What car: £1,500 summer soft-top fun

[5paul5]

HVAC MATT said:

MX - gay

How sad !

[Marf]

5paul5 said:

HVAC MATT said:

MX - gay

How sad !

No no, you misinterpret. Matt is telling us that he is gay and lives in Mexico

[maffski]

I think I've got a winner - who wouldn't want to be seen tooling around in this?

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2011...

[denniswise9]

maffski said:

I think I've got a winner - who wouldn't want to be seen tooling around in this?

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2011...

Worst bodykit of 2011 contender?

[alfa pint]

vixen1700 said:

alfa pint said:

At £1500, chances are it'll be knackered. Tread very carefully at that price - rear suspension / cam belt / brakes inc servo / radiators all wear prematurely, before we even start on the electrics.

Was just gonna suggest this one: http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/2651958.htm

It would be worth a look - it's got the older black plastic interior which drops the price a bit. I'd still run away if the seller didn't know the oil consumption / type of oil, if the cambelt history wasn't there, if the rear suspension bushes hadn't been replaced etc.

[Gruber]

alfa pint said:

vixen1700 said:

alfa pint said:

At £1500, chances are it'll be knackered. Tread very carefully at that price - rear suspension / cam belt / brakes inc servo / radiators all wear prematurely, before we even start on the electrics.

Was just gonna suggest this one: http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/2651958.htm

It would be worth a look - it's got the older black plastic interior which drops the price a bit. I'd still run away if the seller didn't know the oil consumption / type of oil, if the cambelt history wasn't there, if the rear suspension bushes hadn't been replaced etc.

The most tempting thing about that one is that the seller claims to be Katie Holmes.

I think I'll be taking Alfa Pint's advice and staying clear of bargain basement Alfas. And that one fails the "long MOT" requirement.

[Gruber]

maffski said:

I think I've got a winner - who wouldn't want to be seen tooling around in this?

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2011...

Flippin' heck that's ugly.

[vixen1700]

Gruber said:

I think I'll be taking Alfa Pint's advice and staying clear of bargain basement Alfas. And that one fails the "long MOT" requirement.

Very wise.

[Lefty]

Series 3 88" Land Rover

[Raoul Duke]

briSk said:

similar sort of thing. cooler:
http://www.pistonheads.co.uk/sales/2701382.htm

If the budget could be stretched then it would be this for me, if not then i suppose the default choice of a mk1 MX5 would be the ( slightly obvious ) choice.

[Gruber]

Lefty said:

Series 3 88" Land Rover

Yes please!! Find me one in budget and i'd jump at the chance.

[vixen1700]

In that case, it may be worth keeping an eye on this site: http://www.mod-sales.com/search/results,sort_by_Na...

Ex-MoD Soft top Land Rovers on there.

[GreatGranny]

Audi?
http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/2713579.htm

Looks good nick. Not as good to drive as the 5 but it does look good IMO.

[buzzer]

Risotto said:

briSk said:

similar sort of thing. cooler:
http://www.pistonheads.co.uk/sales/2701382.htm

Good suggestion, just watch out for gearbox issues.

And bulkhead cracks.... Just google Saab bulkhead cracks

[Eunos]

denniswise9 said:

I heard on the owners club it leaks badly on old ones and is a pain adjusting it to get the car sitting at the correct height.

I'm not saying its bad as ride quality goes, just more hassle than springs for maintainance - and apparently the TF is a better drive in general.

Oh please. Stop posting all this regurgitated "internet expert" nonsense.

My own F needed the hydragas pumping so I built a pump out of an old grease gun with some help from my dad. I'm 18 and not particularly technical but it was straightforward. As for a pain to get it adjusted to the right height You get the car sitting level and then pump away, it's very simple and very little hassle.

You're correct in saying that the TF is a better drive though, the F is a very nice yoke for cruising around in but the setup isn't made for ultimate roadholding. Has rubber subframe mounts, lacks the extra torsional stiffness bracing of the TF & the TF's quicker steering rack (all can be fitted to an F) etc., but with a few mods you'd really have a very capable little car. I'm currently turning mine into a trackcar, and even just a few little tweaks have transformed it.

But to get back on topic... I'd certainly recommended an F for some cheap summer fun, you get much more for the money than in a similarly priced MX-5 IMHO. But make sure you get a good one and be prepared to look at loads!!

[denniswise9]

Eunos said:

denniswise9 said:

I heard on the owners club it leaks badly on old ones and is a pain adjusting it to get the car sitting at the correct height.

I'm not saying its bad as ride quality goes, just more hassle than springs for maintainance - and apparently the TF is a better drive in general.

Oh please. Stop posting all this regurgitated "internet expert" nonsense.

My own F needed the hydragas pumping so I built a pump out of an old grease gun with some help from my dad. I'm 18 and not particularly technical but it was straightforward. As for a pain to get it adjusted to the right height You get the car sitting level and then pump away, it's very simple and very little hassle.

You're correct in saying that the TF is a better drive though, the F is a very nice yoke for cruising around in but the setup isn't made for ultimate roadholding. Has rubber subframe mounts, lacks the extra torsional stiffness bracing of the TF & the TF's quicker steering rack (all can be fitted to an F) etc., but with a few mods you'd really have a very capable little car. I'm currently turning mine into a trackcar, and even just a few little tweaks have transformed it.

But to get back on topic... I'd certainly recommended an F for some cheap summer fun, you get much more for the money than in a similarly priced MX-5 IMHO. But make sure you get a good one and be prepared to look at loads!!

Steady on I'm not claiming to be some internet expert, I was just relaying the feedback I picked up off the MG Rover forums!

I haven't owned one so wouldn't claim to be an expert, but I did own a 1.8 Eunos in silver, with a cheeky de-cat and SS exhaust and it was awesome.

[irish boy]

Saab 900 convertable....the only answer!

[300bhp/ton]

Gruber said:

Lefty said:

Series 3 88" Land Rover

Yes please!! Find me one in budget and i'd jump at the chance.

Quite a few on ebay. Just buy a hard top or truck cab and unbolt the roof. Exactly the same vehicle as the soft top ones. You can then buy the canvas and hoops later on.

[Liquid Knight]

Round arch MG Midget.

[vixen1700]

Liquid Knight said:

Round arch MG Midget.

No chance, you'd struggle to get a decent 1500 for that budget.