[Closed] Convertible Cars

It's lovely. Put the heater on, pull up your collet and feel refreshed before you get to work. Almost all cars were like it once.

Just watching Top Gear on Dave and Clarkson is driving around the Sunny & Snowy Dales in a convertible Jag, sat here thinking it'd be lovely to do that, then spot this thread!

I'm always bemused by the number of convertibles I see with the roof up in fine warm weather.

I'm always bemused by the number of convertibles I see with the roof up in fine warm weather.

Probably driven by baldies and need the roof up to prevent lobster head

Heated seats are essential on a soft top. Makes you feel like you have wet yourself, but very toasty...

A friend had a convertible and to be honest I always felt a bit of a cock when driving around Porthcawl with the roof down, dont know why just felt uncomfortable and vulnerable. He sold it after about 18 months and admitted he felt the same.

Almost all cars were like it once.

And there's a reason why they're not anymore - it's a really crap idea.

Got a 307CC as a hire car for work in January once (I presume it wasn't all that much in demand at that time of year). Top up for the motorway bit, but I had my down jacket and gloves to wear for the non motorway bits - I figured it had to be done, and was quite fun.

I was thinking of posting just about the opposite thread to this. It's been lovely the last few days and I've seen loads of people with the top up - honestly, what's the point of spending the extra if you're going to leave the top up?

If I had one I'd have the top down as often as possible, and I'd wear a hat if it was cold. Don't like open top motoring? Don't by a convertible and save a load of money.

A friend had a convertible and to be honest I always felt a bit of a cock when driving around Porthcawl with the roof down

I fully understand this, and expect I would feel similar, but what a shame, as it's completely illogical.

Its great, heater on and wrap up warm.

Only put the roof on the midget when its actually raining.

Cue midget jokes....

Feel like an idiot? Depends on which convertible.

BMW/Audi, yes you look like an idiot.

1960/70's Alfa or Merc, no, that's doing it right!

interesting observation by a man whos never had one.

my colleagues 93 slk 350 with the roof down is ace- regardless of the weather as long as its not actually raining.

air scarfs are most excellent.

Aventador convertible drove through my little town yesterday with a couple of pink shirted banker types in Oakley's - just looked naff. However the same car on some continental mountain road with a long haired t-shirt wearing euro type and a hot girl would have probably looked quite appealing

Conversely a young guy drives through a lot in a snot green frog eyed sprite in dreadlocks and a NIN t-shirt! (I don't think it has a roof as he does this in January as well) Now that I like and it fits better with the area

Nothing better than getting the roof down on a frosty winter night with a clear sky. Heaters on full blast and the stars shining above. Awesome fun.

Ive got a convertible, but really don't like driving with the roof down in towns or motorways. I enjoy it on hot summer nights or drives through the country roads....ideally both!

Yup, clear cold sunny morning with the roof down is fabulous. What a great way to start the day. I've never owned a convertible but have to say on a sunny day, warm or cold, they are great

I loved being topless when I had the convertibles. O-er. nothing better on a sunny day than driving country lanes. In a city you can feel a bit odd but get over yourself.

I remember two great drives, the first was a winters day, cold, snow everywhere but roads cleared and dry, turn the heater up, heated seats on, thick down jacket and gloves and sunglasses, loooverly. the second was a hot summers night driving home 40 miles with the stars above.

A workmate needed a new car for his wife asap due to the old one being written off, the VW dealer had several Golf Cabriolets on the forecourt in the middle of winter so he got a brand new one for £18k. Apparently with the rear screen it's not that windy even on the motorway, so they always have the top down where possible.

Wife used to have a MX5 and it was brilliant fun. Hood down, heater on was great fun. Only when really cold would I leave the hood up and that was just because folding it when it was frosty damaged it.

As before cool evening, hood down and country road is a great combo.

love it. Its fantastic. Get the top down in the snow its fun.

By the way you should also have all the windows down too. Its a personal annoyance seeing roofs down and all the windows up. As for wind deflectors....don't get me started!

Don't even really need the roof up if it's raining, if you're whipping along.

It's just it starts to fill up when you're stuck in a queue.

No problem in the MX5 (unbuckle and lift the roof), but of a nightmare in the Elise (at least 5 minutes of swearing to fit, when well practiced)

Wife used to have a MX5 and it was brilliant fun. Hood down, heater on was great fun. Only when really cold would I leave the hood up and that was just because folding it when it was frosty damaged it.

Like a complete tool, I did that. It was only a problem on cheapy non zipout window hoods which mine had.. obviously I replaced it with exactly the same 🙂 - £180 and an afternoons work. Had to bribe Dad over with biscuits as he had a pop rivetter.

I remember being a couple of cars behind a woman in a SAAB convertible with the roof down in Exeter a few years ago when a couple of youngsters decided to decorate her with a Mcflurry icecream from about five stories up as we waited for a traffic light beside a multi story car park - I still remember her scream as it splatted everywhere.

I've got a Conv, it's most excellent. I use it top down when I feel like it and top up when I feel like it. Thats the thing with these cars, you get the choice and I certainly don't feel like a cock.
Winter/Summer makes no odds, top down, windows up, heater on/off, seats on/off..
It's most excellent.
I don't see your point..

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I would drive one of these with the roof down at minus 20.
Just a beasutiful car.

I'll even drop the roof on a sub-zero day. Put the heater on full and wear a hat. It's way warmer and more comfortable than riding a bike.

What I can't quite understand is the amount of convertible oil burners on the road.. I just don't get it. Sunny day, roof down, and the soundtrack.... diga-diga-diga tractor time!

Maybe a diesel convertible owner can put me right on this one 😀

there's a big difference between a sportscar and a saloon that's had the roof lopped off and a tent strapped to it.

A friend had a convertible and to be honest I always felt a bit of a cock when driving around Porthcawl with the roof down, dont know why just felt uncomfortable and vulnerable.

We used to have a MX-5. I never even considered this, though a mate used to complain if I was driving him. I'd just pull up at some traffic lights and turn up volume on *that* Village People song.... 😀

(Oh and +loads for driving with the roof down at all available opportunities. If we weren't a family of three, we'd have another like a shot.)

Only time I've driven in a convertable with the roof down was through the middle of Slough.

It was noisy, dirty and I kept thinking we were going to get mugged. It put me right off owning one.

somewhatslightlydazed - Member
Only time I've driven in a convertable with the roof down was through the middle of Slough.

It was noisy, dirty and I kept thinking we were going to get sold some drugs. I bought some the following day.

FIFY

😀

Another Midget owner and the only time it gets driven roof up is when it's actually raining. To be fair this is down to being tall enough for it to be awkward to get in and out of with the roof up and it being a second car.
Agree about feeling a little selfconcious in town and great on country roads on a summer night.

When you complain about drivers in convertibles, they can often hear you...

Our midget actualy has a hard-top, which has been used twice in the last 6 years.

Once when the guy delivered it to us, once when I moved it from my house to my parents.

Convertibles are great for exposing haterz.

Convertibles are great for exposing haterz.

I don't feel exposed at all, I quite like the wind in my face.

@iolo - my dream car.
But have to settle for an 03 Beetle Cab - went to Rutland and back yesterday and Mansfield and back today - hood down.
As TINAS posted - roof off unless snow and rain, day or night, it's great. WGAS what others may think, I didn't buy it for them. 😀

Had a convertible, roof was down unless it was raining. Otherwise, what's the point?

And old mate used to have a Dodge Challenger or Charger convertible. It looked and felt 'right' with the roof down -long and low like it had been designed that way - and all wrong with the roof up, like an umbrella on a motorbike.

Lovely car rarely saw it with the roof up

I saw one of these today for the first time.

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Why they named it after her, I don't know.

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I love my A4 cabrio!

Roof down, windows down on the way home from work yesterday was ace. Does tend to use more petrol that way though - but I didn't buy it for economy...

Great car!

One of my neighbours has one of these,
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Besides being one of the shitest looking* derivatives of the mini ,I have never ever seen it with the roof down in the couple of years she's owned it.
*note-The picture flatters it ,they look so much worse with the roof up.

My spitfire doesnt have a roof 🙂 well not one thats atatched to the car anyway.

There you go, a spin round the block as I've not used mine for a few weeks and top down sweet as a nut. Temp gauge says 21.5C here in Shiney Town and it felt all the better for it.

8)

mrs tlr has an mx5 and we LOVE it 🙂

Mrs Coolhandluke has a 210bhp Saab 9-3 convertible.

It's great, heater on, roof down, getting a sunburned head, nice.

Its not great being in the back with the roof down, a bit windy.

I enjoy driving my girlfriends mr2 with the top down. I have had mx5(s) i like them.

We had one of these:

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The problem was it was only really suitable for people of less than 5ft6. With the roof on, I was basically guessing where the road was through 'reading the runes of the roof lining'. It was a present for my wife tho and I found I loved the whole open top thing (more than she did ironically. Also fitting the roof during periods of 'weather uncertainty' was a bit fraught.

Now we have one of these. At 10 degrees, heater on, roof down and - the best bit - the poor citizens of Cheltenham get to listen to my rubbish 90s rock collection. Double win 🙂

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Hardtop is great. When it rains, stick it up, just like being in a 'normal car'. I'm a middle aged man and have long forgone any concept of 'dignity' so happy to drive around having fun.

Had an Eos for four years and 85K miles. Heated seats and warm air on the legs and it was roof down when sunny an cold. It has a huge sun roof too, so always felt bigger inside.

I used to like commuting home up the M40 in the dark with the roof down. too. It was, however, pretty miserable and cold in the back seats. Convertibles should really be two seaters.

You know its summer when you see your first xr3i convertible of the year.

Wife's got an mx5 an had an MGF before that mx5 more refined but brilliant fun and hood down winter or summer heater on love it and when going to work in winter certainly gets you to work nice and fresh

4 years since I sold last (of three) converts. Miss them all.

I miss this......

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Such a fun car to drive. Pig to insure and service mind.

Driving home from work I was passed by a middle aged guy in a Boxster with the roof down

It was 1am

Top down on a warm clear night?? The moon was massive and just on the horizon, what's not to like? I get the top down on late nights on the coast..

My best drive ever was over the York moors, top down, bike in passenger seat, 3am after a hot summers day.