10 bargain roadsters ready for next summer

Next summer is still a little way off, which makes now the perfect time to invest in an affordable two-seater convertible.

You see, by the time the sun does come out next spring, there'll be a flurry of interest in roadsters and convertibles, driving prices steadily upwards. During the colder months, by contrast, interest tails off, and prices tend to be lower.

So, why not start your search for a roadster here? And if you find one, make sure it’s ready for all those summer adventures with some classic car insurance.

Alfa Romeo Spider (1993-2004)

Say the words 'Alfa Romeo Spider' and quite a few models come to mind – not least the roadster produced in four generations from 1966 to 1994. More recently, the handsome Brera coupé got its own Spider convertible version from 2006 onwards. But we're talking, here, about the roadster version of Alfa's brilliant 1990s / Noughties GTV coupé.

The GTV-based Spider matches sports car thrills with relative affordability like few others. Engine choices are a four-cylinder Twin Spark – or a V6 in a range of displacements (20, 3.0 and 3.2-litre), that all create a superb throaty roar.

Spiders are well-equipped, too: all come with power steering, air conditioning, ABS and a leather-clad steering wheel. Some will also come with an alarm system, which should keep the car theft-free – and may also help to keep your classic Alfa Romeo insurance premiums down.

Prices? You can probably get hold of one for £1,500. If you have around £3,000, meanwhile, you'll be able to pick a GTV Spider with relatively few miles and a service log – and enjoy one of the best sporting drop-tops in recent history.

Porsche Boxster (1996-2004)

Older Porsches have an almost untouchable aura surrounding them – and prices will reflect that, disqualifying them from inclusion in our Bargain Roadsters list. But the original Boxster, which landed in 1996, has not (yet) quite got the same cult following, and as a result is quite a bit more affordable.

Prices are relatively low, with any Mk1 Boxster, whatever the age, condition and performance, likely to come in under £15,000. You'll be able to get a decent, say, 2001 model with 100,000 miles for around £5,000.

If your budget will stretch, however, look for a top-of-the-range 3.2 S. It gets a fair bit more power than the 2.5 (later 2.7) engine, as well as better brakes to deal with that extra poke. The S's straight-six engine will put out 249bhp, getting you from 0 to 60 in a hair's breadth under six seconds.

And a word of advice: as with any car with reasonably sophisticated mechanics, ask to see records of any work done.

Jaguar XJ-S convertible (1988-1991)

If the title at the top of this article said 'iconic roadsters', we'd probably go for the XJ-S' universally adored predecessor, the E-Type. But we're looking at affordable roadsters here, and we fancy that the E-Type's typical £100,000 price tag doesn't quite match our theme.

An XJ-S convertible, on the other hand, should come in at a much more reasonable price. Somewhere around £15,000 to £20,000 should land you one of the full convertibles from 1988-91, for our money the best of the various soft-top XJ-S versions – a better, more user-friendly than the earlier targa-top (semi-convertible) variant, and nicer-looking than the facelifted cars from 1991 on.

As we've noted before, the XJ-S is well on the way to achieving something like the classic status of its predecessor, and buying one of these long, low, luxurious Jags about now looks to be a very smart move indeed.

Our advice when buying classic Jaguars is to prioritise bodywork over running gear. Jaguar mechanicals are actually fairly simple and – being such an iconic brand – well known to most mechanics, while repairs to those beautiful bodies can be costly. Definitely a car where we advise having some classic motor insurance in place from the get-go.

MG Midget (1961-1979)

The cute Midget did almost two decades' worth of service as MG's (and, latterly, also British Leyland's) smallest roadster. This means that there's a wealth of choice out there. Specifically, you can make a straight choice between performance and aesthetics. How so? Well, earlier generations had smaller engines, but sported the pretty chrome bumpers that offset the car's dainty looks so well.

Then, like its bigger MGB sibling, the beautiful Midget two-seater was saddled with large rubber black bumpers in 1974, due to US safety regulations. This final iteration of the Midget may be less aesthetically pleasing to some – but to compensate, it's got a little more poke, as it features the same 1493cc engine that graced the Triumph Spitfire. This late '1500' model is likely to be the most affordable option, too, and mileages should be lower.

Mazda MX-5

How could any list of fun, affordable roadsters not include the MX-5? Few cars have offered such a brilliant mix of affordability and lightweight, top-down thrills as Mazda's beautifully-conceived, Lotus Elan-inspired drop-top.

The only question is, which generation? Well, can we give you two options? Both the first (1990-1997) and second generations (1998-2005) have so much to recommend them – and both remain very affordable, with higher-mileage examples of that second generation in particular still coming in at not much over £1,000. The first generation is a little – but only a little – more expensive, owing to its halo, 'birth of the MX-5' reputation.

The first generation has arguably the perkier looks (with those pop-up headlights) and the more devoted cult following. The second MX-5 upped the power a little, and added a few useful features such as anti-lock brakes.

Both generations come in 1.6 and 1.8-litre guises, with slightly more power coming from the second-gen cars. But whichever engine size and iteration you choose, you're in for oodles of top-down fun at a reasonable price. Just get hold of some classic auto insurance before you commit, as rust can be a common problem with both generations.

Smart Roadster

The Mazda MX-5 has managed sales of well over a million across its three decades and four generations. With just over 43,000 built across less than three years, the Smart Roadster couldn't be more of a contrast when it comes to availability. And those low numbers should, we reckon, qualify it for classic status in the not too distant future.

The car's performance figures might not set the blood racing (the 698cc, three-cylinder engine puts out a hardly earth-shattering 80 bhp), but the Roadster is nothing if not engaging to drive. That small engine is mounted in the middle of the vehicle, and likes to be revved hard. The suspension is on the firm side, creating a car that, frankly, handles brilliantly – and its small proportions mean that that modest power output propels it around just fine, especially when its six-speed gearbox is deployed efficiently. Around £3,000 to £4,000 will secure you a well-maintained example.

Lotus Elise

The Elise was a hugely important car for Lotus, providing a huge boost to the company's dwindling fortunes back in the mid to late 1990s. It was also a return to the company's mantra of light weight and simplicity. The original Seven had become a legend by sticking to the essentials and discarding anything extraneous: the Elan did pretty much the same in the 1960s. But Lotus' 1970s / 80s models like the Esprit, Eclat and Elite, beautiful though they were, had drifted further from that philosophy, adding electric windows, thicker carpets and other touches that upped both the cars' weight and price tags.

The Elise was a real return to form: light, nimble, responsive, and the kind of delightfully pure driving experience that had won the company so many admirers way back when. Its fibreglass body sitting over an aluminium chassis kept the suspension taut – and also kept both weight and production costs down, allowing the Elise to reach top speeds of up to 240 km/h (150 mph) while remaining within the reach of most budgets.

You have a choice of generations: the S1 cars are a wildly exciting drive, while the S2's more curvaceous looks may set hearts racing a little bit more. Whichever Elise you choose, you'll be in for copious amounts of excitement.

Take care choosing, though, as these cars tend to be driven hard and damage can be common. Having some specialist classic car insurance in place as soon as you take ownership is a good idea.

BMW Z3 M Roadster (1995-2002)

If you want a good balance between driving thrills and spills and a modern, super-civilised interior, the BMW Z3 may be the way to go.

The MX-5 we mentioned above is the king of 1990s roadsters, but rust is claiming quite a few of them. Not so with the robust Z3. Based on the hugely successful E36 (third generation) 3 Series, BMW's roadster was introduced – in typical Beemer form – in a variety of engine sizes and power outputs, from a capable 1.8 litre four-cylinder right up to a 3.2-litre straight six, putting out a potent 321 bhp, for the M3 version.

Being a BMW, the Z3 benefits from excellent build quality. The looks are tough, and the rear-wheel drive handling is great fun. The boot's bigger than that of most other roadsters, too – you can comfortably get a set of golf clubs in there.

Six-cylinder cars will look the part (thanks to twin exhausts at the back), and provide a few more goodies (leather seats, powered hood), as well as driving like a proper sports car.

In spite of the large engine range, you can break down your choices into three basic groups: cheap 1.9, 16-valve cars from early in the production run; mid-priced eight-valve 1.9s and 2.2s; and high-performing 2.8 and 3-litre models, which will cost you £5,000 or upwards.

Triumph Spitfire (1962-1980)

Like those MGs, the Spitfire enjoyed a long production run, with relatively few changes required to its simple, elegant design. The best value Spitfires might be the 1500 cars that saw the model through from 1974 to the end of its production run. For one thing, they look pretty similar to the MkIV Spitfire of 1970-74: they just dial in a little more power, switching from a 1.3-litre engine to a beefier 1.5-litre unit.

Moreover, the fact that the 1500 was made in greater numbers than any previous generation – some 95,000 were made, compared to 70,000 MkIVs and just 37,000 for the MkII – makes it the easiest, and also cheapest, Spitfire to find on the used market.

The 1500 also introduced various improvements, such as better suspension and a wider, lower stance for better skid control. Oh, and we do like how the rear end resembles that of the Spitfire's more aggressive, upmarket big brother, the iconic Triumph Stag.

Fiat X1/9

The wedgy, futuristic X1/9 is an attractive proposition because it looks as cool as any other 1970s Italian sports car – a Lamborghini Urraco, say, or a Ferrari 308. What's more, being light and mid-engined, it's almost as much fun to drive as these Italian stallions. We say 'almost' as the X1/9 never got the engines, or the outright performance, of the Ferraris or Lambos of the day. That wasn't its aim. That does mean, though, that you can now get one for a fraction of the cost that those looks suggest.

OK, it doesn't exactly have supercar performance – neither the initial 1300cc or later 1500cc variants were what you'd call fast – but the X1/9 echoes the later Mazda MX-5 in being light, responsive and supremely good fun. That mid-mounted engine, meanwhile, means – you've guessed it – two boots, making the X1/9 a surprisingly capable weekend getaway car.

Just be aware that, in roof-up mode, it's not a particularly comfortable place for taller drivers and passengers. Also, the interior can be fragile, the electrics can give up and the body is prone to rust – so conduct a thorough audit of any X1/9s you're interested in, and make sure that repairs have been done to a good standard, the interior looks robust, and everything works.

If you can tick those boxes, though, you've got yourself a slice of vintage '70s Italian style for a fraction of the price of a modern supermini.

Specialist soft-top insurance

We hope we've provided some inspiration as you start searching for the roadster of your dreams. Protect your new soft-top with classic car insurance from the specialists.

Get a quote today.

Policy benefits, features and discounts offered may very between insurance schemes or cover selected and are subject to underwriting criteria. Information contained within this article is accurate at the time of publishing but may be subject to change.