RE: SOTW: Bargain British Cabrios

[Goodfella 555]

St John Smythe said:

Sorry but I have to disagree. Am I the only one that thinks TR7s are awful cars? I mean, just look at that interior!

I'm with you on this one. For me, i think it must have been a massive disappointment when it was released (i was born in 78 so i'm guessing) when you consider how stunning the TR3, 4 and 6 were. I don't feel its a valid argument to say 'it was the seventies' because i could name loads of beautifully designed cars from that era. If you are after a classic car from this genre perhaps you'd be better off looking at a Mk1 MR2 or maybe if that is too new an Alfa Spider? Or a classic from the same period a Mk1 GTi or a 323i...

[J4CKO]

Kind of liking the beigeness, prosthesis coloured cars are the future !

Good shed, like a well aged wedge of cheese, not so sure about the MGF, not old enough to get nostalgic about and the Escort, joke or not is a hateful looking thing, especially in that colour, needs to be beige.

[redgriff500]

300bhp/ton said:

redgriff500 said:

There is a reason the MX5 is so popular....

It is better than everyone of those options by some margin and shockingly prices start at a similar level.

Sometimes the road less travelled, is less travelled for a reason

Because it's st.

Better?

Yes you are correct, a 1990's MX-5 does indeed rust better than a 1970's Triumph.

And a 1.8 MK1 MX-5 is also better at producing a bigger number than an MGF on the 0-60mph sprint. Or the 0-100mph sprint too.

I have several MX5's outside and a TR7 - the TR7 is worse in every way including rust -needless to say I don't own the TR7 and whilst I am insured to drive it, I've managed to resist - just moving it around the drive demonstrates just how hideous it is.

And from the trackdays I've been on the MX5 is the better car there than the MGF too.

Bulletproof reliability too.

[pSyCoSiS]

Dagnut said:

I looked at about 10-15 E36 convertibles in the last few months..you will not get a decent one for under 2k..wasted so much time looking at cars with rusted arches, slipping clutches etc etc...worth spending the extra grand..Ended up getting a really clean 97 323i, genuine 66k miles for 2k..had no tax or mot but it sailed through..i would be very surprised if you could get one for a grand..very surprised.

That's a good price, for a clean, low mileage example.

I did see a E36 325i Convertible, 1994, M Reg, Full Leathers, 165k with FSH, Clean and Mechanically Sound, he wanted £950 for it. It had sold by the time I got the cash together!

Having said that, glad I didn't buy it, as ended up with the E30 325i SOTW Track Car!!!

[Limpet]

This is the first SOTW since I've been following it that gives me absolutely no feeling of desire, nostalgia or interest.

The MGTF rings alarm bells straight away. A bag of sand for an apparently neglected example (cracked bumper, blowing exhaust) of a car which might be great to drive, but is known for its intolerance of neglect / abuse, particularly with regard to the engine.

And surely, no 15 year old, non-XR/RS Escort can be worth a penny more than £500, whatever "Genuine Ford" accessories have been bolted on.

The TR7 is simply hideous to my eyes. Always was.

Still, each to their own.

[johnsy40]

For just a few £££ more, here is a TR7 (8) with a proper 265bhp engine...
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&am...

[vixen1700]

johnsy40 said:

For just a few £££ more, here is a TR7 (8) with a proper 265bhp engine...
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&am...

That actually looks alright.

<books doctors appointment>

[Oddball RS]

redgriff500 said:

300bhp/ton said:

redgriff500 said:

There is a reason the MX5 is so popular....

It is better than everyone of those options by some margin and shockingly prices start at a similar level.

Sometimes the road less travelled, is less travelled for a reason

Because it's st.

Better?

Yes you are correct, a 1990's MX-5 does indeed rust better than a 1970's Triumph.

And a 1.8 MK1 MX-5 is also better at producing a bigger number than an MGF on the 0-60mph sprint. Or the 0-100mph sprint too.

I have several MX5's outside and a TR7 - the TR7 is worse in every way including rust -needless to say I don't own the TR7 and whilst I am insured to drive it, I've managed to resist - just moving it around the drive demonstrates just how hideous it is.

And from the trackdays I've been on the MX5 is the better car there than the MGF too.

Bulletproof reliability too.

Look enough of the MX5 vs TR7 crap, someone show me a 1970's MX5 please! plastic, rot, colour, all cars of the era where like this (FACT) apples for apples ok?

Otherwise i'd like to add i would much prefer a DBR3.

[300bhp/ton]

redgriff500 said:

I have several MX5's outside and a TR7 - the TR7 is worse in every way including rust -needless to say I don't own the TR7 and whilst I am insured to drive it, I've managed to resist - just moving it around the drive demonstrates just how hideous it is.

And from the trackdays I've been on the MX5 is the better car there than the MGF too.

Bulletproof reliability too.

But do you reckon any of the MX-5s when they reach the same age as the TR7 won't have degraded and rusted more than they have now?

[Dagnut]

pSyCoSiS said:

Dagnut said:

I looked at about 10-15 E36 convertibles in the last few months..you will not get a decent one for under 2k..wasted so much time looking at cars with rusted arches, slipping clutches etc etc...worth spending the extra grand..Ended up getting a really clean 97 323i, genuine 66k miles for 2k..had no tax or mot but it sailed through..i would be very surprised if you could get one for a grand..very surprised.

That's a good price, for a clean, low mileage example.

I did see a E36 325i Convertible, 1994, M Reg, Full Leathers, 165k with FSH, Clean and Mechanically Sound, he wanted £950 for it. It had sold by the time I got the cash together!

Having said that, glad I didn't buy it, as ended up with the E30 325i SOTW Track Car!!!

Yeah you can be lucky, guy had it parked up for months..hadn't time to mot it or tax it and wanted rid..had engine replaced at 44k and hood replaced 2 years ago.. the E36 had it's faults but it's a lot of car for the money.
I wanted an E30 but was scared off by the electrics.

[Justayellowbadge]

johnsy40 said:

For just a few £££ more, here is a TR7 (8) with a proper 265bhp engine...
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&am...

An absolute bargain.

If you don't mind it being a classic car club vehicle.

Would have been ragged senseless. A lot.

[redgriff500]

Oddball RS said:

redgriff500 said:

300bhp/ton said:

redgriff500 said:

There is a reason the MX5 is so popular....

It is better than everyone of those options by some margin and shockingly prices start at a similar level.

Sometimes the road less travelled, is less travelled for a reason

Because it's st.

Better?

Yes you are correct, a 1990's MX-5 does indeed rust better than a 1970's Triumph.

And a 1.8 MK1 MX-5 is also better at producing a bigger number than an MGF on the 0-60mph sprint. Or the 0-100mph sprint too.

I have several MX5's outside and a TR7 - the TR7 is worse in every way including rust -needless to say I don't own the TR7 and whilst I am insured to drive it, I've managed to resist - just moving it around the drive demonstrates just how hideous it is.

And from the trackdays I've been on the MX5 is the better car there than the MGF too.

Bulletproof reliability too.

Look enough of the MX5 vs TR7 crap, someone show me a 1970's MX5 please! plastic, rot, colour, all cars of the era where like this (FACT) apples for apples ok?

Otherwise i'd like to add i would much prefer a DBR3.

SOTW compares cheap cars.

I have stated that you'd be better off getting an MX5 which is the SAME type of car for the SAME price.

Year is irrelevant.

[redgriff500]

300bhp/ton said:

But do you reckon any of the MX-5s when they reach the same age as the TR7 won't have degraded and rusted more than they have now?

Again we are comparing similar PRICED cars not year.

[redgriff500]

johnsy40 said:

For just a few £££ more, here is a TR7 (8) with a proper 265bhp engine...
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&am...

Auction isn't over yet.

[cccscotland]

Justayellowbadge said:

An absolute bargain.

If you don't mind it being a classic car club vehicle.

Would have been ragged senseless. A lot.

Yes and no. It's been off the road for 4 years - last tax disc expired in summer 2007 - and in that time it's had a full top-end rebuild, so it should be pretty fresh.

We're only selling it as it doesn't fit with the sort of metal we've got these days, and our members would rather have the DB9 than a 70's Triumph.

If it were up to me I'd have the TR any day! It's a total hoot, and sounds better than most of the stuff in here...

[LewisR]

Riggers said:

LewisR said:

"In many ways, 1983 was a significant year ... your humble scribbler here was born (I know, I don't look a day under 45)."

Oh dear, that means that you'd be learning to drive in 2000. Cheap RWD cars had long since gone, whereas me and my fellow colleague were driving round in beat-up Dolomites, Cortinas and Chevettes, in 2000 first-car fair would have been Fiestas, Escorts & Novas. I don't believe that one can be qualified to pick SoTW at such a tender age!!

Fortunately I try to take the advice of my elders and betters when choosing . And, since cheap RWD had long-since gone, I had to spend my student loan on a Nissan 200SX to get a fix of RWD...

Haha! Only teasing. Of course, where there's a will, there's a way. Am sure Sierras were two-a-penny then.

[Riggers]

LewisR said:

Riggers said:

LewisR said:

"In many ways, 1983 was a significant year ... your humble scribbler here was born (I know, I don't look a day under 45)."

Oh dear, that means that you'd be learning to drive in 2000. Cheap RWD cars had long since gone, whereas me and my fellow colleague were driving round in beat-up Dolomites, Cortinas and Chevettes, in 2000 first-car fair would have been Fiestas, Escorts & Novas. I don't believe that one can be qualified to pick SoTW at such a tender age!!

Fortunately I try to take the advice of my elders and betters when choosing . And, since cheap RWD had long-since gone, I had to spend my student loan on a Nissan 200SX to get a fix of RWD...

Haha! Only teasing. Of course, where there's a will, there's a way. Am sure Sierras were two-a-penny then.

Aye, they probably were. For some reason, though, when I was 17 the thought of tooling around in a Sierra really did not appeal...

[rodgerramjet]

I'm genuinely amazed at the love for the TR7. Do any of you have even moderately functioning eyes?!!

Each to their own I suppose, but anyone who likes that has no right to slate any other car in the world. Ever.

Even that Escort!

[redgriff500]

rodgerramjet said:

I'm genuinely amazed at the love for the TR7. Do any of you have even moderately functioning eyes?!!

Each to their own I suppose, but anyone who likes that has no right to slate any other car in the world. Ever.

Even that Escort!

Having driven examples of both I can assure you that the Escort drives better.

Yes I know its more modern but it is available at a similar PRICE.

[LuS1fer]

The TR7 looked OK in convertible form and that looks a good shed.
The MG is always woth a punt if you ask me.
The only one I wouldn't entertain is the Escort which at best had wooden steering even in fixed roof form, heaven help the disfunctionality of a convertible. It will sell in Essex though.