Which Roadster?

[D1bram]

We're currently considering changing the wifes car, she misses having a convertible and doesn't really need the practicality of rear seats, plus my car is huge so we always use that if we're taking the dogs or have passengers, so a 2 seat roadster it is.

She loved our previous MR2 but was a bit lukewarm towards the MX-5, in either case though she wants something with a lot more poke this time, her current car is a 2007 Cooper S so the new car needs to be a reasonable bit quicker than this ideally.

Budget will be about £12k, don't mind going to a slightly older car but would prefer something which is lightly used, say <50k miles.

She does like her cars to be well equipped, so leather, sat nav, heated seats, blue tooth etc.. would be good.

Currently we have on the shortlist;

Boxster 2.7 (we prefer the look of the 2006 onwards model which sort of rules out the 3.2S, plus the insurance is quite high on that version.
BMW Z4 - 3.0i or M (M looks a good choice for the performance on offer insurance etc is pretty cheap).
Honda S2000
Nissan 350Z

The two Japanese cars are wild cards really, but I think they need to be considered.

Right, here is the biggie; I'm sick of owning cars which have a list as long as your arm of 'known' issues, we will service and keep on top of whatever we buy but I don't want to constantly be looking and listening to the telltale signs of major catastrophic problem! I am concerned this rules the Porsche out for us which is a big shame as I think it's her favourite.

We did also discuss an E46 M3, but to be honest the subframe issues alone terrify me, plus for some reason I expect it to cost a huge amount to run over the cars above.

So... please suggest anything I've missed, and do your best to inform me of your experiences of the cars on my list - and don't hold back with the horror stories I want to go into this eyes open!

[Eski1991]

I've always been keen on Z3 and Z4 M models.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BMW-Z4m-3-2-M-Coupe-an-i...

Just lovely.

[NickofName]

Looking at that list, the 350z seems somewhat overmatched by the others if you're after a fun roadster. I have a hardtop Zed, and can tell you straight off that they require some minor 'tweaking' to get them feeling as powerful as you'd expect. Also the convertible is considerably heavier (slower) and wobblier than the coupe, and personally I think it looks gopping from the back, especially with the roof up. I really wanted a roadster when I started looking, but went for the coupe because the roadster just seemed so much more compromised than the coupe. I'd go for the Z4 out of your choices.

One of the truest statements ever to come out of Clarkson's mouth: 'if you want a convertible, buy a car that was designed as one, not a coupe with the top cut off.'

[Ozzie Osmond]

S2000 is an extremely fine drive.

But if you loved the mid-engined MR2 then Boxster must be very, very tempting.

[D1bram]

Agree the 350Z is very different to the others, but they just come so well equipped and the budget will run to a 2007 313GT Model so thought them worth considering.

The boxster is definitely an obvious choice, but RMS/IMS issue just scare me.

Agree the best convertibles are the ones designed as such, but that goes for 3 of the 4 cars I've listed and apparently the ZED was originally conceived as both a coupe and a roadster.

[D1bram]

Eski1991 said:

I've always been keen on Z3 and Z4 M models.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BMW-Z4m-3-2-M-Coupe-an-i...

Just lovely.

Very nice, but it's a coupe so sort of misses the point

[davepoth]

Does your wife like to really drive a car? I'm thinking that some of the cars on that list are going to be a bit of a compromise for performance if all she wants to do is waft with a big reserve of power for getting onto the motorway.

[D1bram]

davepoth said:

Does your wife like to really drive a car? I'm thinking that some of the cars on that list are going to be a bit of a compromise for performance if all she wants to do is waft with a big reserve of power for getting onto the motorway.

Yeah she does, will rarely be used on the motorway tbh, she mainly enjoys her drives to and from her horse on twisty roads.

[krunchkin]

The s2000 has precisely one "known issue" and even that is not common if its been looked after and not that big a deal. So if that's a criteria, along with great acceleration and fantastic handling (and definitely designed as a convertible) - then you should defintiely have a toot in one

[D1bram]

krunchkin said:

The s2000 has precisely one "known issue" and even that is not common if its been looked after and not that big a deal. So if that's a criteria, along with great acceleration and fantastic handling (and definitely designed as a convertible) - then you should defintiely have a toot in one

Thanks

So what is the issue?

I have to say I can't ever remember reading anything at all bad about them. Unfortunately I think they are the one the wife is least keen on at the moment

[AndyBrew]

S2000 from that list without doubt, only down side I can see is that it may seem quite slow compared to the mini until that is you wind it up!

[Eski1991]

D1bram said:

Very nice, but it's a coupe so sort of misses the point

Roadster is hardtop then? always get the two mixed up.

[D1bram]

Eski1991 said:

Roadster is hardtop then? always get the two mixed up.

Roadster is a convertible 2 seater.

[wemorgan]

any reason why the SLK isn't on your list?

[alock]

krunchkin said:

The s2000 has precisely one "known issue" and even that is not common if its been looked after and not that big a deal. So if that's a criteria, along with great acceleration and fantastic handling (and definitely designed as a convertible) - then you should defintiely have a toot in one

Is that the seizing bushes, the split hoods, the sticking rear brakes or the really expensive clutch?

Well worth it though

[D1bram]

wemorgan said:

any reason why the SLK isn't on your list?

They just don't really appeal to either of us to be honest.

Lots of discussion the last couple of days, we discounted the 350Z, as we sort of already suspected what has been written in this thread, shame as they do seem to be good for what they are and very well equipped but just not for us.

We have also discounted the S2000, which is a shame as they have a really strong following and are clearly a good option, the wife just can't warm to them though and the last thing I want is to push her into a car she's not truly happy with.

So returning to the boxster and Z4 we decided to go have a look at a couple of examples locally, no necessarily examples we wanted to go and buy but examples at local dealerships we could drop in, have a closer look at and sit in without wasting anyone's time.

The Boxster - This was the favourite; wife and I have always hankered for one. First thing I noted was that the 05 plate example we viewed felt very pretty tired, and I have to say the quality disappointed me. Driving position is great though and the wife was still keen.

The Z4 - Wife was hesitant about these because of the long bonnet and her only being small, but one sitting in one she found it absolutely fine. We both liked this car, though the example we viewed was a non-sport so not our ideal spec.

Being objective though, it seems through what research I've done that a boxster may cost almost twice what a Z4 would to service, add in higher consumables costs and the fact that insurance wise we've had quotes for a 255bhp Z4 at £200 less than for a 240bhp Boxster and I think the Z4 is looking like the clear choice for us.

So the hunt is on for a low mileage 3.0Si Sport, preferably in grey, with heated seats.

Still can't quite discount the Z4M though, but I feel the additional running costs would be disproportionate to the real world gains in performance.

[cerb4.5lee]

Gaz. said:

Just buy what you really want. Every time you pull up at the lights in a battleship grey Z4 and a Boxster pulls up you're going to think "I wonder how that would have turned out...." In a Boxster are you really going to think the same when you meet a Z4?

Good advice.

[TameRacingDriver]

I had a 350z roadster and I thought it was great fun, it sounded immense with the roof down, handled like a big mx5 and certainly wasn't slow, mine had some nice 19" wheels and it made the car look a lot better and I'm not normally a fan of oversized wheels.

They have very few issues and very reliable, 25 mpg achievable if you don't go near towns and around 30 on a steady run.

I liked it and it got a 4-star evo review, give it a try before you write it off.

[D1bram]

Gaz. said:

Just buy what you really want. Every time you pull up at the lights in a battleship grey Z4 and a Boxster pulls up you're going to think "I wonder how that would have turned out...." In a Boxster are you really going to think the same when you meet a Z4?

I know what you mean and appreciate the advice, but having looked around both cars I certainly don't think we'd come away feeling like that at all; I think the boxster experience will be something we'll come too, but we're looking at a house move in two years time so I don't want to be in a position where we're begrudging the car on our drive because it's costing £2k per year in servicing (OK I perhaps exaggerate).

By the way, she would have chosen a boxster in battleship grey too

[D1bram]

TameRacingDriver said:

I had a 350z roadster and I thought it was great fun, it sounded immense with the roof down, handled like a big mx5 and certainly wasn't slow, mine had some nice 19" wheels and it made the car look a lot better and I'm not normally a fan of oversized wheels.

They have very few issues and very reliable, 25 mpg achievable if you don't go near towns and around 30 on a steady run.

I liked it and it got a 4-star evo review, give it a try before you write it off.

Cheers, and that is a good point, they tick a lot of boxes.

Similar to the S2000 though she just can't warm to them, shame as I think they're pretty cool.

Oh and MPG isn't a massive consideration so long as it will do mid 20's.