Talk me out of this car

aja8888 said:
If you decide you don't want a convertible, but want a sports sedan, have a look at the 2016 VW GTI. Well equipped for ~high $20's and runs with the best of them.
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And best of all, it gets 90 mpg!! Well, maybe.
 
I recently went through the same decision process. Only I wanted a useable back seat for my grandkids. I'm now driving a 2014 Mustang V6 Premium convertible, but of course only on nice days. Very sporty and fast enough with 305 hp. It's automatic but has the sports mode + a button shifter. Also has programmable power steering.
 
ls99 said:
Hmmm, arthritis all over the place and a car needing a shoe horn to get into. How you gonna get out of it?

Might consider a restored 96 Buick Radmaster, comfy, rides like a land yacht, had one of the best engines of the day, LT1 also used in Corvettes and 9C1 Police cruisers.
1996 Buick Roadmaster station wagon
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I am fortunate to have no arthritis anywhere in my bones and am not overweight. I am still nimble enough to do squat exercises, stand up from a sitting position without using hands, pull myself to a chin up, etc... But I find sports car seats uncomfortable. I also stop caring for a stick shift more than 2 decades ago; too much work, and not as fun as I was younger. A car is now just something to move me from point A to point B. I care for comfort and safety. The love of speed, acceleration, or the "fun" of driving is long gone.

But I will pass on your "land yacht" suggestion though.
 
My sister is on her third Mazda Miata over many years.

She is now in her mid/late sixties and switched over to an automatic transmission. She found clutching to be a problem with her back.

All three have been excellent. Just the usual, scheduled maintenance. She swears by them.
 
HFWR said:
Recently had a Chevy Cruze rental. Plenty of room inside, but I had to scrunch down to get in. Needed a frickin' helmet..
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I don't believe that. There is more room in a Cruze than many other cars. It is kind of amazing the amount of room in that compact car. I'm a tall fellow, and I could wear a brimmed hat in that car if I wanted to.

Did you use the side handle to adjust the seat down ?
 
I've been a sports car guy for the last almost 50 years. I'm also a glutton for punishment being an owner of a Jaguar XK8 convertible.

But the Miata is undoubtedly the finest sports car that's ever been built. And the new version is even better--updated engineering.

Think of the Miata as a MGB with electrical and fuel systems that actually work.
 
DW has a 2007 MX5,it was her mid-life crisis vehicle. It's an automatic with paddle shifters, spec wise 0-60 faster than the 5 speed.

It is an incredible blast to drive, it will out maneuver just about anything on the road and after driving it on the twisties I can see why it is the most popular sports car in the world.

It sits low to the ground so if you have trouble with aches & pains that might be a problem for you as far as getting in & out.. Also, since its a zoom-zoom type of sports car the ride is harsh and noisy. But the maneuverability is incredible.

I suspect we will always have a Miata in our garage until the end. We can drive it year round here in the desert SW. Nothing beats a convertible in this scenery. :dance:

As someone else suggested, why not test drive a few. They aren't normally available in the rental market, but maybe a dealer would "rent" one out to you for a few days.

HTH

_B
 
Get something fun , automatic with the paddle shift , and enjoy.

When you can't get into or out of it because of nee, back shoulder problems, sell the newer beast then. Drive it until your body or mind can't anymore.

Life is short . The glass is way more than half empty for most of us, , don't wait.
 
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.
 
Bestwifeever said:
I think it relates the recent VW diesel debacle.
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Yeah, that was the joke. But I don't know that I would recommend a VW until we see for sure that they survive this and can continue to service cars, and also see what hit resale takes. But, if you tend to keep cars forever (and don't care about resale), you might be able to get a better deal while they are so beat down, though that story died down pretty quickly.
 
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.
 
AllDone said:
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.
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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?
 
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!! :angel:

#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! :LOL:

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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!
 
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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.
 
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.
 
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
 
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
 
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.
 
aja8888 said:
To add clarity...and it (the diesel issue) really wasn't about MPG, just NOx.
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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.
 
aaronc879 said:
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.
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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)
 
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