ColinL

Whole lot of crazy stuff here.


Simple answer to your simple question that was not previously mentioned:

YES, you can easily get an extension for a hitch mounted rack. They are readily available at trailer supply companies or you can buy online. Google your town for businesses that install top-mounted racks and hitches and they should have them in stock. A six inch extension shouldn't be a problem unless you go in/out a very steep driveway. (Which shouldn't exist in Florida, but watch it if you travel to...North Carolina, or something.)

Twelve inch or more extensions are also available but I would use the shortest that gives you the necessary trunk clearance.

How do I know about this? My wife's SUV has a rear-mounted spare and I needed a hitch extension for my Kuat Sherpa rack.

merlinextraligh

As for the desirability of a convertible in Florida, the point about the sun and the heat has some validity. However, for me the great thing about having the convertible is not driving it in the heat of the day in the summer, but driving it on a warm evening, or in the morning. In South Florida, it will be nice convertible weather most every evening. And you just leave the top up when it's too hot during the middle of the day.

Ultraslide

+1 - Don't save when you can invest.

edited to add: If you're willing to pay import maintenance costs, just get the Beamer 'vert! I'm rollin' in a 2004 Passat Wagon, not exactly spicy and fun, but my bike fits in the back :-)

LesterOfPuppets

If you finance or lease a car you're giving all the gains from your investments to insurance companies, banks and depreciation.

Up to you though.

radshark

+1 and fuel efficient to boot.

merlinextraligh

You didn't read my example. Debt can destroy you. Appropriate use of debt can make you wealthier. It's all in the details of the transaction.

Every purchase has a cost, i.e. the price paid for the good. However, there's an additional cost, and that's the cost of funds. And there is always going to be that cost, regardless of whether you lease, finance with a conventional loan or pay cash. Assuming you're going to make the purchase, then the question is which manner of financing the purchase has the lowest cost of funds, and that is not always cash.

LesterOfPuppets

In fact, I did read your example. I noted in post #50 a couple of details you did not account for in post #49.

Ultraslide

*facepalm*

Whatever man. LOL

LesterOfPuppets

So let's say you have $10000 cash and you use it to buy a car that a dealer is asking $15000 for. You get bare bones liability insurance for it.

You think that will be worse than financing the car @ 15000 and paying 3% interest (if you're so lucky) AND paying for comprehensive insurance for the life of the loan? That'll kill off a lot of profit from the investments you've made with whatever cash you have left after down payment, etc.

merlinextraligh

To respond to those factors:

1) the depreciation of the car is relevant to whether you want to spend the money in the first place. It has less to do with how you pay for it.

2) the car in my example is used, albeit still under warranty, and the purchase price was about 50% of the original MSRP.

3) you negotiate the price first, then arrange how to pay. From the Porsche dealer's point of view it usually doesn't make much difference if I'm writing a check to them for the purchase, or Porsche Finance is writing them the check.

4) granted I could save a few dollars if I paid cash and didn't carry collisiion insurance on the car. However, in spite of my lectures about the benefit of self insurance in other threads, I'm not quite at the point that stroking a $40,000 check is a risk I'm comfortable absorbing. And you can get a significant portion of the savings by carrying a $5,000 deductible.


As I said when I started this discussion, how you finance any deal depends on the details. Hence a blanket statement that you should never lease a car, where this started, or you should never finance a car, doesn't make sense; it depends on the details.

Admittedly paying cash is often your best option. However, when there are marketing incentives that you give you below market cost financing options, either by a lease, or a conventional loan, it pays to run the numbers.

7bmwm3gtr

How about the Nissan 370z Roadster? There's a separate housing for the folded down top, so the trunk stays closed. However it only comes in a fabric top to keep the car's weight low since it's sort of performance-based.

There's also a Nissan juke convertible, but...

Drag

Even Yakima adaptable:

merlinextraligh

^ pretty sure it only works on a 986, not a 987 (current generation Boxster), and you can't raise or lower the top with it on.

And then there is the intermediate shaft bearing issue, but that's another thread in another forum.

pgjackson

Yes, riding with the top down on a cool evening is spectacular. Doing it in the mid-afternoon sucks. When I had my Jeep Wrangler in Florida, I got tired of arriving everywhere I went drenched in sweat and having to constantly apply sunscreen. Sold it for a BMW 325 with air conditioning.

idoru2005

BMW Z3 is a great car. They can be had for around 10k now (used with lots of miles). We had one and used a trunk rack without any issues. Loved that car. Had a Porsche Boxster for a while, but the configuration of its tailpipe (in the center) and spoiler, make it difficult (if not expensive) to find a suitable rack.

RedC

Damn! You guys have difficulty sticking to the original question. I've been listening to people tell me why I didn't want a convertible since my first one ine 1957 and my last 3 Chrysler products last 22 yrs, 8 yrs and 5 yrs so far. Drive what's fun and have a good time, there are no guarantees about how long you're alive and healthy

rekmeyata

Sorry but your still wrong...IN MY OPINION. Sure you could get a loan for low interest and the money you keep in investments could, and the key word here is could, make more money; but you failed to take appreciation into consideration! You'll never make back in depreciation alone (even with paying cash and having no loan) for what any investment will pay you back against the depreciation of new car.

Also carrying debt has an element of unknown risk, like losing a job then worrying about paying the car without it being repo'd; having an accident only to discover you still owe money after the insurance paid it's depreciated worth.

So no I still disagree...IN MY OPINION, it's still bad financial decision to buy a new car. But note, for some people getting a new car and knowing it's a bad financial decision doesn't matter because it's what they want, it's what they like; my hobby of bicycles is not a good financial decision, but I enjoy it so I do it; my hobby of owning classic cars is not a good financial decision (though a couple of the cars I have are still worth more then I paid initially), but with upkeep etc it's not really a good financial decision, but I enjoy the cars I have and I didn't buy them initially to have an investment either so the risk doesn't matter.

Please, I'm not attacking you, it's just my opinion which I put in caps so you would understand what I'm saying and why.

rekmeyata

I have friend that has a Z3 and it is a great car, he's had no issues with it for 3 years...though one shouldn't have any issues with any new car for the first 3 years at least. But I like my convertible too, a 1967 Ford Galaxy 500, it's a great car, never any problems, rides like a dream, and I can take all my grandkiddies for a ride because I have more then 2 seats, and I can take it on vacations because the trunk is HUGE, it holds any amount of luggage I put in and still have room left over! I once put a 6' tall Christmas tree in the trunk and closed the lid!!

Missbumble 

Ok the saga continues... you hoo it's the OP. OK so now I have moved on... looked at a Used A4....so for you lease-haters - I would buy the car...... but I will totally finance it as the interest rate is low...and though I could pay cash why would I want to do that? I can make better investments....anyway I digress...(Oh and all credit cards are paid before 30 days and yes I have a mortgage but no other credit - so thats not an issue)

The real reason for this post is to ask y'all about a hitch for the A4 or a bike rack. So I am lookiing at a Used Audi A4 cabriolet and fond the following rack. Looks like you mount these pipe thingys to the car (I would ask someone to do this - a mechanic etc....) and pop in the bike rack. The pipes ar black, car would be black.. (2008 Audi A4 Cabriolet) so do u think this is doable??? i like the idea of a bike rack that takes only a little room in the trunk...
Thoughts??

PS drove the 1 series BMW - a ton of money to buy or lease ...and I think I liked the Audi A4 better.

https://www.birdautomotive.com/Bike%2...0Audi%20A4.htm

mark1974

if you are a women the audi a4 is perfect for you lol

Velo Gator

My A4 was a heap, it broke constantly. RIP.

Missbumble 

Great to know - I was looking at a 2008 - so that is getting old and I do not want to inherit problems...

mark1974

make sure to keep them up properly and they should be reliable, but if you are one of those people who has a heavy right foot and doesnt know alot about car maintenance, i would avoid them unless you want to pay for repairs

rekmeyata

08 is only 4 years old, you shouldn't inherit any problems with any car that new.

Anyway, there is a bike rack made in England that allows the convertible top to be operated, and be able to open the trunk without disconnecting the bike rack first; and it doesn't come into contact with any painted surfaces. It's expensive at $420, see: https://www.birdautomotive.com/Bike%2...0Audi%20A4.htm

Or Saris model 801 Bones trunk rack, easier to obtain without waiting for shipping, but the unit has two feet that do contact the bumper's paint. priced at around $150.

There may be other brands out there besides these two I mentioned. I would start with an Audi dealer and see if they have anything, then go to a couple of IBS and see what they can do for you. Some people don't mind the rubber feet on racks rub the paint, others get indignant if their paint is marred the least bit. If your like me and don't want the paint marred then make sure any thing you buy can't do that.

Missbumble 

Thank you! The bike rack in the link--- any idea how easy it would be to use it?? I like the idea of storing it in the trunk!