I'm Looking To Replace My Old Mustang Droptop! What Car Should I Buy?

Zack is from central Pennsylvania, and is looking to finally replace his automatic, four cylinder, '93 Mustang convertible with something a bit more modern and a bit more comfortable. The only firm requirements are open top, three pedals, and front airbags. With a budget up to $13,000, what car should he buy?

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Here is the scenario.

Looking to replace my deathly slow but charming '93 Mustang LX convertible (2.3L, auto) with a newer, manual transmission, more fun convertible. I have a '20 Ioniq Hybrid as my daily so this will be my weekend fun car.

Per my fiancé's request, it must have at least dual front airbags. Must be a manual. Must be spacious enough for my 6' 3", 280#, all legs body (I just barely fit in an NA Miata, but get too cramped after 1-2 hours). I want another convertible, but a targa-top or removeable hardtop works too. Doesn't need to be crazy fast, but has to be fun. I'm torn between a two seater for maximum fun, or a four seater for the extra luggage space. It needs to be reliable enough for weekend road trips, but it won't be a daily driver so it can be a more demanding car. Not wanting a fixer-upper, but a ready to drive modern classic I can maintain and enjoy. I like Radwood era stuff but it certainly doesn't need to be that old. Max budget is about $13,000

Quick Facts:

Budget: up to $13,000

Location: Central, Pennsylvania

Daily Driver: No, weekend fun car

Wants: Manual, open top, reasonably reliable

Doesn't want: Something too small for his larger frame

As a dude of very average height and weight, it can be somewhat hard for me to conceptualize the struggle of the larger dudes when it comes to fitting into cars. But I'm going to assume anything that is Miata-sized or smaller is not going to work. Therefore, you need the compact roadster that was built for 'Muricans.

The Saturn Sky/Pontiac Solstice twins were GM's attempt to field a Miata-like competitor, albeit one that was more comfortable for the average American frame. While these drop-tops didn't have the same driving dynamics as the smaller roadsters, they were still fun to toss around and arguably better as a daily driver/road trip machine. Available powerplants were either the sturdy naturally aspirated 2.4-liter four-cylinder that made a respectable 177 horsepower or the 2.0 turbo motor that pumped out 260 ponies. The latter are rarer and much more expensive, but the standard mill will likely feel quicker than your old Mustang. The GM parts bin means that these cars are easy to care for. Here is a very clean 2007 with the base engine and only 35,000 miles right at the top of your budget.

Rad-era cars are great and all, but it's getting harder and harder to find parts for vehicles that are coming up on 50 years old. Enthusiasts will keep making aftermarket performance parts as long as the world keeps turning, sure, but are you going to be able to replace those interior components that have been bleached by the sun without the protection of a roof? No, Zack, I propose something a little newer: A BMW Z4.The Z4 is made for the average German, who I understand to be between eight and 12 feet tall — you should fit just fine. It's got the stick shift you want, the simplicity of the Miata you called out in your ask, but just a little more space to work with. 

Here's one for $13,000 just over the border in New York, but you can really narrow down exactly what you want in terms of color, options, and condition. These things are everywhere for dirt cheap.The Z4 is very similar to that NA in concept, but with a bit more room to actually get comfortable. A compact, simple two-door drop-top with a stick shift — what's better than that? Zack, get the BMW, and call it a day.

These days, $13,000 won't get you very far if you're looking for something interesting and at least a little desirable. And you already have a fuel-efficient daily driver, so who says the replacement for your Mustang has to be a car? Take less than half your budget, head over to CycleTrader or Marketplace, and get yourself a motorcycle, my man. No convertible you buy for less than $13,000 will come anywhere close to matching the thrill of a cheap beginner motorcycle, and the gas mileage will probably rival or even beat your Hyundai hybrid's.

If you still insist on buying twice as many replacement tires, I guess I can find something for you on four wheels. Here's a 2007 Porsche Boxster with 94,000 miles on it that should be close enough. It has a manual transmission, and even accounting for power loss over time, it probably makes at least three times more power than your automatic 2.3-liter Fox Body. It's also a Porsche, and everyone deserves to own a mid-engine convertible at least once in their lifetime. It also comes with the two airbags your wife wants, as well as the side airbags she should probably be demanding, as well as ABS, traction, and stability control.

The one downside with the Boxster is that it's currently listed for $15,495, which is more than you were hoping to spend. That said, even if $13,000 is the absolute most you could possibly spend, it looks like the dealer's cut the price a few times since the listing went live, so you probably have more room to negotiate. I still think you'd be happier on a cheap motorcycle, but there are certainly worse alternatives than a Porsche Boxster with a manual transmission. Just be careful not to share the name of the dealership with any establishment Dems. It could send them into a tizzy.