5 Classic Convertibles That Are Still Affordable (For Now)

Ahh, the feeling of a classic convertible on a beautiful sunny day! The wind in your hair, the pleasant exhaust sound burbling behind you, the satisfaction that comes from shifting gears. But is there still such a thing as an affordable convertible in this era of pandemic-inflated prices for so many appealing ragtops? 

The answer is emphatically yes, so let's take a very spirited drive down memory lane in search of five classic convertibles that are still affordable. But what's the definition of classic? Should it be based on the age of the vehicle, or is it more about how it makes you feel when the top's down? For the purposes of this article, we will impose an approximately 20-year limit, so nothing later than 2005 models will be included here.

My personal expertise in this area includes my 22 years as a Miata NB owner, marriage to a Saab 99 owner and three more classic 900s purchased after that, a brother-in-law who has owned an MGB since 1972, ownership of a Karmann Ghia (same platform and builder as the Beetle Convertible), plus a close friend who owned a Rabbit Convertible.

It's the king of affordable classics. The Mazda Miata rings all the bells for classic affordability. It is a great-handling car (if you fit). It has been made for a period of 35 years, hitting one-million worldwide sales back in 2016. The top is a breeze, the manual transmission is a pleasure, the Japanese reputation for reliability is well-earned, and a great many have survived in a range of conditions from long-term daily drivers to rarely-driven-and-only-when-it-was-perfect-out.

This long Miata history provides many cars to choose from, depending on your desired price point and condition. The first Miata model, the NA, was made from the 1990 to 1997 model years and is reaching the status of true collectible, with pristine, super-low mileage examples going for as much as $40,500 on Bring a Trailer. Low-mileage Special Editions sell in the $10,000 to $30,000 range. Higher mileage NAs cost much less — cars with around 100K miles can be had for $6,600. Mazda also sells a complete line of NA restoration parts.

Then there are the newer NB Miatas, which have not yet seen the massive appreciation of the NAs. The 1999-2005 NB was essentially an NA without pop-up headlights, but with more trunk space, higher-output engine, and glass rear window with defroster. Aside from V8 conversions and race cars, most NBs are available for prices ranging from $4,400 for a well-worn, slightly rusted, 130,000-mile high-mileage example to $8,200 for one with 54,000 miles to $22,000 for a low-mileage Special Edition to $24,750 for the rarer turbocharged Mazdaspeed version.

Now for something completely different, in every possible way. The Saab 900 Convertible came onto the scene as a 1986 model and single-handedly elevated the image of Saab among the upwardly mobile population of the late 1980s and early 1990s. Available in both turbocharged and non-turbo models, the 1986-94 Saab 900 Convertible achieved the impossible — it made Saabs cool. 

Appropriately enough, the 900 Convertible was a creation of Saab's American management, who saw the need for a convertible in the U.S. market. Styled by Bjorn Envall, Saab's design chief, and built in Michigan by American Sunroof Corp., the 900 Convertible prototype was based on the existing 900 two-door sedan. It was unveiled and enthusiastically received at the 1983 Frankfurt Show. Produced at Finland's Valmet assembly plant, a total of 48,894 were made for worldwide consumption, equal to 14 percent of all Saab 900 production.

Thanks to many reinforcements made to the 900 Convertible's body structure to compensate for the loss of the sedan's top, there is not too much chassis flex, compared to other convertibles of its day. The almost extinct Saab 900 Convertible is just as much of a blast to drive as its roofed siblings on a winding country road.

Not counting outliers like the 246-mile 1987 Saab 900 Turbo Convertible that sold for an amazing $145,000 in 2022, most Saab Convertibles being sold on Bring a Trailer have brought between $3,700 and $33,250, based on mileage and condition. As usual, buy the best one you can afford, and most importantly, find an excellent Saab mechanic!

The MGB Roadster story is like the Miata's, but earlier and with British standards of reliability. Both were made with significant U.S. sales in mind. The MGB also achieved best-selling sports car status in its time, something it shares with the Miata. 

One of the best MG cars ever made, the MGB replaced the MGA. It used unibody construction (the A was body-on-frame), which permitted a larger passenger compartment and trunk. While independent rear suspension was considered, cost accountants mandated a live axle with leaf springs. The MGB was styled in-house by Don Hayter. Its timeless good looks were unaltered throughout most of its production run. The MGB is fairly quick, with precise steering and good handling that makes it fun to drive both slow and fast.

The MGB was sold here from 1963 to 1980. In 1975, U.S. safety standards took their toll and the dreaded "bumper cars" appeared. I have eliminated these model years, not only because the bumpers ruined the MGB's looks, but also because the suspension was lifted 1-1/2" to meet bumper height standards. Combined with the deletion of the previously fitted anti-roll bars, this wrecked the handling. Attempts to fix this were made later, but the bumpers remained. Production ended on October 22, 1980, with a total of 386,961 MGB Roadsters produced. 

Today, 1963-74 MGB Roadsters on online auction sites like Bring a Trailer range from $5,100 to $28,000, depending on mileage and condition. A substantial aftermarket parts industry for the MGB exists, thanks to the large numbers sold and the many that survived.

The VW Beetle Convertible is the droptop version of the vehicle that sold 21.5 million units worldwide. Built by Karmann throughout its production run, the first Beetle Convertibles exported to the U.S. arrived in 1956. Starting from 2,303 Beetle Convertibles sold that year, sales figures ballooned to 12,201 in 1971, then faded before one last surge of Convertible production in 1977-79. While U.S. Beetle Sedan sales ended in 1977, Convertibles were sold here at least until 1980. 

Beetle Convertibles received the same refinements and upgrades as the Sedans. This meant that the Beetle Convertible switched to the Super Beetle platform after 1971. The Super Beetle, a stopgap model made until the water-cooled Golf/Rabbit arrived, offered new front strut suspension, increased front luggage space, a larger engine, and factory air conditioning. 

The Beetle Convertible driving experience has nothing in common with other convertibles listed here. A Beetle Convertible, in stock form, is as far away from a sports or performance car as you can get. Acceleration is leisurely at best, and strong crosswinds may interfere with your forward progress. That said, the rear-engine traction is good and the VW reputation for reliability was well-earned at the time, thanks to these air-cooled classics. So put the top down on a warm summer night, take your people out for ice cream, and enjoy — it's still worth buying today.

Current pricing for most VW Beetle Convertibles on sites like Bring a Trailer ranges between $9,500 and $31,251, depending on condition and mileage. Most are 1970s models, with a few from the 1960s.

The 1980-84 VW Rabbit Convertible (renamed VW Cabriolet for 1985-93 after a facelift) replaced the Beetle Convertible. Compared to the ancient air-cooled rear-engine Beetle, the Rabbit Convertible/Cabriolet was water-cooled with front-wheel drive and a whole lotta driving pleasure. A rollover bar behind the front seats added some structural rigidity and protection from rollovers. Like the Beetle Convertible, all Rabbit Convertibles and Cabriolets were made by Karmann in Germany. VW shipped the engines, drivetrains, and interiors to Karmann for installation.

The experience of driving a VW Rabbit Convertible/Cabriolet is leagues ahead of a Beetle Convertible. Power is plentiful, the excellent handling encourages you to find the car's limits, and the top-down connection makes you feel like an integral part of the driving environment. With the padded, insulated, and well-fitted top up, the weather stays outside. While you may lose some rear vision when the top is stacked up behind the rear seats, that's a small price to pay for the sheer pleasure this convertible brings.

Online auction values for 1980-93 VW Rabbit Convertible/Cabriolet models are still reasonable, with recent sale prices between $5,000 (for an '84 with 148,000 miles) and $37,250 (for a pristine '92 with 34,000 miles) on Bring a Trailer. Most examples fall in the $10,000 to $20,000 range. Try to find one without any rust issues to avoid a potential money-pit situation. Check the fenders, floor pan, body sills, fuel filler neck, and spare tire well, which tend to be trouble spots.