full convertible vs. targa; also, what convertible should I buy?

So, I am seriously considering a convertible. To be bought quickly before we get too close to spring. Would love to stay challenge budget, but slightly flexible for something really nice.

There are a couple of miatas for sale from board members that are obvious good choices. There is an x1/9 in the back of classic motorsports mag currently that looks REALLY nice for $2300. There are all the usual LBC suspects. There are causal outsiders like the corvair convertible (or heck - the classic barge american convertibles). There are german GT verts. There are convertible versions of my current DD saab 9-3. Would a targa have a significantly different driving experience from a full convertible? I've really never spent time in a targa (still building my current one, never driven it - haha). What do I do?

Want:
- currently driveable, or reasonable chance I can get it driving with 4-8 hours of tune up work. I have other serious projects that need my time.
- has to be good for short trips at first. I don't drive much since I travel for work, but would be cool if I could use it to commute to the airport come spring.
- some style. Miata is like the perfect answer (duh) except that it is blander than a fiat or triumph or datsun.
- to cruise. Not looking to build a racer here.
- would love a manual top. Not looking to mess with rickety, leaky, expensive, finicky crap. I want to be able to throw the top down when it is 25 degrees out during a crystal-clear sunrise, and close it back up after 10 miles when I get cold.

What should I do?

I am really happy with the xk8 I bought my wife last year.

What should I do?

Embrace the styling of the Miata? :)

pimpm3 wrote: I am really happy with the xk8 I bought my wife last year.

I also really liked your XK8 convertible that I drove for 2 days in the FL sun after The Challenge. I surprisingly liked it more than I thought I would even with automatic transmission.

It isn't a full sports car but a great GT car.

In similar vein, there are tons of Volvo C70s out there which like the Jag, have a back seat for kids.
Saab too since you have learned to speak that language.

'94 Nissan 240sx s13 convertible but only came in automatic.

codrus wrote:

What should I do?

Embrace the styling of the Miata? :)

I know. "Though I keep searching for an answer..."

xk8 is interesting. The few for sale right now in chicago are probably out of budget, but used Jags are all over the board. I'll keep my eye out.

It should be noted that I have owned the same '90 Miata for 24 years. It was 3 years used when I bought it and the initial hysteria was wearing off. By hysteria I mean the fact that dealerships were putting $3k markups on a $13.5k starting price so like a +20% bump and every dealership had a waiting line.
I paid $10k for mine with 3 years and 38k on it and I thought it was a steal.

I have intended to keep it forever.

have the Z3s come down in price yet?

E30

codrus wrote:

What should I do?

Embrace the styling of the Miata? :)

This. Based on your description, they don't come any better than the Miata. Frankly, I think they're good looking cars, so I don't have any problems there. Easy to work on, reliable, manual top that is ridiculously easy to use, tons of fun, aftermarket support. What more could you want from a budget 'vert? And yeah, right now is the time to get one. I just picked this up for under $4900, absolute steal. 121k miles, 6spd, GT trim, same owner for 10 years, regular oil changes (as per Carfax), pretty sure it has a new clutch, super clean given age and mileage. It had been on the dealers' lot since June and was in IL, so it wasn't about to sell in the dead of winter.

You didn't say anything about fuel economy, so I'm going to say FC RX7 convertible- there's nothing quite like hearing that rotary exhaust spit a fireball with the top down.

If fuel economy does actually matter, then what about an MR2 Spyder? They're cheap right now, at least in my neck of the woods, so cheap that I've considered buying one even though I'm in no position whatsoever to pick up another car.

If you're going the targa/t-top route, 2nd gen MR2? Camry reliability, super car styling, in a surprisingly useful package.

Now, with that being said, if the convertible experience is what you're after, I'd probably skip the targa and t tops. Coming from someone who's spent considerable time in convertibles and owned a t top Camaro, it's just not the same. Not a full open cabin experience and you can't just go from open to closed (or visa versa) at a stoplight, gotta pull over, pull tops off, hope you don't trip and break one, stash them in the trunk, ect.

Robbie wrote: - would love a manual top. Not looking to mess with rickety, leaky, expensive, finicky crap. I want to be able to throw the top down when it is 25 degrees out during a crystal-clear sunrise, and close it back up after 10 feet when I get cold.

Just one more thing, FTFY. Yeah, I know there are some people who do it. But having many, many years of convertible experience, no way am I putting the top down unless it's over 50 degrees. Even then, I'll leave the windows up and have the heater on nearly full blast. If you can get heated seats, that will help some for sure. My new Miata doesn't have heated seats...I plan to either buy a heated seat cover or a 12V heated blanket for those cool days when I want to put the top down. But 25 degrees, no thanks, top stays up.

That is one nice thing about the Miata. I can literally put the top down in the NC in less than 5 seconds, and put it up in maybe 7....without having to get out of my seat. The NA it took me a little longer because there are two latches and I always unzipped the rear window first...but even still it was incredibly simple and quick.

Klayfish wrote:

Robbie wrote: - would love a manual top. Not looking to mess with rickety, leaky, expensive, finicky crap. I want to be able to throw the top down when it is 25 degrees out during a crystal-clear sunrise, and close it back up after 10 feet when I get cold.

Just one more thing, FTFY. Yeah, I know there are some people who do it. But having many, many years of convertible experience, no way am I putting the top down unless it's over 50 degrees. Even then, I'll leave the windows up and have the heater on nearly full blast. If you can get heated seats, that will help some for sure. My new Miata doesn't have heated seats...I plan to either buy a heated seat cover or a 12V heated blanket for those cool days when I want to put the top down. But 25 degrees, no thanks, top stays up. That is one nice thing about the Miata. I can literally put the top down in the NC in less than 5 seconds, and put it up in maybe 7....without having to get out of my seat. The NA it took me a little longer because there are two latches and I always unzipped the rear window first...but even still it was incredibly simple and quick.

I used to leave the tops of my Fiat spider down all year unless it was raining or snowing.

Speaking of the 124, if you want one of the best manual convertible tops ever designed, you would have to look far and wide to find one better than what Pininfarina designed for the spider.

If check out the MR2 Spyder. They're fun to drive, and seem like they would check all your boxes. Very reliable, manual top simple to operate.

In reply to Robbie:

The answer here is obvious (completely ignoring your budget):

Otherwise grow your mullet, put on some White Snake, and go:

No, no, no....you got it all wrong. That Trans Am isn't Whitesnake era (at least not for their biggest US hits). That's Lynyrd Skynyrd or Bad Company wheels.

This is Whitesnake transportation...

Not that I'd know anything about mullets, hair bands or such passé things...

pimpm3 wrote: I am really happy with the xk8 I bought my wife last year.

I would suggest being proactive about, or at last researching the "green shower" failure mode in the convertibles. There are retrofit kits to prevent the hydraulic line behind the dome light from bursting, covering your fine leathers in green hydraulic fluid. Nikasil-related bore scoring is the other problem, but the engine failures that will happen already have.

Fiat 124 Spyder: They look surprisingly good without bumpers

A lot of cars of that era do. Rabbits and original Sciroccos, for example. They were designed clean and the bumpers were added.

C4 Corvette

Do you like Porkers?

LuxInterior wrote: Fiat 124 Spyder: They look surprisingly good without bumpers

I like them better with the original chrome blades

Robbie wrote: xk8 is interesting. The few for sale right now in chicago are probably out of budget, but used Jags are all over the board. I'll keep my eye out.

I'm looking at XK8s as well, but I'll caution you, like BMWs and Mercedes, there's nothing more expensive than a cheap Jag. I'm going to do what I did with my BMWs: spend a bit more on the front end to get a well maintained example with records of the problem areas dealt with. That methodology has ALWAYS served me well.