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Juleshuffers March 12, 2010 2:53 PM

As it is the same colour and you are on about convertables,how about a V70 convertable?

Got to good as a  starter for 10!

Mondeo Owner March 12, 2010 2:57 PM

No clue on the Volvo replacement, is it your main family car? In which case another Saab?

Re Convertibles, I'm with you on the Stag - the interior and V8 warble put it above most stuff.  

I ran a Saab 93 Cab (latest one), the dash fell apart but I enjoyed every mile and thanks to great heater and heated seats (things Saab do well) the hood was down 95% of the time, even in mid-winter. As soon as it makes sense I'll get another convertible but it'll need to be a classic or bangernomics orientated - if not a Stag then an E30 or E36 BMW appeal

One nice thing about convertibles as they seem to be lower mileage and more cherished than saloons so make good sense at the low end of the market.

noluddite March 12, 2010 3:05 PM

Z4M. Proper hairy chested sports car.

theonlydt March 12, 2010 3:11 PM

James - your new car is without a shadow of a doubt a Mini One in blue, with a white roof, white stripes, parking dings all over the bumpers and a fluffy pink steering wheel cover. Second guess would be the convertible Mini - how could you not go out and buy your car of the decade now you've got the chance?

Dan McNeil v2 March 12, 2010 3:18 PM

1957 Wartburg Sport Convertible.

home.clara.net/.../wartburg.html

Zeddy March 12, 2010 3:47 PM

Suzuki Jimny soft top.

alan trustman March 12, 2010 4:22 PM

Did you buy it via Twitter?

pabs March 12, 2010 5:11 PM

 FIAT Barchetta   -  we know you like Fiats really

ordinary bloke March 12, 2010 7:28 PM

I'd go for an MX5 as a sensible, fun buy whilst wishing I had the money (and courage) for a good Triumph Stag (lovely sound and fabulous looks). For something a bit left field, I've always like the Citroen DS convertible ever since seeing one waft by when I was a boy.

Dan McNeil v2 March 12, 2010 7:39 PM

DS Convertible - gorgeous car.   I'd swap the Stag for a TR6 though.  That straight-six at full revs makes your neck hairs stand up.

sorrel March 12, 2010 7:45 PM

Well, as I have a Saab convertible, I guess that's my pick!  :)   But, I would also love an R129 Merc SL320, beautiful build quality and silky 6 cylinder engine!  :)

So, what blue car has replaced the Volvo?  Hmmm.... I would guess at an early Saab 9-5 estate?...

VirginPower March 12, 2010 9:23 PM

Peugeot 504 or 304, Fiat Dino, Porsche 968, 944 Turbo or Boxster. A 1970s Alfa Spider. They're best.

Unless it's an old Saab 900 convertible, don't bother. Or get a A124 Mercedes E-Class.

Or get an old Fiat Spider or TVR Griffith. Or an old Aston Martin V8 Volante or Lancia Flavia or even Maserati Ghibli SS Spyder.

There you go, I've done it. I've listed all the convertibles.

Even if they ever worked, Triumph Stags would still be horrible cars. Luckily, they don't ever work, so you never see any.

The TR6 was nice, so it's a shame none of those work.

Rover P6 3500S March 12, 2010 9:25 PM

Any Triumph. Stag for looks (I still think it's THE BEST LOOKING CAR OF ALL TIME). And it's the only car I can think of where I've seen a bloke be able to get away with rolling up to a pub to see his mates in a pink (Magenta) convertible without getting at least a ribbing. TR6 for sheer performance, though - and you can stick BMW engines in, if you want better reliability and performance (not to mention fuel economy). Or get hold of a Jaguar XJC and chop the roof off. I never liked the XJS drophead, simply because it got rid of those wonderful 'flying buttresses'.

Oh, and, for those who thought I'd gone, I have. Again. Just couldn't resist popping up when the Stag was mentioned.

40summat March 12, 2010 9:43 PM

It's an Eos, that's what it is; and to keep the price down, you've got a Cat C clone.

Dan McNeil v2 March 12, 2010 10:01 PM

Virgin Power:  "The TR6 was nice, so it's a shame none of those work."

----------

Now then, VP.  

The only problem with the jolly old TR6 motor (which also powered the rather splendid 2.5 PI) was the Lucas mechanical fuel injection system.   And even that could (and can) be made reliable.  

You're right about the Stag, though.   Clumsy, ill-proportioned thing.   And the engine can't be made reliable - the design is all wrong.    The only moderately decent Stag is:

a) one with a Rover V8 in it (ideally one from a TVR 420 SEAC) or

b) the one you've just offloaded at top price onto some poor sucker    

James Ruppert March 12, 2010 10:37 PM

Good to see that my stalkers are up and about. Enjoying the Stag/TR6 debate. Oddly Zeddy is sort of on the right track.

Dan McNeil v2 March 12, 2010 10:41 PM

Good to see that my stalkers are up and about. Enjoying the Stag/TR6 debate. Oddly Zeddy is sort of on the right track.

=======

It's not...no.   Is it a Lada Niva?

Dan McNeil v2 March 12, 2010 10:49 PM

In fact, now that my Bristol is dead, and can only be resurrected with piles of cash, I'm sorely tempted to bag myself a half-decent TR6 for the summer.  A Mimosa Yellow one would be nice.

40summat March 12, 2010 11:14 PM

It's a Daihatsu FourTrack.

Do I win £5?

Rover P6 3500S March 13, 2010 5:05 AM

VirginPower, I can assure you plenty of Stags are still around - I see a good round dozen of them around here regularly, all in use as daily runners. The Stag Owners' Club will doubtless be able to enlighten you as to just how many are on the road. The Triumph OHC V8 CAN be made reliable - it's not that big a deal. The Rover engine is a good fix, but it doesn't sound quite right in a Stag. The snarl of that OHC unit is still, IMHO, one of the best V8 noises of all time. Also, Dan, I suggest you get eye transplants if you think it looks anything less than gorgeous (OK, that T-bar didn't help). The TR6 was hardly a beauty queen, too - so boxy. Still, I like it, it's uncompromising, masculine. The Stag looks feminine, but makes up for it by sounding masculine.

I did see some bloke in California had rebuilt a TR6 around BMW M3 CSL mechanicals... mmm. 360bhp straight-six in a flyweight British roadster, anyone? Z4M is a good idea, too.

noluddite March 13, 2010 8:09 AM

Talking of Stags. I replaced a 16 valve TR7 with one. The Triumph engine in mine was the MOST reliable part, after raising the header tank.  As a result i resisted the commonly held belief that it just had to be replaced by a rover engine. Its a shame the engine bay wasn't wide enough to fit the 16 valve Dolly Sprint heads. Would have made the old girl shift.  I also found the much derided T bar great for carrying a sailboard.  I preferred the Stag to TR6's, which always felt a little creaky to me thanks to the seperate chassis. Lovely motor though. I reckon the Z4 is its modern day equivalent.  

RX4 March 13, 2010 9:29 AM

Is it a soft top Land Rover of some description?

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Paul123 March 13, 2010 12:31 PM

James, you've pulled!

Just shows the power of merely mentioning a convertible...   :-)

phildub March 13, 2010 1:02 PM

Whats wrong with a mini convertable, you wont loose alot of money in depreciation

sportwagon March 13, 2010 1:25 PM

Suzuki Vitara seems to be the thing that ticks a lot of your boxes, especially as it seem to have become deeply unfashionable over the years. If so, I trust that it isn't the 'Fatboy' model; if it is I will cancel Autocar and take out a subscription to Back Street Heroes!

Zeddy March 13, 2010 2:20 PM

Is it a Suzuki X90? Surely not! Cheap though.

A Cappuccino is way too good to be a consideration.

sorrel March 13, 2010 6:28 PM

Maybe  a Vitara?  :)

VirginPower March 13, 2010 6:30 PM

Oh, I didn't know that, Dan. Cheers.

I agree with what every single person has said here: Stags are terrible even if they have been encouraged to turn over for a few minutes before exploding. When they explode it can be fun if it's a really big fireball sort of bang with shrapnel and everything - super.

I once owned a TR6 for a while, and gave it to someone who owned another TR6, and neither of them ran well despite having a fair bit of dough spent on them. Mind you, I never spent money or time fiddling with the thing, so I don't know the reasons why it didn't work. It's nice to think there are a good few driving sweetly out there. I'd love one again if it would run properly.

At least for now, I'm getting a bit fed-up with bombing about, so lovely old classics give me reasons to get worked-up about cars again.

Sounds daft, but one of the best things is the smell of old motors, the ageing trim, the wood and leather and glue and antique plastic and whatnot. And when someone else who knows what he's talking about shows you around something vintage and creaky, you revel in it. Well, I do, anyway.

rovamota March 13, 2010 6:42 PM

I bought an end of season bargain 1996 Rover 216SE Cabriolet last October for £400 with 12 months MoT on it. Stowed it away and now it's time to enjoy it. I'll tax and insure it at the beginning of April. It has the Honda 1600 engine and is in nightfire red with cream leather interior and an electric hood. It looks and drives great.

James Ruppert March 13, 2010 8:35 PM

Great bargain Rova. I can confirm that I have gone down the 4 x 4 route if that's any help...

Dan McNeil v2 March 13, 2010 10:53 PM

"At least for now, I'm getting a bit fed-up with bombing about, so lovely old classics give me reasons to get worked-up about cars again."

---------

VP - if you're in any doubt, I can categorically assure you that these days the Triumph 2.5 litre PI motor can be made to run perfectly sweetly, and sweetly reliable over huge mileages.   Therefore, get yourself a TR6 and look forward to a summer of manly exhaust notes, stupendous scuttle shake and immense forward thrust.  If the scuttle shake doesn't appeal, go for a MK II 2.5 PI instead.

John McToon March 14, 2010 9:05 AM

This the best convertible on the market at the moment (it's not mine by the way)....

www.barons-auctions.com/details.php

TR6? TR Schmix.

Rover P6 3500S March 14, 2010 10:58 AM

John, trust you to come up with something left-field like that... TR6? Build yerself a tubular spaceframe for it.

sportwagon March 14, 2010 11:27 AM

I beg to differ:

www.brightwells.com/.../viewdetails.php

It isn't one of those is it? Zero depreciation, good spares availability and four seats!

VX220EDDIE March 14, 2010 11:56 AM

for practicality i would say a Saab 93 is hard to beat and i still think it looks good  Audi A4 too

DKW March 14, 2010 2:05 PM

'Just one clue, it is the same colour blue'

Can't see the link between the clue given and the answers most people have suggested.

I'd guess Ford or BMW if it's blue.

Rover P6 3500S March 14, 2010 2:24 PM

VirginPower, will you please shut up? I met a bloke with a blue Stag the other day, still on its original engine (albeit rebuilt), plus new 5-speed gearbox - car otherwise original. Rust-free. And it had done over 240,000 miles (70,000 of them since the rebuild). The Stag is a gorgeous car than can easily be made reliable, and it still sounds glorious. If you can't appreciate it, it's your fault, not the car's.

Will86 March 14, 2010 6:31 PM

Well I would be predictable and go for a Mazda MX5, though perhaps (not sure if this is considered a true soft top) I might look for a Honda CRX, cheap and that Honda VTEC engine is appealing.

As for your new car James, when you mentioned 4x4, I was thinking a little left field down the line of a Subaru - probably a Legacy. If it's more of a conventional 4x4, then perhaps a Toyota of some description.

John McToon March 14, 2010 7:28 PM

First Veronica Conte and now Hellyn. Love matters you know, James.

theonlydt March 14, 2010 9:28 PM

She's loved you long time. Five dollar... (she'll also steal your bank account details, so a little more than that)

James Ruppert March 14, 2010 9:42 PM

Another week another deluded Dame from another continent, don't know how I do it. Meanwhile, all the cars I own were built in Blighty... First time that's happened since 1977 when all I had was a Surf Blue Mini 850...

pabs March 15, 2010 10:23 AM

"Meanwhile, all the cars I own were built in Blighty..."

you should get out more !

Will86 March 15, 2010 2:01 PM

Ok James, a Honda CRV - I think they build them in the UK.

MattDB March 15, 2010 5:20 PM

Best soft top that will not depreciate is the 124 series E Class Mercedes Cabriolet.

Class, stunning quality and if you can find the 24 valve model, goes well too.

These cars are now as cheap as they ever will be and are surely a future classic.  Better than any Volvo, SAAB or BMW

RX4 March 16, 2010 2:03 AM

Land Rover Freelander then!

sorrel March 16, 2010 8:15 AM

Land Rover Defender?

Chunkster March 16, 2010 8:33 AM

The BMW 3-series cabriolet, the Porsche Boxster, and the Mercedes CLK are definitely a good choices.

But a SAAB.......................you have got to be joking!

My friends used to tell me I have reached the point of mid-life crisis when I bought my first Porsche. I told them I was having no crisis whatsoever. I personally believe one is going through serious mid-life crisis if he/she can only afford a Saab after 15-20 years of hard work.

sorrel March 16, 2010 10:15 AM

Who said a Saab was a mid-life crisis car??

A Saab convertible is a good soft top alternative to the likes of the Volvo C70, VW Eos etc.   Not aspirational and I don't think anyone ever said it was....hmmm...

VX220EDDIE March 16, 2010 10:50 AM

you cant beat a 1980's Cavalier Convertible :P  or how about a Holden Barina Convertible aka a Corsa b convertible which was a very limited run  wonder why :P

RX4 March 19, 2010 6:13 PM

What was it then?