Sisters what car

[acme]

Appreciate these threads are largely loathed but looking for some advice about three cars I know almost nothing about.

As per the title this is for my sister who's coming from a StreetKa - yep she's not a petrolhead at all, but does like a decent car. The StreetKa hasn't been totally without issue in the past five years; failing door handles (common on Ka's apparently), failing wishbones (again common) and appalling quality alloy wheels (she's very careful not to kerb or go down pot holes!)

She's likely to buy either nearly new or 1-2 years old;

Fiat 500C, preferably an Abarth (think you can get one?)

Mini Coupe/Coupe Convertible in Cooper spec (awful looking things in my opinion but she likes them!)

Audi TT convertible - my suggestion would be a basic front wheel drive circa 150bhp.

I favour the Audi personally as I think it's about time she had a better quality car (subjective I appreciate!) but it's up to her, 500C looks favourite at the moment.

Any advice or info would be appreciated.

Cheers

[anonymous-user]

I dont think there has ever been a thread where MX-5 has been a more appropriate answer than in this instance!

[acme]

Haha, I'd forgotten the PH love for them! I tried convincing her before the Ka and she wouldn't have it. For some reason she doesn't like them, perhaps she is a petrolhead after all and has been following Chris Harris!

[anonymous-user]

To be honest if she wants a nice looking good quality car to cruise about in the Audi is a good shout, the Abarths are great fun though!

[TommoAE86]

MonkeyMatt said:

I dont think there has ever been a thread where MX-5 has been a more appropriate answer than in this instance!

+1!

In relation to the above suggestions my SWMBO went to look at a 500 as her first car but rejected it due to the interior being tiny. So unless you have the ways of getting round that then I would try and scratch that one off the list.

[acme]

MonkeyMatt said:

To be honest if she wants a nice looking good quality car to cruise about in the Audi is a good shout, the Abarths are great fun though!

You can get an Abarth 500 then? Most seem to be twin air which I think she'd find underpowered.

[acme]

TommoAE86 said:

+1!

In relation to the above suggestions my SWMBO went to look at a 500 as her first car but rejected it due to the interior being tiny. So unless you have the ways of getting round that then I would try and scratch that one off the list.

I hired one last year when we were on holiday in Italy, got to say despite only being a 1.2 4 pot it was lovely to be back in a NASP petrol, & round the tight roads hugging the coast it was a blast! Didn't find the interior too small & coming from a 2 seater she should be OK.

[Willy Nilly]

How about a 25 year old merc?

[J8 SVG]

Look under Abarth rather than Fiat when using Pistonheads search

http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds?Category=us...

Not cheap, mind..

http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/a...

[acme]

Willy Nilly said:

How about a 25 year old merc?

A strange reply, but I'd love her to get a 500SEC!

[acme]

J8 SVG said:

Look under Abarth rather than Fiat when using Pistonheads search

http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds?Category=us...

Not cheap, mind..

http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/a...

Thanks for those, appreciated. A shame it's not manual as that's pretty much spot on for what she wants.

[dibblecorse]

I'd go for the Mini or the Fiat 500, the Audi is a bit too try hard ....

Coming from the StreetKa there will be no issues regards power, either of the above will have enough, the Mini is a proper convertible as opposed the the 500c though, also the wider track of the Mini give better interior space but the Fiat I think is funkier.

[anonymous-user]

acme said:

MonkeyMatt said:

To be honest if she wants a nice looking good quality car to cruise about in the Audi is a good shout, the Abarths are great fun though!

You can get an Abarth 500 then? Most seem to be twin air which I think she'd find underpowered.

My MiL has one and its great fun

[acme]

dibblecorse said:

I'd go for the Mini or the Fiat 500, the Audi is a bit too try hard ....

Coming from the StreetKa there will be no issues regards power, either of the above will have enough, the Mini is a proper convertible as opposed the the 500c though, also the wider track of the Mini give better interior space but the Fiat I think is funkier.

I do think it more likely that she will go for the Mini or Fiat, they're less flash so more her.

The StreetKa is a winter edition with the hard top and she finds it a PITA each winter/summer putting it back on, so an electric one would be better, plus I think the Fiat could be ideal as I'd assume given the roof style there'd be less buffering? Though I could be wrong

[acme]

MonkeyMatt said:

My MiL has one and its great fun

An Abarth too? I'd not usually recommend getting an Italian car but there's something about those 500's which is fun, any issues at all?

Anyone recommend any non-Abarth engines at all?

Cheers

[Trev and Jules]

Pictures!!

[anonymous-user]

acme said:

MonkeyMatt said:

My MiL has one and its great fun

An Abarth too? I'd not usually recommend getting an Italian car but there's something about those 500's which is fun, any issues at all?

Anyone recommend any non-Abarth engines at all?

Cheers

yes, she has a matt grey Abarth with red leather! she was going to get the twin air which is actually a fun little engine but not actually very economical or that quick! I had a quick word with her and she now has the Abarth and loves it

[acme]

MonkeyMatt said:

yes, she has a matt grey Abarth with red leather! she was going to get the twin air which is actually a fun little engine but not actually very economical or that quick! I had a quick word with her and she now has the Abarth and loves it

Many thanks for the reply.

[J8 SVG]

acme said:

J8 SVG said:

Look under Abarth rather than Fiat when using Pistonheads search

http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds?Category=us...

Not cheap, mind..

http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/a...

Thanks for those, appreciated. A shame it's not manual as that's pretty much spot on for what she wants.

There should be manuals as well if you have a look, I didn't take that into account while searching. Pop into a local Fiat garage and they should have at lesat one there for a test drive. Last time I saw a fiat garage they had loaddsss but that may have been a special occasion..

The best ones are the race look ones with proper bucket seats and roll cage but you may have fun trying to convince her they're necessary

[acme]

J8 SVG said:

There should be manuals as well if you have a look, I didn't take that into account while searching. Pop into a local Fiat garage and they should have at lesat one there for a test drive. Last time I saw a fiat garage they had loaddsss but that may have been a special occasion..

The best ones are the race look ones with proper bucket seats and roll cage but you may have fun trying to convince her they're necessary

They seem to be VERY thin on the ground. As for buckets & cage no hope in hell! So far the local Fiat dealership has been useless, as for the mini garage, don't get me started - they want money up front to move the car from one dealership to another!!