Meh...I looked at them. 6.7 seconds to 60...yawn. Trophy wife car. I'm not after a true sports car; if I was I'd probably just get a used Boxter and call it quits. But I do want to be able to whip around corners with the top down when nobody's looking

I don't mind the size; I'd actually prefer something with a little meat on its bones for a cleaner ride, but it looks like that's out the window. I expect a little stiffness from a car that's fun to drive, but if it's that bad, I'm out.

Meh...sounds too risky. I've heard nightmare stories of Audi repair costs. Also probably more than I want to spend, and while looks aren't my first criteria, Audis just look plain ugly to me. It's odd, because they look fine up close, but on the road they look like marshmallows with wheels. Except the R8, obviously.

How do you feel about the new 4 series? Any first hand experience or stories from anyone you trust? You're obviously well-informed.

Really? Darn...I really want a drop top. I know it makes me kind of a sucker, but I want to suck up all the Cali sun I can while I'm still here ^_^ My first car was an old Sebring convertible my dad passed down to me, so I'm basically spoiled.

Well that's that.

What do you know/think about the G350?

Yeah the specs on Acuras make me wonder why the fuck anyone buys them instead of a Honda. If they made a V6 accord Si convertible, I'd be all over it, no questions asked.

So the G37 has a rough ride and isn't fun...well that sucks to hear. Even the AWD version?

Anything non-Audi you'd recommend? If you wanted what I'm after, what would you get that can be had used for under 30k?

Yeah the SC430 is, IMO, an ugly, bathtub shaped Real Housewives car, but it's also a very safe buy on the used market, and I'd probably still take it over the IS350C. They benchmarked the Jaguar XK and failed on every level, which is amazing because the XK itself pre '07 was also pretty damn bad.

Definitely beware the used Boxster. If the previous owner has done the necessary engine work it's probably not the worst thing out there, but if not, the engine is basically a grenade just waiting for the pin to fall out.

Cowl shake on the G convertible is pretty damn bad for a modern car. The transformation to retractable hard top was basically a hatchet job and it shows. You'll have to drive one yourself to see if you can tolerate it, I don't think I could.

A bad Audi is definitely not something you want to have, no question. My advice to those looking to get into second hand German iron is always: 1. buy CPO, and 2. be in the financial position to be able to dump the car the second the CPO warranty runs out if it turns out to be a lemon. M-B's CPO warranty sucks, at least it did last time I checked, but Audi's is solid and I think can be extended to 7 years and something like 115K miles IIRC beyond the standard 6/100. So as long as you've got that coverage there really isn't too much to worry about. It's really the third owner who comes in at year 8 looking for the bargain A6 or 5 series that gets screwed.

Would you be leasing a 4 series or something? I'm not sure how you're looking at a BMW 4 on the budget that you're talking about, it's a brand new model, and the 428 convertible starts at $50K. Style wise and driving wise I prefer the old E90 to the new F30. Like everything else they make, BMW really softened the car to make it more appealing to mainstream buyers. The interior is better than before, but the new C-class interior is so much better than everything else that it doesn't really matter that much.

The G sedan is perfectly serviceable, but I drove the first gen G35, and that car was a blast. The interior quality was horrible, but even in AWD form the rear would rotate on command, and it felt light and nimble. Compared to that car, the G37x sedan feels like its made out of lead. It's comparable to other cars in the segment like the Volvo S60. Fine, not great. Keep in mind that the convertible is a G37 with an 800 pound gorilla strapped on top. (It's literally 800 pounds heavier). You can imagine what that does.

I really did not like the third generation Lexus GS at all. I suppose the Cadillac STS was worse, and the RL definitely was, but literally everything else from the same generation was WAY better. The new GS kicks the RLX and Q70 into the weeds. It's better to drive than the E and in the same league with the A6 and 5. Steering feel is a real problem, but it is with all of these cars now. Mostly I dislike it just because of the styling, and I think the Lexus remote touch system sucks. My pick of this segment right now is the S6, but that's mainly because the E-class is so old. If the next E is anything like the new C-class, watch out.

If it were my $30K, I'd probably put it down on a triple black 2010 S5 Cabrio. That car is very quick out of the box and has great seats which is the biggest weakness of the standard A4/A5.

After that, I'd look at a 2011 or 2012 BMW Z4. I think it's a much better looking car than the 328i convertible which goes for the same money, and the interior is a lot nicer and a lot more special.

I have no interest in Mustangs or Camaros, and the 370Z isn't for me either, just a personal preference. Other than that, you have also rans like the Volvo C70 and VW Eos which aren't worth bothering with.

Yeah, I'd probably lease a more recent Z4. I'm sure there's decent aftermarket support for it and I think it looks good personally despite it's growth.

Agreed. Unlike the SC430 you can drive it without feeling embarrassed that you don't have lady bits, and the interior really isn't bad at all for the money, definitely a step ahead of the equivalent Mercedes SLK.

The ZL1

This is what happens to your soft top in LA.

The ZL1 will handle well. Arguably better quality/reliability than Nissan/Infiniti. Might be able to find one for a good deal since the redesign is around the corner.

Ha, that's what I just did. They're amazingly inexpensive right now--swapped the SS convert for a ZL1 recently. Totally different car. I have to stop talking shit about the porky Camaro, because this pig can dance. And the Mag Ride (active suspension) actually rides very nice. Downside is mileage, which is pretty bad.

(And yes, I freely admitted the SS was a porker that handled like crap. I knew what I was getting into, but I wanted a 4-seat convertible, didn't want another Mustang convertible, and didn't want to get into crazy-exotic maintenance prices. I've owned so many stupid cars, I have zero need to justify a bad car.)

The A5 has always struck me as a German Camaro. A5 drivers hate it when you say that for some reason.