So we tried and definitely can't do the 1 car for the house thing, what do I get next?

mazdeuce - Seth said:

Do you want to wail on the car? Do you want to "have" to wail on the car? 

The downside of the Mustang is the same as the upside. It's brutally fast, this means that you get to open it up for tiny seconds at a time. Those tiny seconds will melt your eyeballs and warp space time, but unless you want to go to jail, the fun is brief on normal roads. Passing anyone is just a gear shift and a tiny slice of free road away. 

The Miata can be hammered on without disrupting traffic too much. Gear changes, heel toeing, testing corners, you can do all of that at normal-ish speeds. The down side is that sometimes you have to do that to keep up with the minivans around you. And yes, even with the ND. It's not slow, but it's not fast either and you sometimes need to hustle it.

You get used to Miata speed much faster than you get used to Mustang speed because you use it a LOT more. 

Having said all that, I buy cars emotionally and I'm much more emotionally drawn to the current Mustang than the current Miata. 

Bang, you nailed my conundrum. I love the way the Coyote cars sound (I loved my 13 but it was taking too much money from the track car at the time), but they are so blazing fast, you can hardly use it. 

And even though the 135 is "only" rated at 300/300, with the DCT and instant torque, it's still a mid 4 sec 0-60 car. So you hammer it, then have to shut it back down. And you can tell the car WANTS you to beat on it. It's when the turbo/trans/noises are all at their best. 

What about a downgrade to a 128, in convertible form? Do any of the BMW stereos integrate to phones well?

mtn said:

What about a downgrade to a 128, in convertible form? Do any of the BMW stereos integrate to phones well?

I don't dislike that idea, as I think the E82 is an underappreciated gem of a car. But I don't think I'd be happy with the same car with less power, plus variety is the spice of life, might as well get something different!

Wasn't part of the reason to pursue the 1 car household financial reasons?  Isn't this a step in the other direction?  

ProDarwin said:

Wasn't part of the reason to pursue the 1 car household financial reasons?  Isn't this a step in the other direction?  

It was an idea, but it's not a necessity or even needed. Mainly a thought experiment, that we tried, and just won't work for us. If we had a child for instance, she wouldn't have to work unless she wanted to. 

So a different car that's relatively the same cost of the 135 is OK. 

Back in May, we changed my wife's DD from an NC3 PRHT Miata (with suspension work), to a '17 Mustang GT Base Performance Pack.

If it's going to be anything other than a weekend toy, get the Mustang.  As much as we loved the NC (and we did), the Mustang is a far more practical car, much more comfortable on the highway, and of course a lot faster.  The S550 is a huge improvement on previous Mustangs, and is really a very good overall package.  The interior still isn't the best, but it's liveable. 

The new ND is a fantastic car, but it still suffers from all the drawbacks that make a Miata a marginal DD.

After discovering how good the Mustang is, I'm actually considering upgrading to an '18-19 with the A10 transmission (ours is manual).  I've test driven the '18s with the A10, and they're pretty impressive.

I would buy pretty much the same car, Base GT with Performance Pack, but add the active exhaust, Magnaride suspension, and the higher end radio (the base infotainment isn't great, but it will stream music from your phone...).  

Our biggest hanging point on upgrading is Grabber Blue was a one year color for 2017, and that was a big factor in buying the car... 

Damn, I love that color! That's interesting to know about the A10s, I've wondered, but haven't gone and driven one yet. I'm afraid driving either car in question is going to make me go home with one!

As far as practicality, that doesn't really matter to me as it only takes me to work 3 days per week. We use my girlfriends Honda Fit for errands/buying stuff.

I've literally put 2700 miles on the 135 since bringing it home in January. That's how little I have to drive. 

Idly glancing around lately for my next midlife crisis vehicle and a 2015 Mustang convertible with the 3.7 and an exhaust seemed like a good option.  Is this still wrong because the Mustang isn't pretty enough with a cloth top?  

I just can't see getting a Coyote Mustang when the 3.7 makes the numbers that it does.  And unlike most domestic V6en they sound nice.

In the end, though, I'd probably just shop for the best Boxster $20k can buy.

Wait what was the question?  

pres589 said:

I just can't see getting a Coyote Mustang when the 3.7 makes the numbers that it does.  And unlike most domestic V6en they sound nice.

 

Maybe if Mustangs still weighed 3000lbs, but they don't.  Convertibles are pushing 4000... We drove a '16 GT Premium 'vert manual a little over a year ago and passed because it felt bloated, soft and slow, even with the 5.0.  

Are Corvettes not an option for some arbitrary reason? If you'd be spending nearly $40k on a Mustang, how much Vette does that buy? Do you like the looks of Vette convertibles any more than Mustang or Camaro drop tops?

STM317 said:

Are Corvettes not an option for some arbitrary reason? If you'd be spending nearly $40k on a Mustang, how much Vette does that buy? Do you like the looks of Vette convertibles any more than Mustang or Camaro drop tops?

That's interesting suggestion, I hadn't thought about a 'Vette. 

This is completely irrational, but my gut reaction is how much I think I'd look like a dork driving a convertible Vette in my 30s.

z31maniac said:

STM317 said:

Are Corvettes not an option for some arbitrary reason? If you'd be spending nearly $40k on a Mustang, how much Vette does that buy? Do you like the looks of Vette convertibles any more than Mustang or Camaro drop tops?

That's interesting suggestion, I hadn't thought about a 'Vette. 

This is completely irrational, but my gut reaction is how much I think I'd look like a dork driving a convertible Vette in my 30s.

Everyone looks foolish in a convertible, the difference is that they are having fun so they don't care.

Stefan said:

z31maniac said:

STM317 said:

Are Corvettes not an option for some arbitrary reason? If you'd be spending nearly $40k on a Mustang, how much Vette does that buy? Do you like the looks of Vette convertibles any more than Mustang or Camaro drop tops?

That's interesting suggestion, I hadn't thought about a 'Vette. 

This is completely irrational, but my gut reaction is how much I think I'd look like a dork driving a convertible Vette in my 30s.

Everyone looks foolish in a convertible, the difference is that they are having fun so they don't care.

This is probably the most rational and correct post I've read in years. 

z31maniac said:

Stefan said:

z31maniac said:

STM317 said:

Are Corvettes not an option for some arbitrary reason? If you'd be spending nearly $40k on a Mustang, how much Vette does that buy? Do you like the looks of Vette convertibles any more than Mustang or Camaro drop tops?

That's interesting suggestion, I hadn't thought about a 'Vette. 

This is completely irrational, but my gut reaction is how much I think I'd look like a dork driving a convertible Vette in my 30s.

Everyone looks foolish in a convertible, the difference is that they are having fun so they don't care.

This is probably the most rational and correct post I've read in years. 

When you run out of berkeleys to give- is when the fun really begins  

Rodan said:

pres589 said:

I just can't see getting a Coyote Mustang when the 3.7 makes the numbers that it does.  And unlike most domestic V6en they sound nice.

 

Maybe if Mustangs still weighed 3000lbs, but they don't.  Convertibles are pushing 4000... We drove a '16 GT Premium 'vert manual a little over a year ago and passed because it felt bloated, soft and slow, even with the 5.0.  

I'm seeing quarter mile times of 14.1 seconds for the V6 sedan.  I doubt the convertible's weight increases so much as to bring it above 15.0.  0-60 times are in the 5's.  Plenty.

Near as I can tell, the Mustang is rated to tow 1000lbs, and I can't find any factory rated tow capacity for the ND though there are hitches out there. Pretty sure that's not relavent to anything, but it somehow makes the Mustang slightly more practical. It's like 1/10 as useful as a truck. 

I'm sort of biased against mustangs right now.  They're cool, they're fast, but every dumbberkeley in central florida has one with a ridiculously loud and stupid exhaust, and they drive it at WOT all the time. 

In reply to Mndsm :

That is a legitimate problem.  The Mustang attracts every berkeleytard in the region to do something stupid around you, whether it's wanting to race, block you in just because, or whatever...  It was bad with our Miata, but it's on a whole 'nother level with the Mustang.

and that berktard usually has a v6 one. Wanted to do a nice cruise in the cool for Austin summer night last night and twice berktards in v6 pony cars ruined it. 

Berk it. If you are spending that much get both....V8 and a miata. The going rate for FM V8 miatas is in the high 30s to low 40s range. Warning though it'll make a lot of cars just feel really slow. 

In reply to Mndsm :

And here I was upset that the cat back I just built for my daily driver 2 valve wasn't loud enough. Must be time for a catless x pipe and long tubes.

C6 Z06 or Grand Sport vert are in that price range.  I'm more of a small car guy so the Vette did not really do it for me, but the appeal of a ZO6 is undeniable.  They make amazing noises and are stupid fast. Who cares what other people think, I think a Vette with any chrome stuff removed s cool.  In stock forum my orange Z06 with the polished wheels was a bit much, but once I tossed some black optional wheels on it looked much more sinister and serious.  

I wanted to ditch my 135i after having a bunch of issues with it and test drove a few new Mustangs. GT had great power and the premium interior was nice but I didn't like the visibility and it felt much bigger then it was.  Drove an ecoboost Mustang too and found the power to be disappointing.  Oddly ended up leasing a WRX which will be the 3rd one I've owned. I also considered a new Infinity Q50 if i wanted a more grown up car but they don't come with a stick. Maybe next time I'll get something with an auto so I can loaf to work. 

z31maniac said:

Honestly, the color/wheel combo doesn't work for me on the new ones. 

Really!? 

I'd sooner have testicles ripped off on a rusty fence than to drive a Ford but that thing has me drooling.

ND,

If you get the mustang everytime you get out of it and walk away you'll be wishing it was a ZL1. 

Daylan C said:

In reply to Mndsm :

And here I was upset that the cat back I just built for my daily driver 2 valve wasn't loud enough. Must be time for a catless x pipe and long tubes.

Loud for actual fast is cool. 787b as an example. The mustang equivalent of a honda coffee can with a drilled/missing cat is not impressive.  I dont care about dat chop and I sure as berkeley don't want to hear it all goddamn day ripping past my job. I'm getting old.