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Need some advice on which way to go. I originally wanted a Miata ND ST manual Club with Brembo/BBS but my wife has vetod the option.
New criteria
- 4 seat convertible (room for an infant car seat)
- 2012 or Newer
- Budget $20-$35k
- blend of luxury and performance
My preference is something lighter with a hardtop and manual but am flexiable on these. I would prefer options like heated and ventilated Seats but also flexible. Also a strong preference for V8 or V/I6.
My initial inclination are the following options:
BMW 435i or 440i
235i or 240i
Merc E350 or E550
Audi S5
Camaro 2SS (‘16 or newer)
Mustang GT
Older 911 (997.1 as the .2 is out of budget)
Any other suggestions? Not sure Japan even makes an option and never liked the Solaras. I really would have loved a Miata older Boxster or bass Jag Ftype just doesn’t meet the wife’s criteria.
Japan does have options - Infiniti G37 Convertible. Hardtop, 4 seater, 330HP V6, I believe it comes in manual but might be hard to find and may have stopped offering after a certain year. I know you can get heated seats on it but not sure about ventilated. It also can be found for around $20k. If you are open to an auto you will find a lot more. They also have the Lexus IS250C/350C which is hardtop as well. The 250 is a dog though and the 350 I believe is auto only. Out of your choices I'd go with the Camaro or Mustang, can probably get almost new or new for $35k
Do you have "his and hers" cars or just one car between you?
Years ago we had a VW convertible for me and she drove a mid size wagon. The VW was great for going to the beach and the wagon hauled kids and their gear plus groceries, etc. I could put a canoe on the roof rack and tow a trailer. That was a great combination.
As time passed and my driving involved more and more urban traffic, I found that a stick shift became a PITA.
Japan does have options - Infiniti G37 Convertible. Hardtop, 4 seater, 330HP V6, I believe it comes in manual but might be hard to find and may have stopped offering after a certain year. I know you can get heated seats on it but not sure about ventilated. It also can be found for around $20k. If you are open to an auto you will find a lot more. They also have the Lexus IS250C/350C which is hardtop as well. The 250 is a dog though and the 350 I believe is auto only. Out of your choices I'd go with the Camaro or Mustang, can probably get almost new or new for $35k
Thanks I'll have to lookup the G37 for some reason I thought they stopped producing them years ago. The Lexus will be a hard pass for me not a fan of their verts.
Yeah I'd love an old classic vert but doesn't fit the wife's criteria.. She wants New(ish). I also will be be primarily driving this in the mountains of utah 3 seasons. The extra HP/TQ will be nice from the V8's but also turbo 6's will help for power loss at elevation.
Quote:
Originally Posted by cdelena
If it was me I would find an E550. Would fit your requirements, be a nice drive, and hold value fairly well.
Thanks the E550's are a sweet vehicle. I wish they had a hardtop like the BMW 435i as that would make it a slam dunk choice.
Need some advice on which way to go. I originally wanted a Miata ND ST manual Club with Brembo/BBS but my wife has vetod the option.
New criteria
- 4 seat convertible (room for an infant car seat)
- 2012 or Newer
- Budget $20-$35k
- blend of luxury and performance
My preference is something lighter with a hardtop and manual but am flexiable on these. I would prefer options like heated and ventilated Seats but also flexible. Also a strong preference for V8 or V/I6.
My initial inclination are the following options:
BMW 435i or 440i
235i or 240i
Merc E350 or E550
Audi S5
Camaro 2SS (‘16 or newer)
Mustang GT
Older 911 (997.1 as the .2 is out of budget)
Any other suggestions? Not sure Japan even makes an option and never liked the Solaras. I really would have loved a Miata older Boxster or bass Jag Ftype just doesn’t meet the wife’s criteria.
I've driven all of those except for the BMW 4 series. I own an E550 (sedan) and have a 911 turbo (coupe).
I would cross off the Camaro and Mustang immediately, they will not have the luxury feel you are looking for.
The BMW 440i will be out of your price range, as it wasn't available until 2016/2017. The other BMW choices will be lesser vehicles than an E550, as they are more on par with the E350, but smaller. (The 4 series was the 3 series after all, while the E class competes with the 5 series.)
Not a fan of Audi.
The Porsche would be a lot of fun... but the backseat will be very cramped with a car seat, and your child will have no trouble kicking the back of your expensive sport seats. For your budget, you also wouldn't be able to get an S model, and would likely only find high mileage, bare bones models.
Quote:
Originally Posted by cdelena
If it was me I would find an E550. Would fit your requirements, be a nice drive, and hold value fairly well.
This. You should be able to get an E550 with 30k miles or so for about $30k, with a usable back seat and the 4.7l twin turbo engine that is probably faster than anything on your list with the exception of an 8 spd automatic Camaro.
At the end of your age range, you could also find a Volvo C70. The C70 is a hardtop convertible and offers decent performance and Swedish luxury, and would likely be an affordable option. With the 2.5T, it's a reliable drive train that has been in use for years, so should be pretty reliable with routine maintenance.
I would also look at the Mercedes, especially as the E-Class convertibles offer more room in the rear seat for the car seat than some of the other options. I'd have to skip the Porsche with your requirements, as you could find an older model, but the rear seat is not the best, and you would have little to no room in which to grow. Infiniti has so-so reliability when compared with other vehicles, especially as they age, where the Audi would likely be more reliable, overall.
BMW can be good as well, but the rear seat can get cramped, which is not too bad of an option with an infant, but can be a pain with a forward facing car seat that does not dock. The Mercedes is hard to beat, offering the best overall package for the requirements with a necessary car seat.
It could be worse, though, as your wife could have said you had to get something like a Buick Cascada, which is not toured for sport at all.
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All the world's a stage, and all the men and women merely players: they have their exits and their entrances; and one man in his time plays many parts, his acts being seven ages.
~William Shakespeare (As You Like It Act II, Scene VII)
My preference is something lighter with a hardtop and manual but am flexiable on these. I would prefer options like heated and ventilated Seats but also flexible. Also a strong preference for V8 or V/I6.
2012 BMW M3 could probably be had for right at the top of your budget. Hardtop, manual, 4 seats, heated seats (not ventilated) and V8. This is the car that I own (Well, I have a 2011. Same thing).
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