Convertible Help
Rank order your key factors. E.g., if day to day reliability and drive ability are key then no Jaguar, Audi, Tesla or a classic pony car (which I could recommend!).
If you need a new car and are not enthused about a particular car, then perhaps lease for now.
An idea -- Mazda MX5 (with soft or hard top) or more rare MX5 RF - beautiful, sexy cars or its twin, Fiat 124 (I wouldn't normally recommend a Fiat, but the 124 is essentially an MX5 with beautiful Italian coachwork and interior).
one more comment - you'd be buying used, but there are low mileage Saab convertibles to be had and Park Ave And Springfield BMW dealers (locally) will service (both were Saab dealers and are authorized Saab service/parts centers). I have a vintage Saab 'vert that is serviced by Saab techs at Springfield, and they handle it just like a new BMW (which is also in our car stable)
Are Saabs hard to service, because they are no longer in production? I would not be averse to getting a pre-owned, but would want it to be fairly new, and still be in the warranty period. Do you know when the last model year of the Saab is?
rhw said:
Mustang !!!
That was my first car when I graduated college. Loved it, but might feel ridiculous driving something so sporty as a mom in my 40's.
last year of new Saabs was 2011/12 . Parts completely available and there are local authorized service centers. My vintage 'vert required replacement of a micro switch and hydraulic top lift cylinder, which Springfield BMW easily took care of at the end of last summer.
Mustang sounds too common for you. I think the current pony cars are sort of in the Mattel Hot Wheels category, but a classic restored one - yes!
My daughter informed me that she wants a convertible when she grows up. Her friend's parents have a Mini Cooper convertible that she enjoys getting rides in.
We bought a used 2006 Toyota Solara, now has 156,000 miles and is beginning to need some major parts replacement such as power steering pump.
Toyotas are a lot less expensive than the Saab or BMWs.
Love it! Best automobile we ever bought and it's a convertible!
Best Regards,
Ron Carter
No Solaras for a long time. Only JapAnese 'verts are Lexus, Infiniti, Mazda, Nissan Z
Based on our experience, I may look for a used one from their last model year as our backup. Great Car!
sprout said:
My daughter informed me that she wants a convertible when she grows up. Her friend's parents have a Mini Cooper convertible that she enjoys getting rides in.
I think those are adorable.... do they fit 4 comfortably? I was worried it would be too "mini". Will check out the Volvo and Mazda
campbell29 said:
sprout said:
My daughter informed me that she wants a convertible when she grows up. Her friend's parents have a Mini Cooper convertible that she enjoys getting rides in.
I think those are adorable.... do they fit 4 comfortably? I was worried it would be too "mini". Will check out the Volvo and Mazda
Not sure, since it's the 8 year old who rides in it, and she's perfectly comfortable... but not sure if teens would have enough leg room.
Note; It's only a 2-door, and the trunk space is a joke.
Murano convertible was one of the shortest lived models, for good reason !
Audi A3 or A4 cabriolet? The 4 was just updated.... not sure on 3.
Son (30) looooves his Mini, as does dear friend (70), who is on her second. I have only ridden in kiddo's two-door. In that one, the back seat is very cramped for me (5'3", but neither as slim nor as agile as I once was), but he's gone skiing (200 mi. round trip?) with 2 adults in back, and just said it was "friendly."
If you like bells and whistles and engineering, in addition to distinctive, this may be a good choice. If you regularly need to transport more than 1 or 2 kids, esp. with gear, maybe not yet.
This sure looks a lot like our Solara, Don't know much about it but...
http://www.buick.com/convertible/cascada-luxury-convertible.html
Similar price point. I'll be looking into this one to replace our Solara...
Best Regards,
Ron Carter
The Buick cascada is a rebadged Opel. It's rather underpowered, has gotten lack luster reviews, and is relatively expensive. But I'm pretty confident it'll be a rarity, therefore unique!
Review summary "It's heavy and not very powerful, and that results in underwhelming acceleration and fuel economy; dashboard controls all look alike, which can be distracting on the road; tech interface is dated compared to rivals; mediocre interior quality."
If you are looking for a spirit car, test drive the latest Miata, Car of the Year 2016. This two seat roadster is an engineering marvel from the manual top that can raised or lowered in 3 seconds to the Bluetooth that lets you talk on your phone at 80 mph on the Turnpike with out the person on the other end realizing you are in a car let alone a convertible, to the short throw 6 speed stick. Plus it gets 36 mpg.
I know you are looking for 4 seats. My advice would be to buy two.
Drove the A3 and A5 yesterday. The A4 has been phased out in convertible form, I preferred the A3, but didn't really like the screen the popped out of the dashboard, and found the map app in front of me distracting. I am driving the Cascada tomorrow. I like the Enclave, so maybe I will like the Cascada. I know most people prefer the tighter more precise German drive, but I am a sucker for old lady cars, where I feel like I am sitting on my sofa while going 90mph.
If I could launch my children, I would be happy with a 2 seater, but the reality would be that my husband would drive the convertible and I would be stuck with either his or my daughter's car.
A colleague of mine blogged about driving his Tesla from NJ to CA and back. Since he has the big one, that includes free charging at Tesla stations. He paid to fill his car a few times, but not many. As a result, his total fuel cost for out-and-back was $30. Take another look at the Tesla and the (growing) map of fuel stations.
It came down to either the Cadillac CTS or the convertible, but I decided I want some sun and am done with Mom cars. So I got the upside down car.
Enjoy your new car! (It's a Buick Cascada) it's actually a kissing cousin to the Saab you once had and enjoyed, built in Germany with a lot of Saab DNA ;-)
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Now that know kids are older and husband has SUV, I want to ditch my SUV and go back to my spirit car of a convertible. Car needs to be a bit design forward, so I don't lose car in a parking lot . My car is extremely common( have actually sat in someone else's car in a parking lot before realizing it's not mine), so I want a bit unique. Must seat 4. Drove BMW, not excited.
Alternate non-convertible car would be something uncommon (no Lexus, Infinity, Acura, Mercedes, BMW), but performance oriented and not common. Drove Saabs growing up, so I want unique and quirky. Would love Tesla, but doesn't work for my frequent long distance drives.