Convertible for a tall person 6f5?

[ronniestokie]

Hi all

I've started putting some thought into getting a convertible weekend runner for the summer, but there's one problem I'm 6f5!

Are there any cars out there that are suitable for my lanky frame? Budget wise in talking £1500.

I was tempted by a MK1 MX5, but I was told that I have bob hope of fitting in one comfortably.

Cheers

[Rickyy]

ronniestokie said:

Hi all

I've started putting some thought into getting a convertible weekend runner for the summer, but there's one problem I'm 6f5!

Are there any cars out there that are suitable for my lanky frame? Budget wise in talking £1500.

I was tempted by a MK1 MX5, but I was told that I have bob hope of fitting in one comfortably.

Cheers

I'm just 1/4" short of being 6'4" and manage in a Mk1 MX5, it is cramped though and a struggle to get out with the roof on.

Less of a driver's car, but have you thought of a Volvo C70 or a Saab 9-3? Volvo is available with the T5 engine and the Saab comes in Turbo flavour too, so should be a lot quicker than an MX-5 in a straight line.

Other than that, BMW E36s will be in budget, RWD and possibility of a 6 cylinder engine.

[John D.]

Tallest guy I know drives a Z4. First gen I think.

Not sure if he takes the roof off to fit.

[XOcette]

Citroen 2CV?

[XJSJohn]

a 6ft 6 mate of mine used to drive a "new shape" lotus elan (the FWD izuzu engined thingy) was great fun and he had loads of room

[mazdajason]

You'll fit in a MK1, I thought there was less room in a MK2 MX5.

[kambites]

You can often free up a lot of both head- and leg-room by changing seats. You might find buying an mk5 and fitting a thin fixed-back bucket seat would be a good solution?

[PVN]

Hi. I'm 6'5" too and own a 54 plate Vauxhall Astra convertible which I find very comfortable. I too started looking at mx5s and didn't find one I could comfortably fit in. I also looked at Toyota MR2s and Alfa spiders with similar results.

[kambites]

swerni said:

kambites said:

You can often free up a lot of both head- and leg-room by changing seats. You might find buying an mk5 and fitting a thin fixed-back bucket seat would be a good solution?

Your car has plenty of room for tall people

Depends on what shape. I'm only six foot and can't comfortably drive an unmodified Elise because my legs are too long (or possibly my arms are too short).

[McFarnsworth]

I'm 6ft 5 as well, and I don't fit in an MX5 (tried all of them), or Lotus Elise.
I currently have a previous gen. Cayman, so a Boxster of a similar vintage might do the trick.

[J4CKO]

I knew a guy of that height and he had an Elise, seeing him next to it looked like some kind of optical illusion, even more so when he got in, but he did have, relative to his overall height, very short legs, a good bit shorter than mine who was 5 inches shorter.

[xRIEx]

swerni said:

Caterham 7

Aye, there's a huge amount of space in the SV chassis.

[sealtt]

Just put the roof down and you will fit into any convertible.

When I go on track days with a helmet on, the top of the helmet knocks against the roof, so I just put the roof down and problem solved. Perfect.

[MG CHRIS]

Im 6ft 4 and drive a mx5 fine but do have a flat bottom steering wheel to get out easier but it all depends on where your main height is in your body.

[Leins]

swerni said:

John D. said:

Tallest guy I know drives a Z4. First gen I think.

Not sure if he takes the roof off to fit.

Tallest guy I know is a PHer and drives a Tuscan, think he's 6'8.

I'm 6'8 and yes TVRs are an excellent fit, as they had to accommodate Peter Wheeler's large frame too

Any Z4, MX5, S2000, Boxster, Audi TT roadster, etc. is just about impossible for me to drive, mainly because the seats won't go far enough back. However, SLKs are fine

[NNH]

I'm 6'4" and had a Miata Mk1 as my only car. I carried out a foamectomy after a few months which made it much more comfortable for long journeys with the roof up (LA to Yosemite, for instance)