Post Christmas blues? Bag a cheap convertible!

As the wise advice goes, it’s always cheaper to buy a convertible in the depths of winter than it is to purchase it in the middle of a scorching hot summer. As such, TT has looked out for some of the ‘most interesting’ convertibles priced: under £1,000, under £5,000 and under £10,000. This should give some good options for people on any budget (and we’re guessing that you’ll probably still be able to haggle a few £s off these prices) – all the cars are located in Scotland too!

Under £1,000

If you’re looking for an interesting convertible for under a grand then chances are you’re going to find yourself looking at MX5s. Here we’ve got an interesting JDM import with a new engine fitted only two years ago

Yes it’s got a few dings, yes the mileage is high and yes, it’s been in the UK since 1999 so it might not be as rust free as a fresh import, but for £900 (less a bit of haggling) then it’s a very cheap bit of fun for when the weather turns warmer. If the current owner is willing to update the MOT then you really can’t lose with this one.

Under £5,000

At this price there is a much wider selection of interesting cars on offer, so much so that choosing became really difficult. In the end we went with this beauty of a Z3 3.0 Sport which looks to be in almost as new condition and with only 66k on the clock.

The combination of a creamy 3.0l BMW straight 6 engine producing 231 bhp, weight of only 1,350kg and a years MOT make this car worth a punt at only £5k. If you keep the car in similar condition then it’s unlikely to lose any value over the next 12 months.

Under £10,000

We found newer cars, faster cars and cars that would (probably) be more reliable, but we didn’t find anything more interesting than 4.0l Rover V8 shoved into a fibre glass body and weighing only 1060kg. Yes, the car we’ve chosen as out under £10k pick is this Chimaera 4.0

The Z3 above is probably quicker and more reliable, but the charm and fun of these TVRs seems to be everlasting. Great as a track toy or for cruising around enjoying the sound of a V8, there’s plenty of summer fun to be had in this classic piece of British motoring history. We’d probably recommend a taking it for a visit to our friends over at Dreadnought Garage to keep it in tip top condition or to add some track day options. If you do this and keep the chassis free of rust then the Chim should be a good investment that should never lose value no matter how many seasons you get out of it.

Money no object?

We thought we would have a quick look to see what the most expensive convertible currently for sale in Scotland is. Well, it turns out that this is not only the most expensive convertible, it’s also the most expensive car for sale anywhere in Scotland

The Lamborghini Aventador Roadster is currently for sale at £399,850 with 2,100 miles on the clock. Since they are unlikely to offer a 99% winter discount then we’re probably not going to be buying this one any time soon. Still, it’s only a Euro Millions win away….

Let us know if you think we chose wisely