I'm in a position where I will be able to scratch the soft top itch. It is planned that the car will be a daily and my B5 Audi A4 will become a toy. My budget is £4500 max and have narrowed my choices down to;

B6 Audi A4 1.8T
BMW 3 series E46
Porsche Boxster
Audi TT 225

Leaning more towards the 4 seater as I can argue they are sensible to the boss lady.

It does worry me what they are like to live with and am worried about vandal damage to the hood. Wondering what folks experiences are.

CheerRS

 

there not as bad as it seems, ive had a few but only moved to an a6 as we had a little girl and it was more practical for baby seats etc had them for 6-7 year but one thing i can say the novelty of roof off does wear off
my first b6 was 2.5tdi and b7 3.0tdi quattro

 

I had my MK4 Cabby for nearly 10 years as a daily and that was fine to live with, something like an E46 which is much more modern would be no trouble at all if it's a decent one, go for it!

 

Ive drivem a few cabbys in the past and i personally felt like a right burke.

They arnt for me.

 

Never owned one and pretty damn certain it will only be driven for a year and then sold for something more sensible like an E46 330d Touring. It's just an itch that's never been scratched and now I'm staring down 40 I reckon I can have a midlife crisis.

 

There is a 2002 boxster up the road from me for 6500 and it looks every bit twice that value. We have had a Z3m, 996 911 cab, TVR, Caterham and a Mini Cooper cab and all have been great fun. Cheaper to buy in winter and then enjoy spring and summer. If you can then get something with a good working electric roof as so much more likely to use it. If you can get heated seats then all the better and a wind deflector is a must but can be found on eBay after. Boxster hard tops are good if you have room to store.

 

Every morning on my way to work I pass a newish mini convertible, driven by a bloke who I guess is in his 50s. The roof is down every single day unless it is bollocking it down with rain, all through the winter in the snow and ice, roof is down lol. He has a grin on his face most days so he must be enjoying himself lol

 

I have found that the mini heated seats almost cook you, they are so good, the wind deflector is excellent and the top of the doors are very high so you have a lot of cover from the cold...it is the warmest soft top that we have owned. I had the roof down on the school run this morning. Just not the most manly car.

 

I have had 2 Boxsters over the last 3 years and no problems every day usage other than rear window misted in morning.

Mark

 

I think the prices are low due to the ims shaft seal and bore issues from that gen porker including 996 and early 997s but they are now cheap enough for a gamble and can al,oat build the cost in at some point.

I have used a few early boxster s and they were good, I have done a lot of laps of Bedford autodrome in one and it was very friendly, even over the limit.

 

I had bore coating come off on mine so 9k Later it is a big bore 3.4lt 287hp and 272ftlbIts great fun now.

Mark

 

I had an e36 M3 for a while, was a bit of fun but for me (living in Scotland) the novelty wore off and you do sacrifice the car not being as good when it is not a chassis designed for a soft top (I'm sure the coupe would have been a much better drive).

As you've already got an Audi then the Boxter would be my suggestion, just fingers crossed you get a good 'en..

 

Wow, that made some big numbers, must go pretty well now. Big cost though.

 

I drove my friends e36 M3 and it was better than I thought it would be after the abomination that was my sisters E30 cab compared to my tin top E30s.

 

It goes very well and sounds epic with the new exhaust. Will be trying to get it over 300hp soon.

Mark

 

Porsche is now out, my Mrs is very nervous by the badge and potential expense. Won't push it, looks like the TT or the BMW. Surprisingly she seems more than happy for me to borrow her car when I need more than 2 seats

 

I'm running a mk4 cab as a daily driver just now while the Saab is off the road. Works fine for me. Putting the roof down makes taking the little one out of her car seat a doddle as well.

 

i had my e46 330ci convertible for over two years, loved it.
handled well, never an issue with the soft top at all, heater was superb too.
you wouldn't know you were in a convertible until you dropped the roof or stepped out, very well designed, although rear visibility a little hampered over the coupe.
i'd have another, the audi alternatives are just as good too, they have moved on a lot since the mk4 escort cabby days (when you knew about chassis flex etc...)

 

the yellow a4 3.0tdi used to stomp onto 155 awesome at upsetting a few others and at the same time was that well built it was great fun

 

Ive had about a dozen convertibles & still have one. Nothing like opentop motoring . Its the only thing connected with cars that the Missus likes. Going away for a weekend top down is still a pleasure we both like. Not interested in it going fast that would blow my wig off just cruzin is great.

 

Indeed Rod, I have the A4 for throwing about like a hooligan and there's my RS Turbo I left in a garage somewhere.

 

Don't worry its probably standing next to my Cossie .

 

I do feel bad it's not turned a wheel for 6 years but just can't find the urge to sort it.

 

once you've had a convertible, you won't go back. unless you have a crappy one.

however, having had a soft top i would not have another - folding hardtop is the best of both worlds, although they often look shit either with the top up or down.

here's ours

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?f...6&l=2c707ce100

 

BTW, not many that claim to be 4 seaters actually are useful 4 seaters - unless you have friends or family that are amputees! the 'back seats' are useful extra carrying capacity though for if you go on holiday with a load of luggage but want to have the top down which takes up the boot space.

 

Well the boss has decided as long as she can take one of mine I can steal hers if I need 4 doors. I know there will be some piss taking but pretty much decided on a 225 Audi TT so unless I find I hate it or can't do the headroom that's the plan. As long as I can sling a couple of holdall in the boot job's a goodun

 

oh dear

 

How tall are you, I find a struggle to see out the windows when I'm sat in a Titty and have to stoop down but if you're short you'll be fine!

 

Might be a problem, I'm 6'1"

 

I had mk3 and 4 escort cabs and an Astra gte cab, good laugh when the suns out but horrific turmoil when it rained or was icy winter. Totally different to newer convertibles i know. The body flex and croaks and moans when u used to drive off a kerb or over a large speed hump didn't fill u with confidence either

 

I hate convertibles with a passion...

Besides not very manly at all, I'm just too tall at 6,4"...

They feel bloody unsafe as well to me...weird one that.

 

Im 5' 1" & love them I except im very girly & therefore at home in one. I have 3 other cars for the days that I feel manly although the Cossie makes me feel like an old woman. Its aways the convertible I turn to when I drive for fun so im guessing anything to do with fun is girly...weird one that.

 

I'm 6 foot and used to borrow my exes mk1 mx5 all the time.

Great little car

 

you will struggle in a tt, being that height.

 

Corrected that for you

 

Going to test drive a TT convertible for sale at a garage locally to decide if it's something I can live with and also looking at an E46 320d. May only have it a year and has been mentioned already it's an addition to my other cars not a replacement for any of them. It's an itch I need to scratch.

 

Yeah best to give it a try, I find the mk1 TT tight inside (I'm 6'2).

Plenty of half decent rag tops available for your budget, it just depends what you like. I'd personably be looking at a Honda S2000 or a Saab if I just wanted to cruise... my Dad had saabs when I was a kid and I think that's why I like them..

 

Each to their own, I just think that a big bloke in a convertible looks strange...like you're driving your missus's car?

I think the first generation Alfa Spider is beautifull but it looks silly with me driving it...know what I mean?

 

+1

I used to have an MGTF (insert pisstaking hairdresser jokes here....) with the baby 115bhp lump (arguably the better engine to go for). As OP, I had an inkling for a ragtop, but on a limited budget. As it turned out, it ended up being the uber-reliable fall back car when my Mondeo's started misbehaving.

As Rod has said, I wasn't interested in tearing about. Just cruising around with the roof down on a hot summer day or warm summer evening was great. Even better was driving home from work at 2:30 at night in the summer with the roof down. It's hard to describe how good it felt, and people must've thought I was mad, but unlimited headroom dotted with stars was amazing.

If I had the budget, I'd love to go for the A4 Cabrio.

 

Ive had many convertibles, 2 seaters, 4 seaters, hard top / soft tops etc and loved them all (well most of them!). Apart from the SL55 all of the 2 seater ones felt very claustrophobic inside (especially the boxster, not so much 370z / SL). As you are a fair bit taller than me i'd opt for a 4 seater vert. The E46 convertibles are nice, a neighbour (in his 40's!) has a 330ci sport vert, uses it every day, always garaged, he loved it! Not so keen on the Audi's, they seem to be very cheap which is worrying (cheap for a reason/no one wants em??!)