OT- Another Car Thread
 

Hello all,

Now that I'm finally out of Alaska, I'm actually able to get a fun car.

My budget is most likely under $10k and preferably lower ;)

Lately I've got 3 cars on the brain, two similar and one not so much.

1. Mini Cooper convertible (prob 05/06) or maybe Clubman (bike room)

2. 1st or 2nd generation Miata

3. early 2000s Mustang GT Convertible

I realize buying any older car is going to have some maintenance items needed. The reputation if the Minis really scare me but I don't know if they are really warranted... I've had a 2nd gen Miata and it was great. I've always loved the Mustangs.

Thoughts??

http://images.craigslist.org/00b0b_j...7D_600x450.jpg

http://images.craigslist.org/00P0P_a...yp_600x450.jpg

http://images.craigslist.org/00V0V_9...m8_600x450.jpg

Would this be in addition to your everyday car, or would it be your daily driver?

You likely won't like my advice but at that budget I would buy Japanese. You'll likely have to be in a higher mileage vehicle and I think history shows they are the vehicles that will live to higher total mileages and maintenance costs will be lower. American cars may be equally inexpensive to repair but I suspect will be requiring many more repairs.

All the above is conjecture.

Good Question Louis!

I'll still have my Highlander to drive if needed, but I suspect this would be driven most days to work...

BTW- I do love Corvettes, but the cost of the tires and the frequency you seem to have to replace them put me off I think. Plus I have a teenage daughter that will likely get her license sometime in the next year or so...

Anyone know about excluding a driver from a particular car? I have Farm Bureau

Not knowing anything about reliability or other considerations like insurance, if I had to choose between those three I would pick the Mini. I'm not a Mustang type of guy, and since I used to own an '87 Alfa Spider I've already done the "sexy red convertible" thing.

Dave Kirk used to drive a Mini, so we know it has plenty of leg and head room. See what he thinks about them these days.

The right answer is always Miata.

you must read Jalopnik... :D

Didn't even have click on the thread to know that that was going to be your answer! :)

The second generation of "new" MINI came in 2007 except for convertibles which continued the old model for another year. My opinion (as an owner of 2007 MINI Cooper S) is that the new model is superior to the earlier model and far more reliable. The early S was a supercharged French engine. The newer version is turbocharged and designed by BMW. At 49,000 miles mine has needed nothing but routine service and has averaged 31 MPG overall. It is FUN to drive, roomy for two, cramped but tolerable for four adults for short trips. I can squeeze my 62 cm bike in the back if I remove both wheels. I was surprised to learn that they recommend against using a folding rack (like a Hollywood) on the rear hatch.

Before I bought it I tried Miatas. They were fun to drive but I felt very nervous in freeway traffic because I was sitting so low I couldn't see around,over or through most of the other vehicles and I knew hauling a bike or my dogs would be difficult.

Mustangs are fun and the drive-train should be sturdy and cheap to maintain. They are pretty big outside without commensurate interior space but that may not be a big deal for you. Fuel usage would be higher than the others. You might want to check with your insurance agent for quotes on these three cars as there may be a significant difference. How about a quote from USAA? Their rates are usually hard to beat.

1st choice Miata, 2nd Mini...9th Mustang.

BMW 3-series convertible

Audi A4 convertible

Yep. Buckets of fun without a tendency towards those nasty speeding tickets.

But you've owned one, you know that.

Not sure of other states but in CT everyone in the household that has a license counts as an additional driver, regardless of if that person will drive the car or not in real life. Was speaking to someone whose household has, in addition to him, two 21 year olds, a 16 year old, and a wife, all with driver's licenses. I think 3 of them had moving violations. Adding a mid 2000 mustang pushed their policy up $4.5k.

The only way I see around that, if that's the case where you are, is to register the vehicle to a business at a different address.

Re:
 

I'm on my 2nd Mustang.... both have been great cars. I put 150k on the first one (1970, classic) and now have 60K on a 2010 with no problems. I also put 200k on a 2001 T-bird (similar Ford) ... nothing but oil changes. The Miata is a great car also...

Whatever you get, don't forget to work on the driver's skills...