Top 10 Drop-Top Bargains

The MR2s built before the millennium developed a cult-status and prices have shot up for well-kept models. The newer, more modern versions are still available at silly-low prices, however. Interestingly, these MR2s have their engines mounted behind the driver’s seat and above the rear axle, like Porsches do and a number of Ferrari models. The MR2 is also rear wheel drive, making it handle like an absolute demon in the corners but do be careful, the short wheelbase can make it a bit snappy in the wet.

There are countless MR2s on the market throughout summer, but we found one with just 49,000 miles on the clock for £2,995. It’s a 2004 model, so you’d expect it to have almost 3 times that mileage by now!

If you’re looking for some super low-budget fun then the Tigra will deliver on all fronts. Alright, it might not be the most desirable convertible on the market but it will provide enjoyment time and time again for the driver. The short, snappy wheelbase is incredibly dynamic and helps make the Tigra drive and feel just like a pokey little hatchback. It’s also very easy to park and has a pretty big boot with 440 litres to offer.

There are loads of Tigras to choose from on the used car market, but we found a 2008 model with 50,000 miles on the clock for just £2,190. Bargain.

Audi has produced a cabriolet of their A3 models for 10 years now. It was back in 2008 when the facelifted second generation of the A3 had it’s lid chopped off and replaced by fabric, which means there is an abundance of models to choose from on the used car market. Best of all, the A3 Cabriolet doesn’t claim to be a sports car, so it still has a practical and roomy interior like its roofed sibling, while also using the same, real-world engines which have reasonable running costs.

The model we saw was a 2009 plate and had 62k miles on it and it was up for just £5,980. 

Now, I’m biased. My first car was a BMW Z3 and I absolutely adored it. I bought it for under £4,000 and got over 70,000 miles of trouble-free motoring out of it before I moved it on. The Z3 offers classic BMW looks with its long bonnet, kidney-grilles and gilled side panels, while also conforming to the traditional recipe of the front engine and rear wheel drive. The Z3 can be served most affordably and most economically with eager little 1.9 and 1.8 litre 4-cylinder engines, but also with the more potent 6 cylinder engines, although the latter will be a bit more expensive. Do look out for tears around the rear plastic screen on the hood as it is a common issue and can be quite expensive to fix.

You can expect to find higher mileage models for well under £4,000 - with great paintwork and a good spec. 

The 9-3 is one of the bigger, more roomy convertibles in this list, and it’s perfectly spacious enough for a family of 5 to be shipped around whether the sun is out or not. We found a 2005 model up for sale for just £3,475 with 66,000 miles on the clock, and it’s the 1.8 litre turbo-petrol model too. The first thing you notice when flicking through the images is just how well this car has aged, particularly this example which is 13 years old! 

Each 3 Series generation has proven to become somewhat timeless in their designs. A nice condition model of any generation will still turn heads on a sunny day with the roof down. The 3-Series has always been praised as a real driver’s car also, so you know that you’ll be getting a well-designed machine that is good for more than just pottering around in the sunshine. With the 3 Series, there is also a wide range of engine choices available, depending on which generation you go for. There are high and low powered versions of both petrol and diesel models, so there is something for everyone.

If you’re looking for something with reasonable mileage, then the E93 model, built from 2004 to 2013 will be the one to go for. For £7890, we found a 2009 SE (good spec) model with the 3.0-litre engine and 60,000 miles on the clock.  

The Megane is another one that needs no introduction here. It’s been in production as a cabriolet since before the millennium, but Renaults tend to depreciate quite drastically so you needn’t spend much to pick up a relatively recent model. We found a 2010 model with just 23,836 miles on the clock for just £5,795 but there’s a load more to choose, but the one we found had perfect metallic paint and you’ll find examples that have two-tone folding hard-top roofs, which you don’t see very often.

The Golf is another convertible that could easily slide into people’s lives without them having to do too much adapting. After all, the regular Golf is already one of the most practical and convenient cars to own, and the convertible is pretty much the same, only with a lot more headroom! There’s a Golf Cabriolet to suit all budgets because they’ve been building them for decades now, but if you want a relatively new model, with low mileage then the Mark 6 model is the one to go for. The Mark 6 was built from 2011 to 2016 and it was one of the best selling Golfs ever built which means the market is flooded with them and the prices are reasonable. We found a 2012 ‘GT’ (top-spec) model with only 34,895 miles on the clock for just £9,655.
 

Another one that barely seems to have aged since it was first released is the Mercedes CLK. Praised for its timeless looks, exquisite interior and reasonable running costs, this is a convertible that we’re confident most people could live with. What’s better, is that you can pick one up in great shape for well under £10,000. In fact, we found a 2009 model with 59,000 miles on the clock for just under £8,000! 

Now, this is toward the edges of being classed as ‘affordable’ but, for a convertible ‘Jaaag’ it’s pretty well priced. We found a 2010 model with only 30,500 miles on the clock for just £25,995. Now, that’s not exactly cheap by a long stretch but considering the XK is no longer in production and it comes with a massive 5.0-litre V8 engine, it’s not that bad going. The car would have cost nearly £100,000 when new with the high spec level that it has, so picking it up for around a quarter of the price with just 30k miles is pretty good going, isn’t it?