Non-convertible convertibles.
Discussion
TTwiggy said:
You consider a smart roadster more 'manly' than a Boxster?
So, my car, with 250 odd horses, no traction control and a mid-engined layout is 'girly', but a toy car with a wheezy 3 pot and a joke for a gearbox is 'macho'. Righto.
It was the general gist of the list, not the specific cars on it. If it's any consolation, my next car is likely to be a boxster. I'm in the military, drink beer, have tattoos and a little chest hair, drink neat malt whisky, eat hot curries, run half marathons, bench press more than my body weight, have DIY tools that I can use, own a chainsaw and can fix at least one of my cars. I consider that pretty manly.So, my car, with 250 odd horses, no traction control and a mid-engined layout is 'girly', but a toy car with a wheezy 3 pot and a joke for a gearbox is 'macho'. Righto.
Back on topic - just cycled home; got passed by 5 cars, 4 MX5s and a Boxster. All driven by blokes on a glorious sunny day. All had their hoods down. Passed the female neighbour with her convertible astra - the hood was up.
Two reasons why women might prefer the roof up:
1. Hair is a big factor. My wife generally prefers the roof up for just that reason.
2. I suspect some women feel more vulnerable with the roof down, especially around town. Bear in mind that they are more likely to have a handbag within reach when stopped at traffic lights.
1. Hair is a big factor. My wife generally prefers the roof up for just that reason.
2. I suspect some women feel more vulnerable with the roof down, especially around town. Bear in mind that they are more likely to have a handbag within reach when stopped at traffic lights.
my rules are:
the roof is off if its not raining when I set off, the temp is over 4 degrees, I am going more than 10 minutes. These rules are tempered slightly if I have passengers. in this case If I am not traveling on a motorway or over 60 and the other conditions apply the roof can come off.
If the temp is over 18, and I dont have back seat passengers the sidescreens will come off too.
Last summer I commuted on a weekly basis from west mids to east kent, much of it was done sans roof which was really pleasant (apart from the day I got horribly sunburned, and then on the return got horribly wet as a massive storm hit whilst i was on the M1
My car is actually quieter with the roof off, up to about 60-70
the roof is off if its not raining when I set off, the temp is over 4 degrees, I am going more than 10 minutes. These rules are tempered slightly if I have passengers. in this case If I am not traveling on a motorway or over 60 and the other conditions apply the roof can come off.
If the temp is over 18, and I dont have back seat passengers the sidescreens will come off too.
Last summer I commuted on a weekly basis from west mids to east kent, much of it was done sans roof which was really pleasant (apart from the day I got horribly sunburned, and then on the return got horribly wet as a massive storm hit whilst i was on the M1
My car is actually quieter with the roof off, up to about 60-70
It looks like in general the cars in list 2 are a bit more special than the cars in list one. Therefore likely to be second/weekend cars. So whenever they're out they almost always have the roof down as it's an occasion.
Case in point, I had an MX5 as a daily car, so often it would be out with the roof up if I couldn't be arsed, it was just the commute, only popping to the shops, etc.
Now I have a daily hack, so generally the MX5's only out if I've gone, "ooh, it's a nice day, I'll take the Mazda out" and therefore, even though it's on the road less, whenever it IS ouut (and hence when YOU see it) the roof's off.
Case in point, I had an MX5 as a daily car, so often it would be out with the roof up if I couldn't be arsed, it was just the commute, only popping to the shops, etc.
Now I have a daily hack, so generally the MX5's only out if I've gone, "ooh, it's a nice day, I'll take the Mazda out" and therefore, even though it's on the road less, whenever it IS ouut (and hence when YOU see it) the roof's off.
Non-convertible convertibles.
In the late Seventies and early Eighties, there were a whole range of American cars that were fake cabriolets, been trying to Google images but I'm struggling without a specific model to pin point.
They looked like they had a folding hood, like a full convertible, with a fabric ribbed roof, and Landau/Cabriolet bars on the 'C' posts, like you could push a button or un-clip at the screen and the whole thing would roll back. But it wouldn't, they were a solid hard top and not at all convertible.
Dumbest thing ever, but there were loads of them. I seem to remember the Cadillac Seville faux cabriolet was the most convertible looking non convertible roof.
Here we go, a solid fixed hard top, not a convertible at all...
In the late Seventies and early Eighties, there were a whole range of American cars that were fake cabriolets, been trying to Google images but I'm struggling without a specific model to pin point.
They looked like they had a folding hood, like a full convertible, with a fabric ribbed roof, and Landau/Cabriolet bars on the 'C' posts, like you could push a button or un-clip at the screen and the whole thing would roll back. But it wouldn't, they were a solid hard top and not at all convertible.
Dumbest thing ever, but there were loads of them. I seem to remember the Cadillac Seville faux cabriolet was the most convertible looking non convertible roof.
Here we go, a solid fixed hard top, not a convertible at all...
Edited by Balmoral Green on Wednesday 27th April 18:42
Balmoral Green said:
Non-convertible convertibles.
In the late Seventies and early Eighties, there were a whole range of American cars that were fake cabriolets, been trying to Google images but I'm struggling without a specific model to pin point.
They looked like they had a folding hood, like a full convertible, with a fabric ribbed roof, and Landau/Cabriolet bars on the 'C' posts, like you could push a button or un-clip at the screen and the whole thing would roll back. But it wouldn't, they were a solid hard top and not at all convertible.
Dumbest thing ever, but there were loads of them. I seem to remember the Cadillac Seville faux cabriolet was the most convertible looking non convertible roof.
Here we go, a solid fixed hard top, not a convertible at all...
I always thought that was why people had a black vinyl roof, to make it look like a convertible with the roof up?In the late Seventies and early Eighties, there were a whole range of American cars that were fake cabriolets, been trying to Google images but I'm struggling without a specific model to pin point.
They looked like they had a folding hood, like a full convertible, with a fabric ribbed roof, and Landau/Cabriolet bars on the 'C' posts, like you could push a button or un-clip at the screen and the whole thing would roll back. But it wouldn't, they were a solid hard top and not at all convertible.
Dumbest thing ever, but there were loads of them. I seem to remember the Cadillac Seville faux cabriolet was the most convertible looking non convertible roof.
Here we go, a solid fixed hard top, not a convertible at all...
Edited by Balmoral Green on Wednesday 27th April 18:42
I could be wrong though, they went out of fashion before I was born
FamilyDub said:
It's spring... it's not raining... Why is your top up?!
Because they don't want to drop it? Just a guess. Its their choice, you want to buy their car and drop the roof thats up to you. Personally I do not like convertables but my next car will probably be one as a lot of sports cars are not tin tops.
The past 2 days up here in Scotland the weather has been amazing and I've been blasting around the west coast in the mx5 with the roof down the entire time. I've only seen 2 convertible cars with the roof up the entire time, 1 a BMW 3 series and another was an Audi A4. In both cases driven by men in suits, not sure what that says about them.
Having said that I'm suffering from 3rd degree sunburn on the bits I missed with the factor 15. It was worth it though.
I'm also a fairly extreme top-down driver and can often be seen locally with the top down in the rain, although to be fair it's normally not raining where I am at the time I set off.
Having said that I'm suffering from 3rd degree sunburn on the bits I missed with the factor 15. It was worth it though.
I'm also a fairly extreme top-down driver and can often be seen locally with the top down in the rain, although to be fair it's normally not raining where I am at the time I set off.
AmiableChimp said:
Roof was down in the MX5 most days - heated seats and a windbreak made it nice and cosy irrespective of weather.
Drove from Penicuik to Dundee in January for a meeting like that - got some strange looks on the M90!!
Pah, poor show with the heated seats and windbreak, Drove from Penicuik to Dundee in January for a meeting like that - got some strange looks on the M90!!
I think the coldest I went was -10C in March here. Was just a case of wearing lots of clothes. Girlfriend who isn't that into cars enjoyed it too! I'm aiming for -20C next winter!After getting back from a 2 day trip with the roof down except for big dirty tunnels it was not particularly nice to be back in the house - it just felt so stuffy and hot.
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