Small Cabriolet/Soft Top??!!

[Noggin]

Fiat made a rag top that had Punto running gear called the Barchetta that looked quite cool.

Only available in LHD tho, but that's not an issue in France.

Just had a look at these on Le Boncoin - they almost look MX5-like!! LOL Very nice. On the list (In case I can't be grown up and get a 4-ish seater!!)

They're FWD (like a Punto), so don't have the driving dynamics of the MX5.

Possibly not a bad think for a FUF on snow!!! Although I quite like the idea of RWD up here, but it's been a LONG time since I've driven RWD

[KungFooBob]

I read an article this morning saying that Toyota are building an MX5 competitor with Suzuki and Daihatsu, to join the GR line up with the Supra and the GR86/GT86.

I bet it'll be a half decent car and a worth successor to the MK3 MR2.

[Noggin]

I read an article this morning saying that Toyota are building an MX5 competitor with Suzuki and Daihatsu, to join the GR line up with the Supra and the GR86/GT86.

I bet it'll be a half decent car and a worth successor to the MK3 MR2.

I do like the Swift and every time I see one, I wish they did it in a soft top!!

Not sure I'll be able to buy a new car any time soon, but still will be interesting to see

[Noggin]

Randomly remembered seeing one of these years ago. They're still about and available (older models!) in auto; I've mostly seen diesel versions available (I think I'd prefer petrol, but will take what I can get when I have a budget!!).

What say you guys about a Renault Megane?

I don't think the rear seats are as big as they look!

[Bigjawa]

I'd avoid an MX5 like the plague. They handle great and are lovely to drive, but they rust like a Datsun 120y circa 1978, if they salt the roads where you live, it'll be like watching a Disprin in a glass of water..

If you need 4 seats, I'd go for a 307 or 308cc, 2 seats, I'd go for the 206/207cc

[Count Steer]

I'd avoid an MX5 like the plague. They handle great and are lovely to drive, but they rust like a Datsun 120y circa 1978, if they salt the roads where you live, it'll be like watching a Disprin in a glass of water..

If you need 4 seats, I'd go for a 307 or 308cc, 2 seats, I'd go for the 206/207cc

They don't all do that. Had one (W registration bought new and kept for quite a few years) and the mechanic asked if it was normally parked in the sea. Never seen another one like it though. The others since have been absolutely fine. Maybe the problem was sorted.

[Noggin]

I'd avoid an MX5 like the plague. They handle great and are lovely to drive, but they rust like a Datsun 120y circa 1978, if they salt the roads where you live, it'll be like watching a Disprin in a glass of water..

If you need 4 seats, I'd go for a 307 or 308cc, 2 seats, I'd go for the 206/207cc

Wow. Didn’t know Peugeot did so many cabs!! Awesome!!

My 120y didn’t rust

But if I do go the MX5 route, I’d get it from a different part of France and I’d definitely get someone to do a really good underneath check!!

[Bigjawa]

I'd avoid an MX5 like the plague. They handle great and are lovely to drive, but they rust like a Datsun 120y circa 1978, if they salt the roads where you live, it'll be like watching a Disprin in a glass of water..

If you need 4 seats, I'd go for a 307 or 308cc, 2 seats, I'd go for the 206/207cc

They don't all do that. Had one (W registration bought new and kept for quite a few years) and the mechanic asked if it was normally parked in the sea. Never seen another one like it though. The others since have been absolutely fine. Maybe the problem was sorted.

Every single one I've seen in depth has had Renault 14 levels of rot. Worse still, they look fine on the outside but the rear inner arches just turn into a lace doily. If you get one that's never been driven in winter and kept as a summer toy, you'll be ok, but whatever they put on the roads here literally eats them alive. I'd love one, but the rust issue is a deal breaker. Which is a pity as they're a great drive.

[ChrisW]

They don't all do that. Had one (W registration bought new and kept for quite a few years) and the mechanic asked if it was normally parked in the sea. Never seen another one like it though. The others since have been absolutely fine. Maybe the problem was sorted.

Every single one I've seen in depth has had Renault 14 levels of rot. Worse still, they look fine on the outside but the rear inner arches just turn into a lace doily. If you get one that's never been driven in winter and kept as a summer toy, you'll be ok, but whatever they put on the roads here literally eats them alive. I'd love one, but the rust issue is a deal breaker. Which is a pity as they're a great drive.

I bought a Mk2.5 that was a couple of years old. The first time I happened to have a look underneath it a couple of years later the 'normally parked in the sea' comment also applied. It was shocking.

[Mr. Dazzle]

Dunno about the Mk2, but the Mk1 used to suffer from clogged roof drains all the time.

In ours even a moderate amount of rain lead to the sound of water sloshing up and down the sills

[ChrisW]

That came later.. Might be mis-remembering but I think there was a drain hole near the sill seam on the rear quarter that I forcibly probed at some point.

[Mr. Dazzle]

We forcibly probed our holes on a regular basis and it still happened. Even when we did it to the car as well.

[Rockburner]

Randomly remembered seeing one of these years ago. They're still about and available (older models!) in auto; I've mostly seen diesel versions available (I think I'd prefer petrol, but will take what I can get when I have a budget!!).

What say you guys about a Renault Megane?

I don't think the rear seats are as big as they look!

Isn't that one the hard-top cabriolet? You need to keep the roof mechanisms in the coupe/cabrios serviced. I get mine serviced annually. The roof mechanicals service is about £140-ish, but the seals service is about £200 ish: it's a 4 hour job on the VW Eos. If you don't silicon the seals annually they leak like a sieve.

[Count Steer]

Randomly remembered seeing one of these years ago. They're still about and available (older models!) in auto; I've mostly seen diesel versions available (I think I'd prefer petrol, but will take what I can get when I have a budget!!).

What say you guys about a Renault Megane?

I don't think the rear seats are as big as they look!

Isn't that one the hard-top cabriolet? You need to keep the roof mechanisms in the coupe/cabrios serviced. I get mine serviced annually. The roof mechanicals service is about £140-ish, but the seals service is about £200 ish: it's a 4 hour job on the VW Eos. If you don't silicon the seals annually they leak like a sieve.

I don't remember any additional service activity/costs on the folding tin-top on our last MX5.

[KungFooBob]

My SL has a folding hardtop, it gets the seals gummi pfleged a couple of times a year and that's it.

[Rockburner]

Randomly remembered seeing one of these years ago. They're still about and available (older models!) in auto; I've mostly seen diesel versions available (I think I'd prefer petrol, but will take what I can get when I have a budget!!).

What say you guys about a Renault Megane?

I don't think the rear seats are as big as they look!

Isn't that one the hard-top cabriolet? You need to keep the roof mechanisms in the coupe/cabrios serviced. I get mine serviced annually. The roof mechanicals service is about £140-ish, but the seals service is about £200 ish: it's a 4 hour job on the VW Eos. If you don't silicon the seals annually they leak like a sieve.

I don't remember any additional service activity/costs on the folding tin-top on our last MX5.

The Eos is a more complex 5-piece mechanism and they have a reputation for being unreliable, the car is also 14 years old. Since the roof is part of the raison-d'etre for the car I prefer to keep it tip-top! (they're also worth naff-all if the roof isn't working, natch).

I'd imagine that all the C/C cars need a bit of work by now - they're all getting old since they went out of fashion - I think the only maker still producing hard-top cabrios is Mercedes?

On your MX-5 - was it all dealer serviced? They may have included a check/inspection on services but you never needed any maintenance? (I don't know how old your car was when you had it).

[KungFooBob]

MB don't do hardtops anymore. The SLC is discontinued and the new SL is a rag top.

The only non-supercar is the RF version of the MX5 I think.

[Ditchfinder]

The SLC isn't a very good car either, ride is fidgety - it's rubbish on anything other than pristine tarmac. It handles OK but you don't get any feedback through the steering wheel. It's quick but it drinks like a fish. (Wife's is the SLC 300)

Loads of rattles and squeaks too in the cabin too.

2.0 folding tin top MX-5 (think ours was a 2013/14) was far nicer to drive but wife didn't think the image was premium enough for visiting clients

[Rockburner]

The SLC isn't a very good car either, ride is fidgety - it's rubbish on anything other than pristine tarmac. It handles OK but you don't get any feedback through the steering wheel. It's quick but it drinks like a fish. (Wife's is the SLC 300)

Loads of rattles and squeaks too in the cabin too.

2.0 folding tin top MX-5 (think ours was a 2013/14) was far nicer to drive but wife didn't think the image was premium enough for visiting clients

The Eos squeaks like crazy when the seals are dry. After the silicon treatment it's utterly silent!

I keep thinking I need to sort myself out to do it myself - it's easy enough - but you need to have the right length prop for the roof to stop it collapsing half-way through the job and crushing you: the hydraulics lose pressure after 10 or 15 minutes I think, and to do the job the roof has to be half-open so you can reach all the seals.

The other issue is that if the roof electronics lose track of where the roof is within it's movement range, the whole lot hangs and stops working completely.

I prefer a simple life - so I let someone else worry about that crap.

[Count Steer]

On your MX-5 - was it all dealer serviced? They may have included a check/inspection on services but you never needed any maintenance? (I don't know how old your car was when you had it).

The service place was a sort of Mazda agent. Sold and serviced Mazdas, but not new ones. (It made the actual Mazda place look small and scruffy until they got a new joint site with Ford. Now you go for service and Mazda give you a Ford courtesy car ).

It was 11yrs old when we p/x'd it.