Convertible, four seats, £5k - Ideas

[Alex_225]

I'm in the process of sorting my two Saabs out to sell and consolidate into one car.

My daily car is my Saab 9-3 convertible, it's a mapped ttid so it goes really well but as I'm looking to sell my V6 as well I fancy replacing the convertible with something else.

Running costs/fuel aren't really an issue so I'd be happy with a petrol and love a V8. I've looked at the Merc CLK, BMW 6 series etc. But I'm open to something a bit left field.

I'd prefer to stick with a convertible as me and the kids love the roof down on a nice day but I need four seats as I foolishly have three children haha.

[Shnozz]

I liked my CLK cab but sadly the cambelt chain stretched and wrote it off. I believe thats specific to the 1.8 mind so the bigger engines might be fine. Pretty car I must say.

S4 cab? Always liked the shape of my Audi.

[Greenmantle]

Errr - haven't you watched the latest Harrys Garage Video with Jezzer Clarkson.
4 seater Convertible is now held in contempt!

[Pickle_Rick]

Lexus SC

V8. Certainly leftfield.
It has 4 seats, though whether you can fit 4 people in depends if they have legs. Children should be OK. Will be more reliable than any of the alternatives.

They usually come up for sale starting from £3-£5k.

[Jamescrs]

Look carefully at the 6 series only because the rear seats on the coupe/ convertible are surprisingly limited for the size of car, I believe they sacrificed seat space for boot space, depends on the size of people going in the back of course

[macron]

Greenmantle said:

Errr - haven't you watched the latest Harrys Garage Video with Jezzer Clarkson.
4 seater Convertible is now held in contempt!

And anyone of sound mind should give absolutely any fks at all what ancient white men think because of what? Grow up.

[Shnozz]

Jamescrs said:

Look carefully at the 6 series only because the rear seats on the coupe/ convertible are surprisingly limited for the size of car, I believe they sacrificed seat space for boot space, depends on the size of people going in the back of course

This is where the E250 Merc performs much better than the CLK it replaced - way more spacious rear seats and boot. The pre-facelift ones of those probably now in the price bracket you are looking at.

[Scootersp]

not a V8 but IS250 might be nice......perhaps too dull?

[andrewcliffe]

Infinity G? V6 rather than V8.

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202509036...

Lexus SC?
Lexus IS?

Jaguar XK8/XKR ?

[Huzzah]

I've a CLK, rear seats are surprisingly good.

Overall I like the car, albeit the steering is numb.

[Alex_225]

Shnozz said:

I liked my CLK cab but sadly the cambelt chain stretched and wrote it off. I believe thats specific to the 1.8 mind so the bigger engines might be fine. Pretty car I must say.

S4 cab? Always liked the shape of my Audi.

Not sure on the cam chain but certainly the balance shaft on some of the V6s was a ruinous issue on the V6s. The CLK500 is a possibility though, fairly rare but like you a say a pretty car.

The Audi isn't a bad looking thing either, although I'm not a massive VAG fan but had seen a couple of nice ones for sale.

Greenmantle said:

Errr - haven't you watched the latest Harrys Garage Video with Jezzer Clarkson.
4 seater Convertible is now held in contempt!

Haha I can't say I have!

To be fair, four seater convertibles are far from the more dynamic of things. The only reason I ended up with the Saab convertible was the engine. I wanted a tidy 1.9ttid to put some miles on regardless of body shape and this one came up. It's been great and the folding roof a real hit!

Some good food for thought on this thread though. The Lexus isn't a bad looking thing at all, seem to be a good spec too although looks wise it almost looks better with the roof up haha.

The Jag is a consideration too. I had also thought about the BMW 330 or 335. I've driven a friends 335 and was very impressed with how well it went!

As mentioned above the 6 series is a big car but the rear isn't, that said I can't imagine it's smaller than my Saab in the back. I'm just not sure on the 6 series idea which engine to go for. My Saab is 225bhp and around 350lbs-ft so I'd like something with similar pace.

[rlg43p]

macron said:

And anyone of sound mind should give absolutely any fks at all what ancient white men think because of what? Grow up.

Oh the irony....!

[bennno]

Alex_225 said:

I'm in the process of sorting my two Saabs out to sell and consolidate into one car.

My daily car is my Saab 9-3 convertible, it's a mapped ttid so it goes really well but as I'm looking to sell my V6 as well I fancy replacing the convertible with something else.

Running costs/fuel aren't really an issue so I'd be happy with a petrol and love a V8. I've looked at the Merc CLK, BMW 6 series etc. But I'm open to something a bit left field.

I'd prefer to stick with a convertible as me and the kids love the roof down on a nice day but I need four seats as I foolishly have three children haha.

We had a 125i (3.0L bmw six pot) with a manual gearbox. Full bmw main dealer history, brought and sold a year later for 5k.

Really good car, shouldn't have sold, then it came back up for sale locally, brought it back for 5k, had it for a year, sold it again for 5k.

Still see it running about locally. To my eyes its a better looking car than a similar age 3 series.

[Alex_225]

bennno said:

We had a 125i (3.0L bmw six pot) with a manual gearbox. Full bmw main dealer history, brought and sold a year later for 5k.

Really good car, shouldn't have sold, then it came back up for sale locally, brought it back for 5k, had it for a year, sold it again for 5k.

Still see it running about locally. To my eyes its a better looking car than a similar age 3 series.

Funnily enough, I did look at the 1 series as a friend had a 123 diesel some years back and I always thought it was a great looking car. Far better than the hatchback version of the early 1 series.

I quite like an automatic at times but when I hop in my Saab and give it drive on some of the lanes I have locally, it's lovely having a manual.

[honest_delboy]

I have a BMW 135i auto , it's a great drive, still feels solid. The engine is a peach, i was unsure about getting a turbo (from old 80's experience) but it feels smooth and torquey.

I am based in Surrey if you wanted to take a look

[Alex_225]

honest_delboy said:

I have a BMW 135i auto , it's a great drive, still feels solid. The engine is a peach, i was unsure about getting a turbo (from old 80's experience) but it feels smooth and torquey.

I am based in Surrey if you wanted to take a look

That's very kind of you mate, sadly I used to be in Surrey but live over in Gloucestershire!

I'm quite partial to forced induction, you have the option of tuning if you fancy a bit more go.

Prices on the 135i seem to vary a fair but but doable without huge mileage for £5-6k

[bennno]

Alex_225 said:

That's very kind of you mate, sadly I used to be in Surrey but live over in Gloucestershire!

I'm quite partial to forced induction, you have the option of tuning if you fancy a bit more go.

Prices on the 135i seem to vary a fair but but doable without huge mileage for £5-6k

The 135i is a twin turbo, can also be tuned, if you can find one thats not been molested then I dont think youd get a faster 4 seater cab for the money.

[ZX10R NIN]

If you can live with having to drop all the windows & opening the sunroof then this CLK55 AMG could be the answer:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202509096...

Convertible 55:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202507154...

500:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202503180...

2010 CLK350 which should see you clear of the balancer shaft issue:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202508215...

[Alex_225]

bennno said:

Alex_225 said:

That's very kind of you mate, sadly I used to be in Surrey but live over in Gloucestershire!

I'm quite partial to forced induction, you have the option of tuning if you fancy a bit more go.

Prices on the 135i seem to vary a fair but but doable without huge mileage for £5-6k

The 135i is a twin turbo, can also be tuned, if you can find one thats not been molested then I dont think youd get a faster 4 seater cab for the money.

That's the trick isn't it, to find a nice one that's not been 'Barry'd' haha. It'd definitely up there, seems a mapped one can be around 380bhp as would a 335 with a map. Two real considersations.

ZX10R NIN said:

If you can live with having to drop all the windows & opening the sunroof then this CLK55 AMG could be the answer:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202509096...

Convertible 55:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202507154...

500:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202503180...

2010 CLK350 which should see you clear of the balancer shaft issue:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202508215...

I did spot the convertible 55, wheels are a bit scabby but doesn't look too bad overall. The coupe is lovely though and that last 350 isn't a bad shout either.

[Shnozz]

Alex_225 said:

I did spot the convertible 55, wheels are a bit scabby but doesn't look too bad overall. The coupe is lovely though and that last 350 isn't a bad shout either.

I had the same wheels and they seemed prone to going scabby.