David Fraher loves his car. But only once in his more than 35 years of driving has he ever bought a new one.

"First and foremost, I never buy a new car," said Fraher, the executive director of Arts Midwest, a nonprofit, regional arts organization based in Minneapolis. "All it does is lose value as soon as I drive it off the lot."

When Fraher got his newest used car three years ago, he was looking for reliable, yet fun -- which he said is what his Saab 9-3 convertible brings him.

"I hate putting the top up," Fraher lamented. "I'll still put it down in the winter if the sun is up and it's at least 30 degrees. I'm getting the vitamin D."

Fraher is an urban driver who averages about 5,000 miles per year on the road. He lamented the lack of convertible hybrids on the market, which he said he would get next, if available.

And if enough baby boomers like Fraher want it, they'll probably get it.

Boomers Drive Industry

Ed Kim, the director of industry analysis for AutoPacific, said that baby boomers like Fraher have long driven the direction of the auto industry.

"Baby boomers have always been agents of change," said Kim, citing the social changes that took place in the 1960s and 1970s. "In an automotive concept, they've been driving change: They embraced Japanese import in '70s, minivans in the '80s and SUVs in the '90s. This decade, it's hybrids."

"As they've gotten older, they continue to embrace changes and new ideas and ways of thinking," Kim said.

'Cult Of Youth'

Jack Nerad, the executive editorial director and executive market analyst for Kelley Blue Book said that baby boomers like to stay young and think young, even if they're not.

"The thing that's different about baby boomers is the cult of youth," Nerad said. "Previous generations moved to more traditional luxury cars, but baby boomers like stuff that's more active -- either functional luxury or sports luxury. Cars that seem more youth- or performance-oriented."

Nerad said that baby boomers seemingly try to stay away from the types of cars their parents drove.

"I think one of the things that ended in the demise of the (Oldsmobile) brand was that pretty much everybody's parents had one," Nerad said. "Mine did. Maybe (baby boomers) didn't exactly want to go there."

Nerad himself falls into the category of baby boomer with a young child at home, so he said his family car is a big SUV. Others are empty nesters or, like Fraher and his wife, don’t have children.

"A lot of people move to reward themselves with luxury vehicles," Nerad said. "It's not just cars, either. It can be crossovers, too."

Kim said that boomers haven't gotten stodgy as they've gotten older.

"SUVs and crossovers are higher up and have more flexibility when it comes to seating and space. Vehicles like that have fit well with boomer mindset of living well."

What's Worth Checking Out?

Kim is very high on the new Toyota Venza, which will be in dealer showrooms in fall 2008.

"The key thing is that it's really focused on adult usage," Kim said of the Venza. "Compared to regular car, it's slightly higher up and a little less kid-focused. It has a big back seat for adults rather than kids.

Kim said the Venza, from an elevation standpoint, is between the midsize Toyota Camry sedan and the Nissan Highlander, a midsize SUV.

"It's not as high as an SUV, but it's definitely higher than a sedan," Kim said. "The SUV has conditioned people to like being higher up because it's easier to get in and out, and drivers like the visibility."

Transportation As Fashion

In a Cars.com article about baby boomer car picks, AutoPacific listed the most popular models among the older group of baby boomers, those ages 55 to 62.

GMC Sierra

Mercedes-Benz CLS-class

Pontiac Solstice

Porsche 911

Toyota Land Cruiser

Chevrolet Corvette

Nissan Titan

Audi A8

Porsche Cayenne

Mercedes-Benz M-Class

Cadillac Escalade

Chrysler PT Cruiser

Porsche Cayman

BMW Z4

Ford F-350

Acura TL

Mazda MX-5 Miata

Jeep Wrangler

Saturn Vue

Audi A4

Volvo S80

CNW Marketing Research, a firm that looks why people buy the cars they do, listed the vehicles with the highest percentage of boomer buyers.

Dodge Viper

Lincoln Town Car

Toyota Avalon

Cadillac DTS

Cadillac STS

Chrysler 300

Mercury Grand Marquis

Jaguar XK

Lexus LS 600h

Mercedes-Benz S Class

Jaguar XJ

Lexus SC 430

Audi A8/S8

Ford Crown Victoria

BMW 7-Series

Infiniti FX

Jaguar S-Type

Lincoln MKZ

Nerad said the whole BMW lineup does well with boomers, as do Lexus and Infiniti.

"The aura of the brand is important," he said. "It still has a great deal of resonance, especially for those with discretionary income. It's not just transportation, but fashion."

For Fraher, the idea of a convertible is what first appealed to him and he started looking from there.

"I love the sunlight and I love the sense of being outdoors, because I rarely get to do it," he said. "Now I can be outdoors and in the car, running errands or doing whatever."