Summer

[incubus]

Listen up... :rolleyes:

..

 

Summer is just around the corner and the ol Girl has had her eyes on a convertible for the Summer.... B) :o

So iv'e been trowling the Intraweb for a nice little Rag Top..! I have got me eye on a couple of candidates...But i got to thinking.... :huh: wait for it......wait for it......???

 

Chopping the Top off the C4...... :huh: Well....Wots thee reckon...? What do you think it would look like..? So....if there's any good Photo shoppers out there that could post a few pics of such a creation then get busy.... :rolleyes: :mellow:

 

Your thoughts peeps.....? Are there any companies out there that would take on such a job..?

 

A C4 Rag Top....mmmmmmmmmm Yes/No

 

..

 

Inccy..... B)

 

I just showed the ol girl this...them slippers hurt when they catch you square on the napper... :blink:

 

.

[wozza]

I have seen a chop of a CC C4 apparently one is going to be built and is on the roadmap for the car but in the next version of the C4. Since the car is basically a 307 underneath its not so hard to do.

 

Being serious about it yes there are companies that can do it. But on a bad side the extra strengthening means the cars weigh a hell of a lot. To the point the 180bhp engine just about manages to get the car to 60 in 10 seconds. So think what happens with a smaller engine.

 

But if your looking for a ragtop how about an MX5 or an MGF? Good cars cheap to buy now and there fun to drive. Mate of mine has one and have ot sya his is pretty nice modded his slightly though but there decent enough cars the MGF just we all take the piss out of him for driving a girls car.

 

But chopping the C4 roof how about a decent sunroof? webasto do some decent ones.

 

http://www.webasto.co.uk/am/en/am_automobile_3016.html

[Z3M Roadster]

Get an MX5, you can't go wrong. The K-series in the MGF is prone to head gasket failure, same with the Elise.

[wozza]

The K series is not as bad as the rep it carries. If my mates has lasted 3 years without failure it cant be that bad and lets just say I drive my car hard but he abuses the f**k out of his motor.

[Mike5483]

The K series is not as bad as the rep it carries. If my mates has lasted 3 years without failure it cant be that bad and lets just say I drive my car hard but he abuses the f**k out of his motor.

 

The K series is a good engine, it was never ever meant to be a 1.8. It was designed as a 1.4.

 

The problem with it in the F is it needs to be kept cool and very efficiently at that.

 

To do this, MG mounted the radiators upfront (maximum exposure to fresh, cool air) and linked the engine and rads with long pipes which run under the length of the car.

 

These corrode and that is what causes the HGF.

 

Id like to point out the HG doesn't just go for no reason, its failure is caused by another reason, often inlet manifold gasket failure, waterpump leaks etc.

 

For its size, the K punches well above its weight. It is very light, hence why it is/was the darling of the British sports car makers.

 

My old car was a Rover 214, 1.4 litre engine, 103BHP, only now are we starting to see more power from comparable sized engines (and these often have turbo's and superchargers attached). The K series can be traced back as far as the mid 80's.

 

In its day, its design was revolutionary. It took Honda until the late 90's to design a similar engine.

 

The engines need to be worked hard, but thats another thing which makes them a hoot in a sports car, plus, for a 4 pot it sounds very good.

 

My one word of advice if you go for an F... get the most expensive and latest you can afford.

 

At the end of the day, F's are getting on now and they are a British Sportscar and they car on the British Sportscar rep for needing lots of TLC.

 

If you want a good reliable car, get an MX5, if you want one thats nearly as good to drive and has a proper soul, get the F. If you want a Mk1 MX5 beater, get a MGTF!!!

 

If you go down the MG route, check this site out: www.mg-rover.org (if you sign up, make sure you say I sent you!!!)

 

A great bunch of people who know all there is to know about all things F and TF.

 

Hope this post helps you.

[hertsnminds]

You have such a lot of choice in that area of the market these days although you are not too specific about how many seats you need and if you want a real rag top or a tin top convertible.

 

Let's see, all of the following make or have made something you could look at...

 

Volvo

Saab

Vauxhall, VX220, Tigra, Astra (old and new)

Alfa Romeo, Spider

Fiat, barchetta

Citroen, Pluriel (not my best soft top experience)

Rover, MGF

BMW, 6 series, 3 series, Mini

Lotus, Elise

Audi, A series, TT

Chevrolet, Corvette

Dodge, Viper

Honda, S2000

VW, Eos, Beetle

 

and as you don't mention any budget restrictions...

Ferrari

Lamborghini

Maserati

Aston Martin

 

If you have never owned a soft top before I would say you have to expect some sort of leak at some time in the cars life and if you go for an older car the service intervals will probably be shorter than anything on the market now. That said if you get a car you like the look of you will always be starring out the window at it, washing and polishing it and going out in any dry weather, no matter what the temperature, to experience that top down feeling :rolleyes:

 

 

Ian

Black 55 VTR+

[iannez]

if it was for you then fair enough go for mgf, mx5, mr2 etc but if it for your wife you would be better off with a 206cc. rear wheel drive cars and women mix about aswell as water and oil. i worked in a bodyshop for 4yrs and the amount of rear wheel drive covertables that came through after a bit of rain was crazy. she will be thinking whos that loon overtaking me on a bend in the wet. ohh it me arse end.

[Ciaran2903]

A little bit of a sexist comment... :rolleyes:

[Rich_Eason]

Although the GF hankers after a Pluriel, I'd hanker for her to have one of these. Its the official Rover job so its all strictly cosher weighs a bit more than your average Mini and looks a bit like a pram with the roof up however...

 

http://img208.imageshack.us/img208/9955/ado15cabrio02cq9.jpg

 

Easy to tune (and work on) and to get half decent performace figure out of it for the size of engine and lots and lots of fun...however its not a car any man would want to see be dead in strictly girls only. :rolleyes: Only avalible in Black, British Racing Green or Nightfire Red.

 

Cheap as chips to run, insure, tax....

 

I'm biased anyway as I've always had Mini in my blood, but thats my reccomendation :rolleyes:

 

This place is particulary expensive, however they fully restore the cars prior to sale.

 

FOR SALE

[Welshguy]

@ incubus

 

What the hell have you been smoking? :rolleyes:

 

Mind you...my 2 cent is....

 

DO IT !!! :rolleyes:

 

DISCLAIMER: Darren takes no responsibility for the systimatic destruction of any C4. Period. Get over it.

[Stuey]

S2000 should be well up any list for a soft top, the early cars are quite cheap now and you will have trouble free motoring from it forever no matter how badly you treat it...

[wozza]

Think the whole point of a Vtec engine is to mistreat it lol.

 

Nice cars but dont the earlier ones suffer form certain quirks to do with the suspension setup resulting in the car being a bit twitchy?

[Rich_Eason]

The twitchness was probably the drivers getting twitchy when thye realise how it handles.

 

Isnt the insurance still way up in the clouds for them though?

[wozza]

Think there group 19 or 20. Not sure what it comes under in the newer groupings since its changed and now goes to 50. Although dont think anyones using the new system yet apart from insurers so they can rip us off out of even more money. :/

[hertsnminds]

Not sure what it comes under in the newer groupings since its changed and now goes to 50

 

I think any insurance groupings are a rip off. The insurer should base the premium on what the car costs to replace and the number of accidents the driver has had. Nothing else has any financial impact on the insurer.

 

It makes no sense to have a premium of £2,000 on a 1989 Sierra Cosworth costing £3,000 whilst having a £200 premium on a brand new C1 that would cost 7 grand to write off. Grrrrrr.

 

 

Ian

Black 55 VTR+

[iannez]

it comes down to what % chance the car has of being crashed or stolen. ppl don't buy cosworths to drive slow so theres more chance of being involved in an accident and they also stick out like a sore thumb in a car park so more chance of them being stolen. the insurer looks at both of these and works out the % of a poss claim. if car insurance was baised on the overall price of the car to replace you would get 17/18 yr olds driving around in cosworths etc and there would be alot more deaths on the roads. if you took 5 cosworths and 5 fiestas of the same age and milage and then looked at there history of accidents and thefts you would see why they have insurance groups. and don't forget the insurance company has to fork out for any other cars involved and any personal injuries incurd so 9 times out of 10 there is more than just the car in question to pay out on.

[hertsnminds]

ppl don't buy cosworths to drive slow

So the logic is faster speed = more accidents so you would advocate more speed cameras and lower speed limits to reduce the number of accidents. A Fiesta with a 1.25 litre engine can reach 90MPH is that too fast?

 

more chance of them being stolen

There is more chance of any older car with no deadlocks or security system being stolen. I would think a cosworth is more likely to have a high spec alarm on it because it is a known target for tea leaves.

 

the insurance company has to fork out for any other cars involved and any personal injuries

If you are playing the percentages there is more chance of being in an accident with a £1,000 banger than a £100,000 Aston as there are more lower priced cars on the road.

 

I understand your arguments but I am saying there are just as many points you can make to advocate another system. Besides, the insurance compaines in the Netherlands are not going out of business, I don't think they have more road accidents over there and their premiums are based on car value not engine power.

 

 

Ian

Black 55 VTR+

[Welshguy]

I don't think they have more road accidents over there and their premiums are based on car value not engine power.

 

So I could buy myself a 400bhp EVO and value it at a £1? Cool.... :unsure:

[hertsnminds]

So I could buy myself a 400bhp EVO and value it at a £1? Cool

Yes, but they would only pay out £1 if you prang it. I think they value the car based on something like Glasses Guide or need to see your invoice, not the owners guestimate.

 

Ian

Black 55 VTR+

[iannez]

So the logic is faster speed = more accidents so you would advocate more speed cameras and lower speed limits to reduce the number of accidents. A Fiesta with a 1.25 litre engine can reach 90MPH is that too fast?

 

a cosworth can reach 90 in about 9 seconds between bends on country roads where there are no cameras. a fiesta can't. erecting speed cameras every 500 meters on every road. road tax would be a fortune and every body would suffer fast car or not.

 

There is more chance of any older car with no deadlocks or security system being stolen. I would think a cosworth is more likely to have a high spec alarm on it because it is a known target for tea leaves.

 

new cars have imobilizers incorporated into there engines ecu's which makes them impossible to start unless the ecu is changed. old cars with top of the range imobilizers/alarms are still quite easy to get around as all they do is switch feeds similar to a light switch. trace the wires back far enough and you will find the switch. so unless you know what ecu the new car has and happen to have one with keys programmed to it and fit the ignition the older car with the fancy alarm is still easier to steal.

 

If you are playing the percentages there is more chance of being in an accident with a £1,000 banger than a £100,000 Aston as there are more lower priced cars on the road.

 

yes your right but i would say the average price for a car on the road will be around £5000 not £1000.

insurance groups are there for ppls own good to protect them. not just to line companies pockets. look at it like this. your son or daughter turns 17 passes there tests and comes home with a 4 grand p reg import imprezza with 260 bhp. would you be happy about them driving it. its just common sens. my cupra is not the fastest car in the world but i know for a fact that if i had it when i was 19/20 i would ether be dead or have been badly hurt. youve got to look at the big picture m8 and not take it as a peronal war on motorists. if you can't insure it then your not ready to drive it.

[hertsnminds]

insurance groups are there for ppls own good to protect them. not just to line companies pockets. look at it like this. your son or daughter turns 17 passes there tests and comes home with a 4 grand p reg import imprezza with 260 bhp. would you be happy about them driving it. its just common sens. my cupra is not the fastest car in the world but i know for a fact that if i had it when i was 19/20 i would ether be dead or have been badly hurt. youve got to look at the big picture m8 and not take it as a peronal war on motorists. if you can't insure it then your not ready to drive it.

 

I agree, in a majority of cases the cost of running a higher performance car is prohibitive for younger inexperienced drivers but:

Rich parents will put their kids on their insurance or just pay the premium for them. So if you can't insure it your parents don't earn enough.

 

Not everyone who buys a gun will use it to murder someone. Just becasue a 17 year old drives a low insurance group car doesn't stop them speeding or driving badly.

 

Why not just link the premium to the number of accidents and convictions you have, that way good drivers pay less no matter what car they drive.

 

As always it is the minority of people who abuse things that make the majority of us pay for it.

 

Ian

Black 55 VTR+