Full summer again next week!
It’s summer and that means sun and freedom. But unfortunately: for the time being it is more umbrella than parasol weather. To keep our spirits up, we are looking for three open this time fun cars. Just for it, so that the budget must be limited to 5 grand. Because the operating costs must be as modest as our parking space is, we are looking for something small. Family convertibles or roadsters à la Mazda MX-5 will be discussed later.
To be prepared for a little sunshine, we look for cars with hoods that are easy to open and, if necessary, to close again quickly. After a bit of sifting, three candidates remain on our list: the Mini Convertible, the Opel Tigra and the Smart Roadster. What do you get with that if you have 5 grand to spend?
Mini Convertible Cooper Chile – 2005 – 250,900 kilometers – €4,950
Minis have always proved to hold their value very well due to their popularity. On the day we wrote this article, we found just over a handful of topless copies in our used car database for 5 grand: one with almost 340,000 kilometers on the counter and this Mini Cooper that also has a quarter of a million kilometers on it, but luckily is offered with a Bovag guarantee.
A must, because under the skin is the VTi power source jointly developed by BMW and PSA. Not as infamous as the first generation of THAs, but still. A comprehensive maintenance history is therefore actually also mandatory. Little fun so far, also because maintenance is expensive (because part of BMW) and the RDW indicates that the odometer reading is illogical. The fun lies in the appearance: friendly, retro … But above all in the experience that the 40-RX-JK (two former owners) offers: relatively low seat, tight handling and very direct steering and switching behavior. Really a party to drive! And that is possible with four, because although Minis never excelled in rear seat space, you can sit reasonably decently in the back, thanks to the classic fabric hat that rests on the aft when open. Moreover, a ‘soft’ roof weighs less than a ‘hard’ one, which is also technically more complicated. The partially red upholstery and ‘racy’ mirror caps look sporty, but the big wheels are a bit much if you want comfort. Inside, the retro party continues with, among other things, a large ‘station clock’ that serves as a speedometer and some harder plastics that, once they have aged, are quite willing to crack on a less even surface, in our experience. Cruise control, a tire pressure sensor, rear parking sensors and a rain sensor are present. There is no mention of air conditioning, but you will get fresh air if you throw the cap back!
Signaling
Brand Mini
Type Convertible Cooper Chile
Construction year October 2005
Mileage 250,900
Asking price €4,950
Where to buy? Brans Cars, Oudenbosch
Technical data
Engine 4-cyl. in-line, 1,598 cc
max. assets 85 kW/115 hp at 6,000 rpm
max. couple 150 Nm at 4,500 rpm
Luggage room 120 l/605 l
max. trailer braked 650 kilograms
Avg. consumption 1:13.7
0-100km/h 9.8s
Top speed 193 km/h
All data according to factory specifications
Smart Roadster 60 kW – 2003 – 227,672 kilometers – €4,950
If a Mini is a gadget, what about the Smart Roadster? In any case, we still look back when we see one driving. The classic status beckons! Still, at the time of writing, there are more Roadsters for sale for our budget than Mini Convertibles. Firstly, this has to do with the concept: only two people and a minimal luggage space, so the possibilities for use are much more limited. A weekend away with just the two of you is the maximum. Secondly, because of the technology, because it is even more sensitive than the Mini power source. In the case of this Smart Roadster, which according to the supplier has already worn out twelve owners, a brand new engine was recently installed. That explains its relatively high asking price, measured by the mileage, but it does provide more certainty.
Minis may have kart-like driving characteristics, but such a Smart Roadster takes it a step further: the seat is even lower, the car itself is even lighter and the rear-wheel drive does the rest. Unfortunately, the sequential gearbox dampens the fun somewhat. It is admittedly sharper than the copies in the City-Coupé of the time, but the downshift is too slow if you want to send a nice game. ESP can be partially switched off. If things go too fast, it intervenes again, so that you are never without a safety net. The 13-NB-XF is equipped with a hardtop preparation kit, so you can fit a hardtop in bad weather. Ideal for the 2023 summer! The ultra-light weight (only 790 kilos!) has been achieved by mainly mounting essential items and leaving the rest for what it is. So, for example, no air conditioning or cruise control and even power steering shines through its absence. A car that has been developed for pure driving pleasure without distracting frills, that is the Smart Roadster. For the enthusiast.
Signaling
Brand Smart
Type Roadster 60kW
Construction year July 2003
Mileage 227,672
Asking price €4,950
Where to buy? Ed Smart Cars, Heijningen
Engine 3-cyl. in-line, 698 cc, turbo
max. assets 60 kW/82 hp at 5,250 rpm
max. couple 110 Nm at 2,250 rpm
Luggage room 131 l
max. trailer braked note
Avg. consumption 1:19.6
0-100km/h 10.9s
Top speed 175 km/h
All data according to factory specification
Opel Tigra TwinTop 1.8 Temptation – 2007 – 169,812 kilometers – €4,950
Well, we have a soft top and a roadster that can be fitted with a hard top. What remains: an occasion with a hard folding roof. Often they are not the most elegant (Mitsubishi Colt CZC, Nissan Micra C+C) or sportiest (the ‘weighty’ Peugeot 207 CC) models. An exception is the Opel Tigra TwinTop. Anyone who thinks that Opel always built good cars is wrong: at the beginning of the last century, the brand already experimented with a car equipped with rocket propulsion! Also don’t forget the GT, Manta and Calibra. Between 1995 and 2000 you had the mischievous, closed Tigra and from 2004 its successor, the TwinTop.
That such a kitty, small Opel apparently appeals less to the public is evident from this Tigra: the youngest of the trio, equipped with the strongest engine, the most luxury on board and the lowest mileage. In addition, offered with a Bovag warranty. In terms of reliability and operating costs, we rate it higher than the Mini. With regard to the Smart, we dare not say that, since it has a new power source. Now these are mainly rational arguments. Is there still a little fun to be had with this two-seater? Yes, because the chassis tuning allows sporty driving. You are really one with the road, in the sense that comfort seekers will have less fun.
ESP was not standard, so you can play, but you shouldn’t get overconfident. Although the interior is related to that of the Corsa, the red leather-covered furniture and the aluminum accents in the used car portrayed give it a richer appearance. It does not stop with appearance alone: electric folding roof (from closed to open within 18 seconds, so ideal in this summer), heated seats, alarm, parking sensors, cruise control, manually operated air conditioning and wind deflector are all present. The TwinTop may miss the playful and pure character of Mini or Smart, but as a total package it is perhaps the best choice.
Signaling
Brand Opel
Type Tigra TwinTop 1.8 Temptation
Construction year June 2007
Mileage 169,812
Asking price €4,950
Where to buy? Car company CA Oomen, Sprundel
Technical data
Engine 4-cyl. in-line, 1,796 cc
max. assets 92 kW/125 hp at 6,000 rpm
max. couple 165 Nm at 4,600 rpm
Luggage room 250 l
max. trailer braked note
Avg. consumption 1:13
0-100km/h 9.4s
Top speed 204 km/h
All data according to factory specification
Which of these small open fun cars suits you?
In summary: the two-seater Smart Roadster exudes purity and is equipped with a new engine. However, the Mini Convertible offers – for four people – almost as much fun, but it is not cheap to maintain. Less on the radar is the Opel Tigra TwinTop. The result: an attractive price/performance package, but here too there is only room for one passenger. What would your choice be?
– Thanks for information from Autoweek.nl