Car Shopping

[ali_kat]

Ok, I need a car; I can't keep borrowing off my mate, he likes to be able to drive it too!

Has to be fun to drive
Has to be a convertible
Has to have a boot!
Has to be pretty
Has to be under £3k

I'm kinda thinking

Triumph TR7
Triumph Spitfire
Toyota MR2 Roadster
Alfa Romeo Spyder
Mazda MX5
BMW Z3


Thoughts for/against any of these?

I've had a Spitfire & MX5 before

[YBTurbo]

Get a 300ZX targa-top


Or if it must be a full convertable, a Toyota Celica ?

[robsco]

A TVR S1? Maybe even an S2 if you'd stretch your budget just a few hundred quid.

[Fleckers]

for the love of god scratch this from the list Triumph TR7

[ali_kat]

Fleckers said:

for the love of god scratch this from the list Triumph TR7

Reasoning?

[ali_kat]

robsco said:

A TVR S1? Maybe even an S2 if you'd stretch your budget just a few hundred quid.

I don't have a garage & it needs to be reliable without one

[ali_kat]

YBTurbo said:

Get a 300ZX targa-top


Or if it must be a full convertable, a Toyota Celica ?

Neither are to my 'taste' I'm sorry to say

[robsco]

ali_kat said:

I don't have a garage & it needs to be reliable without one

I'm not being funny, but is a Triumph going to be reliable? That, and in the TVR there's very little going on in the way of electrics, and a solid, dependable Ford V6 under the bonnet. Fair enough, build quality might be a bit flaky, but I can't imagine you'd have a great deal of issues if you got one with a strong chassis.

That said, I might be massively wrong.

[NiceCupOfTea]

MR2 doesn't have a boot does it?

I would be looking at the Alfa or the Z3 (6-pot, natch). Nowt wrong with the MX5, but if you've already done it...

[ali_kat]

NiceCupOfTea said:

MR2 doesn't have a boot does it?

I would be looking at the Alfa or the Z3 (6-pot, natch). Nowt wrong with the MX5, but if you've already done it...

Don't think so, but it IS pretty

Ah, now you see a mate has told me that Alfa's go wrong @ this age & can cost thousands

I don't know anyone with an 'old' Z3 to advise me about them, but se plenty about so that is tempting me more than the MX5

However, I have ALWAYS wanted a TR7 and adored my Spitfire, as the one I've seen is yellow

[ironictwist]

ali, you can see all about my '5 on FB through the bundles of photo albums about it's adventures. It fits the criteria to a tee, you could nab a supercharged one for that money too.

[ali_kat]

robsco said:

I'm not being funny, but is a Triumph going to be reliable? That, and in the TVR there's very little going on in the way of electrics, and a solid, dependable Ford V6 under the bonnet. Fair enough, build quality might be a bit flaky, but I can't imagine you'd have a great deal of issues if you got one with a strong chassis.

That said, I might be massively wrong.

Based on past experience

Plus, the TVR is a very heavy car to drive (again, based on personal experience), the Spitfire is quite light in comparison.

[robsco]

ali_kat said:

Based on past experience

Plus, the TVR is a very heavy car to drive (again, based on personal experience), the Spitfire is quite light in comparison.

Fair enough.

Don't worry about the so called reliability issues with Alfas by the way. I'm on my third now, with no major problems.

[McAndy]

ali_kat said:

Ok, I need a car; I can't keep borrowing off my mate, he likes to be able to drive it too!

Has to be fun to drive
Has to be a convertible
Has to have a boot!
Has to be pretty
Has to be under £3k

I'm kinda thinking

Triumph TR7
Triumph Spitfire
Toyota MR2 Roadster
Alfa Romeo Spyder
Mazda MX5
BMW Z3


Thoughts for/against any of these?

I've had a Spitfire & MX5 before

How much of a boot? Mine has taken The Whiff, me, two bags of shopping and my camera gear. Also two people + two laptops fairly comfortably for the commute. I love it!

Reader's cars link

More information on costs in my garage section.

[ali_kat]

ironictwist said:

ali, you can see all about my '5 on FB through the bundles of photo albums about it's adventures. It fits the criteria to a tee, you could nab a supercharged one for that money too.

But had 2...

And it is the 'sensible' choice...

[ali_kat]

robsco said:

Don't worry about the so called reliability issues with Alfas by the way. I'm on my third now, with no major problems.

[ali_kat]

McAndy said:

How much of a boot? Mine has taken The Whiff, me, two bags of shopping and my camera gear. Also two people + two laptops fairly comfortably for the commute. I love it!

Reader's cars link

More information on costs in my garage section.

That much will do

[James P]

TR7 all the time, the brighter the better and with tartan seats. If it already has a V8 so much the better, if not you have a first upgrade to aim for. Btw the Alfa issue was cylinder head failure on a 97 car just after the warranty expired. The driver seemed to attract problem cars though.

[James P]

No idea of prices but how about a Reliant SS1? 1.8 Nissan turbo and plastic body so should be fairly reliable (and tuneable).

[McAndy]

ali_kat said:

McAndy said:

How much of a boot? Mine has taken The Whiff, me, two bags of shopping and my camera gear. Also two people + two laptops fairly comfortably for the commute. I love it!

Reader's cars link

More information on costs in my garage section.

That much will do

Then do it.

Do it do it do it do it do it.

Do it!