Mustang LX convertible a good alternative to a Miata?

As a nicer highway trip convertible that will be old enough soon to qualify for collector plates and cheap insurance here, would a '90 5.0 LX convertible with 5 speed and in really nice shape be a worthy contender as a replacement for my '91 Miata? We're doing more and more road trips and less around town driving. Hence why I'm considering making a change. We just took my '91 on a week holiday trip and while it performed great, 4,000 rpm for 5 hours at a time is getting tiring. Although the wind buffeting issue has been greatly reduced with the blocker I have installed Would a Mustang LX convertible be really fatiguing with the wind buffeting? It won't be a canyon carver like the NA is, but it'll get to and from corners a lot faster and I figure the fuel mileage might be similar on the highway with the lower revs. Opinons welcomed!

ymmv, but the fox mustang convertible ranks several rungs below the chrysler sebring convertable on my list of 'most miserable cars i've ever had this displeasure of driving.' malaise-era materials and build quality paired with 70's-era chassis engineering crowned with a noisy top that struggles to keep out the elements. these cars are best enjoyed sitting still with vanilla ice pumping from cheap aftermarket speakers.

V8 power with cold cooked spaghetti-esqe chassis on a GOOD day.

Sure the 2.73/3.08/3.27 rear gear will keep the revs down and the 300'/#'s of torque helps, but...... I got 30mpg out of my 89GT ONCE on a long road trip travelling below 60mph.

I've had both...currently have a '90 Miata. As was said, the 'vert was cooked spaghetti-esque chassis. And that's when it was new. 23 years later, it's cooked spaghetti that was left in the water after cooking.

But you can stiffen the chassis somewhat with cheap and plentiful aftermarket parts. The car does make a nice cruiser, assuming you don't put crazy rear end gears or loud exhaust on it. It'll get high 20s mpg if you cruise. Typical cheap Ford interior bits should be expected.

Never owned either but as I understand it, the Miata is most everything a 5.0 Fox is not. Save for rwd, manual and convertible top that is.

That sure as heck DOES NOT mean you'd not enjoy the Mustang a ton though. Especially since it seems you don't expect the Fox to be a bigger twin of the Mazda.

Come to think of it, why not have the best of both worlds?? Go get yourself a Monster Miata!

So do those cars feel really loose even in normal driving situations other than trying to corner with them. Lot's of scuttle shake and rattles?

60mga wrote: So do those cars feel really loose even in normal driving situations other than trying to corner with them. Lot's of scuttle shake and rattles?

YES!!!

Javelin wrote:

60mga wrote: So do those cars feel really loose even in normal driving situations other than trying to corner with them. Lot's of scuttle shake and rattles?

BERKLEY YES!!!

FTFY

I like the general idea of getting an older convertible that's a little happier on the highway, but i think the Mustang is not the place to look.

I'm excited to see what else pops up in this thread once people start throwing out suggestions, though.

Keep it around 90-91 at the newest for 'soon to be 25 years' requirement, and add 'cant feel as crappy as a fox convertible', and... GO!

I'll start with some semi-comedic options! Chrysler TC and Allante. Now someone else suggest something better!

Vigo wrote: Now someone else suggest something better!

VW Cabrio? Chevy Cavalier Oh, you said better... My bad.

Vigo wrote: I like the general idea of getting an older convertible that's a little happier on the highway, but i think the Mustang is not the place to look. Now someone else suggest something better!

I believe you can do better, but it isn't going to be a Fox, unless you can live with a full-on through the dash speakers roll cage. That being said, the better Mustang option is to pick up a 94-04 SN/Fox4 chassis. They at least had the 'vert in mind while designing the chassis, unlike the Fox which were nothing but topless coupes modified by an outside supplier company.

I'd take a Toyota Solara over a Fox-body convertible any day.

Good Luck!

Maybe a BMW 3 or 6 series convertible but you're gonna pay a lot more for parts than you're used to!! You also want to make sure it isn't a later model with all the driving nannies installed. All German cars can get so into gadgets that they can nickel and dime you to death. The newer the car, the more gadgets to replace!

The 6 series is also pretty prone to body rust everywhere there is a sharp break in the panel. They hand metal finished many of them down past the galvanize coating of the metal at the factory.

Gallop, don't just run, from any convertible involving a K Car or anything with a convertible conversion kit installed.

Alan Cesar wrote: I'd take a Toyota Solara over a Fox-body convertible any day.

Couldn't agree more!

What about an E36 vert? They shouldn't be horrible if you can find one that's well-maintained. Safer on a road trip than an E30, which would also be an option. There's quite a few enthusiast-owned E30 'verts out there.

I vote RX-7 vert! Fox convertible I would not wish upon anyone..

I VOTE THAT PEOPLE READ HIS POST AND STICK TO THE NEARLY 25 YEAR OLD RULE.

I think the e30 vert is a good option. As much as i like rx7 convertibles, my guess is it would be a terrible fit in this case.

RX-7 convertible. Available what, 1986-1991? Hell, it even shares some parts with the Miata (parking brake handle)!

I think the enterprising GRM guy would have a better time with the E36, RX-7 , or 944 convertibles. I have owned none of the above. I do have an SN-95 convertible which is quite similar to a Fox. It's not horrible to drive, I've actually put more mileage on it than I was expecting to, but it never seems to run quite right and it's always needing little things. And the combination of a not very stiff chassis with that rear suspension means the car can often feel sort of "not together".

Put it to you this way; I don't think my Mustang GT convertible outperforms my Oldsmobile Intrigue in any fashion. Acceleration is probably pretty similar, braking is probably a bit better on the Olds, the Olds has a less contrived suspension, and is obviously stiffer. The Mustang sounds nicer and I do like that the top folds back, or I wouldn't own it.

I'd say the RX7 with a V8 swap would pretty easy and pretty rad and well...pretty.

Maybe a T-Top Camaro?

What about a Corvette?

I think for highway road trips I'd want a hard top.

Apples to oranges. Yes the ragtop Fox chassis is wiggly, but it can be tightened up. On the other side of the coin, yes the Miata handles better but will never have the power or open road grunt of a good healthy 5.0 manual shifted Fox body. The Miata go-fast parts are more expensive too. Ebay, craigslist, and every trailer park in America is awash in cheap Fox 5.0 go-fast goodies

Let me explain to you what a ragtop fox chassis mustang is like to drive....

Squeak squeak squeak rattle rattle squeak rattle thunk squeak rattle rattle squeak.

That's on a smooth road!

I had a buddy with a rust free '91 Fox-Body LX Convertible with the 4-cyl/automatic combo.

Lets just say this:

Whenever I was in the car, anytime we hit a bump I had a tendency to turn around and make sure the back end of the car was still attached to the front.

I'm a big Mustang fan, but you might try (looking in that era) a Cutlass Supreme convertible with the basket handle roll bar thingy...

Or a Reatta, as there are some swaps that can be done.

Stretching it a bit would be an Infiniti M30 convertible as well.