Sporty Convertible Advice

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Oldswagon

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My father is getting motorcycling due to his age and wants to get a sporty convertible in place of his bike. He is retired and likes to travel on long trips, so comfort, a usable trunk and somewhat decent highway fuel economy are important to him. That said the car will likely see maybe 5000 or 6000 miles per year during the warm six months of the year. Good handling is and fun to drive are also important. Reliability is also important as he plans to keep this car until he gives up his licence (should be about 20 years).

So far he has looked at Corvette C6's, Mazda MX-5, Mustang and Camaro. He'd probably get one of the last three new, but the Vette would have to be used. He also looked at the 370z, but ruled it out because of the trunk (which was even smaller than the Miata). He has looked at some of the German offerings (they would have to be used), but is not keen on them due to no BMW or Porsche dealers anywhere near him.

Any opinions or experiences?
 
I'd say a 3 series convertible. Hard to go wrong there. Just buy it from another beemer dealer a little farther away or private party.
 
I would suggest a used C6 Corvette...

We own a 2009 convertible with the 6sp manual; great car to travel in for the wife and I and loads of fun. Ours is the "base" model but it is a very comfortable ride and gets close to 30 MPG on the interstate if the cruise is set at the speed limit. With the concerns about age, I would suggest looking for an automatic- the new 6sp autos get great milage as well, have proven very reliable and many times are actually cheaper than a manual (perceived desirability).

I have also been very surprised at just how incresibly reliable the car has been- zero issues and silly easy to service.

/r

Allen
 
I have a 08 Corvette vert auto and it has been flawless no problems,30k mi and it gets 27mpg at highway speeds...Pete
 
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You can buy modified MGBs with Chevy V6 engines, seat heaters, improved radio, air conditioning, and an automatic (if he prefers) for less than a used Corvette. I have a friend who retired 2 years ago, modified his MGB for long road trips, and 12,000 miles since with no English car issues. Your dad would however have to be a bit of an MG enthusiasts to take my advise, but they are fun cars.
 
A Honda S2000 also fits the description pretty well. It has received accolades throughout its life and in the past year has been referred to as a future classic by many sources.
If he goes for an '04-'08 the extra torque of the F22C1 makes a huge difference in everyday driveability, it's reliable as any Honda (has a timing chain), and when developing the car they had a design requirement that the trunk be able to hold a fully loaded golf bag (it easily holds enough for me, my wife, and dog to go away for the weekend).
 
Originally Posted By: gofast182
A Honda S2000 also fits the description pretty well. It has received accolades throughout its life and in the past year has been referred to as a future classic by many sources.
If he goes for an '04-'08 the extra torque of the F22C1 makes a huge difference in everyday driveability, it's reliable as any Honda (has a timing chain), and when developing the car they had a design requirement that the trunk be able to hold a fully loaded golf bag (it easily holds enough for me, my wife, and dog to go away for the weekend).


+1 It's a little more expensive than a Miata but would also be a good choice. Only thing to look out for is the timing chain tensioner.
 
05-09 Mustang Vert. They are getting cheaper and are great cars. If he wants the power he can go GT for around 15K with decent mileage. And he can customize it more than any other car..
 
Miata or S2000 are good choices. I've had two Chrysler Crossfire roadsters and found them to be great for long distance trips. They're basically an MB SLK with a Chrysler body assembled by Karmann. 30 MPGs on the freeway with the manual transmission and prices less than a comparable Miata.
The new 'Vette for $53K sticker is a lot of car for the money.
 
What kind of motorcycles did he ride? If it was something reasonably nimble, probably he'd love a Miata or S2000. An older miata especially has a mechanical direct feel of a bike. He could even find one without PS.
 
S2000? 5 cuft of storage space wouldn't even get me to Costco and back. That, and having to rev it to 7000 rpms in order to get it to go (and feel all 162 ft-lbs!), doesn't sound too fun to me.
 
Also I think there are miata clubs with older members who actually do tours together. The fellow that bought my Dad's miata, bought a motorcycle trailer for it and goes with a few other couples on short and long road trips together.
I hate to say it, but probably a slower car is better for slower reaction times as he can push it the odd time without hitting 70mph in second gear...
We had a 70+ year old guy come out to do autocross for the first time with his early Miata. He had fun and the car didn't get away from him too much. The odd time you could see he'd go WO where he shouldn't but quickly realized it and recovered without alot of drama.
 
Originally Posted By: bdcardinal
Saturn Sky / Pontiac Solstice?

For a pretty car, absolutely. But the GM parts-bin engineering is inferior to the S2000 which really shows when driving hard and by any measure it's not as much outright fun as a Miata.
 
SL, great GT car with a proper metal top, and they hold their value better than anything else on his list except maybe for the Corvette. They drop in value until they are about 25 years old than start ticking up again. R107's are starting the creep up, good ones go for more than good W129's.
 
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I like the way your dad thinks. For a long time I've wanted an S2000 as a sport-bike replacement. If I wanted something with a little more space and a little more comfort I suppose I'd go with a Corvette. If I was doing exceptionally well financially I think an SL would be the way to go.
 
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