Hardtop Convertable - What do you recommend?

[gonzo]

The old GonZo beater has been paid for a long time now but this weekend the check engine light came on.

So Im considering a new ride.

I like something with style and looks...and some get up and go.

So far the leading contenders are the Saturn Sky or the Tbird Hardtop.

What do you recommend? Of course within reason because Im a broke assed bastard and Im not a millionaire so I cant afford a Mustang.

[Hell Puppy]

Originally Posted by gonzo

The old GonZo beater has been paid for a long time now but this weekend the check engine light came on.

So Im considering a new ride.

I like something with style and looks...and some get up and go.

So far the leading contenders are the Saturn Sky or the Tbird Hardtop.

What do you recommend? Of course within reason because Im a broke assed bastard and Im not a millionaire so I cant afford a Mustang.

Sky looks great, but small...and not a hard top.

Hard top limits your pickings a lot.

T-bird means used, they're done.

New in the low end is Volkswagon EOS and Pontiac G6...both under $30K and hard top convertibles.

Double the price and there are some interesting options.

[jerseygto]

hummmmm it depends what ur into? i like the sky butttt toooo friggin small!! im sure theres a lotta nice cars/trucks dat are 1 to 2 years old that you can get sweet deals on with a warranty

[Peaches]

Wrangler!

[Hammer]

The Sky is cool with the 266hp turbocharged engine and I know a guy that has one that he lowered and added different wheels to and it looks better than a Viper. Not as quick, but then who needs to go that fast in a city anyway?

No offense though, Gonzo, but I sat in one this weekend and I don't think you'd fit.

Not sure why your second choice is a Tbird unless you're looking for used cars too.

p.s. Just because the check engine light came on doesn't mean it's terminal or expensive, it could be something simple.

[gonzo]

Originally Posted by Hammer

The Sky is cool with the 266hp turbocharged engine and I know a guy that has one that he lowered and added different wheels to and it looks better than a Viper. Not as quick, but then who needs to go that fast in a city anyway?

No offense though, Gonzo, but I sat in one this weekend and I don't think you'd fit.

Not sure why your second choice is a Tbird unless you're looking for used cars too.

p.s. Just because the check engine light came on doesn't mean it's terminal or expensive, it could be something simple.

The TBird gets style points.
The room in the Sky was a concern but again. Right now I drive a Honda Del Sol. Youd be surprised what I can fit into. The light is just an excuse Im sure even buying the new ride Ill have this car tuned up and around a long time.

[softball]

If you want something with style, why don't you get a mid to late sixties, fully loaded mustang. You can get a brilliant car for less than 15K that has been totally restored. Class. Performance and valets love to park them. The good news is they are cheap to fix, and you can sell them for what you paid for them. Something like this:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/SEXY-...QQcmdZViewItem

[bluemoney]

The Sky gets my vote.

PS. I thought you were rich

[gonzo]

Originally Posted by rhetorical

If you want something with style, why don't you get a mid to late sixties, fully loaded mustang. You can get a brilliant car for less than 15K that has been totally restored. Class. Performance and valets love to park them. The good news is they are cheap to fix, and you can sell them for what you paid for them. Something like this:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/SEXY-...QQcmdZViewItem

Damn I was told you had to be a millionaire to drive a Mustang.
They must be more expensive in Canada.

[softball]

Originally Posted by gonzo

Damn I was told you had to be a millionaire to drive a Mustang.
They must be more expensive in Canada.

lolololol I wonder who told you that.....????? A sixties mustang is one of the best bargains on the road. Chic and practical especially if you live in a snowless climate.

[pam]

As the owner of 2 classic Mustangs, I can tell you that you don't need to be a millionaire to own one. I paid $10k for one and spent another $15k on restoration for a rust-free car. I could have gone a cheaper route and spent about $6k with the engine/carb/tranny/rear end rebuild but I also went with virtually all original parts. I didn't paint it, either -- or it would be a show car I'd never drive.

You can pick up a nice California rust-free classic 'Stang for under $15k and if you need financing (I didn't) you can go to JJ Best Banc -- 5% for older cars. Check the Hemmings Motor News website for some awesome deals. (Careful with eBay, tons of cars people don't own are being auctioned).

I get about 22 mph with an inline 6 (stock). It goes into winter storage in another week or two (cry).

I paid under $40k for my goat, which is the price some of the newer cars cost.

[edward]

tbird is a turd... if you want a used car and a hard top get an slk32 amg

[edward]

Originally Posted by pam

As the owner of 2 classic Mustangs, I can tell you that you don't need to be a millionaire to own one. I paid $10k for one and spent another $15k on restoration for a rust-free car. I could have gone a cheaper route and spent about $6k with the engine/carb/tranny/rear end rebuild but I also went with virtually all original parts. I didn't paint it, either -- or it would be a show car I'd never drive.

You can pick up a nice California rust-free classic 'Stang for under $15k and if you need financing (I didn't) you can go to JJ Best Banc -- 5% for older cars. Check the Hemmings Motor News website for some awesome deals. (Careful with eBay, tons of cars people don't own are being auctioned).

I get about 22 mph with an inline 6 (stock). It goes into winter storage in another week or two (cry).

I paid under $40k for my goat, which is the price some of the newer cars cost.

i could have bought a 6 like that (forget what year) for under 4k... not all og but it was in good shape, very slow car though

[softball]

"You can pick up a nice California rust-free classic 'Stang for under $15k and if you need financing (I didn't) "

You can make that kind of money in porn? I gotta rethink my business model.

[gonzo]

I guess Ill do some test driving and shopping.

Right now I have to go pick up som more tin cans.

[Hell Puppy]

I think Dickinbush is ready to unload his SLK hard top convertible. I'm guessing it only has 6000-7000 miles on it knowing him.

[edward]

if you like the sky / solstice...
http://www.mallettcars.com/solstice-conversion.htm

[Hell Puppy]

Originally Posted by edward

if you like the sky / solstice...
http://www.mallettcars.com/solstice-conversion.htm

NICE!

From day one I was thinking someone should squeeze a LS2 in there.

[gonzo]

Originally Posted by edward

if you like the sky / solstice...
http://www.mallettcars.com/solstice-conversion.htm

NICE!

[pam]

Originally Posted by rhetorical

"You can pick up a nice California rust-free classic 'Stang for under $15k and if you need financing (I didn't) "

You can make that kind of money in porn? I gotta rethink my business model.

Me, too. I earned mine as a hooker.

[pam]

Originally Posted by edward

i could have bought a 6 like that (forget what year) for under 4k... not all og but it was in good shape, very slow car though

I know I overpaid grossly but it was my first classic, I had very poor advice from my ex but it was rust-free so in the end, I don't complain all that much.

Mine goes 0-60 in about 15 seconds, which doesn't make it a Shelby but it's not often I need to go that fast in that amount of time.

Once I get the goat on the road, though, with its V8 and 389 -- watch out!

[Rcourt64]

"Mustangs? Sky? Ragtops?" Whoa, Does your fat ass fit in these little speedy gocards? I can't.
You should try maybe BIG

Good shocks & suspensions

[edward]

Originally Posted by pam

I know I overpaid grossly but it was my first classic, I had very poor advice from my ex but it was rust-free so in the end, I don't complain all that much.

Mine goes 0-60 in about 15 seconds, which doesn't make it a Shelby but it's not often I need to go that fast in that amount of time.

Once I get the goat on the road, though, with its V8 and 389 -- watch out!

yeah thats what the guy told me, it will do about 75mph... i was like what? a mustang????? thats why i passed... looked cool though

[softball]

Get one of these and you be cool:
http://minnieandmary.com/

I sold it earlier this year....a widowmaker. Now I have a milder version. I don't need to get to sixty in 4.7 seconds.

[Rcourt64]

Originally Posted by rhetorical

I don't need to get to sixty in 4.7 seconds.

Hmm, you might with serge in your rearview mirror

[Hell Puppy]

Originally Posted by rhetorical

Get one of these and you be cool:
http://minnieandmary.com/

I sold it earlier this year....a widowmaker. Now I have a milder version. I don't need to get to sixty in 4.7 seconds.

Yeah, but it's a lot of fun.

[softball]

Originally Posted by Hell Puppy

Yeah, but it's a lot of fun.

Yeah, at 3500 rpm it becomes a Hail Mary rocket. The only place to drive cars like that is in Europe. If you are doing a hundred and twenty in the fast lane you gotta get out of the way, because those Ferraris and Porsches leave you like your standing still. They gotta be doing 175 as they disappear over the horizon.

[edward]

Originally Posted by Hell Puppy

NICE!

From day one I was thinking someone should squeeze a LS2 in there.

well, this surprised me but gm came out with a turbo version called the gxp that is not that much more than the regular model... plus its 260hp... if the ecotec is as strong as others have been there should be a good chance of turning the boost up to approach what the ls2 in the mallet is putting down, in terms of hp anyway

http://www.caranddriver.com/roadtest...stice-gxp.html

[gonzo]

Originally Posted by edward

well, this surprised me but gm came out with a turbo version called the gxp that is not that much more than the regular model... plus its 260hp... if the ecotec is as strong as others have been there should be a good chance of turning the boost up to approach what the ls2 in the mallet is putting down, in terms of hp anyway

http://www.caranddriver.com/roadtest...stice-gxp.html

Since this thread was bumped and some folks were really concerned about my car choice...Im ditching the idea of a hardtop convert for the time being. I have my eye on a Camero in Charlotte.

Its a pure redneck ride but this one has an interesting pedigree from Canada and its current owner "drives it like he stole it."

[softball]

Originally Posted by gonzo

Since this thread was bumped and some folks were really concerned about my car choice...Im ditching the idea of a hardtop convert for the time being. I have my eye on a Camero in Charlotte.

Its a pure redneck ride but this one has an interesting pedigree from Canada and its current owner "drives it like he stole it."

Year? Pedigree?

[Hell Puppy]

Convertible shootout:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q9LmCnR8ccc

[gonzo]

Originally Posted by Hell Puppy

Convertible shootout:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q9LmCnR8ccc

The Charlotte Camero has T Tops....

And I have the PERFECT custom tag.

[edward]

Originally Posted by rhetorical

Year? Pedigree?

the camaros in recent memory were made in a plant in canada... amusing because the comercials for them had a tag line of "from the country that invented rock and roll"

[Jace]

it isn't a hard top, but as most of you know my truck is on it's last leg

I am thinking about one of these:



I have always loved the Z3, in fact it is probably my favorite sports car that has ever been....

[Peaches]

I still love my Wrangler! One of the few convertibles that will make it to my house (and back out again).

[Rcourt64]

Fat People can't drive

[edward]

Originally Posted by Jace

it isn't a hard top, but as most of you know my truck is on it's last leg

I am thinking about one of these:



I have always loved the Z3, in fact it is probably my favorite sports car that has ever been....

dont get the 1.9

[edward]

by the way, is the C.E.L. still on gonzo? did you try twisting the gas cap all the way until it clicks multiple times?

[Peaches]

Originally Posted by edward

by the way, is the C.E.L. still on gonzo? did you try twisting the gas cap all the way until it clicks multiple times?

OK, since you seem to know a bit about cars

1. Does the air go out of the tires when it gets cold? Seems when I start my car they are 25psi when they've been 31psi forever. Sometimes they'll get up to 29 or so if I drive down the interstate a bit, but I can never get them to 31psi which keeps the damn alarm keep popping up.
2. The other night "Service 4WD System" popped up for about 5 seconds. I was going about 70mph and haven't even used the 4WD system in this car in months.

Now you know why I try to get rid of cars before the warranties are up

[gonzo]

Originally Posted by edward

by the way, is the C.E.L. still on gonzo? did you try twisting the gas cap all the way until it clicks multiple times?

its in great shape. I didn't really examine it too close. I was too busy driving it like I stole it.
cars are so much more fun to drive that way.

next trip I do plan to see how many cans of spam it will hold.

they saythe ones from canada are canspam compliant.

[edward]

Originally Posted by Peaches

OK, since you seem to know a bit about cars

1. Does the air go out of the tires when it gets cold? Seems when I start my car they are 25psi when they've been 31psi forever. Sometimes they'll get up to 29 or so if I drive down the interstate a bit, but I can never get them to 31psi which keeps the damn alarm keep popping up.
2. The other night "Service 4WD System" popped up for about 5 seconds. I was going about 70mph and haven't even used the 4WD system in this car in months.

Now you know why I try to get rid of cars before the warranties are up

im far from an authority, but the cel is usually associated with the emissions systems, could be an o2 sensor that is fouled but usually its just a case of the gas cap not being tight enough unless there is an actual issue... the cel is not a very usefull gauge unless we are talking about generating revenue for a dealership... a while back my rodeo threw a cel and the dealer quoted me 500 bucks for bullshit... went online and did some research and learned that they were trying to fuck me badly... isuzu sucks like that... anyway that was a long time ago

i wouldnt really worry about any of that stuff but if you wanna stay in warranty theres nothing wrong with that, peace of mind is priceless

[edward]

Originally Posted by gonzo

its in great shape. I didn't really examine it too close. I was too busy driving it like I stole it.
cars are so much more fun to drive that way.

next trip I do plan to see how many cans of spam it will hold.

they saythe ones from canada are canspam compliant.

the ls1 is a great engine, the only thing you have to watch for is piston slap which seems to be an issue... a good mechanic or a specialist can detect that though... check out ls1.com for some good info and dont be afraid to get an automatic... the transmission in ls1 f-bodies is great, not a slow shifter at all...

[edward]

more on piston slap:

Excessive piston slap occurs when the clearance between the piston and the cylinder bore is too great. The piston to cylinder bore clearance becomes too great either through wear, mismatched pistons and cylinder bores at manufacturing or, a combination of both. The audible noise associated with excessive piston slap is due to the perpendicular impact of the piston against the wall of the cylinder bore. Audible piston slap is typically loudest when the engine is first started up. The pistons then expand with heat reducing the piston to cylinder bore clearance thus, reducing the perpendicular impact of the piston against the cylinder wall and its resulting noise.

In the case of the famous GM piston slap engine defect, the piston design with hypereutectic (high silicon content aluminum alloy) pistons, reduced or eliminated piston skirts (to reduce reciprocating mass), and a higher ring pack to reduce unburned fuel mixture on the sides of the piston crown have made piston to cylinder bore fit much more critical. The amount of tolerance (variation or margin) in allowable clearance between the piston and cylinder bore to prevent audible piston slap has been reduced by a factor of at least 50%. Consistently hitting the narrower margin for piston to cylinder bore tolerance has not happened for GM during mass production. Thus, some engines have no audible piston slap and some have piston slap on only one or two cylinders. What might have looked really good in testing of hand built engines in the lab hasn't transferred to the production line of this corporate giant.
Make no mistake about it, while a lot of these engines don't appear to be driving rods through the blocks, the ones with louder and longer duration piston slap will wear out before the ones that are basically quiet. The perpendicular heavy impact of the piston against the cylinder wall over time will not come without a price. This is also why GM has released a recent TSB saying that opening 4 quarts of oil to add to your crankcase between a 7,500 mile recommended oil change interval (1 qt per 2K miles on an engine with 36K miles or less is "NORMAL". After 36K miles, all bets are off (there is no abnormal oil usage rate). This is why the now common offer of an engine component letter extending your warranty to 5 years or 100K miles is basically worthless. If the piston isn't laying in the oil pan in pieces, the engine will be operating "NORMAL" according to GM

[Peaches]

Originally Posted by edward

im far from an authority, but the cel is usually associated with the emissions systems, could be an o2 sensor that is fouled but usually its just a case of the gas cap not being tight enough unless there is an actual issue...

Yeah, I've been dealing with CEL's and loose gas caps for years - learned that lesson on my 1997 Maxima

I usually wait for a problem to happen at least twice before I worry about. My theory through life You have to tell me at least twice you love me before I believe and you have to screw me over at least twice before it bothers me, lol

[iamkathi]

Peaches, all of the Toxxic Navigators and all of the NationalNet Navigators have the "low tire pressure" lights come on when it gets cold. I was told by Lincoln that the tires should be 'calibrated'. Ha! I will take LBBV's in tomorrow and watch what they do.

Get the tires checked but it should be nothing other than cold weather

[Hell Puppy]

Originally Posted by Jace

it isn't a hard top, but as most of you know my truck is on it's last leg

I am thinking about one of these:



I have always loved the Z3, in fact it is probably my favorite sports car that has ever been....

*cough*
chick car
*cough*

[Hell Puppy]

Originally Posted by Peaches

OK, since you seem to know a bit about cars

1. Does the air go out of the tires when it gets cold? Seems when I start my car they are 25psi when they've been 31psi forever. Sometimes they'll get up to 29 or so if I drive down the interstate a bit, but I can never get them to 31psi which keeps the damn alarm keep popping up.
2. The other night "Service 4WD System" popped up for about 5 seconds. I was going about 70mph and haven't even used the 4WD system in this car in months.

Now you know why I try to get rid of cars before the warranties are up

1) This is simple physics. You lose 1-2 pounds of pressure for every 10 degree farenheit drop in temperature. If you park outside in winter, first cold snap you will typically need to go adjust the pressure in all of your tires. Keep the pressure where it's supposed to be, tires will last longer and you'll get better gas mileage.

2) If it just flashed on and went back off and doesn't return, dont worry about it, especially in cold weather. Some of those systems have to reset themselves in the cold. I've known many cars to do the same thing with the traction control system. You'll be riding along and a sensor reboots and it'll say "traction control warming up" for a few seconds or just flash the light even though you're on dry pavement doing nothing other than going in a straight line.

If you haven't done it though, since you actually USE your 4WD, lose the cheap shit factory transmission fluid and put some high quality stuff in there if you start getting overheating warnings from the gear box or you smell it after a hard climb.

I dont know about the Cherokee and CJ, but in the Liberty Jeep puts some cheap shit transmission fluid in that will overheat on one good long climb.

[Hell Puppy]

Originally Posted by iamkathi

Peaches, all of the Toxxic Navigators and all of the NationalNet Navigators have the "low tire pressure" lights come on when it gets cold. I was told by Lincoln that the tires should be 'calibrated'. Ha! I will take LBBV's in tomorrow and watch what they do.

Get the tires checked but it should be nothing other than cold weather

They just need air.

Send the porter to quik trip with a couple of quarters... problem solved.

[gonzo]

Originally Posted by Hell Puppy

They just need air.

Send the porter to quik trip with a couple of quarters... problem solved.

I hear they are hell on those porters at Toxxxic.

[Peaches]

Originally Posted by Hell Puppy

I dont know about the Cherokee and CJ, but in the Liberty Jeep puts some cheap shit transmission fluid in that will overheat on one good long climb.

Once again, it's a TJ

I'll have a place with FREE air - I'll stop by there on the way to Woodstock today and get some air. I just thought it was reading it wrong since I park on such an incline in the cold weather. If I park it flat, the alarm doesn't go off, but the PSI is still lower than 31.