Who's owned a convertible?

[Mursilis]

Who's owned/extensively driven a convertible? Did you really enjoy top-down driving as much as you thought you would? Are they more prone to break in? Owning a convertible is always one of those things that seems really cool, but is that more fantasy than reality? Pros, cons, thoughts?

 

[iamwiz82]

We have had one in one form or another for about 5 or 6 years now. I cannot live without one.

 

[Mursilis]

Originally posted by: iamwiz82
We have had one in one form or another for about 5 or 6 years now. I cannot live without one.

And you're in a part of the US that gets real winters! So, what kind of use does it get? And what convertibles have you had? Didn't you have a Miata and maybe a BMW (if I'm remembering correctly)? What do you like best and least about them? Thanks in advance.

 

[Gillbot]

We had one as my wife's daily for a while. IMHO, It was a luxury for us and mostly a waste. Sure, in the summer the top was down a bit but overall, the premium paid for the convertible top wasn't worth it.

 

[iamwiz82]

Originally posted by: Mursilis

Originally posted by: iamwiz82
We have had one in one form or another for about 5 or 6 years now. I cannot live without one.

And you're in a part of the US that gets real winters! So, what kind of use does it get? And what convertibles have you had? Didn't you have a Miata and maybe a BMW (if I'm remembering correctly)? What do you like best and least about them? Thanks in advance.

I get about 6 months of almost fulltime top down weather, plus another month or two of iffy weather. I put 10k miles of driving in it this year, about 90% was top down, if I had to guess. The top very rarely went up in the summer. In rainy weather I don't drive it unless I absolutely have to, and since it's snowed it'll stay nice and cozy in the garage.

I have had a Wrangler (topless and doorless was the best, by far), a Miata, and now a Z4 M.

The worst thing about them is the added noise, both road and creaks/rattles.

My thought is that summer is abbreviated here, so I am going to make the best of it.

 

[ElFenix]

i assume you can't take a convertible through a car wash, correct?

 

[Dr. Detroit]

Have owned 4 convertibles:

'81 Jeep
'92 240SX
'95 Cutlass Supreme
'08 Saab 9-3

We live in California with no snow, ice, and little rain. Temperate year around but we need it to be in the 70's to drop the top.

Prefer soft-tops over hard tops due to the increased trunk space while the top is down. Sure there is some added wind noise but convertibles have come a long way in 10yrs!

You should not have your cloth convertible top brush washed.

 

[ponyo]

I love convertibles and have owned two in the past, Porsche Boxster and Honda S2000. I really enjoy top down driving especially in the spring and the fall. I live in Atlanta so we have pretty much all year convertible weather. I decided to go with the targa top C6 coupe this time to save on cost and for the look factor but it's not quite the same. Targa top while nice doesn't have the same open feel the convertible has and has more wind noise. But it's a nice compromise with about 75% of the convertible feel without the price and much better look than a rag top vert.

Some cars look good in convertible while many don't. I think cars designed from the ground up as a convertible like the Miata, Boxster, S2000, and the Z3/4 of the world look great. Others like 350z vert, mustang vert, and to some extent 3 series vert look like ass.

You have to consider leaks, wear and tears as the top age. But that's a small price to pay for the feeling of openness and fun of a convertible. Everyone without allergies should own a convertible once in their life IMO.

 

[iamwiz82]

Originally posted by: Fmr12B
Temperate year around but we need it to be in the 70's to drop the top.

:laugh:

I'm good to the low 50s, upper 40s if I have my coat. If I had a MB SLK with airscarf I could probably deal with lower, too.

 

[thedarkwolf]

Miata here and I love driving top down anytime I can. The downside is the plastic window if you have one, I do. It fogs up easy and you can't scrape it in the winter. I'm glad I have a hardtop for the winter. Doesn't really do much to keep it warmer, heater does a good job anyway, but I can scrape the window. Sun burns are about the only other problem I've really had .

 

[SandEagle]

had a 94 camaro convertible for a while and it was awesome. driving with the top down in the summer breeze relieves sooooo much stress, plus all the chicks dig it Once I save up some cash, I'm thinking of getting one again.

 

[Arkaign]

Originally posted by: Naustica
I love convertibles and have owned two in the past, Porsche Boxster and Honda S2000. I really enjoy top down driving especially in the spring and the fall. I live in Atlanta so we have pretty much all year convertible weather. I decided to go with the targa top C6 coupe this time to save on cost and for the look factor but it's not quite the same. Targa top while nice doesn't have the same open feel the convertible has and has more wind noise. But it's a nice compromise with about 75% of the convertible feel without the price and much better look than a rag top vert.

Some cars look good in convertible while many don't. I think cars designed from the ground up as a convertible like the Miata, Boxster, S2000, and the Z3/4 of the world look great. Others like 350z vert, mustang vert, and to some extent 3 series vert look like ass.

You have to consider leaks, wear and tears as the top age. But that's a small price to pay for the feeling of openness and fun of a convertible. Everyone without allergies should own a convertible once in their life IMO.

Very well said!

I've had one, a mid-90's VW Cabrio. No, I'm not gay (/Seinfeld 'not that there's anything wrong with that')

I really wouldn't recommend it unless :

You're in your teens/twenties
and/or
You have a place to garage it
and/or
You have the scratch for a 2nd car
and/or
You won't be parking it in dangerous/crime-ridden areas
and/or
You can afford a good locking hard-top for when you need it

My brother has had a few convertibles, and had several people cut his top to steal things.

 

[Gillbot]

Originally posted by: ElFenix
i assume you can't take a convertible through a car wash, correct?

we did, never had an issue

 

[Pacfanweb]

Originally posted by: ElFenix
i assume you can't take a convertible through a car wash, correct?

Sure you can, as long as you are willing to risk getting wet. Some will leak, some won't.

Eventually, they all do.

 

[scott916]

My pops has an 05 vette vert. He loves it, it's quiet at highway speed when closed, and there isn't much buffeting from the wind at all. Very worth it. As for cutting the top, thieves only do it because it's quieter than breaking a window. If someone wants to get in your car, it's as easy as the closest rock.

 

[thedarkwolf]

My convertible top doesn't leak yet my hardtop does. Go figure .

The worst thing that has happened to mine so far is the plastic window fell out while I was washing the car. The top is 14 years old and the old glue/stitching just gave out, wasn't even putting any pressure on it. I just glued it back in and all is good. Eventually I'll have to get a new top but for being 14 years old it is still holding up pretty well.

 

[AlexWade]

I have a Nissan 350z roadster. I love it. When the temperatures are just right, there is no greater joy in driving that with the top down. I found with my Z that I get better gas mileage with my top off than with it on, even when I'm not running the AC. Therefore, unless it is 80+ or 65- outside, my top stays off. In the hot North Carolina summer, it is usually too hot to ride convertible. It isn't the heat, it is the sun beating down on you which makes you sweat.

My Z has a cloth top. Some idiot decided it would be a good idea to put a knife hole in it. Needless to say, I was ... angry. However, even with the knife hole, it never leaked even in the heaviest of rain. My insurance replaced my old faded top, so it all worked out in the end even better. To prevent fading again, I'm not using car wash fluid or car washes to clean the soft top.

The nice thing about the Z soft top is that the roof bars are very close together. You would have to be skinny as a rail and very nimble to cut the top off and get in.

 

[Dirigible]

I'll be in the minority here (although I think the results are skewed) and say I don't like a convertible for most purposes. I don't like the wind and noise while driving. I sun burn easily and don't like the necessity of sun protection. When the top was up, I didn't like the reduced visibility compared to most cars.

If I were rich and had plenty of cash, sure. I'd get a convertible and drive it around occasionally. It's fun now and then. But for regular use, no thanks.

 

[thomsbrain]

I've never lived with one, but my drives in S2000s, a 911 cabrio, and an Austin Healy were enough to convince me of the virtues. Something about having the windshield framed by air in front of you and the exhaust behind your ear...

 

[SoulAssassin]

I have a 645 vert and a Wrangler...both are not really practical rides and I don't need two convertibles but just like some others in this thread I love having the top down.

 

[RichieZ]

I own a Z4, i get about 8-9 months of top down driving in CA. Love it.

 

[FlashG]

I owned 2 when I lived in Michigan. A 1960 Pontiac and a 1964 Mustang. The poncho had a much better heater. So much so that it's season was from April to October. My girlfriend didn't like the top down Mustang at all so it didn't get as much use. With her in it that is
They were both noiser than a hard top but a loud radio made up for that.

 

[Throckmorton]

I just bought a Miata a couple weeks ago, but I haven't driven it topless yet!! The softtop needs a new window so I'm driving around with the hardtop.

I can't wait for a rainless weekend so I can take the roof off, or to get the softtop fixed. The first time I'd even been in a convertible was testing another Miata. It's AWESOME. Buy a Miata now!! Cheap, feels like an exotic (Lotus not Lambo) when you're behind the wheel, and convertible!

 

[EvilHorace]

I've always hated convertibles. Even when the car is new, the interior road noise level is terrible. Wind and water leaks are common. Items left inside are less secure than with a hardtop. If you keep the car long enough, eventually things will go wrong with it including rips, tears, stains (especially if whitish), not to mention the electrical and mechanical problems thus big $$ to repair. It's often the first thing that (due to wear, and neglected due to cost) makes the rest of the car look much older and nasty.
If the car's FWD, you'll then have what's called "cowl shake" or vibrations going over bumps and with some cars, it's really bad when compared to the same car in a hardtop version.

For the most part, on nicer days it's enough to have a cars windows opened otherwise either the heat or AC is required.

Then......woman passenger, the hair gets blown and messed so that's out. I don't like sunroofs or T-tops either.

 

[JulesMaximus]

I have in the past but do not currently own one. I did have one for 6 full years as a daily driver and my only means of transportation.

They are great fun and I really enjoyed owning one but there are some problems. Namely, they leak when it rains, they are very easy to break into and expensive if someone does, if the rear window is plastic you'd better not leave your car out in the sun if you want to be able to look out the rear window.

One thing I would recommend to any convertible owner is to keep a bottle of sunscreen in the glove box because you really shouldn't drive around with the top down without it on any exposed skin.

Also, convertibles are heavier, noisier and much less comfortable in extreme weather.

That said, I love them. I will own another.