Reminds You Why People Buy Convertibles - 2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata Convertible Long-Term Road Test

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Reminds You Why People Buy Convertibles - 2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata Convertible Long-Term Road Test

Sometimes you forget why people buy cars like the 2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata. Then you drive one on a nice day with the top down and it all makes sense.

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daryleason

It used to be that owning a convertible didn't mean you were stuck with a small car. Some of the most collectible vehicles made are full size (at least for their time period) convertibles. One of my dream cars (that's non-Mustang) is a late 40s/early 50s Series 52 Convertible. Even up until the early 70s you could still get full-size convertibles.

While I doubt it's still true, I remember reading an article once about the cheapest convertible you could buy new, which was a Jeep Wrangler. Of course, that was back when you could get it with a 4 cylinder engine & a 5 speed manual. It's a shame we don't have both markets active anymore...the bare bones, inexpensive convertible & the full size "look at me" convertible.

mercedesfan

@daryleason,

Oh, the full size convertible market is alive and well, it's just that American automakers no longer have a presence there. Assuming you have the cash, Bentley, Rolls-Royce, and Mercedes would still gladly sell you a behemoth convertible that seats 4.

daryleason

@mercedesfan : Yeah, Bentley, Rolls-Royce, & Mercedes is WAY out of my price range. If a car costs more than my home, it might as well not even exist. Besides, I think they're all a bit larger than "Full-Size." More like Super-Sized.

I was thinking more along the lines of the old Full-Size Ford Galaxie 500, Chevrolet Impala, Pontiac Bonneville, Mercury Monteray, Buick Electra, Plymouth Fury, etc.

stever

Gee, you left out the Nissan Murano CrossCabriolet.

I mean, the world’s first and only All-Wheel Drive crossover convertible - what's not to like?

daryleason

@stever : Yeah...it's the worst of all worlds. It was an answer to a question that no consumer ever asked. It's like the "Homer" of the real world.

FYI: I just checked www.carsdirect.com to see what pricing on convertibles is at right now. For the record, based solely on MSRP (not counting any rebates), the cheapest convertible you can purchase is a Fiat 500, which isn't really all that much of a convertible, considering that the top is more like a cloth targa top that bunches up at the back. A Jeep Wrangler starts at a little under 24 grand, which is about five grand more than the Fiat. What surprised me was that Smart isn't in the running. I could have sworn they offered a convertible version of their little two-seater.

stever

Hm, looks like they've dropped the smart Fortwo convertible in the US at some point. But there may be an EV convertible available.

kirkhilles1

daryleason said:

It used to be that owning a convertible didn't mean you were stuck with a small car. Some of the most collectible vehicles made are full size (at least for their time period) convertibles. One of my dream cars (that's non-Mustang) is a late 40s/early 50s Series 52 Convertible. Even up until the early 70s you could still get full-size convertibles.

While I doubt it's still true, I remember reading an article once about the cheapest convertible you could buy new, which was a Jeep Wrangler. Of course, that was back when you could get it with a 4 cylinder engine & a 5 speed manual. It's a shame we don't have both markets active anymore...the bare bones, inexpensive convertible & the full size "look at me" convertible.

Yeah, that's why the Solara was (and still is to an extent) an attractive option since its a larger 4 seat convertible that's reliable. One of not many.

reminder

Would like to own a drop top, but in my neck of the woods it's cold enough to snow 7 out of 12 months.
Southern Cal., Florida, maybe Colorado, but not around here, unfortunately.

sacto_j

I take delivery of my 2016 Miata GT this week. The last time I owned a convertible was in high school when my parents gave me their '66 Galaxie 500 convertible. That was a great car. Daryleason makes a good point. We need a "large" convertible that can carry 4 or five people and is priced under $35k.

craigo7

daryleason said:

@mercedesfan : Yeah, Bentley, Rolls-Royce, & Mercedes is WAY out of my price range. If a car costs more than my home, it might as well not even exist. Besides, I think they're all a bit larger than "Full-Size." More like Super-Sized.

I was thinking more along the lines of the old Full-Size Ford Galaxie 500, Chevrolet Impala, Pontiac Bonneville, Mercury Monteray, Buick Electra, Plymouth Fury, etc.

Cutting the top means beefing up the structure, increasing weight, especially for a car that can seat 5. More weight, worse mpg's. Not as big of a concern for the lux brands, but it is for the domestics that need to make up for the lower cost by selling in volume.

hank39

After test driving a few convertibles in my adult life (NB MSM, NC MX-5, and S2K) I caught the bug of wanting to own a convertible. The area I live in (South GA/North FL) is a perfect landscape to drive these (two-lane canopy and country roads galore). Was actually about to purchase a NB MSM a few years back, but thought better of it since we were looking to start a family soon. So I settled with a Protege5. So maybe when my wife and I become empty nesters, I can revisit that dream of owning a Miata/MX-5. Maybe by then, these ND MX-5s will be more affordable!