Discussion
Convertibles are best when you can get the top down and up quickly.
I've owned:
1 x MX5 Mk1 SE
1 x Lotus Elise Mk1
1 x Caterham 7 HPC
and still own a low mileage MX5 Mk1.
All were/are great in their own way. The MX5's are easy to chuck the roof back and hustle down the right road. The Lotus Elise was a PITA to remove the roof, but once removed was a nicer place to be. The Caterham was loud, fast and asked to be driven so you could hear the carbs on the way up and the exhaust popping on the way down.
It is nicer if you can get a more open car and it opens up your awareness to the world around you.
You don't need to break the bank to have fun in a nice roadster.
I've owned:
1 x MX5 Mk1 SE
1 x Lotus Elise Mk1
1 x Caterham 7 HPC
and still own a low mileage MX5 Mk1.
All were/are great in their own way. The MX5's are easy to chuck the roof back and hustle down the right road. The Lotus Elise was a PITA to remove the roof, but once removed was a nicer place to be. The Caterham was loud, fast and asked to be driven so you could hear the carbs on the way up and the exhaust popping on the way down.
It is nicer if you can get a more open car and it opens up your awareness to the world around you.
You don't need to break the bank to have fun in a nice roadster.
lostkiwi said:
I'm 55 this year and we regularly drive to the south of France in the Smart Roadster (her indoors won't go in any of the other cars including her own 14 plate Cooper S). All the way down and back roof down everywhere we can. Makes a nice relaxing trip if you avoid the toll roads and keep the speed sensible (around 55-70 works well).
Did Chamonix year before last and it was great driving the mountains with the roof off listening to the exhaust bouncing off the hillside and flicking through the bends.
You'll have a blast in the MX5.
Probably looking forward to the drive more than the cycling tbh... Would love a Smart Roadster but worries of leaking and electrical issue put me off. An open top/economical car, way ahead of its time.... Did Chamonix year before last and it was great driving the mountains with the roof off listening to the exhaust bouncing off the hillside and flicking through the bends.
You'll have a blast in the MX5.
Here's ours... Probably worth about £1000 while the sun is shining..., maybe a bit more now it has 12 mths MOT.
Get one.
Edited by BeastieBoy73 on Monday 29th June 19:41
I'm 40 and fat and drive what most would describe as a girls convertible, and it gets driven roof down unless it's chucking it down. I've had convertibles all through my driving life and made a promise to myself years ago that I will never not have one of some description. I never will understand the hate it can incite from others though. A number of years ago I had a saab convertible, roof was down as usual and my teenage daughter had jumped in the car with me to run a few errands as it was a nice day. We pulled along side a battered transit with three shaved apes in it all wearing overalls. The one in the passenger window looked down at me and called me a loser, I just pointed out it was a lovely Sunday afternoon, the sun was cracking the flags and i was enjoying it in my car dressed in appropriate summer wear, whilst they were squashed, three abreast,in overalls in a dirty old van. Jealousy does funny things to people.
I had 3 convertibles overtake me on the motorway last week
Each caught my eye, Ferrari , Aston martin and a Porsche
All driven by old bald men , ahh the feeling of the wind in your er
It's just a shame that unless you're a footballer of have a rich daddy by the time you can afford a car like that you're an old man with no hair
Wouldn't stop me if I had the money though
Each caught my eye, Ferrari , Aston martin and a Porsche
All driven by old bald men , ahh the feeling of the wind in your er
It's just a shame that unless you're a footballer of have a rich daddy by the time you can afford a car like that you're an old man with no hair
Wouldn't stop me if I had the money though
poing said:
daytona365 said:
Does there come an age where driving a totally cool convertible just makes you look a knob, or am I just suffering from knob paranoia ?
Who cares what random strangers think, do what makes you happy providing it doesn't negatively impact anyone else. I see more people over 50 driving convertibles than under 50, I guess the kids have finally buggered off so now they can have a fun car again.I've had various convertibles including a couple of Astons over the past 2 decades
I have some fantastic memories from driving holidays in them
I've just ordered a 650S spider for my 50th and am looking forward to even better memories
wack said:
I had 3 convertibles overtake me on the motorway last week
Each caught my eye, Ferrari , Aston martin and a Porsche
All driven by old bald men , ahh the feeling of the wind in your er
It's just a shame that unless you're a footballer of have a rich daddy by the time you can afford a car like that you're an old man with no hair
Wouldn't stop me if I had the money though
When you are slap head, it sinks through your head to come out your ears. So the wind is still in your hair. I need hat to stop sun burn on a thinning pate. So I might wear a baseball cap as well, that will wind them up more....Each caught my eye, Ferrari , Aston martin and a Porsche
All driven by old bald men , ahh the feeling of the wind in your er
It's just a shame that unless you're a footballer of have a rich daddy by the time you can afford a car like that you're an old man with no hair
Wouldn't stop me if I had the money though
dme123 said:
When I have the roof down I'm catching some extra sun, enjoying the various smells and sounds of the world ...
The smells thing is so true - one of my most vivid memories (and on an unlikely journey) was going down the A34 and then the M3 and M27 (I'm guessing at the latter, I'm crap at road numbers) to get to a ferry and it was after midnight. It had been a hot day and the roof was down and all of the smells of all the flowers, plants and trees on the way really was something else. I've never forgotten that drive.Convertible haters really should try a nice drive at night - it's better than it is in the sun.
lord trumpton said:
It always gives me cause to smirk when I see some balding 40+ year old man wearing sunglasses and blasting around with the roof lowered on their new white Mercedes convertible or 6 series 640d.
They just look like ageing cocksockets trying to look good.
Who do you think is having more fun? The bloke smirking at other people? Or the bloke who is old enough not to care what other people think and is enjoying the feeling of driving around without a roof?They just look like ageing cocksockets trying to look good.
Martin_Hx said:
Me and the missus took my dads Mk1 SLK to France last year for 2 weeks and are off to Cornwall in it in July, the only time ill have the roof up is the journey going down! Weather permitting/missis moaning her hair is going all over!
Can anyone recommend any headgear for my missus to stop her hair going all over? We have tried the gimp mask but it made her head sweat
My OH wears a chiffonny head-scarf thing and a pair of massive sunglasses; she looks very 1950's glam.Can anyone recommend any headgear for my missus to stop her hair going all over? We have tried the gimp mask but it made her head sweat
BIRMA said:
Difficult choice on a nice summers evening grab a motorbike with open face helmet or jump in the convertible.
I've had to pre-allocate my car and bike days this week due to the rather fantastic weather forecast: Monday and Friday it's bike (because of the Monday morning and Friday evening traffic, also Mondays weather forecast wasn't quite as good so a bit comfier on a bike that broils you alive at the lights) and the rest it's the car, for commuting at any rate. Another big disadvantage with my bike is the dreadful fuel range - 107 miles - which means endless filling up. Can't be arsed.Edited by Dog Star on Monday 29th June 20:50
I like it when people criticise my Saab for not being made as a convertible!
I have driven a Rover 200 convertible before... that's what that comment means.
I know from having done a great deal of work on these old Saabs that the body of the convertible might look similar to the hardtop but in fact the sills box sections under the doors are about twice the size of the hardtop sills, the windscreen surround is immensely strong (to withstand a roll) with the screen raked back substantially compared with the hardtop so the a-pillars from the screen can attach to the steel wheel arches. Between the back seats and the luggage area is a stiff steel plate which goes behind the whole of the back seat. Under the rear seat is another large box-section about 6-inches wide bracing the two sills. Under the bonnet the front wings are braced at the front corners and the scuttle panel is welded to the inner wings.
It's actually a stiffer shell compared to the later Saab 900/9-3 convertible which replaced it.
I'd say contrary to what high priest Clarkson says, engineers actually view the process of strengthening a roof-chop convertible as a challenge to overcome and when they get a chance to do whatever they think is necessary they tend to overcome a lot of the weaknesses of a convertible chassis.
... and I don't care what people think of me driving it either.
I have driven a Rover 200 convertible before... that's what that comment means.
I know from having done a great deal of work on these old Saabs that the body of the convertible might look similar to the hardtop but in fact the sills box sections under the doors are about twice the size of the hardtop sills, the windscreen surround is immensely strong (to withstand a roll) with the screen raked back substantially compared with the hardtop so the a-pillars from the screen can attach to the steel wheel arches. Between the back seats and the luggage area is a stiff steel plate which goes behind the whole of the back seat. Under the rear seat is another large box-section about 6-inches wide bracing the two sills. Under the bonnet the front wings are braced at the front corners and the scuttle panel is welded to the inner wings.
It's actually a stiffer shell compared to the later Saab 900/9-3 convertible which replaced it.
I'd say contrary to what high priest Clarkson says, engineers actually view the process of strengthening a roof-chop convertible as a challenge to overcome and when they get a chance to do whatever they think is necessary they tend to overcome a lot of the weaknesses of a convertible chassis.
... and I don't care what people think of me driving it either.
lord trumpton said:
It always gives me cause to smirk when I see some balding 40+ year old man wearing sunglasses and blasting around with the roof lowered on their new white Mercedes convertible or 6 series 640d.
They just look like ageing cocksockets trying to look good.
Ah but, for me I do not give a jot what anyone thinks of me. Nor am I trying to impress. I am having fun, my fun, no one else's fun, just mine. And just to up the anti, I might wear the baseball cap back to front and say "Yo" just to wind people up.They just look like ageing cocksockets trying to look good.
Hoofy said:
It's actually a nice feeling when it's warm. I drive everywhere with the sunroof open unless it's raining since I no longer have a convertible.
I sometimes drive with the hood down even in the rain - it's all a question of speed. Get enough speed up and it goes over the top 
Honestly who gives a f
king st what people think about you with the hood down. The sad fk is the one whose letting it impact at all on their day.Edited by Moonhawk on Monday 29th June 21:02
NerveAgent said:
One thing I never realised until owning a convertible...a long drive on a sunny day suddenly becomes a nice day out sitting in the sun getting a tan. Also the importance of sunglasses.
Problem is you end up with roadster sun tan - top of hands & ears with panda eyes from the sun glasses jmorgan said:
lord trumpton said:
It always gives me cause to smirk when I see some balding 40+ year old man wearing sunglasses and blasting around with the roof lowered on their new white Mercedes convertible or 6 series 640d.
They just look like ageing cocksockets trying to look good.
Ah but, for me I do not give a jot what anyone thinks of me. Nor am I trying to impress. I am having fun, my fun, no one else's fun, just mine. And just to up the anti, I might wear the baseball cap back to front and say "Yo" just to wind people up.They just look like ageing cocksockets trying to look good.
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