Cars We Drive!

[el Bert]



Hello I wonder if you guys woukd be willing to give some advice
I just had a crash and wrote off my car. It was a 91 Toyota that I have had since the age of 19 so you can tell I am not really a "car guy"
I need to buy a car. I've always wanted a convertible to be able to drive with the roof off and get some rays.
Money is really no object, but I wouldnt want anything too ostentatious or difficult to drive day to day. Im not over fussed about performance
It seems a lot of convertible cars are really ugly: elongated and boat-like or really feminine.
I dont mind the look of the Mercedes SLK55. I also sort of even like the aesthetic of Jeep Wranglers. So that gives you an idea of how broad my range is
PS This is not a midlife crisis Im only 31

http://pics.celebritycarsblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/brad-lukowich.jpg

Jeep Rubicon
Sports cars: Tesla Roadster(electric)
Lotus Elise
Weismann roadster if you want something you'll probably never run into.

Just depends what you want.

 

[A Y]



I thought most of you guys disliked the Boxster?

Only the ones with bad taste dislike it.

 

[mike1445]

I'm a big audi/Porsche fan but I've gotta say BMW 3 or mb sl for convertibles, I think hard tops look so much better

 

[Laurens]



Find it hard to believe that this guy is gonna go from a 91 Toyota to a Bentley GTC.

One of my friends went from a '88 Fiat Uno to an Range Rover Supercharged and Aston V8 Vantage.
He still owns that Fiat and uses it to drive to shops.

It's not common, but it happens.

 

[HRoi]



Hello I wonder if you guys woukd be willing to give some advice
I just had a crash and wrote off my car. It was a 91 Toyota that I have had since the age of 19 so you can tell I am not really a "car guy"
I need to buy a car. I've always wanted a convertible to be able to drive with the roof off and get some rays.
Money is really no object, but I wouldnt want anything too ostentatious or difficult to drive day to day. Im not over fussed about performance
It seems a lot of convertible cars are really ugly: elongated and boat-like or really feminine.
I dont mind the look of the Mercedes SLK55. I also sort of even like the aesthetic of Jeep Wranglers. So that gives you an idea of how broad my range is
PS This is not a midlife crisis Im only 31

money no object convertible, but not ostentatious, feminine or difficult to drive? doesn't really need to be high performance?

I think the Audi A5/S5 convertible is a good choice. or the Boxster S (the new one). or the BMW 3-series/M3 convertible. would suggest the 6-series but that might be what you mean by boat-like. I've always seen convertibles as be-seen-in cars so my favorites are the pretty exotics like the Ferraris and the Aston Martin Vantage, but you said nothing ostentatious.

btw the only modern convertible I've ever driven that I would consider difficult to drive is the Jeep Wrangler. what a PITA that car was on a day to day basis

 

[Find Finn]

I would buy a 3 series cab right now, as the now one is right around the corner aka a the 4 series if the rumors are true.

 

[CalTex]



btw the only modern convertible I've ever driven that I would consider difficult to drive is the Jeep Wrangler. what a PITA that car was on a day to day basis

really, why?

 

[Blackhood]

Part of me is beginning to wonder what BMW and Audi are going to do about their convergent naming strategy. A1, A3, A4, A5, A6, A7 and A8 are encroaching on 1,3,5,6,7 series. There was a time when Audi took evens and BMW took odds. I'm sure from a marketing perspective there will have to be some effort to differentiate them, lest the public perception (NOT car nerds) become hermoginised...

 

[Find Finn]

Bmw's numbering makes a whole lot more sense than Audi's I still don't fully get the A4/A5 thing, why is the A5 SB a 5 and not a 4, it's the same design? The BMW's are at least different (design wise) from number to number.

Audi's has also shot them self in the leg, by calling the A1, 1 as it didn't leave room for an Audi Up or if it's made they are going to call it the A0, which is a ****** name. (I know A2 was taken years ago).

 

[P-K-L]



Bmw's numbering makes a whole lot more sense than Audi's I still don't fully get the A4/A5 thing, why is the A5 SB a 5 and not a 4, it's the same design? The BMW's are at least different (design wise) from number to number.
Audi's has also shot them self in the leg, by calling the A1, 1 as it didn't leave room for an Audi Up or if it's made they are going to call it the A0, which is a ****** name. (I know A2 was taken years ago).

BMW's issue in many markets is that clients consider an A5 bigger=better than a 3 series coupé; same goes for X5 vs Q7 etc. This is one of the reasons why the new 3 coupé will be called 4 series...

 

[HRoi]

​

really, why?

no power - has trouble getting up a hill at even minimum highway speeds
ride is very rough on the street
no creature comforts at all
top is extremely difficult to put on/take off compared to other verts

I realize that's kind of the point of a wrangler, but he did say he didn't want something difficult to live with daily

 

[jet]

new boxster is sick, drove my buddys 06 cayman s nice car but slower than mine

 

[deepitm]



You would be surprised. Two of my friends parents clear well over 500k and drive pleb cars. BUT their homes are
I also know a guy working in finance making about 70k that drives a new CL63 AMG.

Right, and they will continue to drive pleb cars because it's a matter of choice. I know plenty of people who do the same. I do not envision them making the jump to a Phantom even though they could afford to do so.

One of my friends went from a '88 Fiat Uno to an Range Rover Supercharged and Aston V8 Vantage.
He still owns that Fiat and uses it to drive to shops.
It's not common, but it happens.

Statistical aberrations do not undermine my statement that I doubt he would go to a Bentley GTC. Anomalies are not strong evidence to refute my doubts.

If I was looking for a price-is-no-object convertible, I would get an Icon FJ40...

Saw one on Martha's Vineyard this summer. Simply awesome car. Most people won't know it's 100k, which I like. But those that know...well...instant respect.

 

[skeen7908]

Thanks for the replies everybody.

You are correct: Bentley, Ferrari etc are far too ostentatious for me plus I'd find them intimidating to drive, and would feel a little ridiculous. Supercars and the like are certainly out

I went and had a test drive binge today.
Yes the Wrangler is a POS: my kidneys still hurt.
The Porsches were nice. I drove the boxter and was driven in the 911.
I also went to Mercedes, and actually found myself liking the SLK. I drove the 350, but they had the lesser versions and the 55AMG.
The ride is very nice, the interior and controls well set out although it doesn't have the responsiveness and performance of the Porsches.

One of the other things that set it apart though was the hard roof: I feel a bit vulnerable leaving the soft roof with the car parked on the street.

The one negative imression that I had of the SLKs was that they are a little feminine: am I right?


Are there any other similar hardtop convertibles that are worth a look?

I feel now that 2 seater is the only way to go: 4 seat convertibles look a bit elongated and bloated, and Fiddy cent should be the only person to drive one.

Edit: oh wow just googled a picture of the jaguar xk on the advice of someone here. Sexy as hell. Will have to check it out.
F type looks pretty nice too. Oh ****

 

[mike1445]

i passed a charcoal Lexus IS350c convertible yesterday. Not as nice looking as an sl or slk but it was a decent looking hardtop convertible


Also, IKON FJ40 is in my dream garage