m/9ft 6 so even most mid range moderns would fit, but rear garden is a small triangle so no space for a shed, so that stuff is in the garage too. I have no roof storage as there is a bedroom above.

 

Thanks for all the great suggestions - might try to view a car or two over weekend to get reality check on what the condition is of what I can buy!

[Tartan58]

For £2k you should be able to get a pretty good Mk1 MX5, you'd get a usable one for the summer for well under a grand.

They're great fun to drive and easy to work on - just watch out for rust, imports are generally better condition and better equipped. The 115bhp 1.6 is a sweet little engine and in the real world is just as quick as the 1.8.

 

It's not that impractical either to be honest, we've managed a week's worth of holiday luggage in the boot no problem and with a boot rack there was plenty enough space for bringing some liquid souvenirs back from France. The fact that the roof doesn't fold into the boot helps too as you'll not get caught out if you want to go topless (and what's the point if you don't!)

 

Forgive me for mentioning this is the same breath/post but part of me has always fancied a Megane convertible, the newer ones with the metal roof - yes I'm sure they're more shit than shite and too modern for here but I still think they're a very good looking car roof up or down and the prices are coming down fast - although probably for good reason.

 

[edited due to poor command of the English language]

[trigger]

 

I owned this one a couple of years ago, to be honest it was a nice car, It was the 1.8 engine which wasn't very quick but nippy enough for everyday driving, I had a few problems with it, the electric front windows would stop working, the doors door handle broke, twice, it needed new front suspension bushes and bearings and one of the front wings rotted out at the base which i swapped for a secondhand one (£25 delivered and in the right colour IIRC).

 

 

I think i paid about £700 for it, the wife ran it for about for a year, got dripped on a number of times as the electric roof didn't seal around the drivers window very well and sold it for £850 to a chap who resprayed it and gave it to his wife to use.

 

I'd have another but probably a later Mk4 shape 2.0 version just to try something different.