I’m done with 4 wheel drive vehicles for 5 - 7 people with towing capacity! I want my own little car to zip around in. It will mostly be used for suburban driving alone or with my teenager. Will use family car if all of us go somewhere. Back seat is essential but doesn’t necessarily have to be comfortable - no long hauls. I think I want an automatic but I may need a stick. I know I must have heated seats & a/c, probably a nav system and definitely I am getting premium sound this time! Should be fast - no 4 cylinder. Oh, and I’d like all this for under $50K… Ideas?
Infiniti G37 convertible with the premium package would be exactly what you’re asking for with the exception of the “probably” nav system, which would bump you just over 50 grand (though you could probably talk them down a little since new luxo cars aren’t doing so hot these days).
For about half (or less) of your budget, you could buy a Chrysler 200 convertible with all of the options that you want.
While these cars are not performance cars by any stretch of the imagination, the relatively low price would allow you to buy your mid-life crisis convertible and still have some money left over for some other toys.
This car was previously known as the Chrysler Sebring. Supposedly, there have been a number of improvements to that decidedly mediocre car. Only you really know what will fulfill your needs, so I suggest that you visit a Chrysler showroom and do a test-drive.
I’ll second the G37, meets all your specs. Just have the ‘back seater’ along for a test drive, see if it’s bearable for them. But that’ll be the case for every convertible in that price range. There’s also the Lexus IS convertible, worth a look.
For a less the Mustang with a V6 might work, I imagine you can get one optioned up with most of what you want. I’d prefer it over the Camaro convertible, but that could be another option.
p.s. - do NOT get a Saab, they’re just about out of business.
HA! I knew I was coming to the right place with my questions! I was wondering where the Sebring was! Here’s my problem with them - I have a Saturn. And although, while it was under warranty I enjoyed going into the Cadillac showroom for my warranty work, I worry the same thing would happen with Chrysler? And Saab. So you guys have nailed it - my husband has the G37S (hard top) and driving that may have been what spurred this desire! Tomorrow I’m going to drive the Lexus. The Mustang is on the short list and I may as well drive the Camaro (but don’t really wanna change my name to Donna). Any thoughts on the Volvo? And, the one I really want to drive is the Mini but the store in our neighborhood is shut - is that a bad “sign”?
Mustang convertible is great buy…reliable…good handling. That would top my list too.
You’ll need a Mini dealer/service department close at hand, so I hear. If you’re looking at the Volvo, you might also look at the BMW 128i convertible.
Under $50k and fast; Mustang GT 5.0
Consider a 2011 BMW 335i convertible. Expect to pay about $52,000 for it. Take it for a test drive and see if you like it $3500 better than the Infiniti G convertible. And the 335i will be about $3000 less than a comparably equipped IS350 convertible. But test drive them all and decide which one fits you best.
$50,000 isn’t a crisis. It’s a catastrophe. But no one mentioned the Mini-Cooper. They seem to be showing up more and more. And don’t most 4 cylinder engines have adequate power these days?
The Mini generates a lot of reliability complaints. And it’s not fast, even in S(upercharged) trim. My old 91 CRX can easily keep up with, and pass, them.
“The situation is catastrophic, but not serious.”
-Slavoj Žižek
From 100 feet I couldn’t pick out the Hondas from the Toyotas from the Nissans, or even the GMs and Fords. But the Minis are very recognizable and they are becoming very common here in rural Mississippi. I looked at the Mini site and they offer a 208 hp option and that sounds high performance but maybe these days it is anemic. Horsepower numbers are mostly calculations as none of the highly advertised outrageous horsepower engines could operate more than a few minutes at the RPM required for that power. I drove a school bus many years ago with a 110 horsepower I-6 and I seriously doubt that the 300 horsepower V-6s I see advertised would have lasted more than a few hundred miles hauling that much iron.
I test drove a base model Mini a few years back, and even the base engine was pretty quick, for just over 100hp. Curb weight is like 2200 pounds
In this day and age, most 6 cyl cars in intermediate and smaller are plenty fast enough. If you want handling and have the money to buy and maintain it, I’d also second the recommended BMW 3 series. It pretty much matches everything you want in a car in your original post.
Well, you’re right that the minis are recognizable, but you’re also right that that 208hp is anemic, especially when you consider the weight of the car.
So I went out and drove ALL the convertibles - Yesterday. I drove: The Audi A-5, a big comfy couch ride. The Lexus - both 250 and 350 - can’t put my finger on exactly why I wasn’t over the moon with that one. The Mini Cooper - luv’d that! Both Automatic and Stick. All the Beemers - not a fan of BMW. The Volvo C70 - Wow! What a car! The seats fit like they were made for me. Love this car. Then the VW Eos. Pretty darn nice. This takes 3rd place. I went down the street and drove both Mustang convertibles - this I thought would be my favorite - but it went from Best to Last. I was put off by 2 things - the interior styling, so much plastic, and this was the only convertible I drove that had a manual component. Although I wasn’t going to, I ended the day driving the E class MB. It was a fabulous luxurious ride. The Air Scarf was wonderful but at $67K, I think it is better left on the lot. All of them were “fast enough”. It comes down to the Mini and the Volvo. The Mini was fun fun fun to drive. Their ad about go-kart handling is right on. The Volvo was pure luxury and comfort. Couldn’t get two more different cars.
Let us know which of the 2 you decide on. What don’t you like about BMW?
I’ve never liked the BMW - I always feel like I have to work too hard to drive it. And I prefer a more cushy ride.
BMW makes the Mini D: