Feels like I've been here before

[clyde]

Originally Posted by wdc330i

Sounds like your Miata!

Not even close.

Having a truck and an old sports car is cool, but the dream might be better than the reality.

Possibly. In colder light of day, I'm thinking about when I'd use the old car. The climate doesn't afford many comfortable top down days. Even with a modern A/C system, cruising around in it would kind of defeat the point. Next to no winter use regardless of road conditions because, again, with top and windows up, what's the point?

Clearly, I need to move back to San Diego to fix this issue.

Originally Posted by kognito

Rent a ford with newest sync for a week . . . . . this will clear your head of these ideas

Meh. Not a concern.

[wdc330i]

Originally Posted by clyde

Not even close.



Possibly. In colder light of day, I'm thinking about when I'd use the old car. The climate doesn't afford many comfortable top down days. Even with a modern A/C system, cruising around in it would kind of defeat the point. Next to no winter use regardless of road conditions because, again, with top and windows up, what's the point?

Clearly, I need to move back to San Diego to fix this issue..

Just wait for climate change...

[equ]

I can't comment on the auto-x use, class optimization etc. Outside of my interest and knowledge...

I can say I've had the boxster top down far more than expected. 80+ is difficult if it's sunny. 60's & 70's are great temperatures. I've posted before, I've done DC to NYC at around 50F. Hat, scarf, gloves, leather jacket, feeling like a WWI airman even with the heat blasting. Arrived totally thrilled but a bit deafened (I found a fast moving troupe). Secondly, the car is 98% identical to a cayman with the top up, so there is little difference there as well...

Do I wish I'd bought an equivalent cayman instead 4.5 yrs ago? Not at all. I love caymans and have had several (S, .2S and GT4) but they are 98% identical to drive and I had had no experience with actual convertible ownership. I experienced something new and pleasurable.

I do think it's very important for a convertible car needs to be
* designed ground up, free from shake, calm cockpit with top down
* luxurious enough: heated & perhaps cooled seats, strong HVAC
* reliable, top goes up & down quickly and up to 31mph

All of these work in the boxster's favor. Years ago, I'd swapped my zhp with a neighbor with an e46 330CiC. I don't think that car met conditions 1 or 3. I felt the scuttle shake, wind was not as well figured out and the top took longer and required slower speeds.

Would I buy a boxster now to replace it? Probably not, I'm in a 911 coupe mindset but I may never act on that given how little I drive. (About 2k/yr on the porsche and 4k/yr on the 340i)

[wdc330i]

Originally Posted by equ

I can't comment on the auto-x use, class optimization etc. Outside of my interest and knowledge...

I can say I've had the boxster top down far more than expected. 80+ is difficult if it's sunny. 60's & 70's are great temperatures. I've posted before, I've done DC to NYC at around 50F. Hat, scarf, gloves, leather jacket, feeling like a WWI airman even with the heat blasting. Arrived totally thrilled but a bit deafened (I found a fast moving troupe). Secondly, the car is 98% identical to a cayman with the top up, so there is little difference there as well...

Do I wish I'd bought an equivalent cayman instead 4.5 yrs ago? Not at all. I love caymans and have had several (S, .2S and GT4) but they are 98% identical to drive and I had had no experience with actual convertible ownership. I experienced something new and pleasurable.

I do think it's very important for a convertible car needs to be
* designed ground up, free from shake, calm cockpit with top down
* luxurious enough: heated & perhaps cooled seats, strong HVAC
* reliable, top goes up & down quickly and up to 31mph

All of these work in the boxster's favor. Years ago, I'd swapped my zhp with a neighbor with an e46 330CiC. I don't think that car met conditions 1 or 3. I felt the scuttle shake, wind was not as well figured out and the top took longer and required slower speeds.

Would I buy a boxster now to replace it? Probably not, I'm in a 911 coupe mindset but I may never act on that given how little I drive. (About 2k/yr on the porsche and 4k/yr on the 340i)

The 2, with windscreen in and deployed, handles wind VERY well. Far better than ex's 718s.

[equ]

Originally Posted by wdc330i

The 2, with windscreen in and deployed, handles wind VERY well. Far better than ex's 718s.

We can hold a conversation without raising our voices at 75-80mph. Above 90mph, not so much...

[FC]

Originally Posted by Nick M3

Does the 2 series have a more usable back seat than the 1 series? Because the back seat in the 1 series was very close to the functionality of the 993 back seat. Technically usable, but not voluntarily.

A bit OT but one thing I recall about the back seats on the 997 was that the front seat shell is huge and offers poor visibility because of the fixed headrest. And on those with adaptive/sports seats, the shoulder wings make matters worse.

Couple that with the small windows, and being back there was not really all that much fun for my kids - who were starting to outgrow them, but could have still fit there for a few more years. By the time you can see out the side windows your legs don't really fit.

[wdc330i]

Originally Posted by equ

We can hold a conversation without raising our voices at 75-80mph. Above 90mph, not so much...

Well, if THAT'S the standard, LOL.

[John V]

I think you'd end up annoyed with the C3 more often than not and it would end up being garage art.

[clyde]

Originally Posted by clyde

There’s a new one at or on the way to a VA dealer (that’s been at a dealer in New Hampshire since March)and I’ve been trying to talk to them, but they flat out refuse to talk to me without me making the 100 mile round trip to visit in person.

Fuck that and fuck them. OTOH, they have four more cars inbound and I’d rather buy one of them than the one from NH. So, we’ll see.

One of those cars that was inbound arrived yesterday (or thursday?) I submitted an inquiry today. They still don’t seem to want to talk to anyone that isn’t physically inside their store.

So, I sent an email to the dealership group GM. Message was essentially, “I’m trying to buy a car that you have. Your team won’t talk to me. I still want to buy it. Can you please help?”

I figure the Bree most likely outcomes of that are spiking the possibility of any deal on any car at their stores, actually getting someone to talk to me (with unknown impact on potential pricing), or absolutely nothing.

There are only a handful of available cars that meet my minimum requirements within 500 miles right now. There are incoming 21s, but not many.

A nearly identical used 2019 with about 3k miles originally sold in April 2019 is available in Kentucky. The asking price at that dealer is the same as the website ask price for the new one.

I’m not in a good car mood.

[wdc330i]

Originally Posted by clyde

One of those cars that was inbound arrived yesterday (or thursday?) I submitted an inquiry today. They still don’t seem to want to talk to anyone that isn’t physically inside their store.

So, I sent an email to the dealership group GM. Message was essentially, “I’m trying to buy a car that you have. Your team won’t talk to me. I still want to buy it. Can you please help?”

I figure the Bree most likely outcomes of that are spiking the possibility of any deal on any car at their stores, actually getting someone to talk to me (with unknown impact on potential pricing), or absolutely nothing.

There are only a handful of available cars that meet my minimum requirements within 500 miles right now. There are incoming 21s, but not many.

A nearly identical used 2019 with about 3k miles originally sold in April 2019 is available in Kentucky. The asking price at that dealer is the same as the website ask price for the new one.

I’m not in a good car mood.

Sorry to hear! Meanwhile, on a related-ish note, it looks like my neighbor has gotten her 1990s Jaguar convertible moving again. It’s been in her garage since I moved next door six months ago. What vintage is the one you have from your dad?