For all you sports car owners, what's a good convertible to get? - Page 1

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[ARCHIVED THREAD] - For all you sports car owners, what's a good convertible to get? (Page 1 of 6)

Posted: 3/10/2023 10:39:50 AM EDT

I'm tossing around the idea of getting a 2 door convertible for the wife and I to drive and have fun with. Something to take to the mountains, short road trips, getting involved with the local car clubs etc. The closest thing to a sports car I've bought for myself was an Acura RSX Type S about 18 years ago. And except for a BMW 330i that I owned for several years about 15 years ago, all of my other vehicles have been trucks and 2 suvs, so it would be neat to have something completely different from what I'm used to.

Purchasing used, price would preferably be under $30k. So far on my list of potential options are the Porsche Boxster, Mazda MX-5, Mini Cooper, Ford Mustang and the BMW Z4.

What's a good car to get, and if you've owned one, what was your experience like, and would you buy one again?

Pictures below for reference.

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Posted: 3/10/2023 10:41:04 AM EDT

[#1]

Miata if you are gay
Mustang if you are gay and hate crowds

Posted: 3/10/2023 10:44:54 AM EDT

[#2]

Boxster or a Miata.

Posted: 3/10/2023 10:48:18 AM EDT

[#3]

I have a 1979 MG Midget for sale

Posted: 3/10/2023 10:48:32 AM EDT

[#4]

Boxster.

Posted: 3/10/2023 10:52:59 AM EDT

[#5]

I liked my 95 mustang gt convertible. Managed to not hit any crowds in it the whole time i had it.

How about build yourself a factory five cobra?

Posted: 3/10/2023 10:54:25 AM EDT

[#6]

Miata.

Posted: 3/10/2023 10:56:05 AM EDT

[#7]

Jeep Wrangler because the doors and top come off. Largest car club in America.

Posted: 3/10/2023 11:00:08 AM EDT

[#8]

I would suggest that you have her drive it because it’s not unusual for people to like the way the car looks but hate the way it drives. I’m not a sports car purist. I prefer GT type cars that are a bit more comfortable for road trips. I have a jaguar XK8, and a Lexus lS350 C, among several other non-convertible, sporty cars. We had never even thought about the Lexus. We were looking at getting a Porsche Boxster, but as soon as my wife saw the Lexus that’s what she wanted, and there was no changing her mind. It grew on me eventually.

Posted: 3/10/2023 11:00:44 AM EDT

[#9]

OP are you transitioning to a male or female?

Posted: 3/10/2023 11:01:01 AM EDT

[#10]

Miata all day everyday, it’s the only answer.

Posted: 3/10/2023 11:01:23 AM EDT

[#11]

Have had convertibles in Mustang, Miata and 911. All have their strengths. Each is very different from the others. The best wa6 for you to know what you’ll enjoy is to go test drive them (and, not just around the block). You can also rent them on Turo or Sixt, which is a great way to test them out.

Posted: 3/10/2023 11:02:07 AM EDT

[#12]

If Porsche is an option, Porsche is the answer.

Posted: 3/10/2023 11:04:25 AM EDT

[#13]

I’ve had a Honda S2000 since 2009 and highly recommend.

Posted: 3/10/2023 11:06:31 AM EDT

[#14]

Quote History

Quoted:
Miata if you are gay
Mustang if you are gay and hate crowds

View Quote

Monster Miata enters the chat.

Posted: 3/10/2023 11:06:39 AM EDT

[#15]

I bought a low milage Chrysler crossfire (Mercedes slk drivetrain)

I have a coupe, but the convertibles are pretty nice.

They are way under valued right now mine was $7500 with 26k miles two years ago
I daily drive mine and have 50k miles

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Posted: 3/10/2023 11:08:06 AM EDT

[#16]

I was not a Miata guy. Wife had always wanted one, and four years ago, she got it. It had to go back to the dealer for some electronics upgrade, and she asked me if I wanted to drive it down.
I'm a truck guy (taco) since about 2000, and have some old pony cars that I tinker with. Definitely not a Miata guy.

I wasn't halfway to the dealership in her car before I knew I was going to order one when I got there. Absolutely the most fun I've had driving a car since I was a teenager...it was that same feeling, actually.

Posted: 3/10/2023 11:10:15 AM EDT

[#17]

Convertibles suck. I have one and hate it.

Posted: 3/10/2023 11:11:56 AM EDT

[#18]

Miata
Is
Always
The
Answer

There's a reason they're the most-raced car in the world. Also, they're just a British roadster made in Japan. If an MGB or a Jag E-Type isn't gay, then neither is the Miata.

Posted: 3/10/2023 11:13:15 AM EDT

[#19]

Quote History

Quoted:
Convertibles suck. I have one and hate it.

View Quote

Convertible versions of non-convertibles suck.

Posted: 3/10/2023 11:15:23 AM EDT

[#20]

Boxster.

Posted: 3/10/2023 11:15:27 AM EDT

[#21]

Buick Cascadia

/Thread

Posted: 3/10/2023 11:16:00 AM EDT

[#22]

Quote History

Quoted:
Convertibles suck. I have one and hate it.

View Quote

Mine has ruined me. Enclosed cars now feel 'stuffy' to me.

I live in the desert, though...not much weather here.

Posted: 3/10/2023 11:17:46 AM EDT

[#23]

Quote History

Quoted:
I bought a low milage Chrysler crossfire (Mercedes slk drivetrain)

I have a coupe, but the convertibles are pretty nice.

They are way under valued right now mine was $7500 with 26k miles two years ago
I daily drive mine and have 50k miles

https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/65995/0F6BBCB5-C3D0-49A9-9426-595CB9070A03_png-2740427.JPG

View Quote

My wife and I took our 911 out the other day with a friend and his wife, they in their convertible Crossfire.

Nice little car, I was impressed.

Posted: 3/10/2023 11:17:48 AM EDT

[#24]

Out of the ones posted, no Mini or BMW

Posted: 3/10/2023 11:21:43 AM EDT

[#25]

Any reason a C6 Corvette isn't on your list?

Posted: 3/10/2023 11:21:45 AM EDT

[#26]

Quote History

Quoted:
Miata if you are gay
Mustang if you are gay and hate crowds

View Quote

I knew there would be some gay comments. lol
I get that small convertibles may not be the manliest of vehicles out there, but the ones I've driven have been fun. I daily drive an F-350, so I figure that will offset some of the gayness of owning one.

I've always wanted a Porsche, so that one is fairly high on the list. There is one I found that seems like it's pretty clean that I would like to test drive this weekend.

Posted: 3/10/2023 11:25:11 AM EDT

[#27]

Congrats on your pending AARP membership.

Posted: 3/10/2023 11:27:21 AM EDT

[#28]

Quote History

Quoted:
Any reason a C6 Corvette isn't on your list?

View Quote

Personal preference really. For some reason it just doesn't do anything for me. I know that they are great cars, but I just can't get into them.

Posted: 3/10/2023 11:27:57 AM EDT

[#29]

Easy - MX5 or 718.

Posted: 3/10/2023 11:31:03 AM EDT

[#30]

MX-5

Posted: 3/10/2023 11:32:58 AM EDT

[#31]

Quote History

Quoted:
I’ve had a Honda S2000 since 2009 and highly recommend.

https://www.hkpro.com/media/d584259a-8a04-4b8f-9260-c9ddf0ef733e-jpeg.274300/full

View Quote

Just another thing Honda screwed up by killing it off.

I swear sometimes it seems like Honda is just into killing itself slowly.

Posted: 3/10/2023 11:33:33 AM EDT

[#32]

NC or ND Miata would be my first choice.

Ecoboost Mustang Premium would be another option if you want some more room and some amenities. The track pack you can get for it is pretty nice and it's pretty balanced with the turbo 4 up front.

Posted: 3/10/2023 11:34:33 AM EDT

[#33]

Quote History

Quoted:
Miata
Is
Always
The
Answer

View Quote View All Quotes

View All Quotes

Quote History

Quoted:
Miata
Is
Always
The
Answer

Attached File

Quoted:
Also, they're just a British roadster made in Japan.

Which means you don't have to worry about Lucas, prince of darkness.

Posted: 3/10/2023 11:35:25 AM EDT

[#34]

If you're over 6' tall, prepare to leave the top down anytime you're in the Miata.

Posted: 3/10/2023 11:36:07 AM EDT

[#35]

There is a rule posted at the local race track:

"If two heterosexual men are in the same Miata, they must be wearing racing helmets for the purpose of disambiguation."

Posted: 3/10/2023 11:37:04 AM EDT

[#36]

LC 500 if you want a very drivable and comfortable touring car.

Posted: 3/10/2023 11:37:34 AM EDT

[#37]

Quote History

Quoted:
If you're over 6' tall, prepare to leave the top down anytime you're in the Miata.

View Quote

Top should only be up if it's raining or for storage anyway.

Posted: 3/10/2023 11:37:40 AM EDT

[#38]

Mini Cooper isn't a sports car.

Posted: 3/10/2023 11:37:46 AM EDT

[#39]

A friend of mine got a newer MX5 and had nothing but issues. He blew 3 trannies before trading it in.

I mean manual transmissions! I'm serious.

ETA: No Murano CrossCabriolet on your list?

Posted: 3/10/2023 11:41:14 AM EDT

[#40]

Quote History

Quoted:
A friend of mine got a newer MX5 and had nothing but issues. He blew 3 trannies before trading it in.

View Quote

That's the first I've heard of any serious issues. But to be fair, most of the people I hang around are all NA and NB, not so many NDs.

Posted: 3/10/2023 11:42:49 AM EDT

[#41]

Convertibles make lousy sports cars. Without a roof structure to add regidity to the chassis, 300+ pounds of additional structure have to be added to the car to meet crash standards whihc negatively impacts handling and acceleration.

Posted: 3/10/2023 11:43:31 AM EDT

[#42]

My NB1:

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It's not stock.

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Posted: 3/10/2023 11:43:33 AM EDT

[#43]

Op you want a roadster not a convertible.

Posted: 3/10/2023 11:46:05 AM EDT

[#44]

Quote History

Quoted:
I've had a Honda S2000 since 2009 and highly recommend.

View Quote

You can still find a really nice one for $30K, but the prices are steadily climbing so the sooner the better.
I prefer the 2002-2003's (AP1's) that still have the 9,000 rpm engine, but also add the glass rear window.