Talk me out of this car

[ampeep]

If your body can handle getting in & out + the clutch pedal, I'd say go for it!

Used to have a RX-7, Supra, MR2 but would have problems w/ them now. Was sad to sell our IS300 but having a blast w/ our new Tesla Model S.

[splitwdw]

Quote:

Originally Posted by AllDone Thanks for the input. I guess I'll have to go drive the Miata and see if it hurts. I've been driving an automatic for two years and it's sort of sad and it seems equally sad to live in San Diego while driving a car with a fixed roof. With the amount of driving that I do, it seems silly to spend the money for another BMW. That Buick is kind of cute.

If you've got arthritis it's only going to get worse so find a convertible that's a little bigger. Small, lower to the ground vehicles are not easy to get in and out of with arthritis. We have friends in their 60's that are having trouble getting in and out of their corvettes. That was your mother's BMW wasn't it?

[VaCollector]

Seems to be more posts here trying to help you decide to actually GET the car rather than talk you out of it!

Let me see if I can help....reasons NOT to get a Miata! Health reasons like arthritis and bone density seem to be of concern...BUT don't forget:

#1 ~ You'll shoot your eye out!....no, no that's not right...oh I remember now, that's a BB gun....OK...well...how about increased insurance costs! I mean, really...you're thinking about buying a car WITHOUT A REAL TOP ON IT!!

#2 ~ You're gonna get more speeding tickets driving a sports car....specially if it's RED!

#3 ~ You're OLD and people will laugh at you and think that you are actually going thru "the change" and trying to re-live your youth!!

#4 ~ With the low ground clearance and sitting way down in those low slung seats, how in the world will you ever be able to see the traffic ahead??...less visibility...

#5 ~ Cancer....yes that's right, CANCER....driving with that top down and all of that sun ALL THE TIME, how will you even expect to avoid the skin cancer that will be HUNTING YOU DOWN!??

#5 ~ ...and while we're talking about SUN, what about the increased accidents from all of that glare and constant sun with that top down...

#6 ~ ...and I don't want to mention the health risks to all of that fresh air! I mean, if God had wanted us to breathe that stuff ALL of the time, wouldn't we all be living in the woods or something!??

So before you make your decision, please take some time to think about what is truly important in this short moment of existence for each of us...weigh all of the negatives with the sleek beauty of that gorgeous sporty Miata...picture yourself sitting in it (even if it's only in your garage cause the insurance is too much) and just how GOOD you're gonna look (unless the cancer is on your face and the scars are too bad)...and if the extra tickets and lack of visibility aren't an issue, get out there and see if it's what YOU want!

And remember, Pope Francis would give you his blessing if he could 'cause he's relegated to a Ford Fiesta...and so if it's a concern, just remember that you will be driving a MUCH better car than the Pope!



GO FOR IT and Enjoy your new Miata if it's what YOU want!....and maybe if you can ever get your a$$ out from behind the wheel, you might make some time to givee us your opinions and report on the car here...so that others might follow your lead!

[Animorph]

A used Miata might be most suitable. Not a lot of money, easy to change to something else if it gets to be too much in a few years. Suitable to lower usage. DS bought an old one that's been just fine for college and work. They seem pretty reliable.

[Animorph]

I've got to add that I'd love to get a Tesla Model S, but I drive about 2000 miles per year at best. Hard to justify anything very expensive for so little use. But it's a great chance to do something like a higher mileage older used car that used to be fun.

[aja8888]

If you want a convertible and one that is easy to get in and out of, a late model Toyota Solara convert my work. A friend's 70 year old wife has one and loves the ease of use and the open top (on occasion).

Solara.jpg

[misanman]

I think one of the reasons the Miata handles so well is that it is rear wheel drive. Front driver's are not so much fun, at least in my opinion.

Sent from my XT1575 using Early Retirement Forum mobile app

[Sonic]

If the Miata feeds your soul, has the functionality you need, and fits your budget, then go for it. I'd like to have one for weekend canyon runs, but they're way too small for a 6'4" guy. My line of sight is over the top of the windshield.
Another option for a small fun to drive convertible is a BMW 1 Series. Great driving little car. The 1 series has been replaced by the 2 series, but you can pick up a low mileage 128 or 135 convertible for around the same price as a new Miata, although the BMW will of course have a higher cost of ownership.

[aaronc879]

Quote:

Originally Posted by aja8888 To add clarity...and it (the diesel issue) really wasn't about MPG, just NOx.

My understanding is that the fix will result in a decrease in MPG therefore it is about MPG in addition to NOx. I'd be more upset by the reduced MPG than the excess NOx. Of course you only need to "fix" it if you live in a state with annual emission testing.

[aja8888]

Quote:

Originally Posted by aaronc879 My understanding is that the fix will result in a decrease in MPG therefore it is about MPG in addition to NOx. I'd be more upset by the reduced MPG than the excess NOx. Of course you only need to "fix" it if you live in a state with annual emission testing.

That may be your understanding, but lower MPG has not been specifically expressed by VW. SCR equipped cars, like mine, will see more urea injection after exhaust (into catalyst) while LNT cars will probably see a removal of the LNT system and a retrofit with an SCR one. Currently, I use about $2.00 worth of urea per 6,000 miles. I expect that to double with the added injection of it.

We may see a loss of a few HP at top end speed (as stated by VW of America CEO Horn to Congress), but that has no significant relation to efficiency of the engine performance overall. Surprisingly, the EPA MPG "numbers" are routinely exceeded by all these cars, and that has been the case with the other 2009 - 2015 VW's and Audi's that meet the NOx standard.

Whatever happens, you can bet this will be a huge cost to VW and a bust of their reputation. (All this is because in 2007 - 08, VW did not want to pay the Mercedes group for a license on their emissions technology, which now they will probably have to)

[AllDone]

I wandered into the Mazda dealer for a test drive. That little sucker was fun to drive and shifting was fine, but trips to Home Depot might be tricky. My spouse hates the idea altogether and is picturing some sort of reliable sedan. My eighty year old neighbor drives a red convertible Mustang.

[eytonxav]

I have been a sports car purist for most of my life and used to scoff at automatics. But todays automatics are so good, and if you live in an area with heavy traffic, I for one, would not opt for a manual. Also, getting in and out of a low sports car may be a challenge for some as we age.

[W2R]

Quote:

Originally Posted by AllDone I wandered into the Mazda dealer for a test drive. That little sucker was fun to drive and shifting was fine, but trips to Home Depot might be tricky. My spouse hates the idea altogether and is picturing some sort of reliable sedan. My eighty year old neighbor drives a red convertible Mustang.

Well, an SUV or pickup would be better for trips to Home Depot, I suppose. And then, a reliable sedan would be so easy to get in and out of. A red convertible Mustang might be pretty easy to get in and out of, too (never tried it).

Looks like you have a lot of decisions to make! But they're all good.

If it makes you feel any better, I thought of buying a new car last week, even though I don't actually need one but just feel aggravated by all the electronics in my present SUV bossing me around. However, honestly I couldn't decide on any vehicle that I would like better than what I've got already. Seems they've all got bossy electronics, and some of the other electronics I strongly do not want to do without. Examples are keyless entry, push button ignition, extremely adjustable seat with lumbar support, and push button to open the rear door/entry to get to the cargo area.

So, that idea is on the back burner for a few more years. Maybe by then something better will appear on the horizon.

[splitwdw]

Quote:

Originally Posted by AllDone I wandered into the Mazda dealer for a test drive. That little sucker was fun to drive and shifting was fine, but trips to Home Depot might be tricky. My spouse hates the idea altogether and is picturing some sort of reliable sedan. My eighty year old neighbor drives a red convertible Mustang.

What is your husband driving? Doesn't he have a reliable sedan to pick up stuff at Home Depot? Doesn't matter what your neighbor drives. If you liked the Miata and had no problem shifting or getting in and out, go buy it.

[Sonic]

Quote:

Originally Posted by aaronc879 My understanding is that the fix will result in a decrease in MPG therefore it is about MPG in addition to NOx.

Correct. Consumer Reports just tested a a couple of Jetta's by hacking the ECM into test (cheat) mode and found a 3-4 mpg decrease as well as an almost 1 second increase in 0-60 times.

[Animorph]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sonic Correct. Consumer Reports just tested a a couple of Jetta's by hacking the ECM into test (cheat) mode and found a 3-4 mpg decrease as well as an almost 1 second increase in 0-60 times.

Assuming the fix is just to leave it in the test mode 100% of the time.

[RunningBum]

Quote:

Originally Posted by W2R If it makes you feel any better, I thought of buying a new car last week, even though I don't actually need one but just feel aggravated by all the electronics in my present SUV bossing me around. However, honestly I couldn't decide on any vehicle that I would like better than what I've got already. Seems they've all got bossy electronics, and some of the other electronics I strongly do not want to do without. Examples are keyless entry, push button ignition, extremely adjustable seat with lumbar support, and push button to open the rear door/entry to get to the cargo area. So, that idea is on the back burner for a few more years. Maybe by then something better will appear on the horizon.

Just curious, what are the bossy electronics? Other than seat belt warning chimes, I can't think of any. And door open alarms, which seem useful.

I suppose there are the newer systems that warn when you drift out of your lane or are following too closely or stuff like that, but that seems like a good thing. It's also an option on about every car I looked at last year, so you can get one without it.

Maybe the maintenance reminders? I can shut mine off, but then I have to tell the service dept not to turn them on again.

[Dash man]

I'm actually looking for s new car with some of those bossy electronics. I specifically want the blind spot monitoring since arthritis in my neck makes it harder to check the blind spot these days. AWD would help during the winter months here in PA and some of the other safety features are desirable too. I'm probably getting the Acura TLX but want to check some of the other options out there too. DW wants to check out a BMW, but will likely be too much. We already looked at Lexus and ruled them out. I'm avoiding Audi because of the VW ethics issue and if I look at a Mercedes I'm sure I'd like it, but would end up spending too much. Should just go to the Acura dealer, but test driving cars is too fun.


Sent from my iPhone using Early Retirement Forum

[aja8888]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Animorph Assuming the fix is just to leave it in the test mode 100% of the time.

Correct!

The EPA mileage test mode has exceptions during the test for non-test mode actual driving conditions. It's not straight forward and it applies to all cars that are tested. Wide open throttle is one exception and heavy load conditions is another. VW and other cars are granted those exceptions routinely as there is no EPA emissions testing done for vehicles in motion on roads.

VW is being crucified (and rightfully so) for lying to EPA then admitting they rigged the test on the dyno (front wheels on the machine only).

Also, do we believe Consumer Reports is a verified and certified testing authority? I thought they specialized in reporting consumer complaints like the seats aren't comfy and my engine is using oil?

[Peter]

[QUOTE=aja8888;1652419
Also, do we believe Consumer Reports is a verified and certified testing authority? I thought they specialized in reporting consumer complaints like the seats aren't comfy and my engine is using oil? [/QUOTE]

My thought exactly.