Best Budget Convertibles to Buy in 2025 – Our £10K Top Ten

Now that Spring has finally deigned to make an appearance, it’s high time you got your hands on a convertible, or indeed several convertibles, to make the most of the UK’s precious few sunny days. It’s probably not going to be your everyday car; you may not drive it during the colder months, so the cheaper and cheerful-er, the better.

If you’re still searching for that thrifty roadster, Car & Classic is here to help. Here are our top ten convertibles on a £10k budget.

Start your search here.

1) Porsche Boxster

You can’t go wrong with a bargain Boxster. While Porsche’s junior flat-six convertibles have long played second fiddle to the 911, it’s about time people appreciate the Porsche Boxster in its own right: a lighter, nimbler car than its range-topping big brother, both of which boast aft-mounted flat-six engines. £10k opens the door to most 986 and 987 generation Boxsters and a choice between Tiptronic and manual gearboxes.

Browse the many examples we have here on Car & Classic.

2) BMW Z4

While today’s Z4 has morphed into something very big, very fast, and very expensive, the first too generations are a far more realistic proposition for most of us, and they can be surprisingly affordable considering how much they offer. As the newest car on our list, it has come to our attention that you can now find an E89 Z4 for under 10 grand. No, we don’t mean the original E85/86 from the mid-noughties; we’re talking about the second-generation Z4 with the electric folding hard top – the first BMW to be designed in its entirety by two female car designers. Expect to stray a little over budget for top-spec, straight-six-engined examples, but don’t be put off by the turbocharged four-cylinder models. First-generation soft-top E85/86 Z4s fall more readily within the 10 grand range and there are plenty to choose from right now on Car & Classic.

Buy your £10k Z4 here.

3) Mazda MX-5

Surely, no list of thrifty roadsters would be complete without the Mazda MX-5. It is the definitive convertible sports car, inspired by British two-seaters of the 1960s like the Lotus Elan, MGB and Triumph’s TR range. Add legendary Mazda reliability to the mix, and you’re onto a winning formula. More than a million have been sold, making the MX-5 the most successful convertible sports car in history. Our £10k budget buys most MX-5s from the first three MX-5 generations: the NA, NB, and NC, and it’ll even stretch to a few later cars from the ND series, unveiled in 2015 and still in production today. Rear-wheel drive, manual gearbox, twin-cam in the nose – what’s not to like?!

More than 60 examples can currently be found here on Car & Classic for £10k or less.

4) Mercedes-Benz SL R129

Designed by the late great Bruno Sacco and launched in 1989, the R129 SL was the replacement for the long-lived and much-admired R107. A clever ‘electrohydraulic’ hard top and a raft of cutting-edge safety features make the R129 a compelling choice as a usable modern classic. Typically Teutonic build quality ensures well-maintained SL convertibles of this era can still be daily-driven today, and there’s a wide range of engines available for every budget. £10k is enough for a very good example of 280 SL and 300 SLs. Expect to pay a tad more for V8 and V12-engined examples, unless you’re after a project.

Here’s what Car & Classic has to offer.

5) Alfa Romeo Brera Spider

One of the lesser-seen convertibles to make this list, Alfa Romeo revived its age-old ‘Spider’ moniker at the 2006 Geneva Motor Show, launching the convertible version of the much-lauded 159-based Brera. These cars are relatively rare, but £10k is more than sufficient to pick up a great example. Much like the Mercedes-Benz SL, there are a wide range of engine options, from a sonorous V6 to a wallet-friendly five-cylinder diesel. There was also a sure-footed four-wheel-drive ‘Q4’ model. Most have manual gearboxes.

Start your search here.

6) Jaguar XK8

Echoing the soft aerodynamic curves of Malcolm Sayers’ E-Type, the X100 XK offers everything you could possibly want from a long-distance convertible grand tourer. Best-suited to long-distance jaunts rather than a B-Road bash, an XK8 is just the job for the dash down to Le Mans or perhaps a tour of the Italian lakes. The range comprises several AJV8 options, four litres or over, both with and without supercharging.

There are ample XK8s to choose from right here with a £10K budget

7) Morris Minor Convertible

Now for something completely different. Modern classic convertibles have dominated this list so far, so it’s about time we look at something a little older. Two-door convertible variants of Morris’ much-loved Minor were first introduced during production of the first-series ‘Lowlight’ MM, and production finally drew to a close in August 1969. The Minor Convertible is a great example of how a folding roof can transform the character of a car, turning the relatively austere Minor into something positively exotic by comparison. Minor convertibles are considerably more valuable than their tin-topped counterparts, but £10k will still secure you a lovely example.

Search ‘Morris Minor Convertible’ to start your search here.

8) Land Rover Series III

Wait a minute. That’s not a convertible?! We’ve playing the wildcard on this list. While offered in several body styles from pickup-truck to station wagon, the modular nature of Series Land Rovers means they can be transformed into an open car with nothing more than a few spanners. Canvas soft top ‘tilts’ are available from several specialists, and the Land Rover’s windscreen can be folded flat for that ultimate exposure to the elements. We’ve selected the Series III here, the last and generally most affordable of all the Series Land Rovers.

£10k finds a good, usable example. Click here.

9) Triumph Spitfire

The oft-overlooked Triumph Spitfire is eminently worthy of this top-ten list. Penned by Michelotti and powered by the renowned Standard-Triumph inline four, the Spitfire remained in production for eighteen years over four generations. A reputation for wayward handling makes the Spitfire a fun choice for those who enjoy old-school rear-wheel-drive sports car handling. Car & Classic has smart Triumph Spitfires of all ages for £10k – with change to spare for some fresh E5 and the obligatory convertible driver’s flat cap. A freshly restored example will stretch the outer reaches of the budget, but it’s still a lot of car for the money; we’re sure you’ll agree.

Over 30 Spitfires are currently for sale here on Car & Classic.

10) MG Midget

Don’t worry; we didn’t forget to include an MG in this list. The continued desirability of MGB Roadsters places most above our £10k ceiling. But not to worry; its little sibling, the aptly named ‘Midget’, can be had for 10 grand and under. Popular amongst hill climb and autotest entrants, the nimble Midget is highly tune-able and a quick car in the right hands. If you’re tight on space, these cars fit almost anywhere; they are similar in size (and drivetrain) to the classic Mini. There’s also a thriving enthusiast community thanks to the large and long-lived MGOC.

MG Midgets of all ages can be found right here.

With nearly 700 £10,000 and under convertibles currently live on Car & Classic, there’s lots to choose from. Get yours now to make the most of the weather.