Mustang LX convertible a good alternative to a Miata?

True story: I cracked the windshield in my fox 'vert going over a speed bump at 10MPH. It was an 80K car, too!

MAYBE IM CRAZY (or maybe my reading comprehension will lead me to be a social outcast in short order) but it doesnt seem the OP is interested in doing engine swaps or driving something that 'feels' like a POS (even if you guys dont think it is one just because it feels like one), OR wants to take himself and whoever he's bringing on road trips in something thats not reliable or gets truly bad mpg, nor is he looking for something that is not almost 25 years old.

So basically, rx7 is out, engine swapped rx7 is out, engine swapped miata is out, fox mustang convertible is out, sn95 mustang convertible is out, solara is out, e36 is out, cavalier is PROBABLY out (I have a feeling it's too plain and borderline too crappy feeling)...

So that leaves 'actual potentially helpful suggestions' at: e30, VW cabrio, maybe a super-rare 635 cabriolet, maybe a 944, hell, at this rate even my TC or Allante jokes are fitting in pretty well! There's got to be more options than those.

I like 4th gen camaro convertibles ok but hate 3rd gens, but maybe that is a legit option? C4 convertible seems at least plausible although ingress/egress is literally painful for some people.

Boom done. Prettier and better noises then the Miata and not a POS like a Fox body convertible.

I think the Alfa is a bit roomier than the Miata, right?

JFX001 wrote: 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...

Those are good looking cars, but that is where anything and everything good stops.

pres589 wrote: I think the Alfa is a bit roomier than the Miata, right?

A little but the seating position is Italian so that is a love it or hate it type thing.

Ranger50 wrote:

JFX001 wrote: 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...

Those are good looking cars, but that is where anything and everything good stops.

Did those ever come with the 3.8? Or did they only come with the 3.4 in convertible form?

Ranger50 wrote:

JFX001 wrote: 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...

Those are good looking cars, but that is where anything and everything good stops.

Yeah...agreed.

I'll stick with the Infiniti M30.

In reply to SyntheticBlinkerFluid:

That body style never got the 3.8. The "best" motor those cars got was the DOHC 3.4. And I don't think that motor has a lot of fans when maintenance is factored in.

SyntheticBlinkerFluid wrote:

Ranger50 wrote:

JFX001 wrote: 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...

Those are good looking cars, but that is where anything and everything good stops.

Did those ever come with the 3.8? Or did they only come with the 3.4 in convertible form?

I'm thinking Quad 4, 2.8, 3.1 and 3.4. If memory serves.

JFX001 wrote: Stretching it a bit would be an Infiniti M30 convertible as well.

TROY Hey. That’s a convertible.

He points to the flaming wrecked Infiniti.

ARCHIE GATES Keep your f—–g guard up.

TROY Is that leather interior?

DOC I think he’s in shock.

TROY It’s a f—–g Infiniti convertible, isn’t it?

DOC Yes.

TROY OK. So I owe you a car. I’m not in shock.

ARCHIE GATES We can talk about cars later, OK?

In reply to SyntheticBlinkerFluid:

Meh......, now we're rationalizing the purchase of a fwd GM product? This is the work of Satan.

Have we all forgotten the joy of having a willing, great sounding small block V8 with a 3rd pedal?

When I think about all the Yugo threads and Escort threads I've read here and even F and G Body GM threads I've read here, I laugh when I see all the anti-Fox comments!

I would rather have the Mustang with a 5.0 over any other vert. The suspension stock is weak, but new aftermarket control arms, subframe connectors welded in and great shocks takes care of the less than stellar handling. You can build a great affordable road trip car, that has fantastic aftermarket support with the Fox body Stang.

Buy this:

or this:

Never driven any of these, so I'll just throw them out there to be torn apart by those who have. Some of them will obviously hit closer to the mark than others, but none are likely to break into the 30+mpg my Miata got on the highway...Of course, neither would the Fox. Depending on just how 'close' to 25 years old is required, here's a few more to ponder in addition to the BMW E30 and the Alfa Spyder:

Nissan S130 w/ T-Tops

Early Nissan Z32 300ZX w/ T-Tops

Early Nissan S13 Convertible

Toyota Mk III Supra w/ Targa Top

Chevy C4 Corvette Convertible or Targa Top

Porsche 911 Convertible or Targa Top

Early Mercedes R129 SL Convertible

Alternative option: 6-speed + 3.636 rear gears in NA/NB Miata...Makes 1-5 similar to the current 5-speed, but with an 'additional' overdrive gear to bring the RPM down 500 rpm @75mph.

Vigo wrote: MAYBE IM CRAZY (or maybe my reading comprehension will lead me to be a social outcast in short order) but it doesnt seem the OP is interested in doing engine swaps or driving something that 'feels' like a POS (even if you guys dont think it is one just because it feels like one), OR wants to take himself and whoever he's bringing on road trips in something thats not reliable or gets truly bad mpg, nor is he looking for something that is not almost 25 years old. So basically, rx7 is out, engine swapped rx7 is out, engine swapped miata is out, fox mustang convertible is out, sn95 mustang convertible is out, solara is out, e36 is out, cavalier is PROBABLY out (I have a feeling it's too plain and borderline too crappy feeling)... So that leaves 'actual potentially helpful suggestions' at: e30, VW cabrio, maybe a super-rare 635 cabriolet, maybe a 944, hell, at this rate even my TC or Allante jokes are fitting in pretty well! There's got to be more options than those. I like 4th gen camaro convertibles ok but hate 3rd gens, but maybe that is a legit option? C4 convertible seems at least plausible although ingress/egress is literally painful for some people.

Whoa, whoa. OP was pretty vague and just wants to hear some suggestions. IIRC he mentioned: convertible, similar highway mileage to the miata, still fun, and about 25 years old.

LT1/T56 C4 Corvette 'Vert, done.

Javelin wrote: LT1/T56 C4 Corvette 'Vert, done.

What are the prices for those these days?

Now we're talkin! Lots of options.

Have we all forgotten the joy of having a willing, great sounding small block V8 with a 3rd pedal?

Last v8/manual/convertible i drove was a 95 Mustang GT with 38k on it. It didnt seem very willing. It wasnt horribly slow, but it horribly underdelivered on my expectations of v8 power. More recently i drove a nice 95 5.0/5spd coupe with 88k and it was more willing. Enough to have fun. I guess those extra lbs in the convertible really took all the edge off.

Thanks all, I've been pretty spoiled in the last twelve years with the super low running costs of my trusty NA. And even though it's over 20 years old I've never felt concerned about taking it on trips through the mountains(which you have to do if you want to go anywhere here from the west coast). Getting stranded on these highways is no fun. Spotty cell phone service, steep inclines and many miles between towns so the car has got to be pretty reliable. And I would hate to have to give up the soft top as we really love open top cars and the top usually doesn't go up unless the weather is bad. We spend a lot of time in the Okanagan in BC and Washington state and doing that with a topless car just makes the trips that much more memorable. I've driven a couple of e30 convertibles and they felt really uninspiring to me, no more go than my miata and maybe it was bad seats, but at my 5'5" height I felt like I was driving a bathtub with terrible shifting and sloppy steering. Those mid '90's olds convertibles don't do much for me either and at the risk of offending the Italian car guys out there I just wouldn't feel very confident about taking an Alfa or Saab especially an old one on our journeys. At least a mustang or miata can be repaired pretty much anywhere these days. I recently drove a mid '90's merc 500sl and while it was bloody fast and quiet I'd be quietly freaking out about the impending car repair that would cost the selling price of the car. I've also driven a supra and I haven't completely ruled one of those out. The head gasket issue is a concern. I would consider a second generation Miata, but I don't think it would be much different from what I have now and it would be alonger wait to get to the 25 year collector plate requirement. That miata is going to be a hard classic to beat...!

93EXCivic wrote: Boom done. Prettier and better noises then the Miata and not a POS like a Fox body convertible.

I don't know.

It reminds me of Kermit D. Frog

93EXCivic wrote: Boom done. Prettier and better noises then the Miata and not a POS like a Fox body convertible.

Uhhm.... yea... pretty I'll give you, but lets get real, over an Alfa, a 5.0 Mustang has about 1000% less of a chance of leaving you on the side of the road in a cloud of steam and electrical smoke.

I have nothing useful to add so I'll say Geo Metro convertible. That is get you better mileage, it fits the year requirement, it's got a 5 speed (sometimes) and it can be repaired with a set of vice grips almost anywhere. Granted it's not exactly exciting to drive unless you are sharing the road with any larger vehicles which you usually are.