Preferring open top motoring in the winter. Madness?
Discussion
hondafanatic said:
Patrick Bateman said:
Can anyone recommend decent gloves that aren't proper driving gloves but still give decent grip of the wheel?
Need to get a hat and a scarf for the winter too.
Go into a decent bike shop (push bike) and look for the thinnest winter gloves. I've used my full finger cycling gloves when I had a convertible and they are thin but warm and have little grip pads in the right places. Need to get a hat and a scarf for the winter too.
My story is quite boring, I was just driving my newly bought 2nd hand MX5 down the motorway at night in winter.
I put the top down, being the NC put on the heated seats ( Lotus drivers sighing here
) and put on the heater to create a bubble of warm air.
I was driving along and there was a full moon. I had never driven a convertible before so kept looking up at it, suddenly realising the extra dimension driving with the roof down means, even on a boring motorway. You seem to get the sounds and smells and are more interactive within your driving environment.
Same goes for a motorbike.
I put the top down, being the NC put on the heated seats ( Lotus drivers sighing here
) and put on the heater to create a bubble of warm air.I was driving along and there was a full moon. I had never driven a convertible before so kept looking up at it, suddenly realising the extra dimension driving with the roof down means, even on a boring motorway. You seem to get the sounds and smells and are more interactive within your driving environment.
Same goes for a motorbike.
hondafanatic said:
Actually another word of warning... It's not unknown for soft tops to tear when being lowered if they are genuinely frozen... Read about it a couple of time on the forums so I used to just chuck lukewarm water over the canvas to soften it up.
I was warned the plastic rear window can split if folded in cold temperatures, so I always fold carefully.My Saab has covered less than 1000 miles with the roof up in my 16 year tenure. Mostly when it was my only working car a few Christmases back and I had to cart the babies around.
I literally drive it all year round (admittedly only once or twice a week now) but even through winter. It was designed in Sweden, a country with long, cold winters but also 24 hour sunshine in the summer so takes it all in its stride.
I'm not even sure if the heater still works - the auto heated seats still do but I just tend to wear a fleece and leather gloves and have a wind deflector in place. One problem in extreme cold is that the instruments tend to fog up at first (it lives in a garage) but once acclimatised it's fine. Yes, I do get a few funny looks but it's yellow, I'm old and I don't look like Richard Gere.
Oh, and in answer to someone above, I also ski. I find it amusing how little thought people in this country give to wearing appropriate clothing: most seem to assume they're going to be cold and wear waaaaaayy too many layers.
Go OP - enjoy!
I literally drive it all year round (admittedly only once or twice a week now) but even through winter. It was designed in Sweden, a country with long, cold winters but also 24 hour sunshine in the summer so takes it all in its stride.
I'm not even sure if the heater still works - the auto heated seats still do but I just tend to wear a fleece and leather gloves and have a wind deflector in place. One problem in extreme cold is that the instruments tend to fog up at first (it lives in a garage) but once acclimatised it's fine. Yes, I do get a few funny looks but it's yellow, I'm old and I don't look like Richard Gere.
Oh, and in answer to someone above, I also ski. I find it amusing how little thought people in this country give to wearing appropriate clothing: most seem to assume they're going to be cold and wear waaaaaayy too many layers.
Go OP - enjoy!
stuartmmcfc said:
I remember scraping the ice of my TR7's windows years ago and then dropping the roof to drive home in the middle of the night. Brilliant .
To old now though
You or the car?To old now though
I decided not to SORN my F355 GTS this winter for this very reason. Unfortunately it has just failed its MoT Test and it will be a while before I can drive it again.
(With reference to the side discussion about registrations, F355 GTS is on an F355 GTS according to MyCarCheck)
Rain is ok as long you don't have to stop!
With the fabulous exception of the Morgan a couple of posts above: You're all wussies. You all have windscreens.
What you need is to take the windscreen off your car (my screenless car is an MG midget) and fit some little aeroscreens. Gloves, coats, hat - all necessary - but then try adding a nice warm balaclava and googles.
What you need is to take the windscreen off your car (my screenless car is an MG midget) and fit some little aeroscreens. Gloves, coats, hat - all necessary - but then try adding a nice warm balaclava and googles.
It was a bit nippy even for me (-6.0 DgC and dark o'clock) this morning to put the roof down, but I have been known to drive on many occasions with the roof down at temperatures hovering around freezing.
I seem to remember there is a minimum temperature where SAAB don't recommend that you operate the hood, I can't remember if it was for technical reasons to do with the pump or actuators, or because you'd freeze your ruddy ears off. If you are going to drive with the roof down in any temperature, you must also put the windows down - that is the law.....
Heated seats are nice (were this morning), a thick jacket or gilet is a must. Hats are optional and I don't wear one as they generally end up being blown into a ditch at more enthusiastic speeds. Scarves and gloves are a no-no.
If you haven't got the roof down for 70% or more of the year, why buy a rag-top?
I seem to remember there is a minimum temperature where SAAB don't recommend that you operate the hood, I can't remember if it was for technical reasons to do with the pump or actuators, or because you'd freeze your ruddy ears off. If you are going to drive with the roof down in any temperature, you must also put the windows down - that is the law.....
Heated seats are nice (were this morning), a thick jacket or gilet is a must. Hats are optional and I don't wear one as they generally end up being blown into a ditch at more enthusiastic speeds. Scarves and gloves are a no-no.
If you haven't got the roof down for 70% or more of the year, why buy a rag-top?
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