Fast four seat convertible for £16k
Discussion
HI folks,
Interested in some insight and opinion here, I’ll try to be brief!
I’m a huge car fan and have had all sorts of interesting stuff over the years (Alfa’s, 350Z, TVR etc) but with two boys aged 3 and 6 (also car mad!) and a need to have just one car I need to find something that can cover various roles rather than a purely ‘fun’ second car as I’ve had before. Budget is <£16k, I’ve always loved a convertible so that’s a must, and the boys need to fit comfortably in the back; it will be used for a mix of school runs/domestic stuff as well as trips up north, weekends away, total 8-10k miles per year I’d guess. Happy with high’ish running costs as it will be an only car but prefer to avoid huge costs if I can!
So I’ve narrowed it down to the following and would value thoughts/feedback from anybody who’s owned/experienced any of them:
- BMW 335i or 335d convertible - Smart, quick enough (possible remap), reasonably practical, and budget will get a very tidy c.2012 car with c.50k on the clock; depreciation would be reasonable. Just wonder if I might get a bit bored quite quickly, lovely cars but is there that special ‘wow’ factor….? Could also consider an Alpina B3 Biturbo if I can find one….
- BMW M3 Convertible (E93) – Practical like the 335’s but that incredible engine and definitely more of a sense of occasion, also hugely rapid with a wonderful noise but very thirsty indeed! Budget would get a 2008-2009 with c.60k on the clock but FSH and bearings and throttle actuators done. An incredible car for the money and probably as cheap as they’ll get but I suspect big running costs.
- BMW M3 Convertible (E46) – Now very much a modern classic I think but ageing well and that straight 6 engine is wonderful. Plenty quick enough, reasonably practical, and good ones starting to go up in value. Would be a 16+ year old car though with at least 60k on the clock and I just wonder about bills when suspension needs a refresh or other components start to fail….
- Audi S5 convertible – Again, smart, quick (would be supercharged V6), practical, and perhaps feels a bit more special than a 335. Budget would get a very nice 2011 car with c.50k on the clock and depreciation would again be reasonable. Per the 335’s I just question whether it would keep my interest, they look very much like their A5 sister….
- Audi RS4 convertible (B7) – Always loved the B7, nice pumped up bodywork and of course that fabulous 4.2 V8, still practical enough and what a great noise with the roof down. Would be an older car though (c.2007 with maybe 70k on the clock) but they are robust and the RS4’s tend not to have the timing chain issues that the S4 suffered from. I suspect depreciation would be minimal now but could bring some big bills with it!
- Porsche 911 (996) Convertible – Budget would get a c.2002 3.6 with at least 80k on the clock but they’re well-built and I’d aim for a comprehensive history and IMS bearing upgrade, would also get a full inspection with borescope check to hopefully avoid huge bills. Running costs would be high I suspect but prices are on the up as 964’s and 993’s are now out of reach to many. Would be amazing to have a 911, great engine and handling and that sense of occasion but would the bills kill me and are they really big enough for two kids in the back?
Open to other suggestions but the above is my current hit-list.
Grateful for any feedback and insight you can bring!
Cheers 😊.
Interested in some insight and opinion here, I’ll try to be brief!
I’m a huge car fan and have had all sorts of interesting stuff over the years (Alfa’s, 350Z, TVR etc) but with two boys aged 3 and 6 (also car mad!) and a need to have just one car I need to find something that can cover various roles rather than a purely ‘fun’ second car as I’ve had before. Budget is <£16k, I’ve always loved a convertible so that’s a must, and the boys need to fit comfortably in the back; it will be used for a mix of school runs/domestic stuff as well as trips up north, weekends away, total 8-10k miles per year I’d guess. Happy with high’ish running costs as it will be an only car but prefer to avoid huge costs if I can!
So I’ve narrowed it down to the following and would value thoughts/feedback from anybody who’s owned/experienced any of them:
- BMW 335i or 335d convertible - Smart, quick enough (possible remap), reasonably practical, and budget will get a very tidy c.2012 car with c.50k on the clock; depreciation would be reasonable. Just wonder if I might get a bit bored quite quickly, lovely cars but is there that special ‘wow’ factor….? Could also consider an Alpina B3 Biturbo if I can find one….
- BMW M3 Convertible (E93) – Practical like the 335’s but that incredible engine and definitely more of a sense of occasion, also hugely rapid with a wonderful noise but very thirsty indeed! Budget would get a 2008-2009 with c.60k on the clock but FSH and bearings and throttle actuators done. An incredible car for the money and probably as cheap as they’ll get but I suspect big running costs.
- BMW M3 Convertible (E46) – Now very much a modern classic I think but ageing well and that straight 6 engine is wonderful. Plenty quick enough, reasonably practical, and good ones starting to go up in value. Would be a 16+ year old car though with at least 60k on the clock and I just wonder about bills when suspension needs a refresh or other components start to fail….
- Audi S5 convertible – Again, smart, quick (would be supercharged V6), practical, and perhaps feels a bit more special than a 335. Budget would get a very nice 2011 car with c.50k on the clock and depreciation would again be reasonable. Per the 335’s I just question whether it would keep my interest, they look very much like their A5 sister….
- Audi RS4 convertible (B7) – Always loved the B7, nice pumped up bodywork and of course that fabulous 4.2 V8, still practical enough and what a great noise with the roof down. Would be an older car though (c.2007 with maybe 70k on the clock) but they are robust and the RS4’s tend not to have the timing chain issues that the S4 suffered from. I suspect depreciation would be minimal now but could bring some big bills with it!
- Porsche 911 (996) Convertible – Budget would get a c.2002 3.6 with at least 80k on the clock but they’re well-built and I’d aim for a comprehensive history and IMS bearing upgrade, would also get a full inspection with borescope check to hopefully avoid huge bills. Running costs would be high I suspect but prices are on the up as 964’s and 993’s are now out of reach to many. Would be amazing to have a 911, great engine and handling and that sense of occasion but would the bills kill me and are they really big enough for two kids in the back?
Open to other suggestions but the above is my current hit-list.
Grateful for any feedback and insight you can bring!
Cheers 😊.
How does a 5.0 V8 manual sound?
https://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/...
Back seats might be a bit of a squeeze however. I had a coupe and would have another in a heartbeat.
https://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/...
Back seats might be a bit of a squeeze however. I had a coupe and would have another in a heartbeat.
My first & very bias suggestion is a CLK63 (I have the coupe version) it's an epic car with the best V8 soundtrack to boot, they're also very rare so are holding out well depreciation wise:
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...
Or the E350 the one to look out for is the 500 but these rarely come up for sale.
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...
Or the very practical E350cdi:
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...
Or the E350 the one to look out for is the 500 but these rarely come up for sale.
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...
Or the very practical E350cdi:
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...
parabolica said:
How does a 5.0 V8 manual sound?
https://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/...
Back seats might be a bit of a squeeze however. I had a coupe and would have another in a heartbeat.
Lovely car and great engine (my brother in law had a 630i convertible) but I've always seen them as more of a cruiser, nothing wrong with that but I just wonder if the options I mentioned are a bit more overtly sporting in terms of handling character.https://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/...
Back seats might be a bit of a squeeze however. I had a coupe and would have another in a heartbeat.
ZX10R NIN said:
My first & very bias suggestion is a CLK63 (I have the coupe version) it's an epic car with the best V8 soundtrack to boot, they're also very rare so are holding out well depreciation wise:
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...
Or the E350 the one to look out for is the 500 but these rarely come up for sale.
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...
Or the very practical E350cdi:
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...
Not a big fan of the E Class, lovely car but to my eye a more mature image and again, more of a cruiser than sports car. The CLK could be an option though, I was never a big fan of the looks when they were new but maybe I need to take a fresh look at them. The engine is epic for sure, how are running costs for the AMG?https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...
Or the E350 the one to look out for is the 500 but these rarely come up for sale.
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...
Or the very practical E350cdi:
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...
My brother in law has two kids and he loves his 2009 E93 M3, he's had it 7 years now(not his only car though). He loves the flexibility of being able to take the kids out in it, and I must say that it sounds awesome with the roof down too.
Other than the idrive playing up he hasn't had any issues with it.
Other than the idrive playing up he hasn't had any issues with it.
green911 said:
My 996 cabriolet worked until the kids were about 10. Thereafter there are buses!
Oh so true :-). I'd love to get a sense of running costs, assuming I got a car with replacement IMS bearing, main oil seal, sound cylinder bores etc. Are brake and suspension components particularly expensive or are there better value aftermarket options for example?tomsugden said:
I have an S5 convertible with a 98 Ron APR remap. It’s good for 450bhp and never fails to put a smile on my face. The car is used for work and domestic duties and is a practical and fun car that can be enjoyed year round.
Thanks! Sounds epic, that's big power from 3 litres, any other mods or just a map? How do you find the steering, I've found Audi's can be a bit light and lack feedback so I've tended to feel a bit disengaged; does the S5 handle and feedback pretty well?Chuck21 said:
- BMW M3 Convertible (E93) – Practical like the 335’s but that incredible engine and definitely more of a sense of occasion, also hugely rapid with a wonderful noise but very thirsty indeed! Budget would get a 2008-2009 with c.60k on the clock but FSH and bearings and throttle actuators done. An incredible car for the money and probably as cheap as they’ll get but I suspect big running costs.
Thread hijack. What's the rear seat legroom like in these ?Chuck21 said:
Not a big fan of the E Class, lovely car but to my eye a more mature image and again, more of a cruiser than sports car. The CLK could be an option though, I was never a big fan of the looks when they were new but maybe I need to take a fresh look at them. The engine is epic for sure, how are running costs for the AMG?
I have found the running costs sensible with my Indy taking care of the car maintenance has averaged out to around £600 a year (my brothers M3 has averaged to around £800) so I'd say they're pretty reasonable.Chuck21 said:
...BMW M3 Convertible (E46) – Now very much a modern classic I think but ageing well and that straight 6 engine is wonderful...
This, all day long. Wonderful cars the E46, and as you say a proper modern classic. Not ruinous to own, and still feel special to drive.
Friend of mine has the perfect low mileage car up for sale at the moment, but a bit of a trek North for you maybe...
https://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/...
But just look at it.
offshorematt2 said:
This, all day long. Wonderful cars the E46, and as you say a proper modern classic.
Not ruinous to own, and still feel special to drive.
Friend of mine has the perfect low mileage car up for sale at the moment, but a bit of a trek North for you maybe...
https://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/...
But just look at it.
Wow, that really is stunning isn't it, unfortunately I'm not quite yet in a position to buy, just doing the research and groundwork! The E46's do seem to strike a good balance, performance and practicality (my buddy had one and I remember travelling in the back comfortably), great engine and performance, acceptable running costs, and maybe even an upward curve in values for good ones. Definitely food for thought.Not ruinous to own, and still feel special to drive.
Friend of mine has the perfect low mileage car up for sale at the moment, but a bit of a trek North for you maybe...
https://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/...
But just look at it.
So interesting wrinkle to share. Looked at insurance costs, M3 was c.£1,250, S5 c.£850, and 911 c.£650! I guess the 911 has a more mature buyer profile, fewer accidents, modern classic status etc?
So (here comes the man-maths!), vs an M3 that's a £600 annual saving that can be fed into the maintenance budget. Factor in what should be zero depreciation for a good 996 and better fuel consumption (slightly) than an M3 and it starts to stack up well. I'd expect to average £2k annually on servicing and maintenance (would buy a car with IMS/RMS & clutch done) but half of that is countered by the lack of depreciation and relatively low insurance.
Am I deluding myself here or could a 996 actually be quite a 'sensible' choice?!
So (here comes the man-maths!), vs an M3 that's a £600 annual saving that can be fed into the maintenance budget. Factor in what should be zero depreciation for a good 996 and better fuel consumption (slightly) than an M3 and it starts to stack up well. I'd expect to average £2k annually on servicing and maintenance (would buy a car with IMS/RMS & clutch done) but half of that is countered by the lack of depreciation and relatively low insurance.
Am I deluding myself here or could a 996 actually be quite a 'sensible' choice?!
Ok so I owned an E46 M3 cab and it was a wonderful car, felt very special and was a box ticked on my ownership list for sure.
As you pointed out they are getting on now and I worry that it would feel quite dated in the way it goes about it’s business, mine was an SMG which was great but it’s no DSG/STronic. They are climbing in value but I think in order to ride that train it needs to be a pampered second car kept in the dry and only driven in such conditions.
The S5 is a great option and a fantastic combination of all the elements your after, the engine is a peach - I have a link somewhere of a video of a saloon with a map and few other goodies and the noise it makes is sensational!!!!!!!! The only thing I picked up when I did my research on these was they can suffer with a gearbox issue, not sure there is a workaround for it and from memory there weren’t any symptoms they just shat themselves.
The Merc E Class is nice, the petrol especially pleasant on the ears!
Recently considered an E93 M3 and whilst an incredible car the sensation of driving an M car only becomes apparent at higher speeds which is licence losing territory and probably not somewhere you would find yourself with kids in the back, also you need to factor doing actuators and rod bearing for peace of mind which is £2k straight away.
The RS4 convertible is like the ugly duckling, lots of people hate on it but that’s when it’s compared to its saloon and avant relations - it’s a complete different proposition and personally I think being able to put the hold down and listen to that wonderful exhaust note beats handling dynamics hands down. I have noticed though a lot of these for sale have been meddled with unfortunately. If you can get a good one I think it’s a cracking car, obviously again getting on now but Audi’s in my eyes seem to age better than BMW’s. Don’t know how they handle their miles?
Keep us posted on which way you go, having been massively disappointed on a recent quest to by a pickup (daughter launched into horse world!) I back to the drawing board and have been known to frequently by convertibles at the wrong time of year!!!!!! Lol!
Si
As you pointed out they are getting on now and I worry that it would feel quite dated in the way it goes about it’s business, mine was an SMG which was great but it’s no DSG/STronic. They are climbing in value but I think in order to ride that train it needs to be a pampered second car kept in the dry and only driven in such conditions.
The S5 is a great option and a fantastic combination of all the elements your after, the engine is a peach - I have a link somewhere of a video of a saloon with a map and few other goodies and the noise it makes is sensational!!!!!!!! The only thing I picked up when I did my research on these was they can suffer with a gearbox issue, not sure there is a workaround for it and from memory there weren’t any symptoms they just shat themselves.
The Merc E Class is nice, the petrol especially pleasant on the ears!
Recently considered an E93 M3 and whilst an incredible car the sensation of driving an M car only becomes apparent at higher speeds which is licence losing territory and probably not somewhere you would find yourself with kids in the back, also you need to factor doing actuators and rod bearing for peace of mind which is £2k straight away.
The RS4 convertible is like the ugly duckling, lots of people hate on it but that’s when it’s compared to its saloon and avant relations - it’s a complete different proposition and personally I think being able to put the hold down and listen to that wonderful exhaust note beats handling dynamics hands down. I have noticed though a lot of these for sale have been meddled with unfortunately. If you can get a good one I think it’s a cracking car, obviously again getting on now but Audi’s in my eyes seem to age better than BMW’s. Don’t know how they handle their miles?
Keep us posted on which way you go, having been massively disappointed on a recent quest to by a pickup (daughter launched into horse world!) I back to the drawing board and have been known to frequently by convertibles at the wrong time of year!!!!!! Lol!
Si
SiT said:
Awesome video, not usually a fan of red for most cars but that looks the business. One advantage of Audi moving to the supercharged V6 is the tuneability, 400bhp and monster torque from a basic remap and many places will also map the gearbox; de-badge the car and that's a heck of a sleeper!Gassing Station | Car Buying | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff