Recommend me a (max) £3000 cabriolet

[300bhp/ton]

aka_kerrly said:

the Wrangler screams "Queer as folk"

I often wonder if that says more about the poster though

Certainly not what I think of and must be limited to a highly niche group of certain sexually orientated Brits

[anonymous-user]

300bhp/ton said:

Some leftfield options:

Fun, good residuals, tax exempt



Fun, also good residuals and 4.0 is pretty fast too



T-Top, so open roof and a coupe all in one



Over budget, this is up at £5k, although I bet you could buy it for £4.5 if you wanted to up your budget. A proper 4 seater and personally I love the way they look.



A bit of classic Mustang, this is a 5.0 V8 and manual too. Up for only £2250

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/4054526.htm

I'm never sure if you're serious, or just playing up to your reputation on here for finding the sttiest cars that could be squeezed into the OPs criteria with enough creativity. The land rover is best left to boring land rover beards, the wrangler for fat 40 somethings who like to fantasize about being Americans and the rest don't even deserve comment.

ETA - no, sorry I can't leave that Mustang without a comment. What a hideous, miserable piece of st that is. I can only imagine the sort of tt that would go to the trouble to buy and run something that ugly and ste in the UK just for the attention it would get. I bet it's got all of 160 wheezy horses to it's name. How can you seriously suggest to someone that they torch £2250 on that when the original question wasn't "I'm a , but people don't realise it - how can I make it clearer to the world?"

Edited by dme123 on Friday 20th July 13:38

[NiceCupOfTea]

J4CKO said:

The only time when a PT Cruiser cabrio is a viable choice is when offered one as an alternative to being bummed to death by an angry Shire Horse.

If PH allowed quotes as sigs, this would now be mine

My £3k would be going this way:

• Mk.1 MX-5

This would get you an absolutely tip top Mk.1 I sold mine at trade price for just under a grand and it needed a sill welding and a few other bits - I suspect he will sell it on at around £1500.

• e36 Convertible

My dad has a 99V 323 convertible in lovely condition - I have first dibs when he decides to sell it. The only problem with it is that it's not the 2.8!

• Saab c900

No sports car, but a lovely cruiser and still absolutely classless

[Maxus]

Usual suspects of E36 328, Audi 80 or the Volvo C70 is a good shout.

Or how about this for £3k


http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/3868980.htm

[aka_kerrly]

300bhp/ton said:

aka_kerrly said:

the Wrangler screams "Queer as folk"

I often wonder if that says more about the poster though

Certainly not what I think of and must be limited to a highly niche group of certain sexually orientated Brits

haha nice try!

Perhaps they are considered cool in the US but I don't think they work in the UK at all especially when we have the Defender which has a far better image and is far more fit for purpose.

I expect your next reply will be that you never buy a car based on it's image (let alone it's imagine) but from what I can tell the Wrangler in it's current form is a million miles away from what I would call a Jeep which is a proper Willys/CJ version not the thing you posted which is neither a sports car cabriolet, nor a 4x4, nor a SUV and doesn't serve any real purpose.

[300bhp/ton]

dme123 said:

I'm never sure if you're serious, or just playing up to your reputation on here for finding the sttiest cars that could be squeezed into the OPs criteria with enough creativity.

Do some of you permanently take grumpy pills or something? Why are they sttiest?? YOU personally not liking them doesn't make them bad cars. It's really not rocket science.

The Op also said they wanted more than 2 seats (although they might have changed their minds, which normally means a floppy BMW or a dull Audi/Volvo/Saab. There really isn't much else in the way of 4 seater convertibles, so I tried to find something that met what was asked for, but offered an alternative.

dme123 said:

The land rover is best left to boring land rover beards

Why? As a marque they probably have the largest enthusiasts owners club in the UK. It's cool, actually fun to drive, practical, will hold it's money and if you buy a pre 72 won't cost any road tax. Only fuel consumption is a downer. Ok it's not fast, but it lets you have fun at lower speeds and is arguably more fun than a boring Audi A4.

dme123 said:

the wrangler for fat 40 somethings who like to fantasize about being Americans

That is not only racist, it's also a hugely dumb thing to say. Jeeps are sold all over the WORLD including the UK. A very very popular model. The Wrangler is also a fun vehicle, quite capable on the tarmac and the 4.0 not only makes a nice sound but sprints to 60mph in a fairly healthy 8.8 secs (factory standard).

dme123 said:

and the rest don't even deserve comment.

Then why post up and moan at all then

dme123 said:

ETA - no, sorry I can't leave that Mustang without a comment. What a hideous, miserable piece of st that is. I can only imagine the sort of tt that would go to the trouble to buy and run something that ugly and ste in the UK just for the attention it would get.

Do you suffer PMT?

And really how is it any different to wanting to run an XR3i or even a MK2 Golf GTI?

dme123 said:

I bet it's got all of 160 wheezy horses to it's name.

Depends on the year, but the 5.0 probably had 200-225hp as standard which in coupe form is 6.7 0-60mph and 140mph or Civic Type R pace. The vert is a little heavier (and certainly more wobbly in the bends). But the Ford 302ci has one of the largest aftermarkets in the entirety of car tuning history. 280+hp from it really is piss easy.

dme123 said:

How can you seriously suggest to someone that they torch £2250 on that when the original question is "I'm a , but people don't realise it - how can I make it clearer to the world?"

Edited by dme123 on Friday 20th July 13:34

Would you like a number of a therapist, you seem in dire need of one.

[300bhp/ton]

aka_kerrly said:

haha nice try!

Perhaps they are considered cool in the US but I don't think they work in the UK at all

I think they are consider cool in a great many places as well as the UK. In fact being an ex Jeep owner and having been a member of 2 or 3 UK based Jeep sites, it seems PH is the only place they are viewed in association with an obscure TV program.

aka_kerrly said:

especially when we have the Defender which has a far better image and is far more fit for purpose.

Image in the UK probably yes, but that's because we a blinkered. Outside UK boarders I think it's much more level and biased to the Jeep though.

As for fit for purpose, certainly not. The Land Rover is utilitarian through and through, which is fine if you are a farmer. If you want it as a toy or weekend vehicle the Wrangler is far better designed. As indeed that is exactly what it is designed for. Such as front facing rear seats (rather than side facing in all but the newest Defender). A lot more front occupant room. Much better heater, more engine options, automatic gearbox options, electric windows, locks and the like, air conditioning, a lot more HP and performance, better seats and interior trimmings and of course a proper hard and soft top removable roof.

aka_kerrly said:

from what I can tell the Wrangler in it's current form is a million miles away from what I would call a Jeep which is a proper Willys/CJ version not the thing you posted which is neither a sports car cabriolet, nor a 4x4, nor a SUV

Umm that seems a little odd to me. Jeep haven't built proper military vehicles for a long long time. The original Jeep spawned the Civilian Jeep, this went on right through to the CJ-7. The Wrangler is an extension and renaming of this model line. But it was redesigned to focus on the market in which it sold. (the name incidentally is no different than Land Rover adopting Ninety instead of Series 4 in the early 1980's).

This is a CJ-7, a direct descendant of the original Willis Jeep, although this is not a military vehicle at all.


How is a Wrangler truly unrelated to it in terms of design, concept, ethos and what it can do??

aka_kerrly said:

and doesn't serve any real purpose.

Wrong. The Wrangler is built 100% as a recreation and fun vehicle, that is it's primary purpose. You buy one because you want one and want what they offer.

[300bhp/ton]

doogz said:

Racist?

Please, don't be a fking idiot.

Thanks.

How is it not, it's an insult relating to a persons race. What other definition of racist would you use?

[CoolHands]

BHP300: I appreciate the effort, but those aren't appealing to me. I think the problem is, I fancy a two seater something-sporty number now

the missus will probably stick my nuts in a vice when she finds out My only option is to buy one and tell her after BTW this thread has reminded me, I had one of these once:



the problem was the top was such a bh to put up and down that I hardly ever did it. Plus the ride quality was awful.

[300bhp/ton]

doogz said:

stuff

just leave it, I can't be arsed. I've got my view you have yours. Lets leave it at that.

[300bhp/ton]

CoolHands said:

BHP300: I appreciate the effort, but those aren't appealing to me. I think the problem is, I fancy a two seater something-sporty number now

Well that kinda changes it I was really playing on the fact you'd said this in your OP:

CoolHands said:

On the other hand a two-seater would probably be ridiculously impracticle (if I ever want to pick someone else up / drop them off etc).

So tried to think of some less obvious 4 seater interesting soft tops that were within your budget.


For £3k I'd be tempted to look at:


http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/4019756.htm


http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/3978837.htm

Or indeed as I did myself one of these:

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/4067071.htm

[NiceCupOfTea]

£3k is the bottom end of the TVR S market, could be buying a world of trouble. I thought Smart Roadsters were more than that?

[greggy50]

If wanted the four seats I would be an Astra Bertone Turbo Couple couple of modifications and you have a decent handling convertible that still looks modern and can be chipped to 225bhp for around you budget.

[anonymous-user]

300bhp/ton said:

Some st options:

Over budget, this is up at £5k, although I bet you could buy it for £4.5 if you wanted to up your budget. A proper 4 seater and personally I love the way they look.



A bit of classic Mustang, this is a 5.0 V8 and manual too. Up for only £2250

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/4054526.htm

No wait a minute....



You really should move to a small town in the midwest somewhere...you'd fit right in.

[aka_kerrly]

300bhp/ton said:

Wrong. The Wrangler is built 100% as a recreation and fun vehicle, that is it's primary purpose. You buy one because you want one and want what they offer.

To me the whole Jeep image is just far too man and his son go camping in a over commercialised nature reserve in Northern California NOT man who has a son/daughter who wants to go and have fun driving around in a cabriolet.

[300bhp/ton]

NiceCupOfTea said:

£3k is the bottom end of the TVR S market, could be buying a world of trouble. I thought Smart Roadsters were more than that?

It's the very bottom of the Roadster market too and then some. But might be worth considering if the op wants cheap to run. £100 road tax a year and 50mpg.

[300bhp/ton]

aka_kerrly said:

To me the whole Jeep image is just far too man and his son go camping in a over commercialised nature reserve in Northern California NOT man who has a son/daughter who wants to go and have fun driving around in a cabriolet.

Have a look here, reckon they might have a rather different view to Jeeps:

http://www.birtydastards.com/frm/

Forum is based in the Isle Of Man, so very far away from the USA.

[ehonda]

my 3 year old loves my MX-5 (mk2, rust free and <£2.5K a year ago).

Sorry to jump on a bandwagon but the mustang and PT cruiser are definitely the worst ever 'what car?' suggestions I've seen on this site.

[300bhp/ton]

ehonda said:

Sorry to jump on a bandwagon but the mustang and PT cruiser are definitely the worst ever 'what car?' suggestions I've seen on this site.

Why? Is it because you personally don't like them and probably don't understand them. Or is there something more to your reasoning?

Lets see, the Mustang...

RWD - check
V8 - check
Power - check
Tunable - check
good spares availability - check
5 speed manual - check


The PT, well it actually seats 4 people properly, suffers little buffeting in the back and due to the central brace actually has a fairly rigid chassis for a rag top of this size. What exactly is wrong with it over a an A4 convertible??? Or is it just that you personally don't like the looks of it?

[ehonda]

300bhp/ton said:

Why? Is it because you personally don't like them and probably don't understand them. Or is there something more to your reasoning?

Lets see, the Mustang...

RWD - check
V8 - check
Power - check
Tunable - check
good spares availability - check
5 speed manual - check


The PT, well it actually seats 4 people properly, suffers little buffeting in the back and due to the central brace actually has a fairly rigid chassis for a rag top of this size. What exactly is wrong with it over a an A4 convertible??? Or is it just that you personally don't like the looks of it?

Come off it, they're both minging.
That mustang is a fricking eyesore. I've nothing against American cars but that is just butt ugly.
It's not just me that doesn't like the PT Cruiser thing, I think I've seen 2 of them on the road ever.