Scotty,
You turned me off of BMW!
My wife wants a convertible, and she deserves it for putting up with me for all these years.
I prefer a 6 cylinder engine, for simple physics reasons. With basic driving, one is asking more from a four banger than from a V6, so the four banger has to work harder to produce the same performance over time, and will hold its value less, and probably not last as long, or would require more service. (Offering the new Maverick with no V6 option is really stupid.)
For safety reasons, I would like her to have AWD.
She has a lot of friends, and should have a back seat for them, when they go out for fun. Or at least for grandkids in the back. Room for adults might be asking too much.
She doesn't need power. 300 HP is plenty.
All the tech and navigation features in the S5 are really cool, but would you recommend an Audi?
We would prefer to buy new, or up to two years old.
The S5 and the M4 look great, but...
What would you recommend?
Well, unless you step up to a Lexus LC500 you can’t really get a convertible from the Toyota or Honda brands. And then the price on that LC is very high and the rear seats are very tight (I.e. hardly any room back there for grown adults).
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Therefore, you may want to lease a German vehicle and get it out of the system. After all, you only live once and life is too short.
If you want a luxury reliable convertible then the Lexus LC. If you want a bmw then lease and get rid of it before the warranty ends.
I'd recommend a Toyota Solara but I'd imagine you'd want a newer car
The only two convertibles I would jump at would be the Lexus LC and the Mazda Miata.
But the LC is RWD. And the Miata is only a two seater and 4 cylinder.
Alas it is slim pickings. Of the ones left on the market, since I personally know some of the quirks of BMW, I would go BMW either 4 series or 8 series. I have an affinity for the inline 6 engine and BMW specializes in inline-6 engines. I've also heard good things about the B58 engine. The engine was "developed" and put through the Toyota's rigor in building the Supra/Z4. And that engine supposedly got better with Toyota's rigor. And many are saying it is one of the more resilient BMW engines made. Granted, it is still a BMW, and BMW's do come with their own little quirks and expenses. And only time will tell how resilient this engine really is.
With that said, going the BMW route, I would know that it will eventually become a money pit down the line. But at least I could enjoy it for the time being.
Convertibles was never been popular. Most of new convertibles sold here in the U.S. was mostly German cars which they're proven to be unreliable endless money pits unless if you have an endless amount of money to spend on, go ahead it's your money.
The only best convertibles I can think of is Toyota Solara/Celica which discontinued long ago, Lexus LC, Mazda Miata, and Ford Mustang (avoid the 10 speed automatic transmission).
