Discussion
The sun is starting to shine again and I find myself browsing roadsters on AT this morning.
Having decided I'd really rather not blow 20k on a fairly new hot hatch which might be a bit better than my slightly older hot hatch I'm still exploring other options. Sensible me thinks, just keep my car as its fine, but I wonder if its possible to have a worthwhile change without spending huge amounts.
My car is due a full service and MOT next month which should hopefully make it easy to sell privately. I'm guessing it's worth between 6-7k give or take. So I was looking at 2 seat roadsters around maybe 10k. The idea being that I could buy one then sell my car privately to maximise value.
I guess I'm looking mainly at the mx5 NC. I like the foldy Hart top as it lives outside and is used year round. Must admit I'm worried about rust! Is it advisable to get the latest, cleanest examples to avoid problems? The mk3.75 with low mileage can be had for under 10k but I'm not sure if that's just too much to pay for one?
There are a few early 2.0 ND's for not much more money. Obviously its soft top but not a deal breaker. Would these be a better buy?
Other than that I've noticed a few Z4 28i for similar money. I've always liked them and the fact they have a fair bit more poke is nice. But I've been burned by BMW running costs in the past.
I'd like to avoid big bills so don't really want anything too old. No old Boxsters however good to drive. A 4 cylinder engine is fine for me. Having done a 6 pot BMW before I'm not that fussed. But it absolutely must have a manual box.
So, cheaper/more expensive NC?
Early ND?
Z4 28i manual for a little more cash?
Or......?
Having decided I'd really rather not blow 20k on a fairly new hot hatch which might be a bit better than my slightly older hot hatch I'm still exploring other options. Sensible me thinks, just keep my car as its fine, but I wonder if its possible to have a worthwhile change without spending huge amounts.
My car is due a full service and MOT next month which should hopefully make it easy to sell privately. I'm guessing it's worth between 6-7k give or take. So I was looking at 2 seat roadsters around maybe 10k. The idea being that I could buy one then sell my car privately to maximise value.
I guess I'm looking mainly at the mx5 NC. I like the foldy Hart top as it lives outside and is used year round. Must admit I'm worried about rust! Is it advisable to get the latest, cleanest examples to avoid problems? The mk3.75 with low mileage can be had for under 10k but I'm not sure if that's just too much to pay for one?
There are a few early 2.0 ND's for not much more money. Obviously its soft top but not a deal breaker. Would these be a better buy?
Other than that I've noticed a few Z4 28i for similar money. I've always liked them and the fact they have a fair bit more poke is nice. But I've been burned by BMW running costs in the past.
I'd like to avoid big bills so don't really want anything too old. No old Boxsters however good to drive. A 4 cylinder engine is fine for me. Having done a 6 pot BMW before I'm not that fussed. But it absolutely must have a manual box.
So, cheaper/more expensive NC?
Early ND?
Z4 28i manual for a little more cash?
Or......?
Here are some I've spotted.
Mk3.75 NC
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/2024041185...
Newer ND sport nav
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/2024040382...
Z4 28i
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/2023110235...
I could up the budget a bit but probably wouldn't want to go much higher.
Mk3.75 NC
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/2024041185...
Newer ND sport nav
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/2024040382...
Z4 28i
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/2023110235...
I could up the budget a bit but probably wouldn't want to go much higher.
370Z is maybe a bit too hairy chested for me. Not sure I can stomach £735 tax on principle. Manual convertible seems quite rare.
Which TT do you have?
I've thought about it. The mk3 is definitely my favourite and I could get a basic 1.8 sport with a manual box. Front wheel drive obviously but reviews say they drive very well. I like the look of the S line quattro but I'm sure they're auto only? I do remember reading the dsg with paddles is very good. Here's a nice one which is pushing budget even further.
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/2024041185...
Great looking car and certainly fast on paper. But I do wonder if a 10k mazda might be more fun.
Which TT do you have?
I've thought about it. The mk3 is definitely my favourite and I could get a basic 1.8 sport with a manual box. Front wheel drive obviously but reviews say they drive very well. I like the look of the S line quattro but I'm sure they're auto only? I do remember reading the dsg with paddles is very good. Here's a nice one which is pushing budget even further.
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/2024041185...
Great looking car and certainly fast on paper. But I do wonder if a 10k mazda might be more fun.
I think a FWD TT would drive similar to a hot hatch? That's something I'd like to avoid as I am wanting a change.
The Quattro is possible. I've never had an Audi, never had 4WD and never had a flappy paddle gearbox. Does changing manually with paddles really work properly?
Z4 manual does still tick the boxes and is a bit cheaper. I'm not fussed about it being pin sharp to drive and a bit of cruising comfort might be quite welcome.
The Quattro is possible. I've never had an Audi, never had 4WD and never had a flappy paddle gearbox. Does changing manually with paddles really work properly?
Z4 manual does still tick the boxes and is a bit cheaper. I'm not fussed about it being pin sharp to drive and a bit of cruising comfort might be quite welcome.
370Z looks nice but it's not for me. I can't get past that tax band, even if it doesn't make too much difference to overall cost.
It's a real shame about MX5's and rust. A rust bucket just isn't what I want these days. I've had them in the past and once the rot starts it's a losing battle. Can't believe even the ND suffers.
Z4 is looking good. I wouldn't want to go any older than the E89. And I think I'd rather the facelift 4 pot turbo than the earlier 6 pot cars. I'm used to turbo now and quite like having low down torque. A 28i would be more than enough for me. I'll have a look into potential issues with them but there is a good local indy nearby who looked after my E92.
Then there's that Audi TT. A 2.0 tfsi quattro in S line trim on 19's looks really nice to me. They seem good quality and most reviews are positive. I've checked MOT history on a few for sale and most are very clean so they must be reliable? It would probably mean spending 15k or so but that's still less than I was planning to until recently.
It's a real shame about MX5's and rust. A rust bucket just isn't what I want these days. I've had them in the past and once the rot starts it's a losing battle. Can't believe even the ND suffers.
Z4 is looking good. I wouldn't want to go any older than the E89. And I think I'd rather the facelift 4 pot turbo than the earlier 6 pot cars. I'm used to turbo now and quite like having low down torque. A 28i would be more than enough for me. I'll have a look into potential issues with them but there is a good local indy nearby who looked after my E92.
Then there's that Audi TT. A 2.0 tfsi quattro in S line trim on 19's looks really nice to me. They seem good quality and most reviews are positive. I've checked MOT history on a few for sale and most are very clean so they must be reliable? It would probably mean spending 15k or so but that's still less than I was planning to until recently.
Love the s2000 but it’s just too old now for me to consider using daily.
Also like the Abarth 124 although they are more expensive. And I’m guessing they fair no better against rust than the MX5?
I did a bit of research on the Z4 28i. Apparently it’s the N20 engine which did have known timing chain issues until 2015 when some revisions were made. Does anyone know how much of a problem this is?
Other than that I’m not finding much wrong with the Audi TT apart from it not being RWD or having a manual gearbox! Some reviews mention the steering is a bit vague which appears to just be an Audi thing. Engine appears to be good. DSG is supposed to be the one to have with the 2.0 engine and Quattro. I’d quite like to drive one.
Also like the Abarth 124 although they are more expensive. And I’m guessing they fair no better against rust than the MX5?
I did a bit of research on the Z4 28i. Apparently it’s the N20 engine which did have known timing chain issues until 2015 when some revisions were made. Does anyone know how much of a problem this is?
Other than that I’m not finding much wrong with the Audi TT apart from it not being RWD or having a manual gearbox! Some reviews mention the steering is a bit vague which appears to just be an Audi thing. Engine appears to be good. DSG is supposed to be the one to have with the 2.0 engine and Quattro. I’d quite like to drive one.
I wouldn’t rule out the N52 Z4 although it’s getting a bit older and I’d expect running costs to be higher. There’s loads of 23i manuals around at cheap prices but not many 30i which I think is the one I’d want. I was aware that all the 2.0 were the same but thought the 28i was only available in higher spec so might be easier to get one with everything on it. I’ve never remapped a car before and it doesn’t appeal to me. Always thought if you want more power just buy a faster car!
Good info on the TT. It would be the mk3 that interests me and I’d assume they moved the game on from the mk2? I’m not sure if the VAG 2.0 tfsi was changed at all in the mk3? Not too fussed about it being a TTS. They are lovely but start around £20k which is a bit much. The 230bhp one would be fine I’m sure. My mileage is fairly low so mpg isn’t a huge problem.
Good info on the TT. It would be the mk3 that interests me and I’d assume they moved the game on from the mk2? I’m not sure if the VAG 2.0 tfsi was changed at all in the mk3? Not too fussed about it being a TTS. They are lovely but start around £20k which is a bit much. The 230bhp one would be fine I’m sure. My mileage is fairly low so mpg isn’t a huge problem.
I just can't help but think of that guy on here who had a pre purchase inspection report only to have complete catastrophic engine failure shortly after buying!
I did look at a 981.2 last year. It did feel a bit old on the inside despite an asking price of about £17k. From there I went to see a new mx5 ND and thought it was lovely. But long term rot worries me. To be honest if it weren't for the rust I'd just buy an mx5.
I do get the whole depreciation/maintenance thing. Depreciation is a known quantity so its easy to budget for. Maintenance is a lottery. You could run an old porsche for years and nothing go wrong in which case it's a win. Or you could get engine failure after 6 months and its game over.
I did look at a 981.2 last year. It did feel a bit old on the inside despite an asking price of about £17k. From there I went to see a new mx5 ND and thought it was lovely. But long term rot worries me. To be honest if it weren't for the rust I'd just buy an mx5.
I do get the whole depreciation/maintenance thing. Depreciation is a known quantity so its easy to budget for. Maintenance is a lottery. You could run an old porsche for years and nothing go wrong in which case it's a win. Or you could get engine failure after 6 months and its game over.
I have wondered about buying the newest ND I can and getting it undersealed. ND2 sport nav plus start around £16k for a 2019 car. Surely that would be safe enough?
How much is it roughly to get rust protection done?
It must be possible to sort out because there are loads of old MX5's around. I've checked MOT history on several NCs and rust isn't mentioned. Most are clean with no advisories so they surely can't be that bad?
Another consideration I have is that my wife would need to be comfortable driving it. There would be times I would need to take the family car leaving her with the roadster. She's not a car person at all. I'm sure she'd be okay in a TT as she had an A3 as a company car years ago and liked that. MX5 would be fine as well. Z4 perhaps less so with the low seat and long bonnet. Boxster I'd say not, she'd be terrified of it. And whatever it is parking sensors would be essential!
How much is it roughly to get rust protection done?
It must be possible to sort out because there are loads of old MX5's around. I've checked MOT history on several NCs and rust isn't mentioned. Most are clean with no advisories so they surely can't be that bad?
Another consideration I have is that my wife would need to be comfortable driving it. There would be times I would need to take the family car leaving her with the roadster. She's not a car person at all. I'm sure she'd be okay in a TT as she had an A3 as a company car years ago and liked that. MX5 would be fine as well. Z4 perhaps less so with the low seat and long bonnet. Boxster I'd say not, she'd be terrified of it. And whatever it is parking sensors would be essential!
I quite like the look of this one.
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/2024030873...
Typically with German cars you have to seek out the spec you want. I'd need heated seats and parking sensors. Sat nav is nice. That one seems to have some kind of air scarf in the seats which would be good. Not local though.
I've been looking at the coupe too in case the wife really digs in about not having rear seats. I know they're not much use but they are at least there not that I'd be using them I'm sure. I'd really rather the soft top though. Apparently the hood is very well insulated so it'd be a decent year round car I think.
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/2024030873...
Typically with German cars you have to seek out the spec you want. I'd need heated seats and parking sensors. Sat nav is nice. That one seems to have some kind of air scarf in the seats which would be good. Not local though.
I've been looking at the coupe too in case the wife really digs in about not having rear seats. I know they're not much use but they are at least there not that I'd be using them I'm sure. I'd really rather the soft top though. Apparently the hood is very well insulated so it'd be a decent year round car I think.
MR2 is the only roadster I've had.
Mine looked very similar to that one. I sold it a few months before our son was born and I've wanted another 2 seat convertible ever since. That was 9 years ago.
I did love the Toyota. It cost me £2500 and I sold it for £3000 so it's the only car I actually made money on. Not sure I'd go back there now. It was fun but at the time I had other cars to use daily so it was a fair weather toy. I think I'd trade a bit of raw thrill for some more refinement and comfort these days.
Mine looked very similar to that one. I sold it a few months before our son was born and I've wanted another 2 seat convertible ever since. That was 9 years ago.
I did love the Toyota. It cost me £2500 and I sold it for £3000 so it's the only car I actually made money on. Not sure I'd go back there now. It was fun but at the time I had other cars to use daily so it was a fair weather toy. I think I'd trade a bit of raw thrill for some more refinement and comfort these days.
They're great little cars and probably not a bad investment if you can find a nice one, use it lightly and keep it in good order.
Here's one that's just round the corner from me.
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/2024041084...
The ad says its sold even at that price!
I would find one as good as possible for about £5k if I did want one. Sadly I think it'd only work as a third car and I have no space to do that. Ideally it'd want to live in a garage too. I did occasionally use mine on cold winter mornings but remember it being frozen on the inside. Then there's the space or lack of! We did actually manage a couple of weekends away by putting luggage in carrier bags which you can stuff behind the seats and in the frunk but it was far from comfortable.
Here's one that's just round the corner from me.
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/2024041084...
The ad says its sold even at that price!
I would find one as good as possible for about £5k if I did want one. Sadly I think it'd only work as a third car and I have no space to do that. Ideally it'd want to live in a garage too. I did occasionally use mine on cold winter mornings but remember it being frozen on the inside. Then there's the space or lack of! We did actually manage a couple of weekends away by putting luggage in carrier bags which you can stuff behind the seats and in the frunk but it was far from comfortable.
I like the SLK too. That's the problem, I kind of like them all!
Manual box would be my preference which only leaves the SLK200 which I think is a bit naff. The 350 V6 appeals for the engine but its auto only and I've heard its very heavy and doesn't handle that well. Lovely to look at though and to be fair I haven't driven one.
The TT that I like is of course an auto too. But I think the paddles on the S tronic do a decent job of manual shifting? And reviews suggest it's the auto that's best, same as with the SLK.
Manual box would be my preference which only leaves the SLK200 which I think is a bit naff. The 350 V6 appeals for the engine but its auto only and I've heard its very heavy and doesn't handle that well. Lovely to look at though and to be fair I haven't driven one.
The TT that I like is of course an auto too. But I think the paddles on the S tronic do a decent job of manual shifting? And reviews suggest it's the auto that's best, same as with the SLK.
I'm not really sure of the exact definition of 'roadster'. To me it's a small open top car with 2 seats. That's what I meant anyway!
Proper manual does point to a Z4. It's whether or not to compromise on that. I've never had an auto. It appeals in some respects but then it feels like there's a lifetime to drive autos whereas the old manual box is on its way out. I do enjoy changing gears.
Proper manual does point to a Z4. It's whether or not to compromise on that. I've never had an auto. It appeals in some respects but then it feels like there's a lifetime to drive autos whereas the old manual box is on its way out. I do enjoy changing gears.
Been to look at a TT and a Z4 this morning. No test drives yet as neither were the right engine or spec so I didn't want to waste anyone's time.
Audi. I was surprised how much this felt like a 'normal' car. Not in a particularly bad way but for a 2 seat convertible it felt like you could be sitting in an A3. Quality is excellent and I really like the dial which operates all the infotainment. Feels quite intuitive and it's nice to have it on the screen in front of you. Clever stuff, it's an excellent cabin. No hint of sportiness or fun in there though. All very efficient and business like, very German! The hood feels sturdy and with it up its much like being in the coupe. Decent boot too which isn't impacted by the roof. Great car and I think it would be very easy to live with. I can actually see why you might want an auto in something like that.
Z4. This was a 14 plate 20i so E89. You sit a lot lower than the TT and the controls surround you. Huge long bonnet out in front. Definitely a lot more 'sporty' feeling. I was a bit disappointed with the quality really. Everything looks nice but there are a lot of hard scratchy plastics which feel a bit flimsy. I am used to that with the Fiesta though! The manual shift felt just like my old E92. Springy! I do wonder if I'd be wrong to discount the auto? There are a lot more autos around.
Need to go and look at an ND2 MX5 really. I think I'm getting too fixated on the rust issue. If I did go for one I'd want a low mileage sport nav plus with the 184 engine. So it'd only be 5 years old. I'd be keeping it 3 years or so at 4k miles a year so surely that'd be fine? This morning I saw a 20 year old NB which still seemed to be going!
Audi. I was surprised how much this felt like a 'normal' car. Not in a particularly bad way but for a 2 seat convertible it felt like you could be sitting in an A3. Quality is excellent and I really like the dial which operates all the infotainment. Feels quite intuitive and it's nice to have it on the screen in front of you. Clever stuff, it's an excellent cabin. No hint of sportiness or fun in there though. All very efficient and business like, very German! The hood feels sturdy and with it up its much like being in the coupe. Decent boot too which isn't impacted by the roof. Great car and I think it would be very easy to live with. I can actually see why you might want an auto in something like that.
Z4. This was a 14 plate 20i so E89. You sit a lot lower than the TT and the controls surround you. Huge long bonnet out in front. Definitely a lot more 'sporty' feeling. I was a bit disappointed with the quality really. Everything looks nice but there are a lot of hard scratchy plastics which feel a bit flimsy. I am used to that with the Fiesta though! The manual shift felt just like my old E92. Springy! I do wonder if I'd be wrong to discount the auto? There are a lot more autos around.
Need to go and look at an ND2 MX5 really. I think I'm getting too fixated on the rust issue. If I did go for one I'd want a low mileage sport nav plus with the 184 engine. So it'd only be 5 years old. I'd be keeping it 3 years or so at 4k miles a year so surely that'd be fine? This morning I saw a 20 year old NB which still seemed to be going!
Hmmm yes that's not bad at all. I thought the Z4 boot was okay too but obviously you do lose space when the roof folds. Boot space isn't too important to me as we have a family car but it's certainly nice to have. Our son is 8 so we don't really do weekends away without him but that doesn't mean we can't at some point. He'd probably quite like staying over at his grandparents! (Off to look at hotels by the coast!)
cerb4.5lee said:
We had a brand new Audi TTS S-Tronic(DSG) Coupe back in 2012. It was a lovely thing to sit in and live with, plus it went well enough with a 0 to 60 in 5.2 seconds as well I thought. I echo the reviews regarding the steering though, and I wasn't a fan of the steering at all, and weirdly for a car with 4WD it didn't give you a lot of confidence in the corners for me(because of the steering).
We did 68k miles in it, so we got to know it, but just be aware that they can be pretty thirsty(the TTS anyway). Ours was only used for long journeys and it only returned 27mpg overall, and for me that was quite low for a 4 cylinder 2.0 turbo engine I thought.
As reference...the 4 cylinder 2.0 turbo in the F56 Cooper S did 40mpg overall in my hands, and the F82 M4 with its 3.0 straight 6 twin turbo is doing 29mpg in comparison. The 370Z is only doing 22mpg though...so I can cope with the lower mpg figures occasionally to be fair!
Out of interest Lee, which car did you enjoy most between the Audi and the Mini? What's the most 'fun' in your opinion?We did 68k miles in it, so we got to know it, but just be aware that they can be pretty thirsty(the TTS anyway). Ours was only used for long journeys and it only returned 27mpg overall, and for me that was quite low for a 4 cylinder 2.0 turbo engine I thought.
As reference...the 4 cylinder 2.0 turbo in the F56 Cooper S did 40mpg overall in my hands, and the F82 M4 with its 3.0 straight 6 twin turbo is doing 29mpg in comparison. The 370Z is only doing 22mpg though...so I can cope with the lower mpg figures occasionally to be fair!
Thanks for that.
After a family chat last night, my wife and son both love Minis. It's a car I keep coming back to so it's still in the mix. Obviously not a roadster! And I'm not too keen on the convertible mini. But a hatch with pan roof could be a good compromise.
She didn't veto a 2 seat convertible altogether. But she did say that she would be less comfortable driving one especially in the winter months. Its important that she can drive it as we would need to swap cars when I need the space for stuff.
I'm going to look at some Minis later today at the local Sytner dealership. They don't have anything with the right spec but it'd be good to get a feel for one.
After a family chat last night, my wife and son both love Minis. It's a car I keep coming back to so it's still in the mix. Obviously not a roadster! And I'm not too keen on the convertible mini. But a hatch with pan roof could be a good compromise.
She didn't veto a 2 seat convertible altogether. But she did say that she would be less comfortable driving one especially in the winter months. Its important that she can drive it as we would need to swap cars when I need the space for stuff.
I'm going to look at some Minis later today at the local Sytner dealership. They don't have anything with the right spec but it'd be good to get a feel for one.
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