Talk me out of a very cheap convertible?

[ahas]

I was going to suggest upping the budget and finding an e46 convertible at the £2k Mark.

The e46 handle and drive very well for the age I agree. As I'm sure you will be informed just keep an eye on the cooling system. However I'd like to think at that mileage most parts which usually need changing at the 100k mark will already have been done.

I have the 330ci and the auto dies suit it very nicely indeed.

[defblade]

V1nce Fox said:

Looks like an individual colour, maybe brass?

"Sonora metallic", apparently a standard colour... just not chosen very often I guess! Possibly more in fashion now than when new?

ahas said:

I was going to suggest upping the budget and finding an e46 convertible at the £2k Mark.

The e46 handle and drive very well for the age I agree. As I'm sure you will be informed just keep an eye on the cooling system. However I'd like to think at that mileage most parts which usually need changing at the 100k mark will already have been done.

Not my first BM

Edited by defblade on Saturday 15th May 14:38

[LightningBlue]

defblade said:

So, £2350 (cheap, but not very cheap), 141k miles, definitely had a new wing at some stage 'cos it's not quite the same shade, a few little scratches and dings etc but nothing excessive... new MOT; drives far, far, better than it has any right to at this age/mileage and basically tidy and working
A good cut or two above the other stuff I was looking at from maybe £750 to £2000.

(I think maybe an auto box would suit it better - as a 320/2.2 litre, it's not fast enough to make stirring the cogs special and the engine majors on smooth creamy torque... but a 141k BMW auto box is much more likely to go pop than a manual...)

Looks really classy and what a bargain.

[Walter Sobchak]

W201_190e said:

Post 2004 CLK will have a different radiator and the transmission thing isn't an issue. Shame about yours, the CLK is a lovely car in any form.

Agreed, always had a soft spot for the CLK, I had a W208 Coupe years ago and really fancied getting a cheap cabrio one this year.
It had done just shy of 70k miles and had the usual rust on arches but was otherwise ok then the gearbox imploded, it was a 2003 W208 so a really late one such a shame but such is life.

[Mr Tidy]

Your car looks great OP, and that has to be a pretty rare colour!

A 320Ci won't set the world alight with performance but at least a manual lets you make more of what its got than a slushmatic torque-converter Auto would.

Enjoy the summer - when it arrives.

[defblade]

Itch scratched, advert now up... slightly cheeky pricing as I'm not a in a hurry to sell, so a healthy discount available to anyone who mentions this thread

https://www.pistonheads.com/buy/listing/11994185

[defblade]

Sold tonight, happy/sad - it's been a solid daily runner for the summer, but saves me wondering whether to run it through the winter or store it up.

Bought £2350
Sold £1800
Insurance £180, but £60 refund coming
Tax £180, should be a small refund, I think I'll get one month back.
Spent basically zero on it otherwise as it didn't need anything

So, £850 to run it for the summer, 5 months and 3000 miles or so - mostly with the roof down
Got about 30mpg out of it too, which is ok considering the drag that dropping the roof must cause - and my heavy right foot

I'm happy with that, looking back to my first post, it's well within budget and cracking value compared to hiring something... it's been fun