I’m on my fourth convertible, a 2005 Audi A4 Quattro, and absolutely love it. I’ve had a Triumph TR6, Alpha Romeo Spider and a Fiat Spider, with an SUV or two thrown into the lot, and the Audi’s been the best. Smooth ride, hugs the road, quiet, powerful, great looking and reliable. But, just like me, it’s getting older – I’m newly 70 – so I’m starting to think about a new (or slightly used) car.
The problem is, I like this car so much that I can’t even begin to think of what to buy. It doesn’t have to be a convertible (sob) as long as it’s sporty. SUVs are out as I don’t need a vehicle that big. – Lisa
Mark Richardson: One answer. Porsche Boxster. ‘Nuff said.
Petrina Gentile: You read my mind – that’s a great starting point.
Richardson: I know of several people who’ve bought themselves Boxsters as retirement gifts. None of them have regretted it. You don’t need the more powerful versions to get the sporty feel of the car and you have the prestige and quality of the nameplate. They say it’s their reward to themselves for a life well lived.
Gentile: I agree – the 718 Boxster is one of my favourite sports cars. It’s stylish, well-balanced and agile; it’s a dream to drive.
The Porsche 718 Boxster.VICTOR JON GOICO/Courtesy of manufacturer
Richardson: And it’s on its final edition. The next generation of the 718 Boxster is expected to be an all-electric sports car, but there’s life in the gas-powered engine yet. I’m sure Lisa would be very happy with the basic Boxster, which starts at $88,000. Once taxes and options have been included – nicer paint, more comfortable heated seats, that sort of thing – it’ll probably ring in around $100,000 out the door.
Gentile: And she gets to continue driving a convertible – something she clearly doesn’t want to give up. And I don’t blame her. I share the same love for convertibles.
Richardson: It’s a lot of money, though there are plenty of gently used Boxsters on the market for a lot less. People rarely thrash the 718′s engine as they might a 911, because it’s more about the drive than the performance. Maintenance won’t be cheap, but probably not much different from Lisa’s Audi A4.
Gentile: That’s true. Let’s look at another German option. Maybe a BMW Z4?
Richardson: That’s a lot less expensive than the Boxster, at around $72,000 to start. It’s built on the same platform as the Toyota Supra, with basically the same engine and mechanical bits, but it’s a convertible. I hate to appear sexist, but it also has a reputation as a masculine car, maybe from its all-business interior. Do you know of any women who drive one?
The manual Z4 quickly forms a strong emotional connection with the driver on the switchbacks through the mountains in Germany.Kunal D'souza/The Globe and Mail
Gentile: Don’t be sexist – I actually do have a friend who owns a Z4 and she loves it. It’s a driver’s car that’s luxurious, sporty and agile. I will admit she always gets a lot of attention behind the wheel.
Richardson: I’m sure I’d look twice, just because I don’t remember ever seeing a woman driving a Z4. There’s no reason why not, of course, but it does have that reputation.
Gentile: And the Boxster has a reputation of being a woman’s car, but I still see men driving them.
Richardson: Ouch! But if Lisa likes her A4 so much, she should look at the A5 coupe, which is sold as a convertible. It starts at just over $70,000, around the same as the Z4.
Gentile: She’ll have to act fast – the coupe and convertible versions of the A5 are discontinued for 2025.
Richardson: Convertibles are an endangered species. I’d have recommended the Audi TT roadster, which is a lovely and distinctive car, but its production ended with the 2023 model year. A used model would probably be a good buy for Lisa.
The Audi TT is sold as both a hard-top and a convertible.sagmeister_potography/Courtesy of manufacturer
Gentile: I was thinking a used TT would be better for Lisa. It’s sporty, fun to drive and comes with all-wheel drive for extra confidence if she wants to drive it in the winter. There aren’t a lot of listings on AutoTrader.ca, but I did find a few 2022 and 2023 models in the low $60,000s in Ontario.
Richardson: It was sold as both a hard-top and a convertible, so she has that open option. My sister-in-law has owned three of them. She had electrical problems with the second one that were fixed under warranty, but she loved it enough to buy the third before it was discontinued. She seems a bit like Lisa in her attitude toward her car.
Gentile: Both the hard-top and convertible are exquisite in design. But maybe we should level the playing field and look at a three-pointed star, too?
Richardson: Mercedes-Benz has made plenty of different convertibles over the years, but there are only two sold now in Canada. The SL is too expensive and over-the-top, but the CLE 300 starts at just over $70,000, as competition to the A5. Even so, she might prefer a lightly used SLK.
Gentile: I found a few used 2015 and 2016 SLKs online, ranging from low $30,000s to $45,000s, depending on condition and mileage. There weren’t many newer models available in Ontario. But I don’t think I’d go that old for Lisa – after all, it’s almost a decade already. In this case, I think new is better.
The a 'sharknose' hood of the Mercedes CLE 300 Cabriolet looks as if it points down at the road ahead.Mark Richardson/The Globe and Mail
Richardson: Has it been that long? A car of that age will have no options for warranty coverage, and a finicky Mercedes can be expensive to maintain. I’m sure Lisa doesn’t want that hassle. If she can afford new, with a worry-free warranty, then she’ll be able to enjoy her car for some of her best driving years ahead.
Gentile: I agree. So what’s your top pick for Lisa?
Richardson: The Porsche Boxster if she can afford it and wants to really feel special when she’s out on the road, and a used Audi TT if she wants to save her money. You?
Gentile: Boxster, hands down. It’s smooth, sexy and stylish – a great way to mark Lisa’s 70th birthday.
What car should you buy? Write to Mark and Petrina at globedrive@globeandmail.com and use ‘What car’ as part of your subject line. Emails with different subject lines may not be answered.
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