Driving a convertible is one of the best ways to enjoy the open road – but it’s become quite expensive to own one.
The Mini Cooper Convertible, at a starting price of R584,396, is currently the cheapest “proper” convertible in the country – as folding roofs like the one on the Fiat 500 Dolcevita do not qualify for this article.
Fortunately, the second-hand market has a wide range of options on offer at more attainable prices.
What we found
For under R580,000 on the pre-owned market, we were surprised to see many cool convertibles.
From vintage Mercedes-Benz and Porsches to modern BMWs and Jaguars, there was a lot on offer.
One of the most unique vehicles we found was a 2001 TVR Chimaera – a 4.6-litre, V8 beast of which approximately 6,000 units were built spanning five iterations.
TVR is a small England-based company with a colourful history starting in the 1940s and it almost ceased to exist more than once before being rescued by one of its many owners.
More cool convertibles on offer included an AC Cobra V8 kit car, a near-mint condition 1988 BMW 325i, a soft-top Land Rover Defender 90 with a tubular cab protector, and a high-performance Mercedes-Benz CLK63 AMG.
These vehicles and more are detailed below. Click on the underlined prices for more information.
2014 BMW 125i Convertible M Sport Auto
- Price – R279,999
- Power – 160kW/270Nm
- Mileage – 77,000km
2016 Mazda MX-5 2.0 Roadster-Coupe
- Price – R329,900
- Power – 118kW/200Nm
- Mileage – 46,123km
2004 AC Cobra V8
- Price – R375,000
- Engine – 5.7-litre V8
- Mileage – 56,456km
2008 Honda S2000 2.0L
- Price – R379,995
- Power – 177kW/208Nm
- Mileage – 89,000km
1978 Mercedes-Benz 450SL
- Price – R389,900
- Engine – 4.5-litre, V8
- Mileage – 115,000km
2001 TVR Chimaera 4.6L
- Price – R399,000
- Engine – 4.6-litre, V8
- Mileage – 103,800km
2006 Porsche Boxster S
- Price – R429,900
- Power – 228kW/360Nm
- Mileage – 50,480km
1988 BMW 325i
- Price – R449,900
- Engine – 2.5-litre, six-cylinder
- Mileage – 101,200km
2009 Land Rover Defender 90 TD Soft-Top SVX 60
- Price – R449,950
- Power – 90kW/360Nm
- Mileage – 117,536km
2009 Mercedes-Benz CLK63 AMG Cabriolet
- Price – R449,900
- Power – 354kW/630Nm
- Mileage – 74,308km
2009 BMW M3 Convertible
- Price – R499,990
- Power – 309kW/400Nm
- Mileage – 79,000km
2004 Maserati Spyder Cambiocorsa
- Price – R499,990
- Engine – 4.2-litre, V8
- Mileage – 42,000km
1981 Porsche 911 SC Cabriolet
- Price – R545,000
- Engine – 3.0-litre, six-cylinder
- Mileage – 258,000km
2015 Jaguar F-Type S Convertible
- Price – R549,995
- Power – 280kW/460Nm
- Mileage – 79,200km
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