SecondHandSense: BMW 3-Series soft topThese days, with cars that can drop their metal roofs in less than 20 seconds with the aid of more than a dozen electric motors, a soft-top does not make a lot of sense.
Why endure wind noise and insecurity when you can have the best of both worlds with a car like the Volkswagen Eos or a Renault Megane convertible? But, hey, the weather is bound to get better (isn't it ?) and anyone who has ever driven a BMW 3-Series soft top will tell you it is one of the best drives you can have.
The 3-Series convertible has been around a long time and for a few years it was the only convertible worth driving. It has so much going for it. It has looks, performance, style, road presence, great driving characteristics and was always built to produce an excellent combination of pure fun and great driving.
The model from 2000 onwards has classic lines and it does not suffer from the reliability problems experienced with previous 3-Series models. You sit into it and think: this is a car with character.
There is a great sense of freedom brought on by the open top experience and the knowledge that you are driving one of the best cars ever to have come off a German production line.
The interior is comfortable, although some may feel slightly low to the ground depending on what way the seat is configured. There are four seats but this car won't really take four adults in comfort. Anyway, there is no way you would consider this as a family car. Those models with leather upholstery make for the most comfortable driving.
It comes with a choice of engines, and the 2-litre petrol probably makes the most sense. The 1.8-litre may be more frugal, but this is a heavy enough car and the extra 200cc makes all the difference. Bigger engines are an extravagance. The rear wheel drive effect will be appreciated by those who appreciate BMW's engineering.
The 3-Series generally has been improving in terms of reliability and dependability. There have been problems on some cars with steering locks, engine cooling fans and the steering shaft, but these have not affected all 3-Series cars. The past few years have been good for BMW's reliability profile. However, they are not cheap cars to fix when things go wrong. Bear in mind also that if you want things like low-profile tyres they wear hard and are expensive.
The convertible has not been crash tested by EuroNCAP but it is a strong car. The 2005 test for the 3-Series saloon saw it achieve a five-star rating, and that says a lot.
A 2001 model with alloys, metallic paint, all electrics, air conditioning, leather, traction control and lots of other equipment and with 82,000km on the clock is on offer for €23,950. A 2005 model with the same equipment and just 18,000km up is on offer for €42,000.
FOR:Great convertible, bundles of driving pleasure AGAINST:Remains a very expensive car second-hand