Do you get a lot of wind noise. I am thinking of getting an Audi A4 or Merc CLK. Not new I might add. I'd appreciate your opinions and advice.Thnk you.
For some while we had an Audi RS4 Cabriolet which we bought new. It was an expensive motor that was often a disappointment unless the roof was down and the exhausts switched to "sport mode". Pluses: utterly superb engine; good protection from wind WITH the wind deflector in place; quiet when driven with the roof up. Negatives: indifferent build quality including poor clear coat paint quality and a broken rear screen heating element, (this meant that the WHOLE roof needed to be changed rather than just the glass and would have cost in excess of £4k if we'd been paying rather than it being under warranty); eats tyres at £250 or so each; poor dealer service; impossible for rear seat passengers with the roof down - they just get blown away - but that's a trait of all 4-seater convertibles; expensive parts. But the thing that really ruined the whole car was the scuttle shake which was truly dreadful. (That might be a trait of the RS4 rather than A4 though as it has quite different characteristics). I believe the newer model A5 cab is a much improved vehicle. But I'd owned Audis continuously since 1982 and that one was the last. Don't know anything about the Merc sorry.
I take it you need the 4 seats? Otherwise, frankly an Audi TT, BMW Z4 or Porsche Boxter is a better concept in my opinion. We are currently running a Z4 35i M Sport and a Toyota RAV4 for the everyday stuff. We got both for less than a replacement RS5 would have cost.
BTW, North Lower Neil doesn't understand how wind is deflected around convertibles. You can drive many at a half decent speed with the roof down in the rain without getting wet. So you don't have to worry too much about jealous twats in their rep mobiles.
I drive lots of convertibles for my job and as a tall bloke I always feel that my head sticks up too high even when the seats are really low, it just makes me feel uncomfortable. Best convertible I've ever driven was the RS5 but that was only for an hours test drive so I've no idea about the maintenance issues that CafcFan mentions. If you're buying new I'd make sure you pick up a service plan with the car as they're really cheap and usually carry over to the next owner (assuming you only intend to own it for 3 or 4 years).
Do you get a lot of wind noise. I am thinking of getting an Audi A4 or Merc CLK. Not new I might add. I'd appreciate your opinions and advice.Thnk you.
No you don't they are okay with that regard but if it's a soft top one day it will eventually leak in, they all do in the end, avoid it and get a coupe.
Why not wait until you are retiring and then use your lump sum to buy that large performance saloon you've been promising yourself for the last 20 years - a BMW or Jaguar, for instance, move to your retirement cottage in Cornwall and drive it everywhere at 25mph top speed whilst pointing out nice scenery to your passenger, ignoring all the cars that are queueing in a bloody long line behind you trying to get to work, accelerating to 50+ only on those nice long stretches where there is no oncoming traffic to make you nervous, and which are, as luck would have it, the only places in 20 miles where you could be overtaken?
Sorry - nothing to do with you just wanted to get that out of my system.
I have an old Saab 93 convertible (2000MY). There are things to grumble about (dodgy roadholding and fearful scuttle shake) but on a sunny day with the roof down all is forgiven. Decent heating means the roof comes down all year if the sun is out. It is quiet with the roof up and does not leak, even at 14 years old. And it's perfectly driveable at 70 with the hood down (if you're in the front). An Audi would doubtless be even better.
Put it as simply as this. When the weather is nice a convertable is the best vehicle to be in bar none. Doesn't matter the make. Get used to jealous idiots wherever you go and never take the roof down in cold but sunny weather.
And the Wednesday fan is correct, they will all leak in the end
1) cost more to buy 2) cost more to maintain (especially if you get a problem with an electric hood) 3) be less economical (especially with the roof down) and 4) handling will not be as good as the fixed roof equivalent.
You pays your money and you takes your choice. Personally, I have a smile on my face every time I take my convertible out with the roof down (which is not often enough). And that makes it all worthwhile for me.
What amazes me is the amount of people who own convertibles and then never have the roof down. I have the roof down on my old Saab every day when it wasn't raining.
The irony is that even with our weather, we buy more convertibles than any other country in Europe....
It's not surprising really. I've driven around Spain and Italy in convertibles. The thing is that the climate in Southern Europe in the summer is really just too hot to have the roof off if you are stuck in a queue of traffic. In many ways, the English climate (or Florida in the winter) is ideal for open-top motoring. Factor in that modern versions memorise open top heating settings separately from the roof closed settings, have heated seats, heated steering wheels and on Mercs an airscarf, then pootling around with the roof off becomes an all-year round pleasure.
I've had a convertible for about fifteen years and I'm on my second one - when I changed the car it occurred to me that if I don't get another convertible then it will, probably, be the last one I ever own. They are as hot as a hard top in the winter and they have air conditioning for the summer with the roof up.
Ironic really that I have probably only had the roof down a handful of times in each of the last seven years - when I stopped working full time. In fairness I don't take the car out every week but as I'm a baldy I can't have the top down for long without a hat on and there is always the risk that it will blow off. Also when it's really hot it is, actually, more comfortable with the roof up and the air conditioning on. I also don't like long motorway journeys with the roof down as in the speed you don't notice the heat and sunstroke is a, genuine, risk - even with a hat on.
Having said all that there are times when it is really lovely to have the top down. It's also a very easy way to cool the car down when you get in if it's been in the sun all day.
My advice about buying one is the same for all cars. Make sure you can afford it - don't buy a really expensive car that is really old if it takes up your whole budget or when the expensive problems come along you will be in trouble.
As for all convertibles leaking, of course they do - everything leaks in the end. If you have a hard top the rubber seals will rot and they will leak if you keep them long enough. Due to the lack of mileage I now do I've had my current car for just over ten years and the roof still goes up and down as well as it did the day I bought it and I have had no leaks. In fairness it's been parked in a garage for most of that time but modern convertibles are not like the cheap soft tops of the 70s with hand operated roofs, cheap materials and questionable build quality.
I drive lots of convertibles for my job and as a tall bloke I always feel that my head sticks up too high even when the seats are really low, it just makes me feel uncomfortable. Best convertible I've ever driven was the RS5 but that was only for an hours test drive so I've no idea about the maintenance issues that CafcFan mentions. If you're buying new I'd make sure you pick up a service plan with the car as they're really cheap and usually carry over to the next owner (assuming you only intend to own it for 3 or 4 years).
Never understood why you haven't got the elves to install a windscreen
Put it as simply as this. When the weather is nice a convertable is the best vehicle to be in bar none. Doesn't matter the make. Get used to jealous idiots wherever you go and never take the roof down in cold but sunny weather.
And the Wednesday fan is correct, they will all leak in the end
Don't forget the general rule when buying a used Audi, BMW or Merc: there is nothing as expensive as a cheap (insert make here).
If the car has a good maintenance history, there is no reason why the car can't go on and give you years of fun. I recently bought a 1990 Merc SL300. It had 2 previous owners and a full service history. It is one of the best cars I have ever owned and great fun and cost me about as much as a new Dacia Logan.
Have a look at the number of previous owners. A lot of owners in a short period of time can be a sign that there is problem and everyone has been unloading the car rather than fix it.
Don't buy a car that has been 'modded' to within an inch of it's life unless you're into metalflake paint and OTT sound systems.
Also get signed up on a forum and ask there. People are usually very helpfull with advice and help. If you're lucky a forum member may be selling his car. A forum is also a good place for help later if you do have a problem.
Wait another month or two prices then plummet Brought ours last Oct and knocked about 500 pound off a £2000 car as winter approached! Had a lot of fun in it this summer even if it's a bit noisey and rattley
My next door neighbour has had a 2001 CLK for the last two years. Always starts well in winter (until the battey goes flat) and looks great in summer. The problem with these though is the roofs are a nightmare to fix. They have so many different modules that are just waiting to fail. My neighbours roof is currently inopperable (electrically) as it's ECU that raises the headrests in an accident is not working. Apparently these have an internal fuse or something that blows whenever the vehicle is jump started from a booster battery. My neighbour is looking at a bill of £1000 from Mercedes for the part and fitting. Hence he's offered me the car for £1000 as it is.
I've had a convertible for about fifteen years and I'm on my second one - when I changed the car it occurred to me that if I don't get another convertible then it will, probably, be the last one I ever own. They are as hot as a hard top in the winter and they have air conditioning for the summer with the roof up.
Ironic really that I have probably only had the roof down a handful of times in each of the last seven years - when I stopped working full time. In fairness I don't take the car out every week but as I'm a baldy I can't have the top down for long without a hat on and there is always the risk that it will blow off. Also when it's really hot it is, actually, more comfortable with the roof up and the air conditioning on. I also don't like long motorway journeys with the roof down as in the speed you don't notice the heat and sunstroke is a, genuine, risk - even with a hat on.
Having said all that there are times when it is really lovely to have the top down. It's also a very easy way to cool the car down when you get in if it's been in the sun all day.
My advice about buying one is the same for all cars. Make sure you can afford it - don't buy a really expensive car that is really old if it takes up your whole budget or when the expensive problems come along you will be in trouble.
As for all convertibles leaking, of course they do - everything leaks in the end. If you have a hard top the rubber seals will rot and they will leak if you keep them long enough. Due to the lack of mileage I now do I've had my current car for just over ten years and the roof still goes up and down as well as it did the day I bought it and I have had no leaks. In fairness it's been parked in a garage for most of that time but modern convertibles are not like the cheap soft tops of the 70s with hand operated roofs, cheap materials and questionable build quality.
Get yourself a nice deerstalker KHA... ;-)
The only convertibles that look cool have to be over forty years old, so you have a choice - posy motor that is comfortable, convenient and doesn't leak or stylish motor that is a pain in the 'arris to maintain... :-D
I like the pain in arse to maintain love to tinker like I used to 25 years ago with my early Ford's gives me sense of achievement fixing something for a few pounds searching eBay for that part that a garage would charge hundreds for to fix! Best bit is always brings a smile to my face when I drive it and always gets admiring glaces from people in their boring 30k motors!!
Mine's 45 years old, leaks like a sieve, can be a pain to maintain at times (although being British, most problems can be solved with a bent spoon or hammer) but I wouldn't swap it for anything.
Comments
Seriously though, wind noise compared to a normal car is bound to be noticeable at any speed. And if you're not moving your a target for bird crap.
Pluses: utterly superb engine; good protection from wind WITH the wind deflector in place; quiet when driven with the roof up.
Negatives: indifferent build quality including poor clear coat paint quality and a broken rear screen heating element, (this meant that the WHOLE roof needed to be changed rather than just the glass and would have cost in excess of £4k if we'd been paying rather than it being under warranty); eats tyres at £250 or so each; poor dealer service; impossible for rear seat passengers with the roof down - they just get blown away - but that's a trait of all 4-seater convertibles; expensive parts.
But the thing that really ruined the whole car was the scuttle shake which was truly dreadful. (That might be a trait of the RS4 rather than A4 though as it has quite different characteristics).
I believe the newer model A5 cab is a much improved vehicle. But I'd owned Audis continuously since 1982 and that one was the last.
Don't know anything about the Merc sorry.
I take it you need the 4 seats? Otherwise, frankly an Audi TT, BMW Z4 or Porsche Boxter is a better concept in my opinion. We are currently running a Z4 35i M Sport and a Toyota RAV4 for the everyday stuff. We got both for less than a replacement RS5 would have cost.
BTW, North Lower Neil doesn't understand how wind is deflected around convertibles. You can drive many at a half decent speed with the roof down in the rain without getting wet. So you don't have to worry too much about jealous twats in their rep mobiles.
Get yourself a nice 4x4, a range rover or something.
I'll fetch my coat.
Sorry - nothing to do with you just wanted to get that out of my system.
Put it as simply as this. When the weather is nice a convertable is the best vehicle to be in bar none. Doesn't matter the make. Get used to jealous idiots wherever you go and never take the roof down in cold but sunny weather.
And the Wednesday fan is correct, they will all leak in the end
You have to understand that a convertible will:
1) cost more to buy
2) cost more to maintain (especially if you get a problem with an electric hood)
3) be less economical (especially with the roof down)
and
4) handling will not be as good as the fixed roof equivalent.
You pays your money and you takes your choice. Personally, I have a smile on my face every time I take my convertible out with the roof down (which is not often enough). And that makes it all worthwhile for me.
I have the roof down on my old
Saab every day when it wasn't raining.
Factor in that modern versions memorise open top heating settings separately from the roof closed settings, have heated seats, heated steering wheels and on Mercs an airscarf, then pootling around with the roof off becomes an all-year round pleasure.
Ironic really that I have probably only had the roof down a handful of times in each of the last seven years - when I stopped working full time. In fairness I don't take the car out every week but as I'm a baldy I can't have the top down for long without a hat on and there is always the risk that it will blow off. Also when it's really hot it is, actually, more comfortable with the roof up and the air conditioning on. I also don't like long motorway journeys with the roof down as in the speed you don't notice the heat and sunstroke is a, genuine, risk - even with a hat on.
Having said all that there are times when it is really lovely to have the top down. It's also a very easy way to cool the car down when you get in if it's been in the sun all day.
My advice about buying one is the same for all cars. Make sure you can afford it - don't buy a really expensive car that is really old if it takes up your whole budget or when the expensive problems come along you will be in trouble.
As for all convertibles leaking, of course they do - everything leaks in the end. If you have a hard top the rubber seals will rot and they will leak if you keep them long enough. Due to the lack of mileage I now do I've had my current car for just over ten years and the roof still goes up and down as well as it did the day I bought it and I have had no leaks. In fairness it's been parked in a garage for most of that time but modern convertibles are not like the cheap soft tops of the 70s with hand operated roofs, cheap materials and questionable build quality.
If the car has a good maintenance history, there is no reason why the car can't go on and give you years of fun. I recently bought a 1990 Merc SL300. It had 2 previous owners and a full service history. It is one of the best cars I have ever owned and great fun and cost me about as much as a new Dacia Logan.
Have a look at the number of previous owners. A lot of owners in a short period of time can be a sign that there is problem and everyone has been unloading the car rather than fix it.
Don't buy a car that has been 'modded' to within an inch of it's life unless you're into metalflake paint and OTT sound systems.
Also get signed up on a forum and ask there. People are usually very helpfull with advice and help. If you're lucky a forum member may be selling his car. A forum is also a good place for help later if you do have a problem.
Brought ours last Oct and knocked about 500 pound off a £2000 car as winter approached! Had a lot of fun in it this summer even if it's a bit noisey and rattley
I found a nice convertible for you
The only convertibles that look cool have to be over forty years old, so you have a choice - posy motor that is comfortable, convenient and doesn't leak or stylish motor that is a pain in the 'arris to maintain... :-D
Best bit is always brings a smile to my face when I drive it and always gets admiring glaces from people in their boring 30k motors!!
Edit. Might swap it for a C-Type Jag.