Good morning! Today we’re escaping from the winter cold and looking at a pair of drop-tops from sunny climates. But before we can do that, we should finish up with yesterday’s rally legends:
And the Audi takes it. I’m glad to hear I’m not the only one who still appreciates these old Quattros. I love a good RX-7 too, but the Quattro would suit my purposes a lot better right now:
This was my drive home yesterday. It started snowing at around 4pm; this was taken at 4:45. It’s 10 PM as I write this, and we’re at a good 8 or 9 inches and counting. I’m taking the day off from my day job today, and so is damn near everyone else in Portland.
So because I was already sick and tired of winter before all this crap, today we’re going to look at a couple of convertibles, one from southern California, and one from Florida. It helps to think that it’s at least warm and sunny somewhere. So let’s think nice warm thoughts and take a look.
2004 BMW 325Ci – $3,900
Engine/drivetrain: 2.5 liter dual overhead cam inline 6, five-speed automatic, RWD
Location: Encino, CA
Odometer reading: 197,000 miles
Runs/drives? Yep!
I can’t think of a car more suited to a particular environment than a BMW convertible in southern California. Good handling for the canyons and PCH, a little style and flair to fit in, a top that goes down to enjoy those warm nights, and in this case, and an automatic to give your left foot a rest on the 405. Their popularity makes for a good steady supply of used examples, including this one, down closer to our end of the market.
But just because we’re on a budget doesn’t mean we can’t have a nice one. It just has a few more trips to Starbucks under its belt. This E46-chassis 325Ci has nearly 200,000 miles on it, but the seller says it runs perfectly. It’s a current daily driver, which shows they have confidence in it, and recently-renewed registration and a clean smog test back this up. The air conditioning works, and the top goes up and down just fine.
So what’s not to like, besides the mileage? It’s a little banged up here and there, and I think it has been lowered a little – I don’t remember E46s sitting quite that low. The mileage is a benefit in one way; if the necessary maintenance and repairs common to these cars hadn’t been performed, it wouldn’t have made it this far. A 200,000 mile BMW at this age is probably a safer bet than a 100,000 mile one.
The fact that it’s such a common car in SoCal is a benefit as well; no one is going to look twice at it. Every production assistant and sound engineer has one just like it. But that doesn’t make it any less pleasant to cruise around with the top down.
1998 Ford Mustang Convertible – $4,300
Engine/drivetrain: 3.8 liter overhead valve V6, five-speed manual, RWD
Location: Pompano Beach, FL
Odometer reading: 201,000 miles
Runs/drives? Oh yeah.
If you have visited a sunny place any time in the past sixty years, and rented a convertible, there’s a good chance it was a Mustang. Ford’s pony car has offered a soft top option since the beginning, except for those bleak Mustang II years and the early Fox-body era, and they’ve been the go-to convertible for rental companies all along. This particular Mustang convertible, however, has something no rental Mustang has had in years: a clutch pedal.
The SN95 Mustang’s base engine was an Essex 3.8 liter V6, finally cured of its head-gasket woes, and putting out a lazy 145 horsepower through a good old Borg Warner/Tremec T-5 five-speed manual. It wasn’t much, but it was a hell of a bump from the Fox body’s base four cylinder, and it made for a solid, durable drivetrain that was adept at racking up the miles. This Mustang is no exception: it’s sitting at 201,000 miles and counting.
Not that you’d know it to look at it. This car looks better than a lot of Mustangs I’ve seen with a lot fewer miles. It has a new top, new tires, new brakes, and a new battery, and the seller says the air conditioning works, important for Florida.
I would say that it’s priced a little high, but a convertible with a stick is kind of a rare combination on these, and this one is particularly nice. You could wish it were a GT with a V8, but really, this is fast enough for a nice cruiser, and both gas and insurance will be cheaper with the six.
So that’s what I have for you from snowy Portland: two shiny silver convertibles from warm places. Which one ya got?
(Image credits: Craigslist sellers)
Woof, I’d rather bike for my open air transportation. That said, the Mustang.
Had 2002 E46 325Ci (5 Speed).
This car will need lots of oil gasket leaks addressed, probably have interior drain flooding issues, will for certain need the entire (and I do mean entire!) cooling system redone, and I’m not confident in anything made of the brittle plastic.
That said, it’s not hard to work on, is a pretty great cockpit, seats are wonderful, and the engine when cared for properly is lovely. And don’t forget the crayon smell!
Best part of E46 is the corner carving. This one has the small engine, wrong transmission, and is limp due to open air fun. Give me the cheap maintenance of the Ford for my 4 seat snoozer.
At that mileage I wouldn’t waste a red cent on with either one of those cars. They are both worth less than half of listing price. Why would you even bother?
I like them both, but agree with the feeling that the BMW will ultimately turn to a wallet leach sooner than the Mustang.
Having just replaced the top myself on my wife’s 02 GT, I agree the price of the Mustang reflects an owner who cared and makes it the better value here for long-term ownership.
BMW for me.
I daily a manual 2001 BMW e46 325i with 210,000 miles and counting. It’s been nothing but reliable for me over 50,000 miles. Some little annoying things are broken, like a rear window regulator, and it leaks oil like the Exxon-Valdez, but it’s a solid car otherwise. I’m gonna drive it until the doors fall off.
I’d be a little wary of a 200,000 mile automatic BMW, but it seems like it’s well kept. I’ve owned Fords from that era and nah.
I was ready to vote Mustang until I saw it was the V6. I’ve driven that generation 6 and 8s and just couldn’t settle for the 6. It would probably be the smarter choice in terms of maintenance but unless its a 2011+ V6 (or modern ecoboost 4) I want my Mustang of the V8 variety.
Stick shift beats out German overly-complicated engineering. Parts availability and ease of maintenance/repairs are icing on top.
I was going to go for the Mustang based on the stick up until I saw it had the optional ashtray. I make a point to never buy a car that’s been smoked in. Maybe it was never smoked in, but since the ashtray on a Mustang takes up one of the two cupholders, I kind of doubt it.
I bet it was used for coins (for paying tolls, back in the day!). That’s what mine’s for; I purchased the “smoker’s package” at the parts dept after I got the car exactly for that – I don’t smoke or drink in any of my cars.
Some potential Bricklin SV-1 buyers were miffed when Malcolm Bricklin produced and imported the cars sans ashtray and lighter. He claimed they posed a safety hazard in the Safety Vehicle 1.
A minor controversy from a different time (1975).
The V6 in the Mustang is trash. The I6 in the BMW is quite good. Too bad this one didn’t get the 5spd. This is from someone that owned a 330i, and owns a current Mustang GT. The BMW looks clean for its age and mileage. I’m going that route.
For these prices? Both!
I went for the Mustang because I’ve always liked the look of the late 90s models, especially the taillights. That and the clutch pedal.
The BMW looks like it is equipped with the sport package, and 18″ wheels from a 330Ci sport package (the 325Ci sport package came with 17″). Probably why it looks like it sits lower than expected.
Any Boomer who visited the 1964-65 NY World’s Fair should recuse themselves from this vote. The new Mustang was introduced here in April ’64.
The 64 1/2 Mustang, red ‘vert w/ white top, was displayed high on a platform outside The Ford Pavilion, and this then-7-year-old was smitten. The building was jammed with Mustangs inside, and maybe you got to ride in one if you were lucky enough to draw one from the long line of Ford convertibles making their way through the dinosaur diorama that was the Ford exhibit. My mother, sisters, and I sat in a ’64 Fairlane being pulled through the land of prehistoric meat and plant eaters. Pretty exciting really.
Everyone knows about Beatlemania, and yeah, it was a sociological tidal wave. But the frenzy behind buying up just about any kind of Mustang was also at a high pitch. I think Ford sold more than a million by 1966.
These were heady times and the air was charged. The long hood/short deck look was beyond mod and the pony car was at full gallop.
New Ford Mustang
$ 2,368.*. f.o.b. Detroit
[print ad]
For Gen-Xers, it was different. And yet similar.
It was the ’80s and the future was here. The malaise years seemed on their way out, and with them, the bloated, floaty conveyances that many of us grew up riding around in. All of a sudden, things were compact again, wedgy and streamlined, and here in the States, the sophistication of “Euro” design language was everywhere from coffee makers to stereo systems.
And a car that had been around seemingly forever in our minds was suddenly, dramatically new. Muscular curves gave way to sharp angles, wheels were metric or looked like turbine blades, and…hatchbacks?!
Sure, it wasn’t really a deviation from the Mustang’s formula from the very beginning…much of the internals were repurposed, older stuff. But it all seemed so fresh, a car for a new, more forward-looking era (I mean, we had a spaceship that landed like a airplane).They were everywhere.
Mustang. The Sports Car for the ’80s.
Yep, Mustang 5.0 LX, GT, and let’s not forget the SVO with three pedals set up for heeling and toeing.
One pony, many generations.
I was 10 in 1964 and I remember Mustang mania. It was nuts. Since then I’ve never seen a new car grab so much attention.
This is a horrible choice to make.
I decided to go with the Mustang because I’m 100% sure that a slushbox-equipped 200,000 mile BMW will only be great for about 5 minutes before something breaks and my wallet starts to cry.
The 200,000 mile Mustang will break too… but I suspect parts/service will be much easier and cheaper. And it’s a manual.
I’m a Mustang guy through and through. First car was a ’67. Still have it.
I’m going BMW.
Never really loved the SN95s, and really hated the 3.8Ls.
I like the manual option, though.
Oh, and I feel you on the cold, Mark. It was 68 degrees when I got in the Miata this morning and dropped the top! Couldn’t even put the windows down!
BTW- This comment bit me in the ass pretty hard last night. Got home and the AC was out. Went to bed and it was 80 in the house.
So. Yeah.
I’ve been developing a bit of a soft spot for the SN95 convertibles lately. Maybe just general 90s nostalgia, because I’ve never been a big Mustang fan, and even then I’m thinking more of a better combo like a GT in green on tan. But this one is clean, nice enough to cruise in, not unique or rare enough that I would hesitate to let an inexperienced stick driver borrow it. Manual is a bonus, but even if they were both auto or manual I’d lean to the Ford here. That dent dragging down the passenger side of the BMW…plus the M color inserts on the grille of an entry level model, one of those things that I’ve seen called an automatic pass on a used BMW.
I’m kind of the same way. I was never really into Mustangs, and at one point actively disliked them… but I’m starting to come around.
I used to always associate this generation Mustang with spoiled teenage girls because it seems like every girl at my high school drove one. Then I didn’t really love the next generation because I’m not old enough to have any nostalgia for the old style that it was mimicking.
But then I hit the rental counter jackpot on a few business trips and got the most recent style (once the EcoBoost and another time the V8), and I really liked it! I’m starting to come around and am turning into a Mustang Man!
I respect the test of my personal “Anything > BMW” calculus.
In this case, I did pick the worst-looking Mustang of the last 30 years over an E46 … because it has clearly been loved, and it has the right transmission.
I like the BMW looks better, and this would ultimately be a cruising car, so I had to go that way. I don’t mind an auto for a relaxing drive with the top down. Or, really, for most things.
I would buy the Mustang and take a picture of it with a Starbucks cup on it and send it to Jason with the joke, “Meet you at the next show, Jason.” ????
That’s supposed to be a laughing smiley face at the end.
Tough call. The Bimmer has a lot more horsepower, will handle better, and is more lux than the Mustang. But the Mustang has the correct transmission and that’s a pretty big deal in a comparison like this. Both look pretty clean but if the BMW has been lowered, then that’s a bit of a worry. I’m tempted to call it a tie, and not the “both so bad I wouldn’t own either” kind of tie we get here once in a while
A BMW with 200k is scary, so I chose the Mustang
A BMW with 200k is not scarier than a Ford with 200k.
Oh yes it is. You can get parts for that Mustang anywhere, for cheap, and you’ll have a huge selection to choose from. It requires no special tools or equipment and every podunk town big enough to have a dealership row has a Ford dealer. It’s very forgiving of hack shadetree mechanics.
This Ford is basically a farm tractor compared to the BMW. It doesn’t drive nearly as well and doesn’t feel, sound, or look as good. But it will run far longer because it won’t incur repairs that exceed the car’s actual value. At this price point, that matters, which is why a 2003 S-class with 200k costs the same as a 2003 Impala with 200k.
Yes. Yes it is.
Any half-sober mechanic in the US can fix a V6 Mustang, especially one with a far less troublesome manual.
The BMW? Hans and Franz are going to…pump your wallet dry!
I’m starting to think that some of the “German cars aren’t that bad” crew in the commentariat haven’t actually owned German cars. I have and I come from a family that pretty much exclusively drives German cars. They are every bit as much of an ass pain as their reputation suggests.
My sister’s 3 series (I think it’s a 2011 or 2012?) requires 4 figures of repairs and maintenance to keep running every year. A different warning light comes on pretty much every 2-3 weeks and it’s sitting at 70,000 miles. She sticks with it because it was free (the third child is always spoiled) but it’s a nightmare for her.
My mom’s Audi Allroad that has 60,000 miles (I think it’s a 15 or 16) has been shitting the bed for the last month. They paid for an extended warranty/maintenance plan on it that ran out at 60k…and literally as soon as she drove it back from its last covered service (surprise surprise!) all the electronics went kaput one by one.
Backup camera? Gone. Electronic parking brake? Gone. Electronic tailgate? Gone. They all went out within a few days of each other. She spent $1,000 to have it all repaired and yesterday it just wouldn’t start…so she now has it at an indie mechanic and is crossing her fingers. The battery, you ask? It’s still new-ish. Once it’s fixed she’s getting something new, but she’s refusing to consider anything but another Audi. Boomers really take brand loyalty to ridiculous heights.
I got out of my MK7.5 GTI after 2 years because of what a headache it was. It consistently had issues misfiring in the break in period that no VW service center could diagnose. I was told by more than one that “oh this just happens with some EA888s, don’t worry about it”. Um…excuse me? I’d lost half my cylinders on the highway multiple times. Im not saying it could’ve killed me but it was not a great situation.
The cruise control glitched out probably 25% of the time and couldn’t be reset without restarting the car. It incinerated its consumables in the first 5k too. Wipers, tires, oil, you name it. All of it was shot…and then around 10,000 miles the ignition started failing. I said “not today Satan” and unloaded it for my Kona N. I’ve kept track of the Carfax since and it’s still in the service bay quarterly for assorted gremlins. A 2020 model.
I love how German cars drive, but short of a Porsche I’m never owning one again. They’re only designed to work until the warranty and/or lease deal expires. They literally engineer cars to last 50-60k, maaaaaaybe 80k or so if you have deep pockets or are a skilled wrencher. After seeing my wife’s family’s squad of Hondas all make it to 100k+ with nothing but oil changes I’ve been converted.
From my experience most have been ok but a bad one is REALLY bad. Friday afternoon car maybe
Bmw’s are junk. Riddled with electrical and mechanical problems. Especially at that mileage. You’ve obviously never worked on one. Just because they typically cost more doesn’t make them better. Germans make junk too bud.
It truly depends on the particular condition of said car and how well its been maintained. Lemons default from the factory notwithstanding, how the car has been driven, maintained, and even the trim of the car matter with the right options.
That one is!
It all depends on the detailing of maintenance records and the owner.
Mustang for sure.
The hidden cool point for base Mustangs is that while they don’t have the big engine, they do have nearly all the other GT hardware, like the same brakes and (mostly) suspension. So you don’t get V8 muscle, but do get a decent amount of other performance stuff, all in a comparatively lighter package.
Also, parts forever.
I’ll take a refined and smooth BMW straight 6 over a cheap Ford V6 that existed to punish you for not paying more to get the V8. 145 horsepower from a big V6 in what is supposed to be a sports car? Even in 1998 that was baaaad.
I have a very weird blind spot where I find it really hard to be interested in any BMW. I guess the 2002 is kind of cool… I just glaze over at any other BMW I see. I’m probably overlooking something, but they just bore me. So I guess it’s the late-season 90210 Brendan Walsh Mustang for me.
Mustang wins because of the stick. Top down motoring without a manual is like a burger without cheese. It’s still enjoyable, but that little bit of extra love takes it over the top. However if this was my money I’d be finding the best Miata I could for $4,000.
So…bad news on the $4k Miata front: they all became $6k Miatas after the pandemic at least where I live.
As the owner of a sub-$4k Miata, I was always the “why would you get x convertible when you could get a Miata?” guy. But now that their depreciation seems to have bottomed out, they’re hard to find in any kind of decent shape for shitbox money.
So yeah, get whatever. V6 Mustang convertible? Sure. E46 BMW with a slushbox and 80% of the way to the moon? Great. Mercury Capri? Why not. Geo Metro convertible? Now you’re pushing it, but I’ll allow it.
You can pry my desire for a hooptie Miata out of my cold, dead hands!
Would you accept a Nissan Murano Crosscabriolet? Just trying to establish a line in the sand here.
CrossCabriolet is love. CrossCabriolet is life. A rare mutant never intended for mass production. Too weird to live, too rare to die. All jokes aside I think the CrossCabrio is a good example of the “never meet your heroes” phenomenon. I genuinely never want to drive one because I know it’ll be absolute ass.
But from afar? I remain in a perpetual state of awe of and respect. It’s just so unapologetically absurd that it’s cool. It’s like The Room of cars. It’s so painstakingly bad that it’s amazing. It’s outsider art.
Username checks out, lol,
cross cabriolet sure, as long as it’s free, might be surprised.
I always have my burgers without cheese.
To me a manual BMW vs an automatic BWM is like a Hamburger vs a Veggieburger.
I was all for the Mustang then I saw 6 cyl.
Once you drive an 8, it is hard to go back.
Then clearly the trick is to simply not drive the V8. I’ve only ever driven an ecoboost Mustang and I found it to be pleasant for what it was.
The ecoboost engine is a good one, and way better than the old Essex 6 on offer here for sure.
The current base Mustangs are quite competent vehicles, whereas the ones of this era, well, they really take a true fan to appreciate them. Yeah, that’s me, I admit it.
Agreed, and my original comment was loaded with sarcasm. If I were ever to actually buy a Mustang (unlikely, but who knows) I’d get a Coyote. Although that skunkworks HPP Ecoboost with the Focus RS engine thrown in is pretty appealing to me for how weird it is and the significantly lower ownership costs.
Even the Ecoboost 4 cyl is deceptively quick. I had a couple of the rental versions that Mark mentions above. Off the line they were eh, but highway speeds? Good lord they’d suprise you.
I had one as a rental last fall. The power delivery is a little weird low in the rev range and at lower speeds but you’re correct…the thing is a missile on the highway. We had to drive ours two hours from the airport late that night and averaged like 75 the entire time and got 28 MPG.
It’s a little meh from 0-40 or so but from 40-80? Look out. I’m not sure if I’d want one as a backroad carver or autocross car but as a highway bomber? Amazing, and if you kit one out with the nicer interior it’s a great budget grand tourer. If I was like…retired and driving across the country an Ecoboost convertible might by my weapon of choice.
Eh, not as hard as you think. My first car was a 02 3.8. Bought a 97 GT in college. Sold the GT, kept the 6.
But the 1500 dollar blower on the 6 may have influenced that decision.