Discussion
I don't really care anymore. If someone wants to verbally abuse me for driving an old BMW convertible which cost less than the down payment on their repmobile and hence makes me a 'flash git' then I'm not too interested in their opinion.
Likewise the 'over compensation' argument is false because I am hung like a donkey, too.
Likewise the 'over compensation' argument is false because I am hung like a donkey, too.
Im 22 6ft 4 with a mk1 mx5 I bought the car to enjoy its fine handling around wales best roads does help I live 20 mins from them. Do I care what people think no im enjoying what I bought and paid for its not on finance and I didn't get mummy or daddy to buy it for me.
The roof coming of bit is just a bonus its the best feeling driving around mid wales on a sunny day with the roof down listening to the twin exit exhaust I got on it.
The roof coming of bit is just a bonus its the best feeling driving around mid wales on a sunny day with the roof down listening to the twin exit exhaust I got on it.
JumboBeef said:
Fantuzzi said:
Never liked convertibles. I have one. Keep the hard top on it. Tried the roof down thing once. Didn't like it. My next car will be a convertible hopefully, the hard top will stay on that as well.
Why the feck did you buy a convertible then? All the disadvantages of a convertible (extra cost, less speed etc) without the one advantage ( roof down!)Convertibles with the roof up/hard top on, on a sunny day really makes the driver look a knob.
49 years old, and love my convertible: roof down all the time unless it's actually raining.
J4CKO said:
I think jealousy comes into it, convertibles are perceived to be expensive or decadent by people, regardless of the fact you can get one for £500 up, also there seems to be a resentment towards those who arent self concious enough to be bothered what anyone thinks, they would love to but are too shy.
Hit the nail on the head there I think. Bitterness/jealousy/resentment that the convertible driver doesn't feel constrained by the self consciousness or other hangups that they have combined with the usual factors of wanting everyone to think and act like they do.73mark said:
Impasse said:
Not an age, no. A gender. A girl driving a convertible is perfectly acceptable and often looks like a good fit between woman and machine. A bloke driving a convertible looks like a knob. Any convertible, at any price point.
^this^ all day long. Civic type R = Chav Fast and Furious wannabe knobber.
Opinions = like a
holes
stuart-b said:
I love mine! Every trip becomes an event, you are able to see and smell so much more, especially when driving around forests and the coast. The only thing I don't like so much is town driving with the roof down. But overall, great. Enjoy it 
Convertibles are wonderful things - taking the roof down adds a very pleasurable extra dimension to driving whatever the speed. Age is irrelevant. Some people will look cool in a convertible at 85 - others, well they just won't. But either way, they'll be having more fun than their tin-roofed bystanders!Patrick Bateman said:
JumboBeef said:
Fantuzzi said:
Never liked convertibles. I have one. Keep the hard top on it. Tried the roof down thing once. Didn't like it. My next car will be a convertible hopefully, the hard top will stay on that as well.
Why the feck did you buy a convertible then? All the disadvantages of a convertible (extra cost, less speed etc) without the one advantage ( roof down!)Convertibles with the roof up/hard top on, on a sunny day really makes the driver look a knob.
49 years old, and love my convertible: roof down all the time unless it's actually raining.
I wanted a small lightweight mid engined sports car, and they didn't offer the mr2 mk3 in a hardtop version. The s1 elise did offer a hardtop version, but an exige is now 30k compared to 10k. So my next car will most likely be a convertible with a hard top, despite me never wanting to take the roof off it.
Ive got one, and another polarizing vehicle, a white van,.
we paid 4500 for a saab,
once you get one you'll understand, its not a posers car,
its like any other car on the road, but when the weather is nice, its pleasant to put the roof down,
it costs half the price of my neighbours focus, does everything that does, and im not too bothered where i leave it
it makes vacuuming it after the kids a lot easier as well!
we paid 4500 for a saab,
once you get one you'll understand, its not a posers car,
its like any other car on the road, but when the weather is nice, its pleasant to put the roof down,
it costs half the price of my neighbours focus, does everything that does, and im not too bothered where i leave it
it makes vacuuming it after the kids a lot easier as well!
j4ckos mate said:
Ive got one, and another polarizing vehicle, a white van,.
we paid 4500 for a saab,
once you get one you'll understand, its not a posers car,
its like any other car on the road, but when the weather is nice, its pleasant to put the roof down,
it costs half the price of my neighbours focus, does everything that does, and im not too bothered where i leave it
it makes vacuuming it after the kids a lot easier as well!
I've had a couple of Saab convertibles now and my parents horribly nosey and chatty neighbours (funnily enough with a focus worth twice as much) commented on it every time I went to visit and they happened to see me in passing. Seems I was a flash git and doing alright for myself, poser etc.. we paid 4500 for a saab,
once you get one you'll understand, its not a posers car,
its like any other car on the road, but when the weather is nice, its pleasant to put the roof down,
it costs half the price of my neighbours focus, does everything that does, and im not too bothered where i leave it
it makes vacuuming it after the kids a lot easier as well!
I loved the cars though, it's the only two cars I've had that I didn't voluntarily get rid of for something else (crashed one and other one broke beyond economical repair. Lovely on a nice day, or even a crisp morning!
I have an E Class convertible and get the roof down regularly.
I'm 49, very little hair and powerfully built.
I think people look at me and think flash sod in a convertible Merc.
They might be thinking fat, bald middle aged man in a penis extension though.
I'm not fussed. It's a very nice car and with the roof down, windows up and seat heaters on unless it's raining topless is fine.
Also have a 360 spider and almost never drive it with the roof up.
I'm 49, very little hair and powerfully built.
I think people look at me and think flash sod in a convertible Merc.
They might be thinking fat, bald middle aged man in a penis extension though.
I'm not fussed. It's a very nice car and with the roof down, windows up and seat heaters on unless it's raining topless is fine.
Also have a 360 spider and almost never drive it with the roof up.
I commute in a Smart Roadster. Even in winter roof down is a nice experience.
Other half always asks to go to France on our holidays in it.
Next car will possibly be an SL500 Merc to replace the 4 seater Saab saloon we have and I can guarantee I'll drive that with the roof down too.
Top up, top down. I don't give a monkeys what people think.
Other half always asks to go to France on our holidays in it.
Next car will possibly be an SL500 Merc to replace the 4 seater Saab saloon we have and I can guarantee I'll drive that with the roof down too.
Top up, top down. I don't give a monkeys what people think.
As others have pointed out, who cares... Your money, your car, do as you please.
I (42 year old male) get stick regularly for driving an ageing '99 MX5. Only this weekend a good mate of mine called me "a poser in a hairdressers car". Admittedly, he has no interest in cars but I'm confident that if he drove one, he'd understand. He's paying £250 per month to drive an Audi A3 diesel. The MX5 cost me £195 for MOT and Service this weekend having needing nothing doing all this last year.
The MX5 is actually my wifes car. She does a lot of miles in it and its not great on fuel. I once suggested we sell it and lease her a VW Up. I showed her a picture of an Up! and she cried.
I'm going on a cycling trip to the French alps later this year and need to leave my family estate car behind for child/dog duties. This means I've got to remove the passenger seat in the MX5 to fit my bike in and then drive, hopefully with the roof down, to the south of France.
Can't wait.
I (42 year old male) get stick regularly for driving an ageing '99 MX5. Only this weekend a good mate of mine called me "a poser in a hairdressers car". Admittedly, he has no interest in cars but I'm confident that if he drove one, he'd understand. He's paying £250 per month to drive an Audi A3 diesel. The MX5 cost me £195 for MOT and Service this weekend having needing nothing doing all this last year.
The MX5 is actually my wifes car. She does a lot of miles in it and its not great on fuel. I once suggested we sell it and lease her a VW Up. I showed her a picture of an Up! and she cried.
I'm going on a cycling trip to the French alps later this year and need to leave my family estate car behind for child/dog duties. This means I've got to remove the passenger seat in the MX5 to fit my bike in and then drive, hopefully with the roof down, to the south of France.
Can't wait.
It is my aim t always own a Convertible/Roadster. The driving experience is just so much better at any time of year, night or day. I am heading on the yearly camping roadtrip to St Ives (Cornwall) from Kent coast next week and will be driving there and back with roof down unless heavy rain. A30 pootle all the way, so much more relaxed than the A303...through villages, countryside with the sights, sounds and smells. Perfection for me. I don't understand people who don't like the roof down experience . What they think of me I care not a jot
73mark said:
Impasse said:
Not an age, no. A gender. A girl driving a convertible is perfectly acceptable and often looks like a good fit between woman and machine. A bloke driving a convertible looks like a knob. Any convertible, at any price point.
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