As a bday present to myself this year, I'm going to lease a new car. I'm not really sure what I want-I'm looking at convertibles, sedans and SUVs. My price range is 550/month. What car would you get?

great to drive, and reliable. You can also get them with "Quattro".   Love mine

but I'd get an automatic this time. Driving from Orlando to Tampa in bumper to bumper traffic is a nightmare.

I LOVE my car.It handles like a dream and goes like....................well, you know.

Smiles,
Anneke

They can be had for $350-$400 a month. Use the rest of your monthly payment for gas money, you'll need it!
I'm looking for one to go with my Geo Metro. I figure they'll balance each other out.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Pontiac-GTO-CONVERTIBLE-1967-GTO-Convertible-Lo-Reserve-Calif-Car-not-65-66-68_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ7244QQitemZ4612420572QQrdZ1#ebayphotohosting

Lexus SC 430 - hardtop convertible, if your credit is good enough, you can lease it. Ditto a BMW Series 5, maybe Series 6 if you got primo credit. Forget Mercedes-Benz. Their new higher end sedans, which are sweet indeed, are out of your range.
Want an SUV? the Lexus RX 330 and 400h hybrid are in that range, as is the Range Rover and Porsche Cayenne. The Benz SUV with the big motor is good, but also a bit more expensive. American SUV's are dreck, imho, every last one of em. All Bling, no Swing.

Want a last of their kind special? Buy a Buick or Mercury. Both those marquees will be extinct within 5 years.

you asked

Yeah, agree... Go for the bike. Maybe a Harley CVO Electra Glide. It's only about $31 big ones! Take it to your next appointment with your favorite provider.

I drive the closest thing made to it right now which is a Buick Park Avenue.  Big boaty ride, roomy as all get out, huge trunk, slow acceleration (V-6) and every gizmo you can think of inside - even a cassette player for all my old 60's and 70's tunes. (They even had an 8 track availiable up till a few years ago.)  It's
every geezer's dream car.  They stopped make them a few years ago, so I have to make this baby last.

you buy?

The E350 and E320 CDI Mercedes Benz lease for $549/mo. But given what you have to have in pocket at signing of the lease just bring a few thousand more and buy the car.  The lines on the E350 look good, for a smallish car it is elegant. The top of the line E500 and S550 are out of the range that you are willing to pay

No offense to the HD aficionados here but truly; you WEAR a Harley; you don't ride it. Give me the Teutonic engineering that affords a single sided swing-arm with a 5 lug bolt quick rear wheel removal from an enclosed maintenance free drive-shaft system coupled to an aluminum perimeter frame nestling a 4 cylinder 160hp water cooled engine and an under the tank single shock front suspension that is dive free under braking and adjusts on the fly to your desired riding/performance considerations. (all for under 20K)

           (Goddamn; my dick’s hard now)

Mercedes have been rated unreliable lately.  I would go with Lexus before getting an MB, IMHO

Electronics on German cars are reputed to be a problem.

Could I sniff the driver's seat?

I have one and I just love it. I can drive almost 700 miles with just one tank of fuel.
Mine is stick, I don't like automatic cars either.
Great car, highly recommended ~~~~~

Although I didn't get one for me, I would highly recommend 350Z (Coupe or Soft Top).

There are very strong communities of fans all over The US so you may join one in your area.

I have been quite happy with my Hummer H3 as a daily driver. It's not my only vehicle, so I don't mind the lack of power, it's a fair trade off for the good highway milage and incredible snow/ice handling...

Get a Lexus, If you want a suv go for the RX, if you want a sedan get the new ES350 ( which should be out soon )  or the IS350.
The SC430 will be out of your range.
Stay away from BMW and Mercedes

The humble VW Golf or GTI is a GREAT car!

 I've had two Diesel powered iterations that get phenomenal mileage and offer everything you could want in modern transportation.

 There is also a 1.8 litre turbo gas option that goes like stink and if you're a believer in "There's no Replacement for Displacement" there is the VR6 engine option that make it a genuine giant killer.  

I had one in paris for about a year and I loved it! It did not fit the paris parking situation, but here in the states, the parking is ample and wide.

I looked at the bently and at less than a third of the price...

I am not sure what they lease for, but if you can swing it... best car for the dollar.

both in your name and question.  What, you get a car based on an anonymous internet poll?  If I gave a damn, I'd make up 300 aliases telling you how cool Yugos are.

YOU MUST DO THIS:  ask yourself how you use the car, and what for, and how much money you can spend.  You are doing the right thing if you buy cars to win internet polls.  Otherwise, you may as well ask the salesman.

If you DON'T KNOW how you use the car, ask somebody who knows you.  Your mother, your SO, your boss (if you have a job).  

As soon as you have answered that question, the answer to the type of car answers itself.  If you do a budget that close (that you know you want to spend $550) you can't be THAT dumb.  

BTW, our legal department tells us that generally, leases are a sucker's game.  Entirely apart from the fact that most cool cars are out of production, we prefer to buy used for economic reasons - why take the $$ hit for driving the thing off the lot?