So circumstances have arisen that make it possible for me to consider buying a car with the express idea of using it for roadtrips, including my long-desired cross-country drive. The conundrum is whether to opt for something older and American, as this fits my idealized vision of a proper roadtrip car, or to buy something newer (this something is quite specific, actually, but more on that in a moment) and bask in things like reliability and air conditioning. This is for two people only, so no worries about space. Comfort is a significant factor, obviously, including noise, so convertibles are out. Budget yet to be finalized, but let's say in the neighborhood of $25k for the sake of argument.
The old American option would be something late 50s to early-mid 60s. I'm vaguely partial to Fords (family history), but this is hardly more than a loose starting point. Thunderbirds fit the bill, as do some of the big GM two door hardtops; I'm sure there are many others that would work out just fine. Air conditioning that can be made to work would be a huge plus. As with any older car, mechanical issues are always possible, so it should be something without major problem areas and with widespread parts availability. Obscurity is not a virtue in this case. Wafting down the highway in couch-like comfort, turning the clock back sixty or so years if you squint just right, would be the realization of a fantasy I've harbored for far too long.
The newer car in question would be an ND Miata RF. I've considered buying a Miata several times since the original came out thirty years ago, but never pulled the trigger, partially because I couldn't convince myself that I wanted to live with a convertible. The NC PRHT was tempting, but the ND RF is really, really tempting. The thought of hopping in and driving west in one, without waking up every morning with the nagging worries that are inherent to an older car, has an appeal all its own. And the ND seems as though it would be a better long roadtrip car than any previous Miata, as well as allowing me to enjoy smaller backroads far more than an American land yacht ever would. And it would be a lot cheaper to run (not a huge consideration, but gas prices are on the upswing again).
The third option, of course, would be to use an existing car. There are three in the fleet to choose from. The 89 Saab 900S is right out for all the reasons. My 74 2002 would be great for nostalgia, not great for turning close to 4k RPM at highway speeds. The 128i is in some ways a great choice for this kind of trip, and the only realistic contender. But it is pushing 140k miles, and there's still a weird drivetrain (or possibly exhaust) resonance nobody seems to be able to track down. I can live with the risk of something going kaboom within a semi-reasonable distance from home, or at least in my usual New England stomping grounds, but having had the experience of catastrophic mechanical failure 1,000 miles from home in unfamiliar territory (Saab 9-5 turbo failure, 1am, I-95 in South Carolina) I'm not thrilled with the prospect of revisiting that particular aspect of the roadtrip, no matter how remote the possibility might be.
This isn't the result of a sudden midlife crisis (I've been dealing with the slow-onset version of that for at least two decades), but it feels like the right time to pursue it. I have the opportunity - I don't want to let it slip through my fingers.
So what's the hive's long-haul roadtrip recommendation here? Old cruiser or new Miata? Or is there something else I haven't considered? Help me decide how to spend my money!
