I want to buy a soft-top convertible and liked the hard-top version I tested. Do I need to test drive the soft top?

I've test-driven a hard-top Mazda MX-5 and really liked it. The plan was to buy a soft-top but the dealer only had a hardtop to test drive. On the basis that this is only being driven for fun, mainly with the top down, do I need to test drive a soft-top before buying? I've seen a couple of 30th-anniversary additions (bright orange) with 10,000 miles for around £25,000. Is this a sensible buy or should I look for a more standard offering? Which would have a better residual value? Many thanks and keep up the great work.

Asked on 16 November 2020 by alphadog71

Answered by Andrew Brady

If you liked the MX-5 RF, you're not going to be disappointed with the soft-top, especially as it'll be a weekend car driven mainly with the roof down. We'd recommend a 30th Anniversary model. They look great and it'll feel more special as a weekend car than one in a more subdued colour. As only a limited number were sold in the UK (370 Convertibles and 180 RF models), it's likely to hold its value slightly better than a standard car. Mazda sells a lot of special edition MX-5s so don't rely on that too much, but it certainly won't be difficult to sell in the future.

Tags: convertibles residual values soft top

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