My BiL has sent me the following email about a replacement car but can I put this to you guys?
"Hi Steve
When you have a mo I'd be grateful for your opinion on this. I had hoped to keep the Audi going for a long time and just drive it to a stop given it has very little value now but I like it, it's fun to drive etc. However it's now letting in rain (from somewhere!) and soaking the floor; I've spent a lot of time trying to track down the source based on discussion forum ideas but to no avail.
So I'm going to have to start thinking about getting some money together for a replacement and therefore I want to plan what my 'target' car might be. I like the Audi convertible but would a newer one have the same problems; I think I read somewhere that from 2000 they used a different body? A Saab I read is not as good a quality build as German counterparts and ongoing costs can be high. But would a BMW or a Merc (!) be any better in terms of maintenance and replacement parts? Or maybe I should settle for something more boring, an 'ordinary car' with a sunroof and extra cushions?! Grateful for any thoughts.
All the best
Paul"
His current car is an old Audi Cabriolet that he paid a fortune for and IMO was rubbish. I think it's about 1996 but am unsure of the engine. I expect his budget will be around £5.5K but he really is asking me what he should expect to pay to get something decent as a replacement.
Many thanks.
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A few thoughts - as a cabriolet owner - to start this one off.
Cabriolets - leaky or not - cost about a third more than the equivalent solid roofed car.
The budget here is about £5.5K, which sounds reasonable.
But if you factor in the cabriolet premium, it's almost banger money.
I reckon the OP's BiL is in the not unusual position of being unable to afford the car he would like.
There might be some value in a big-engined Merc or Audi convertible which no one will want because of rising fuel prices.
The timescale here is not clear, but it looks like BiL is not buying just yet, which is no bad thing.
Prices of convertibles are still seasonal to a degree, and now is not the time to buy one.
From what I can gather, early Focus CCs and VW Eos leaked, but are not so prone to do so now.
The moral is to avoid an early model of any car with a folding metal roof.
I've not heard so many stories of Peugeot or Vauxhall convertibles leaking.
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Don't know what UK car prices are like but I would have thought an early BMW 3 Series Convertible E46 type would be in range of the quoted 5.5K.
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>>Prices of convertibles are still seasonal to a degree, and now is not the time to buy one
I would have thought now was the time to buy one whilst its wet, cold, and frosty?
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Depends where he lives.
It is dry, warm and sunny here in Surrey. :-)
Just the weather to tempt out the convertibles.
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>> >>Prices of convertibles are still seasonal to a degree, and now is not the time
>> to buy one
>>
>> I would have thought now was the time to buy one whilst its wet, cold,
>> and frosty?
Buy them in Scotland at any time of the year then.
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We had an early Renault Megane CC ('54 reg) for 3 years, and had absolutely no problems with the roof at all :-)
Peter
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Has he not thought about getting a replacement hood if the rest of the car is OK? I know it's ancient, but it's possible it could do him for a few more years yet with a new hood.
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Agree. A £5k cabriolet is banger money. Better the devil you know, so why not fix the hood?
Did BiL not see last weeks Top Gear when the £2k BMW convertibles they bought needed between £5k and £11k spending on them to bring them up to scratch (whatever that is)?
If he must buy a new car, I would suggest he hunts down a well-cared for lady-owner 306 cabrio. Far better value than a German at this price level.
Last edited by: Boxsterboy on Fri 18 Feb 11 at 14:47
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Thanks all.
His current Audi has other issues and I think it's getting that old now that he'll forever be throwing money at it.
The £5.5k figure was a number I threw in just as a starting point and if it costs more I'll put that to him.
A 2003 BMW E46 is coming in at around £6-7k which has drawn my eye. I know nothing about the Peugeot/Vauxhall options so will look into that.
He doesn't use it to commute and mileage is very minimal so my thinking was that something near 100k mileage isn't out of the question.
I'll have to go off and investigate.
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Could he do a contract hire from the dragon lady for that amount?
I don't know how well a £5.5k convertible + repairs money would hold its resale value vs. hanging onto the wedge and drip feeding it to a dragon, but if it was favourable, that might be an option.
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At 5k, a convertible is serious trouble money. its almost certainly going to need a new hood.
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I don't see the point of a 4 seater convertible, how many people do you have in the back with the thatch off? Even if you did they would all be having bad hair days.
However, a little beauty like this, makes an interesting little toy for a summer day out with your woman.
www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201052376124794
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It is quite nice cruising about in an open car when the weather's good and you are in an exhibitionist mood. But I can't see why anyone wants to own any open car except for the very few lightweight sports cars or barchettas you might find, at a high price, if you are lucky.
Think about it. They are noisy and draughty at any sort of speed. They will give you chills in your ears and sinuses and you will end any longish journey twice as tired as someone who has done the same trip in an equivalent saloon. Cutting the roof off a monocoque makes it floppy and deprives it of torsional stiffness, so the suspension doesn't work as well as it should. This means that the structure has to be stiffened to the extent it can be, making it heavier than the saloon version. And if you are unfortunate enough to roll the thing you stand a very good chance of being decapitated instead of just shaken around like dice in a box. The roof mechanism is costly, heavy and unreliable. Even with the roof up the car will be noisier than a saloon.
OK, a nice twenties to fifties tourer as a second or third motor, fine. But a modern chopped saloon or hatchback as a daily driver just doesn't make sense.
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Very little of AC's above post applies to a modern convertible.
Drawing on my last 28,000miles in the CC3, although much of this will apply to its competitors.
1. The car handles nicely with the roof down, very little scuttle shake.
2. Modern aerodynamics and a wind break keeps buffeting to a minimum.
3. A short journey can be less tiring with fresh air in your lungs and sun - or just daylight - on your back.
4. The CC3 has two pop-up rollover protection bars, and the screen surround will support the car, so decapitation risk is low.
5. The roof has been reliable, and with it up, the car is as quiet as the hatch.
6. It's a Ford Focus, so it makes a great deal of sense as a daily driver, not much room in the back, but an enormous boot.
There's nothing serious to be said against running a modern cabriolet, if you can run to the higher purchase price.
They are heavier, so there must be a fuel consumption penalty, but the CC3 does around 43mpg, which is not too bad.
Last edited by: Iffy on Fri 18 Feb 11 at 17:05
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An old merc E (W 124?). Very well built but don't think about buying 200 and the 220 was underpowered. There was the 300 24 valve and the 6 cyclinder 320. Having looked at Autotrader I think these will be outside OP's budget - sorry!!!!!!!
Last edited by: Perky Penguin on Fri 18 Feb 11 at 17:12
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Correct me if I'm wrong, iffy, but is yours a folding metal roof job rather than a ragtop, ahem?
If so it will quite likely be as quiet with the roof up as a hatch, granted. But I hope the mechanism doesn't fail or get rattly.
I don't expect to have accidents myself so it's a bit of an academic point, but in the event of a roll I would rather have a roof than pop-up roll bars. All depends what you roll it on of course. And you can, also of course, be unlucky in any car in any sort of crash however minor.
But the extra weight and loss, however slight, of torsional rigidity do it for me. Those, and simplicity.
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AC,
You need to try a properly made car, an MX5 cloth top is neither draughty or noisy with the hood up or down (apart from the useful draughts you really want and a nice engine noise) the roof is properly and reliably made as well not like the knotted hankies of yore...
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OK, I am part-convinced. But only part.
I do remember that expensive dropheads used to have quite thick hoods with internal padding and stiffening, which did make them quieter.
But at or above motorway speeds... you'd have to show me.
Don't get me wrong, I've been in lots of open cars and really liked them. Just never gave a second thought to having one except in wildest large-stable dreams.
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...iffy, but is yours a folding metal roof job rather than a ragtop, ahem?...
Folding tin top.
Water tight and reliable so far.
Some intermittent squeaking noise from the seals, no rattles to speak of.
Wide tyres, wide track and the weight means turning the thing over would be quite difficult.
Last edited by: Iffy on Fri 18 Feb 11 at 20:29
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My reasons for buying a 4 seater convertible were quite simple. I wanted a convertible, but there are times I need to carry more than one pasenger :-)
I wouldn't do so with the roof down though, and I can't justify running a saloon/hatch/estate and a 2 seater convertible, so the A4 is an acceptable compromise for my needs. In an ideal world I'd have bought an 330d touring and an MX5, but I can't afford to run that many cars!!
Peter
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>>>Could he do a contract hire from the dragon lady for that amount?
Mini and Beetle convertibles are cheap on the dragon drip but anything larger/posher is expensive... £500 and over per month... even the Focus is £485/mth.
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Mrs BB is on her 3rd 4-seater convertible (a Pug 306 and 2 Merc CLKs). Such a car will never be a sports car, but she is undemanding and likes wafting around in fine weather with the roof down. The nicest part about driving such a car in fine weather - out of town - is the wonderful smells you encounter; fresh grass, pollen, bonfires, Starbucks, etc.
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The nicest 4 seater has to be a W124 MB, made up to '96.
The budget mentioned will be a high mileage example, those few still under 60k miles will fetch over £10k, even with the smaller of the engines.
An alternative could be a coupe version of the same model (i have one), having no B pillar and with a decent sunroof probably gives the best of both worlds, a rigid shell to boot, and the boot is cavernous.
Usually around 30 to 50% cheaper than the proper convertible, but be aware many have fallen into the hands of the wrong owners, so careful inspection is required...and research the various problems.
Last edited by: gordonbennet on Fri 18 Feb 11 at 20:22
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I had a 4 seater "sports" convertible in the states. Chrysler Sebring 2.8 V6, electric folding soft roof.
My what a wallowy old thing, enormous scuttle shake, and never wind free with the syrup down. Far to hot on your bonce in the hot valleys, and far too cold (without wrapping up) in the High Sierras. Boot far to small for a large case so the rear seats acted as boot.
Have to say tho, crusing the sea side boulevard of Santa Barbara in a tea shirt with a casual elbow draped over the door, or climbing up the high pass of the Rockies into crisp crackling cold but crystal clear air, swathed in a fleece and scarf, all with thatch down is a real treat.
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...The nicest part about driving such a car in fine weather - out of town - is the wonderful smells you encounter; fresh grass, pollen, bonfires, Starbucks, etc...
And the sounds.
Wildlife is the obvious one, but since having a convertible, I now know different makes of lorries make different noises, and it's much easier to listen if a car or motorbike with a tasty engine goes by.
In town, you can hear the conversations of pedestrians, and sometimes share a few words.
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Mr Enough
If your BiL is serious about a convertible, at a decent price, he needs to act fairly soon.
I have had convertibles on & off for many years, since Spitfire & Frogeye days, and my golden rule was 'only buy in Nov,Dec & Jan.'
And I have always bought privately.
My current convertible is a 4 seater, but only because my dear old Mum could not
get into an MX5, nor could I fit a towbar to a 57plater MX5 which I was buying off a friend.
Therefore, after selecting a shortlist of private sales on Autotrader, which included Mercs, Mazdas (350s) & Audi's, I bought my '04 330Ci.
I wanted a practical everyday car, which it is. My old Mum loves it, and the trailer makes it a very practical proposition. Just remember you have a trailer. I used to forget, with interesting results, so fitted a ladder rack to remind me!
Admittedly my better halfs new Insignia is quieter at speed, and far more economical, but eats my dust and is so boring.
If he can get a good one, and cope with the 32mpg which I get, he won't be disappointed.
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For a 4-seater, how about one of those Volvo C70s?
Fancied a convertible myself for much of the past 5 years, never bought one though. Did rent a tintop Astra convertible for a few days a couple of years ago and I was disappointed. You could feel the extra weight of the car, and the resultant extra strain on the engine.
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Apocryphal talk in 't pub says expensive roof repairs for the C70 if it goes wrong. A complicated folding mechanism.
I know my 3 series soft top doesn't leak because it has endured several biblical downpours these past 12 months.
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This is a magnificent car.
tinyurl.com/32bcpnx
I love it.
Might be slightly over budget for the OP unless he's up for a juicy inheritance soon. It's been there for about a year though so there might be a deal to be done.
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Agreed BBD, a quite lovely car.
I love wood and light leather combination and it has just enough of each, wouldn't be my first choice in body colour though, too bright, but then hardly a car for the average person.
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hmmm
Bright red, white leather, black piping, yellow wood, magnolia carpet?
Not quite the thing a chap would be seen around in.
I can see why its been there a year or two.
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In which case Zero i am happy to no longer be a chap...
Parked alongside the Elise in my garage I would be a very happy chappy...sorry, i mean bloke.
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Yes I suppose we all have to come to terms with our feminine side from time to time.
I bet you didnt realise you was such a tart tho ;)
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Slightly ropey aftermarket Jap stereo, although it can be hidden behind a walnut panel.
The interior of the newer ones borrows from the industrial school of design:
www.nearly-new-cars.co.uk/car-13091197930
Not sure which I prefer.
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At about the same price a much more classy Rolls drop-top in respect to the paint, seat & wood colours (top one on listing)...
www.colbrookspecialists.co.uk/vehicle_sales.html
Local company to us and daughters go to school together.
If you scroll down to one from bottom I really like the idea of the 1995 Bentley Brooklands at £15k for a retirement car.
Their service dept is only £48/hr plus vat so decent folks to look after it too.
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love it
dog nob red too
the best
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Thanks for all input!
Any thoughts about something like this: tinyurl.com/6efzsh2 It should go for between £4 & £5k
Or a Pug 307 Convertible of similar age and mileage above?
Failing that the only thing I could probably think of is push the price up and get a BMW tinyurl.com/65vz3gl
The examples shown are just things that caught my eye and not necessarily an intrest to purchase those examples.
Mercs I think will be a bit leggy for his potential price range.
Last edited by: Enoughalready on Mon 21 Feb 11 at 10:08
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4 seater Cabriolet ideas - Iffy
