Sporty cars and awd wagons are common as dirt
An attractive 53yr old getting out of a big truck will get a lot more attention
@Bing: “another ten years and you won’t care”. Ack! No way! I’m having more fun now than I’ve ever had! Like @Docnick points out about older women…besides, I still snowboard!
@dagosa: you got me thinking. Mazda Rotary wagon, Toyota PU, Toyota Carrola wagon, Toyota 4x4 extended cab, Subaru Impreza, now the VW wagon. I’ve gone without a car (gasp!) several years as an adult.
I really like the Mazda3 suggestion, especially because it’s a 4-door but still kind of sporty. What about 2009/10 or so? Not too pricey to maintain? I’ll have to check out the cargo capacity. I’d love to go back to a sassy truck, but having my cowgirl boots on when I get out of ANY car does help. LOL!
Wow, NO one picked up the mistake in her post? I can’t be the only one with enough brain cells left to catch this.
Suzanne Sommers was not driving a Corvette in American Graffiti, she was driving a 56 Thunderbird with the hardtop installed.
A 53 yo woman in a 56 T-bird would get MY attention!
I was wondering how long the TBird reference would wait…
@MaryGeorge - That Mazda 3 is a great idea. Find the nicest one you can get for your budget.
How about a summer car? A Crossfire is a thought!
I guess I was paying more attention to the 58 Chevy. I still think a girl in a pick up truck with a cowboy hat and boots makes an impression. Maybe its the South Dakota in me or something but sometimes you don’t want to have a better car than the guy. Way back I had a 59 VW and my girl friend had a 58 Chevy. Then she got a job and bought a 68 Chevelle. It was all down hill after that. I’m sure it was the car.
Boxster , no doubt about it. Convertible of course.
@MaryGeorge You are on a budget and want something that costs less to operate than a Volkswagen. The Mazda3 is bulletproof, economical to operate and a blast to drive. My son has a 2004 9red of course) with 130,00 miles on it and it has not had any major repairs yet.
The way to attract attention from the right persons is to put a ski/snowboard rack on a red Mazda3 Sport.
It depends on a lot of things. What signals are you trying to send, and who do you want receiving them. Want to impress 20 year old young men, or older ones with equivalent maturity? Get the muscle car recommended above. Want a car with poor traction in slippery conditions (that also have no carrying capability)? Get one of the new retro muscle cars.
The “cube” cars from Japan (Scion, Soul, etc) have a following, but I doubt you are after that demographic. They are a more practical solution, however.
I personally admire the Euro wagons, for their practicality, while still retaining some fun-to-drive characteristics. But it sounds like your VW wagon isn’t doing it for you. Have you considered personalizing it, or dressing it up?
Spend your money on a good used Corolla. The heads you want to turn and keep turned are those who get to know you for who you are and not what you drive. I think I speak for many who say that relying on a car for attention works about as well for ladies as it does for men. That is to say, very little. Ask yourself. How impressed are you with a car as far as head turning is concerned ?
In addition to the Scion XB/Nissan Cube or a Mazda3 you should look for a Toyota Matrix or Pontiac Vibe which are wagons based on the corolla platform. Honda Element would be another possibility. My aunt was looking for some of the same things back around 2006 and we had her look at the Element and the CRV since she had her '88Crx that was too rusty to drive any more. After looking at several options she bought a bright red Toyota Matrix to haul various things for her photograpy/artwork hobbies. It somewhat depends on how much room you need.
All those cars you mentioned are geared toward 20somethings and 30somethings
Not the kind of guys OP is trying to snare . . .
IF you get the Mazda 3, get the hatchback. It has better looks.
The Ford Mustang seems to be a favorite around here for the demographics of the OP. But not sure if they are getting anywhere with it.
Have an acquaintance that is a single female, tried out leasing a MB SLK coupe convertible for 2 years and now she is driving a Corolla.
The SLK has a very short wheelbase, and not surprisingly, a pretty rough ride
By the time OP has the attention she wants, she’ll have a sore back
I think that, in order for me to really take notice of her, the OP would need to be driving something like a Bentley Continental in a nice bright shade of red, or perhaps a bright yellow Ferrari of any type. Is a used Bentley or Ferrari w/in her budget?
Whom do you wish to take notice ?
Choose the bait to target the fish you hope to catch.
Build the bird house to attract those birds that will use that type.
The balance for the OP is trying to find something that catches peoples attention while also providing decent practicality, @VCDdriver you could possibly find a used Rolls Royce or Bentley for the $15k budget but without the right expert looking over the car before you buy it you could end up with a car that needs $10,000-$15,000 in deferred services and repairs.
“@VCDdriver you could possibly find a used Rolls Royce or Bentley for the $15k budget but without the right expert looking over the car before you buy it you could end up with a car that needs $10,000-$15,000 in deferred services and repairs”
I didn’t say that I would buy a used Bentley, RR, or Ferrari, and–trust me–I am far too practical a person to even consider the purchase of a used, super-luxury car. However, I did answer the OP’s question regarding what type of car would make me sit up & take notice.
Are those cars practical? Absolutely not.
Would they make her noticeable? Absolutely yes!
Any car or woman with a convertible top that is down will attract attention… : )
"Any car or women with a convertible top that is down will attract attention…
"
Spoken like a "typical " male. ;=>)