Beetle vert? But why???
Sorry about your car btw. Any pics?
Beetle vert isn't ideal (because wussy) but it makes sense for me on a number of levels. I've wanted a fast convertible for a few years now since I've already owned sporty coupes, sedans, and hatchbacks, and I've never owned a convertible. I'd love a motorcycle but the risk is too high, so a convertible is the closest thing to the open-air motoring experience but with the safety of 4 wheels and more sheetmetal protecting my soft bits.
Why a beetle vert, then? It has a familiar layout, there's a VW dealership within walking distance which I have a good relationship with and which has serviced my GTI for years. I'm familiar with the VW aftermarket and have a pretty good sense of the pros and cons of various parts on modern cars, from personal experience building my GTI. Decent on gas, should be reliable, new enough to get a decent apr hopefully. Plus it is one of the few legit 4 seater convertibles on the market. They also tend to be cheaper than comparably equipped GTIs. And finally, my goal of cracking 12s in the quarter mile should be do-able with this platform. Tell me a high 12/ low 13 second car wouldn't be fun with the top down?!
I almost traded my GTI in for a 2003 Cobra a couple of years ago, but the interior was just too crappy, gas mileage would have been ridiculous, and I didn't want to pay new-car money for a vehicle with 50k miles on it. This car with a F23T or hot K04 setup should be just as quick as a stock Cobra and be much cheaper and nicer to drive as a long-distance commuter. Plus it'd be way different from the ubiquitous moarlow+hella expensive rims du jour MKV builds you see at every car meet. I know a convertible beetle seems like a weird choice at first, but hopefully you can see why it'd make sense for my specific wants/ needs.