Topless motoring
Discussion
qska said:
BMW - what do you think about this one?
http://www4.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...
MOT history seems fine, low mileages, and manual - so less to go wrong.
Is is my eyes/screen, or is that rear bumper a bad fit and a different colour? or is it the NSr quarter panel?http://www4.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...
MOT history seems fine, low mileages, and manual - so less to go wrong.
Edited by qska on Sunday 1st May 20:44
I've got an E46 convertible as a daily driver, and i've got a pair of 6 year olds. They fit ok on boosters (we've driven from Bristol to Nottingham without leg room complaints and I'm 6'2"), but I'd double check fitting a full car seat for the 3 year old- the in-built head rest may get in the way, and I don't think you can take them off due to the roll protection system. I keep spare fleeces and beanies in the car for them for a-roads, but motorways are a no no for the kids with the roof down. Just enough room for a camping trip for me and boys, but not for the wife as well.
talksthetorque said:
Is is my eyes/screen, or is that rear bumper a bad fit and a different colour? or is it the NSr quarter panel?
Yeah, I see that. On 2/3 pictures the passenger door have a different colour to the rear quarter.Not sure that would put me off, it's not a very expensive car.
Mileage really isn't an issue on modern cars, most will easily reach 200k, in fact the few including a current one in my fleet over 200k are the most reliable, it's the low mileage that seem to have more issues.
I'd personally keep away from hard top at that budget, they are much more complex than rag tops and will cost much more to repair. The 3 series e42 with the 323i would be my choice, manual or auto. It's an engine that'll never attract the yobs and still moves quite well plus you get the lovely 6 cylinder engine noise. The 318i on a convertible will be a bit bogged down. I wouldn't be afraid of the mercs either, the rust issues help keep the price down, you never want to be too swayed by the drama queens, they have some tail on every car that exists apart from their own of course.
I'd personally keep away from hard top at that budget, they are much more complex than rag tops and will cost much more to repair. The 3 series e42 with the 323i would be my choice, manual or auto. It's an engine that'll never attract the yobs and still moves quite well plus you get the lovely 6 cylinder engine noise. The 318i on a convertible will be a bit bogged down. I wouldn't be afraid of the mercs either, the rust issues help keep the price down, you never want to be too swayed by the drama queens, they have some tail on every car that exists apart from their own of course.
daveinhampshire said:
Mileage really isn't an issue on modern cars, most will easily reach 200k, in fact the few including a current one in my fleet over 200k are the most reliable, it's the low mileage that seem to have more issues.
I'd personally keep away from hard top at that budget, they are much more complex than rag tops and will cost much more to repair. The 3 series e42 with the 323i would be my choice, manual or auto. It's an engine that'll never attract the yobs and still moves quite well plus you get the lovely 6 cylinder engine noise. The 318i on a convertible will be a bit bogged down. I wouldn't be afraid of the mercs either, the rust issues help keep the price down, you never want to be too swayed by the drama queens, they have some tail on every car that exists apart from their own of course.
I just noticed that the high mileage once comes with a sports suspension, I like my cars comfy I'd personally keep away from hard top at that budget, they are much more complex than rag tops and will cost much more to repair. The 3 series e42 with the 323i would be my choice, manual or auto. It's an engine that'll never attract the yobs and still moves quite well plus you get the lovely 6 cylinder engine noise. The 318i on a convertible will be a bit bogged down. I wouldn't be afraid of the mercs either, the rust issues help keep the price down, you never want to be too swayed by the drama queens, they have some tail on every car that exists apart from their own of course.
The 318i is a 2 litre 143bhp manual, that should be enough for pottering around in
I have an E class V6 as well, that one goes nice
But it's very rare I can use that power for anything other than overtaking. qska said:
daveinhampshire said:
The 318i on a convertible will be a bit bogged down.
Oh you were SO right. Very slow in 2nd gear up to 30 even.And this one was very ratty, rattly and felt like it was going to disintegrate in the next few weeks.
CLK viewing on Wed now
Volvo is a good shout too, but I'd go supercheap and get the previous version with a soft convertible top.
Got paint left over after you've tarted your garage door up?
I've always fancied an old Audi cabriolet - Diana/80 spec - bulletproof build, probably zero depreciation but tidy ones seem very expensive now. Probably drives like a lump of lead though...
Edited by andy43 on Monday 2nd May 11:42
Had an Audi A4 Cabrio - two of them in fact - in the past, really terrific cars, very comfortable, and feel like a coupe with the roof up (very quiet, very nicely lined and finished).
4 golden rules with the A4 Cabrios are:
1: Don't get the 2.4 engine - it neatly combined the lower performance of the 1.8 with the higher fuel consumption of the 3.0. The 3.0 is a nice engine but because the 1.8T is turbocharged, is doesn't feel a lot different in normal driving, you have to rev the 3.0 to really feel the difference (at the top end it is a lot quicker obviously).
2. DON'T get CVT auto transmission (they all have it except the S4)
3. Get sport spec. My first wasn't - big mistake. Sport spec gives far better body control without feeling harsh (the standard suspension wallows), much nicer 17 inch alloys, and far FAR better sports seats with much more adjustment. In fact the sport seats in the A4 Cab are about the best I've ever sat in of any car. Briliant seats.
4. DON'T get CVT auto transmission (they all have it except the S4)
I don't have any experience with S-Line versions or with diesels but I belive the V6 diesel was a particularly heavy engine which did the handling no favours.
Not much experience of the others, beyond Mercs of this era (circa 2000 - 2005) are supposed to suffer from really poor build quality (don't know how true that is) and the BMW 3 Series cab of this era was dated then, and is a real council house chav mobile now where the Audi (as long as it hasn't been modded) is still a subtle and classy car.
4 golden rules with the A4 Cabrios are:
1: Don't get the 2.4 engine - it neatly combined the lower performance of the 1.8 with the higher fuel consumption of the 3.0. The 3.0 is a nice engine but because the 1.8T is turbocharged, is doesn't feel a lot different in normal driving, you have to rev the 3.0 to really feel the difference (at the top end it is a lot quicker obviously).
2. DON'T get CVT auto transmission (they all have it except the S4)
3. Get sport spec. My first wasn't - big mistake. Sport spec gives far better body control without feeling harsh (the standard suspension wallows), much nicer 17 inch alloys, and far FAR better sports seats with much more adjustment. In fact the sport seats in the A4 Cab are about the best I've ever sat in of any car. Briliant seats.
4. DON'T get CVT auto transmission (they all have it except the S4)
I don't have any experience with S-Line versions or with diesels but I belive the V6 diesel was a particularly heavy engine which did the handling no favours.
Not much experience of the others, beyond Mercs of this era (circa 2000 - 2005) are supposed to suffer from really poor build quality (don't know how true that is) and the BMW 3 Series cab of this era was dated then, and is a real council house chav mobile now where the Audi (as long as it hasn't been modded) is still a subtle and classy car.
skyrover said:
Volvo roof is pricey to fix when it goes wrong.
Correct, and knowing the mechanisms and operating principles of both the soft top Mk1 and the hard top Mk2 I'd expect the hard top to be much more reliable in the long run. I think the idea of retractable hard tops being complicated/failure prone comes from the various s
tty Peugeot models that had them, if you look at the Volvo, Mercedes and even the Vauxhall offerings they are almost completely trouble free. The VW EOS one was crap and leaky from new because it has far more sealing surfaces in leak prone areas, but that's just VAG for you.Compared to the cable operated mechanisms in an A4 or Mk1 C70 or most other decent soft tops I'd much prefer to have to fix an issue with a broken hard top. You also don't have the problem of the fabric wearing or going green and scabby once it gets older.
Edited by dme123 on Monday 2nd May 15:15
qska said:
Hey
I fancy trying a convertible, as the weather improves.
I'd like a 4 seater, so we can squeeze our 3 and 7 year olds at the back.
2 points. Firstly, it's very easy to get quite badly burnt without realising it when there is a strong wind keeping you cool. Secondly, with the top down, there will be much more road and traffic noise that can damage young ears, once you have buggered up hearing, that's it. I fancy trying a convertible, as the weather improves.
I'd like a 4 seater, so we can squeeze our 3 and 7 year olds at the back.
Willy Nilly said:
2 points. Firstly, it's very easy to get quite badly burnt without realising it when there is a strong wind keeping you cool. Secondly, with the top down, there will be much more road and traffic noise that can damage young ears, once you have buggered up hearing, that's it.
Good point, I never thought of that.But we live in a small town with little traffic, and we'd avoid fast roads wjth the top down.
It's more of a treat for them than routine transportation.
I might use it on the commute in warmer months as well.
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