Discussion
Quite like the look of these, and after looking at various soft tops I saw one today with a nice tanned leather interior and thought it looked quite tasty..
Do they have the good handling genes of the hatchback? Or as flacid and floppy as an old mans old man thank to the loss of the roof?
Do they have the good handling genes of the hatchback? Or as flacid and floppy as an old mans old man thank to the loss of the roof?
Nice enough to look at but, sorry, a terrible drive - at least as a slusher.
I bought one nearly new for a salesperson, she did 100k in 2 or 3 years (admittedly with no complaint, she was a bit of an umpa loompa and loved posing in it) then my missus got it.
Nothing went wrong with it, but the scuttle shake (and resultant ride quality and just everything rattling) was unbearable. Enough to put me off convertibles for life tbh. This had tan leather too, which had worn through after 100k. Didn't bother finding out what the handling was like, just got rid of the hateful thing.
We swapped it for an auto Mk1 Scenic ffs which was a MUCH better drive - says it all really
I bought one nearly new for a salesperson, she did 100k in 2 or 3 years (admittedly with no complaint, she was a bit of an umpa loompa and loved posing in it) then my missus got it.
Nothing went wrong with it, but the scuttle shake (and resultant ride quality and just everything rattling) was unbearable. Enough to put me off convertibles for life tbh. This had tan leather too, which had worn through after 100k. Didn't bother finding out what the handling was like, just got rid of the hateful thing.
We swapped it for an auto Mk1 Scenic ffs which was a MUCH better drive - says it all really
They do look good. I hired one for a week in Tenerife about 10 years ago. It was an enjoyable drive but I can't say whether the handling was good or s
te - it's not like I was trying to get the back end out with lift-off oversteer half way up Teide (there were ditches at the sides of the road); but certainly I can't think of anything negative to say about it (apart from a lack of power but that's obvious given it was a 2 litre).
te - it's not like I was trying to get the back end out with lift-off oversteer half way up Teide (there were ditches at the sides of the road); but certainly I can't think of anything negative to say about it (apart from a lack of power but that's obvious given it was a 2 litre).Four seats makes it tricky.
I'd almost certainly end up with an E36 BMW 3-series cabrio. All engine sizes available for £2k, even a 328: http://pistonheads.com/sales/2656972.htm
Generally reliable and because they sold so many parts are easily available. Insurance may be sticky, but if all you want is to cruise around on nice summer evenings a 318i will do that perfectly well.
I'd almost certainly end up with an E36 BMW 3-series cabrio. All engine sizes available for £2k, even a 328: http://pistonheads.com/sales/2656972.htm
Generally reliable and because they sold so many parts are easily available. Insurance may be sticky, but if all you want is to cruise around on nice summer evenings a 318i will do that perfectly well.
I had one, new, in 2000. Had to wait bloody ages for it as the factory went on summer hols. Anyway, perfectly nice to cruise around in the sun but nothing spectacular handling-wise.
Build quality was horrible though. Rattly, buzzy, creaky, boot lock failed, worst though was the hood mechanism failed and emptied out all its fluid. That took about a month to solve as they couldn't get the parts.
Build quality was horrible though. Rattly, buzzy, creaky, boot lock failed, worst though was the hood mechanism failed and emptied out all its fluid. That took about a month to solve as they couldn't get the parts.
I used to drive a 306 cabrio and thought it was a great little car. Yes it was a little more flexible than the hatchback, but not by that much. Granted, if you're used to a luxo barge convertible then it may seem bad but the 306 isn't a luxo barge. I've had cars with far more scuttle shake than that.
On the road the car was good fun. It had pretty prodigious amounts of grip, though could be a little uncommunicative so at times you had to trust that it'd hold on from experience. Damp roads dropped the communication down even further, but that may have been down to the Pirelli tyres as much as anything.
The 2ltr engine wasn't bad either and the gear ratios were quite well spaced. Overtaking was never a problem in it and I never really felt that it could do with any additional hp.
The leather seats were lovely, and you could cruise quite long distances without feeling any discomfort.
Reliability was pretty good too. The only thing I recall going wrong was the hood motor and boot lock, even though it sat outside in all weathers and was by no means a pampered car.
And lastly - just look at it. What other car of its type comes close to it in looks.
On the road the car was good fun. It had pretty prodigious amounts of grip, though could be a little uncommunicative so at times you had to trust that it'd hold on from experience. Damp roads dropped the communication down even further, but that may have been down to the Pirelli tyres as much as anything.
The 2ltr engine wasn't bad either and the gear ratios were quite well spaced. Overtaking was never a problem in it and I never really felt that it could do with any additional hp.
The leather seats were lovely, and you could cruise quite long distances without feeling any discomfort.
Reliability was pretty good too. The only thing I recall going wrong was the hood motor and boot lock, even though it sat outside in all weathers and was by no means a pampered car.
And lastly - just look at it. What other car of its type comes close to it in looks.
elephantstone said:
Yeah I'm not looking to get lift off oversteer etc..
Just wondering wether its enjoyable enough cruising down some nice country lanes on a nice sunny evening
You know what? Buy one, enjoy it for summer, sell it in October if you dislike it.Just wondering wether its enjoyable enough cruising down some nice country lanes on a nice sunny evening
jagnet said:
And lastly - just look at it. What other car of its type comes close to it in looks.
Yep, much prefer the look to my Golf Cabriolet. Pininfarina > Karmann.Edited by RemainAllHoof on Wednesday 27th July 21:36
MondeoMan1981 said:
They still look nice today. Diablo red with black hood or the very rare yellow with dark blue hood are best colour choices imho.
I had a diablo red one back in 2003, was a half decent motor, brilliant in the summer, I like the look of them with the roof down as it's a nice flat body line. 2.0l 8v engine was alright, nothing special, handling wasn't bad but it was more of a roof down cruise down the seafront sort of car.
RemainAllHoof said:
Yep, much prefer the look to my Golf Cabriolet. Pininfarina > Karmann.
Ill be getting it just before next summer when my lease runs out but need to make my mind up otherwise I won't commit and save my monies.Edited by RemainAllHoof on Wednesday 27th July 21:36
And with regards to the golf looking as good? I really don't think so.. Normally I'm a golf fan boy but the cabrio looks like just a hatch with the roof chopped off and not stylish and sleek(ish) car IMO.
Plus the golf cab with mk4 nose stuck on it looks abit s
t if you ask me.. Again IMO.elephantstone said:
Ill be getting it just before next summer when my lease runs out but need to make my mind up otherwise I won't commit and save my monies.
And with regards to the golf looking as good?
I knew someone would fail their reading comprehension test. Read what I wrote again. And with regards to the golf looking as good?
Although, the Cab doesn't look like a Golf with the roof chopped off as it has a sticky-out boot so it is even worse - it looks like a three door Jetta with the roof chopped off!
As for saving up, it sounds like you will need to save money, anyway, if your lease is running out, irrespective of the car you end up in. As I say, try the 306 for summer and if you don't like it, sell it towards the end of summer.
Edited by RemainAllHoof on Thursday 28th July 09:20
Watch this and then tell me you'd buy one, roll over protection = ZERO 
http://fwd.channel5.com/fifth-gear/videos/features... (its worth the wait for the advert)
http://fwd.channel5.com/fifth-gear/videos/features... (its worth the wait for the advert)
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