Latest news with #spring
The Sun
9 hours ago
- Automotive
- The Sun
Used convertibles UK: Find out which used soft-tops you are eligible for this summer, from Mazdas to Mercs.
SUN'S out, funs out – it's time to make that dream of a convertible car a reality. While car experts will tell you spring is the perfect time to bag a convertible car bargain, you can still find great deals in summer. 12 FIND HERE Sellers in a crowded market are still itching for the cash and can often reduce costs to make a deal. No cash? No worries. Buyers can get a boost with Sun Motors Finance, an affordable and accessible way to access cash to buy a new car. We're working with some of the UK's best lenders to provide every driver with access to the low-cost credit they need to pick up a dream car. PCP Representative Example - Total Cash Price £6995 Deposit £2000 Amount of Credit £4995 47 Monthly Payments £95.09 Total Amount Payable £8834.23 Fixed Rate of Interest 6.715% Optional Final Payment £2365 Duration of Agreement 48 Months Annual Mileage Limit 10,000 Miles APR (Representative) 12.9% There's no waiting, either. You'll get an instant decision on eligibility and affordability in just 60 seconds. Whatever the season, when you're buying a convertible, you'll want to do some research to find the right make, model, and specification before parting with your pounds. In this guide, we're going to explain why spring and summer are the best time to buy a convertible car. Sun Motors experts have also selected their top 5 used convertibles for sale today, including two-seater and four-seater convertibles and super sporty models. It's top-down and shades on for our round-up of the best used convertible cars in the UK today for you to ponder ahead of the heatwave. Why is spring and summer a good time to buy a used car? March (and spring in general) is the best time to buy a used convertible car. Why? The age-old rules of supply and demand. The market for convertible cars hibernates during the winter, as drivers and dealers forget the sun and focus on surviving wind, rain, ice, and snow. Convertibles are designed for fair weather. By March, we've banished the winter blues, and things are beginning to heat up – including the market for convertibles. As we head into summer, market forces take over. As demand for convertible cars increases (reaching a peak during the summer), dealers can respond by putting up their prices. 2025 is breaking records for car sales, with more buyers, sellers, and motors on the market. That's good because competition encourages sellers to price competitively and provides buyers with the power to bag a bargain. Sellers don't want stock hanging around, and convertibles are harder to sell than a standard saloon, for example, as the market is smaller. Basically, while spring is probably the best time to buy a convertible, competition in the market and the pressure to make a profit mean you'll still be able to strike a good deal on a used convertible in summer. Stuck for cash? Spread the payments for your summer convertible Convertible cars, as you'll see from the list below, aren't exactly cheap, but there is a way you can get your dream car. Sun Motors offers car buyers a straightforward and simple way to finance a new car. The easy-to-use affordability calculator provides a guideline on the amount you can borrow, including interest rates and monthly repayments. That means you can have complete confidence that you can afford a car before falling in love with it. Even better, you don't need to worry about any searches damaging your credit rating. Our finance partner will only do a soft check. It's worth checking even if you've been previously denied credit. We work with a specialist lender who may consider applications from those with a bad credit rating. Give it a try, you've got nothing to lose. What is a convertible car? A convertible car is a car that can be driven without a roof. Most convertibles will have a roof that can be secured in place, converting it back into a car with a roof. (Hence the name.) On the market, you'll find two types of convertibles: soft tops and hard tops. What is the difference between soft-top and hard-top convertibles? Soft tops have a roof (made from canvas, cloth, vinyl, or another material) that can fold up or down. Hard-top convertibles have a solid roof that folds down. 12 Model: Audi TT FIND HERE There are advantages and disadvantages of each. Soft top convertibles can be cheaper to buy and often easier to maintain. On the other hand, soft roofs are more likely to degrade over time, are easier to damage, and won't be as warm as a hard top. Hard tops are more durable, warmer (because of greater insulation), and more secure. However, they can be more expensive to buy, maintain, and fix if they break. Benefits of a convertible car There's really only one reason you'd buy a convertible car, and that's because you want to experience the fun and freedom of driving without a roof. If you haven't tried it before, you should. Convertible cars are often sportier and more stylish than their hard-top cousins. Drive a convertible, and you're making a statement. (Especially if you forget to put the roof up and it rains.) Convertible cars are more expensive, but they can hold their value better, too. Top 5 used convertible cars for sale Here is Sun Motors' choice of the five best used-convertibles for sale in the UK today. Mazda MX-5 12 Affordable, reliable and the world's best-selling roadster. You knew it would be the Mazda MX-5, didn't you? Since its launch in 1989, the MX-5 has become a firm favourite, with the latest model still getting rave reviews. An abundance of MX-5s on the market keeps prices low. Insurance and maintenance costs won't break the bank – especially when compared to some of the other brands on our list (we're looking at you, Mercedes). Check out the WhatCar? guide on potential problems for your Mazda MX-5. (And always check the roof!) Shop around for the best deals, like this low-mileage 2016 SKYACTIV-G Sportmodel at less than £275 per month. Audi TT Convertible 12 FIND HERE Another best-selling classic, the Audi TT convertible, is no longer in production, which makes us sad. It's slightly bigger than the Mazda MX-5 and is highly reliable, says WhatCar?. Common problems include water leaks, faulty roof mechanisms, and issues with the interior trim. Sporty models like S and RS could have been driven hard, and damage to panels, paintwork, and alloys could all be expensive to fix. Find a good Audi TT convertible and you'll get years of stress-free motoring in a modern classic. Check out this almost spotless 10-year-old AUDI TT Coupe 2.0 TDI ultra Sport in impressive (and easy to keep clean) gun metal grey. MINI convertible The MINI convertible is small but strangely spacious, with enough room for four people, says Autoexpress. While you're not going to be running around with a rugby team, the MINI convertible is a practical, fun and attractive car. We like the 2016 model with its bullet-proof, BMW-approved, 3-cylinder 1.5-litre engine. It's fast enough for country lanes and forgiving for stop-start city driving. You'll often pay a premium for the MINI badge, but they retain value well, so buy with confidence. Our choice? The market for MINIs is vibrant, so it's hard to select one, but we like this box-fresh 2025 Mini Cooper S Class. Mercedes SLK The Mercedes SLK is sharper, faster, and more comfortable than many of the other convertibles here. It's a great grand tourer, capable of taking you, a passenger and a few small cases pretty much anywhere you want to go. Pick up an SLK55, and you'll reach 60mph in 4.6 seconds. Ouch. The hardtop roof goes up and down with German precision. Check everything is working, as replacements can be very costly. One thing to mention is that automatics are standard here, while manual cars are rare. Car reviewers seem to favour the SLK 200, which is a great car. Used SLKs are affordable, like this 2016 AMG for a pint under £300 per-month. BMW Z4 12 Model: BMW Z4 The BMW Z4 Roadster features a unique long bonnet design with an awesome BMW grill. Modern models are monsters, but we prefer the older – and more affordable – 2013-2017 Z4s. Why? They look great, perform well, and feature a reliable metal folding roof. Find one with a full-service history, and it's a good buy (especially when you see rising prices for older Z3s.) The BMW Z4 is a classic two-seat, big engine, small boot roadster, and we love it for that. It doesn't take long to find bargain BMWs out there. We like this 2015 M-Sport model. Best 4-seater convertible cars Need to carry you, your partner and the kids? Get a four-door convertible. Here are a couple of our favourites: The Mercedes C Class isn't particularly roomy, but you'll get four in at a push. And they will all want to get into this superbly-specced 2018 Mercedes C220 AMG Line D Auto. Model: Mercedes-Benz C-Class FIND HERE Another shout-out for the Germans, the BMW 4 Series Convertible is our second-favourite four-door convertible. Current models are all well and good, but we love the classic BMW grill on this sub-£10k BMW 4 Series 2.0 420i SE Euro 6. Here are a couple of our favourite all-out sports convertibles: The Porsche Boxster is a fast and cool mid-engine sports car that's incredible to drive. Model: Porsche Boxster Our choice on the market today is this immaculate 2016 Boxster with a high-powered 3.4-litre engine. FIND HERE The Lotus Elise is a small, lightweight, and blisteringly fast British-designed sports car. This canary yellow 2016 Lotus Elise convertible is all kinds of crazy, in a good way. Convertible car buying FAQs Here, we answer some common questions convertible car buyers have. What to look out for when buying a used convertible When buying a used convertible, you'll want to ensure that the roof itself is clean, the mechanism functions correctly (basically, that it goes up and down as it should), and there are no splits, tears, or damage. Ask the seller about the age of the roof (if it's a soft top) and if the roof has been repaired or replaced. If you're considering buying a soft-top convertible, get on a stool, chair, or stepladder and check over the whole roof of the car. Tears and splits can (and sometimes are) covered with tape, which can be impossible to spot unless you get up close. If you're happy that the roof goes up and down as it should and isn't damaged, then you can check all the other essentials, including condition, damage, service history, MOT records, mileage, etc. How to clean a convertible roof If you have a hardtop roof, you can clean it in the same way you would clean the rest of your car. Soft-top convertible roofs should be cleaned using a specialist cleaning product. These will help to remove any first and stains (including corrosive substances like bird poo) but won't dry out the material, which could cause it to become brittle and split or break. Take your time, follow the instructions, and you'll be fine. Always check for water ingress into the car after washing your convertible. Early warning enables immediate action! How to look after a convertible Convertible cars should be serviced and maintained in the same way you would any other car. If your car has a soft roof, you should regularly clean it (see above) and apply a protectant. This guide from detailing experts Autoglym is a good place to start. Over time, the soft top covering can wear out or dry out, leaving it susceptible to rips, tears, and other damage. You can protect it by storing it in a garage or under a cover, especially during the worst of the winter weather. Any soft-top convertible car left exposed to the elements for too long will become damaged. How does pre-approved car finance work? The best thing about Sun Motors' pre-approved car finance is that you can check how much you can borrow before you fall in love with a new convertible car. How? The magic of the Sun Motors system is that it runs a soft credit check. The result is a realistic monthly budget with no impact on your credit score. Armed with this, you can start the fun part: finding a new convertible car. How long does car finance approval take? It's very, very fast. In most cases, you'll get a pre-approval decision within 60 seconds. When you find a car you like, you can go through the final approvals process on the same day. Decision in 60 seconds, finance in a day, and a new dream car on its way. Motor Genius Group Ltd t/a Sun Motors is an Appointed Representative (FRN 960504) of The Compliance Guys Ltd who is authorised and regulated by the FCA (FRN 941360). We are a credit broker not a lender. We work with a select group of lenders and will receive commission. The full details of how the commission arrangements work will be provided before you proceed with any arrangement. Finance subject to status and income. Terms and Conditions apply. The advice we provide is not impartial due to our commercial relationships with lenders. ICO number [ZB640135].
The Guardian
18 hours ago
- Science
- The Guardian
Beastly Britain by Karen R Jones review – how animals shaped British identity
When newts go a-wooing, sometime in the spring, their signature move is the handstand. Girl newts cluster round to watch, while the boy newts flip on to their creepily human hands and shake their tails in the air. The waggiest newt is the winner, although the actual act of love is a strictly no-contact sport. The male deposits a packet of sperm on an underwater leaf for the female to collect and insert into her own reproductive tract. The whole business is best thought of, says Karen R Jones, as a 'sexually charged game of pass-the-parcel'. This kind of anthropomorphising often strikes naturalists as unscientific or even downright distasteful. But Jones is an environmental historian and her methodology allows, indeed impels, her to start from the principle that Britain's human and animal populations are culturally entwined. Consequently, we cannot 'see' a fox, hedgehog or newt without bringing to it a rich stew of presumptions and fantasy, drawn from childhood picturebooks, out-of-date encyclopedias and, in my case, the 1970s TV classic Tales of the Riverbank, in which small critters say funny things in the West Country burr of . This pre-knowing can have a radical impact on the chances of a particular species flourishing or going under. Take hedgehogs, which, Jones tells us in this beautifully written book, have been in Britain for the last 15m years. They witnessed the extinction of the woolly mammoth and saw the first humans arrive in Europe. It was at this point that they started to pick up a reputation for general malevolence. Bandit-like, hedgehogs were reputed to sneak into human settlements at night and steal poultry eggs (true) and suck the udders of sleeping cows (almost certainly false). Their ability to munch on toxic toads without getting sick (true) and willingness to ferry any witch who had lost her broomstick (surely very uncomfortable) confirmed that hedgehogs had gone over to the dark side. No wonder that killing them counted as a public service: the records of one Cheshire village show 8,585 hedgehogs destroyed over a 35-year period in the late 1600s. How different from today, when the hedgehog routinely tops those 'Britain's favourite animal' polls. Now we build shelters for them in our gardens and worry about how they will fare when crossing the road. This radical shift of opinion, says Jones, can be traced back to one hugely popular book, Beatrix Potter's The Tale of Mrs Tiggy-Winkle. Mrs Tiggy-Winkle is an industrious washerwoman who keeps her neighbours, including Peter Rabbit and his signature blue coat, spick and span. The influence of Potter's 1905 classic has been so enduring that, when a charity was set up in 1983 to care for injured hedgehogs, it was obvious what its name should be. These days, Tiggywinkles is the largest wildlife hospital in the world. Beastly Britain is full of stories like this, which take an everyday animal – newt, hedgehog, pigeon, sheep, flea – and map out both its physical life (a matter of burrows, breeding cycles and flight paths) as well as its cultural traces, which concern legend, loathing and desire. Often these two kinds of knowing collide in startling ways. Take sheep, which are mostly seen as 'white noise in the countryside', bland and bleating and only good for counting yourself to sleep. In fact, Jones reveals, they are crackingly clever, able to recognise the faces of up to 50 of their sheep-friends, not to mention their human guardians. The revelations keep on coming. For instance, that we are still living among dinosaurs. The next time a pigeon swoops down to steal a chip, take a close look at its scaly, reptilian feet. They are the legacy of the Archaeopteryx, a winged dinosaur the size of a raven, with a bony tail, flight feathers and an ability to glide over short distances. Less persuasive, though even more intriguing, is the possibility that a pod of plesiosaurs still bobs off the Devon and Cornwall coast. How else to account for the string of sightings of a giant grey sea snake, with a long neck, snakey head and vicious tusks? The rational part of us knows that this sea monster is likely to be a basking shark or a giant piece of flotsam. Our dreaming part longs for it to be a remnant from ancient times, what Jones calls a 'proximate peculiar', that refuses to quite come into view. Beastly Britain by Karen R Jones is published by Yale (£20). To support the Guardian, order your copy at Delivery charges may apply.
The Guardian
20 hours ago
- Climate
- The Guardian
The green drought: June rainfall has come too late to offer relief to farmers in southern Australia
How often do you mow your lawn in winter? It may seem like an odd way to start a conversation about drought, but the answer helps explain why our current drought has not broken, despite recent rain – and why spring lamb may be more expensive this year. Southern Australia has been short of rain for 16 months. Western Victoria, the agricultural regions of South Australia (including Adelaide) and even parts of western Tasmania are suffering record dry conditions. Those rainfall measurements began in 1900 – 126 years ago. Fewer and less intense rain-bearing weather systems have been crossing the southern coastline since February 2024 compared with normal. Put simply: the land has not received enough big dumps of rain. But June has finally brought rain to some drought-affected regions; there's even an emerald green tinge to the fields in certain agricultural areas. But it's now too cold for plants to really grow fast, meaning farmers will be carting hay and buying extra feed for livestock until the weather warms in spring. This month, some areas received good rainfall, including places near Melbourne and, to a lesser degree, Adelaide. City people may be forgiven for thinking the drought has broken and farmers are rejoicing. But drought is not that simple. Unfortunately, the rainfall was inconsistent, especially farther inland. The coastal deluge in parts of southern Australia in early June didn't extend far north. Traditionally, the start of the winter crop-growing season is marked by 25mm of rain over three days – a so-called 'autumn break'. But many areas didn't receive the break this year. The lack of rain (meteorological drought) compounded the lack of water in the soil for crops and pasture (agricultural drought). Parts of Western Australia, SA, Victoria, Tasmania and southern New South Wales had little moisture left in their soils. So some rain is quickly soaked up as it drains into deeper soils. To make matters worse, autumn was the warmest on record for southern Australia, after its second-warmest summer on record. This can increase the 'thirst' of the atmosphere, meaning any water on the surface is more likely to evaporate. Recent thirsty droughts, such as the 2017–2019 Tinderbox Drought in NSW, were particularly hard-hitting. Some areas may have experienced 'flash drought', when the landscape and vegetation dry up far quicker than you would expect from the lack of rain alone. By May, areas of significantly elevated evaporative stress were present in south-eastern SA, Victoria, southern NSW and northern Tasmania. In late May and early June – and again this week – there have been winter dust storms in SA. Such dust storms are a bad sign of how dry the ground has become. Some regions no longer have enough water to fill rivers and dams (hydrological drought). Water restrictions have been introduced in parts of south-west Victoria and Tasmania. The bureau's streamflow forecast does not look promising. Remember that lawnmowing analogy? The winter chill has already set in across the south. This means it's simply too cold for any vigorous new grass growth and is why you are not mowing your lawn very often at the moment. Cool temperatures, rather than just low rainfall, also limit pasture growth. While from a distance the rain has added an emerald sheen to some of the landscape, it's often just a green tinge. Up close, it's clear there is very limited new growth; rather than abundant and vigorous new shoots, there's just a little bit of green returning to surviving grasses. This means very limited feed for livestock and, to make matters worse, sometimes the green comes from better-adapted winter weeds. There will be a lot of hay carting, regardless of rainfall, until spring, when the soils start to warm up once again and new growth returns. This all adds up to fewer stock kept in paddocks or a big extra cost in time and money for farmers – and, ultimately, a more expensive spring lamb barbecue. Southern Australia (southern WA, SA, Tasmania, Victoria and southern NSW) used to experience almost weekly rain events in autumn and early winter; cold fronts and deep low-pressure systems rolling in from the west brought the bulk of the rainfall. Now there is a far more sporadic pattern in these regions. Rainfall in the April to October crop and pasture growing season has declined by approximately 10% to 20% since the middle of last century. The strongest drying trend is evident during the crucial months between April and July. Further reductions in southern growing season rainfall are expected by the end of this century, especially in south-western Australia. South-eastern regions, including southern Victoria, parts of SA and northern Tasmania, also show a consistent drying trend, with a greater time spent in drought every decade. Drought is complex. Just because it's raining doesn't always mean it has rained enough, or at the right time, or in the right place. To make matters worse, a green drought can even deceive us into thinking everything is fine. Breaking the meteorological drought will require consistent rainfall over several months. Breaking the agricultural drought will also require more warmth in the soils. Outlooks suggest we may have to wait for spring. Andrew B. Watkins is an associate research scientist at the school of Earth, atmosphere and environment at Monash University Allie Gallant is an associate professor at the Australian Research Centre of excellent for weather of the 21st century at Monash University Pallavi Goswami is a postdoctoral research fellow in atmospheric science at Monash University This article includes scientific contributions from David Jones and Pandora Hope from the Australian Bureau of Meteorology. This article was originally published in the Conversation
News.com.au
4 days ago
- Sport
- News.com.au
Unbeaten youngster McGaw ‘bigger and stronger' for spring three-year-old campaign
A bigger and stronger version of exciting galloper McGaw is back in work to prepare for his spring three-year-old campaign. McGaw banked more than $600,000 in only two starts as a two-year-old, winning a Pakenham maiden on debut before powering to victory from a wide gate in the VOBIS Showdown at Caulfield on March 15. Those wins attracted the interest of several Hong Kong buyers but co-trainer Emma-Lee Browne said the son of I Am Immortal's owners knocked back all offers. 'There was a fair bit of interest but the owners decided to keep him,' Browne, who trains McGaw in partnership with her husband David, said. 'He's already paid for himself so they decided they'd rather race on with him.' The Brownes had the luxury of spelling McGaw at their property, giving them the opportunity to inspect the gelding almost daily. Browne said McGaw had developed the muscle to match his leggy frame in the last three months. 'He's grown more and he's a big boy now as he's put on great condition,' she said. 'He's back in about three or four weeks now. 'He's finally grown into his frame. He was quite leggy and needed to fill out but he's done that perfectly, which is exciting.' Browne said the stable aimed to have McGaw back at the races at Caulfield in the early weeks of August. 'We're looking to kick him off in the Vain (Stakes),' she said. 'We're thinking he'll probably have two jumpouts and they have some at Caulfield as well so we might head there with him.' Browne said McGaw's first two runs as a three-year-old would determine whether connections would target the Caulfield Guineas over 1600m or shorter contests. 'We have a done a gene test on him that suggests we may be able to stretch him out,' she said. 'But that's all dependent on how he settles in running and things like that. 'He's only had the two starts, and in one, he came from the back and he went forward in the other. 'We'll know a lot more after his first couple of starts.'
Yahoo
7 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
5 Revealing Analyst Questions From Tractor Supply's Q1 Earnings Call
Tractor Supply's first quarter 2025 performance was shaped by delayed spring weather and persistent pressure in big-ticket seasonal categories. Management pointed to robust customer transactions and growth in consumable, usable, and edible categories, but noted that adverse weather conditions, especially in southern markets, held back overall sales. CEO Hal Lawton described the quarter as 'softer than expected,' citing the three-week delay in spring's arrival as a major headwind, with strong winter goods offset by weaker demand for spring merchandise. Is now the time to buy TSCO? Find out in our full research report (it's free). Revenue: $3.47 billion vs analyst estimates of $3.53 billion (2.1% year-on-year growth, 1.9% miss) EPS (GAAP): $0.34 vs analyst expectations of $0.37 (9.1% miss) Adjusted EBITDA: $369.2 million vs analyst estimates of $386.1 million (10.6% margin, 4.4% miss) EPS (GAAP) guidance for the full year is $2.00 at the midpoint, missing analyst estimates by 7.5% Operating Margin: 7.2%, in line with the same quarter last year Locations: 2,517 at quarter end, up from 2,435 in the same quarter last year Same-Store Sales were flat year on year (1.1% in the same quarter last year) Market Capitalization: $27.59 billion While we enjoy listening to the management's commentary, our favorite part of earnings calls are the analyst questions. Those are unscripted and can often highlight topics that management teams would rather avoid or topics where the answer is complicated. Here is what has caught our attention. Peter Benedict (Baird) asked for clarification on the tariff assumptions embedded in near-term guidance. CEO Hal Lawton explained that Q2 guidance assumes current tariff rates remain in place and that the team is monitoring developments to adjust as needed. Bharat Rao (JPMorgan) inquired about expectations for big-ticket category improvement and the rationale behind the full-year sales range. Lawton noted that guidance assumes no significant rebound in big-ticket sales and that core needs-based categories are expected to sustain growth. Josh Young (Truist) questioned the scope and timing of vendor price increases and Tractor Supply's willingness to pass through costs. Lawton confirmed that the company has not yet taken price increases, citing ongoing uncertainty, but expects discussions to intensify in coming months. Michael Lasser (UBS) requested clarity on the relationship between tariff exposure and the company's sales and inflation assumptions in the second half. Lawton and CFO Kurt Barton explained that cost increases from tariffs incurred in Q2 will likely impact pricing and margins in the back half of the year. Steven Forbes (Guggenheim) asked about the integration and margin outlook for Tractor Supply Pet Rx. Chief Technology, Digital, and Strategy Officer Rob Mills reported strong early customer adoption and a focus on seamless digital and in-store integration, with further progress expected in coming quarters. In future quarters, the StockStory team will be watching (1) how effectively Tractor Supply manages tariff-related cost increases and potential pricing actions, (2) whether transaction growth and market share gains in needs-based categories continue to offset softness in discretionary big-ticket items, and (3) the pace of adoption and margin contribution from Tractor Supply Pet Rx and other new strategic initiatives. Execution on these priorities will be critical to navigating ongoing macroeconomic uncertainty. Tractor Supply currently trades at $52.48, up from $50.67 just before the earnings. In the wake of this quarter, is it a buy or sell? The answer lies in our full research report (it's free). Donald Trump's victory in the 2024 U.S. Presidential Election sent major indices to all-time highs, but stocks have retraced as investors debate the health of the economy and the potential impact of tariffs. While this leaves much uncertainty around 2025, a few companies are poised for long-term gains regardless of the political or macroeconomic climate, like our Top 9 Market-Beating Stocks. This is a curated list of our High Quality stocks that have generated a market-beating return of 183% over the last five years (as of March 31st 2025). Stocks that made our list in 2020 include now familiar names such as Nvidia (+1,545% between March 2020 and March 2025) as well as under-the-radar businesses like the once-small-cap company Exlservice (+354% five-year return). Find your next big winner with StockStory today.
