Convertibles

[DaveH23]

I will probably get shot down and burned at the stake for this but I really don’t like convertibles.

Never driven one myself but have been a passenger in a MGTF, Z4 and a Tuscan and the only good thing is to hear the noise which you can do with the window down anyway.

They have absolute no appeal to me at all.

That is all.

[Triumph Man]

Cool Story Bro

[XJ40]

I don't think I've ever been for a ride in a rag top, true story!

[Digger]

Triumph Man said:

Cool Story Bro

:smack:

[loftylad]

Cool !

Don't buy one.
Don't be a passenger in one.

HTH

[Fartgalen]

I like 'em (some of 'em).

So I don't mind being a passenger in one, and I've bought one.

HTH

[deltashad]

I used to hate convertibles. Besides the fact that you look like an absolute to55er driving one, the very idea of chopping the car in half and altering what may already be an appauling handling machine completely bemused me.

A couple of years ago the misses said she wanted one.

I bought her cheapo MGF and I have to say.... I like it.
If the sun comes out in bonnie Scotland (which isn't very often) I wont think twice about throwing the rag top back and enjoying the countryside.

I am now converted (excuse the pun)

[Guvernator]

I never really understood the appeal until I got to take one out for a nice drive on a warm summers evening. Needless to say I bought one pretty soon afterwards (although admittedly I cheated and bought a convertble with a folding metal roof)

[varsas]

I really like them, after driving a car sans roof for a while others seems very claustrophobic by comparison. Driving along on a cool summers night with the stars shining down is pretty special.

I know people talk about handling and such but having driven a Boxster you certainly can get open top cars that handle well, arguably the two best handling cars in the world (Catergam 7 and Lotus Elise) are both open top.

[Captain Muppet]

DaveH23 said:

I will probably get shot down and burned at the stake for this but I really don’t like convertibles.

If most people liked being in a convertible they wouldn't be such a minority car. So don't feel bad.

I've got two of the things, because the cars are the best handling things I could afford. I hate driving with the roof off for a whole range of reasons: noise, skin cancer, wind, being spat at, having stuff thrown in to my car (BTW sorry to the chap in the Aston somewhere in central London who got hit by a biscuit thrown from a transit van back in 2007, partially my fault), people staring, having to hear everyone else's music, breathing diesel fumes, being blinded and my favourite: being bullied by owner's clubs who self rightiously insist that all cars be topless. I don't have to convert my own cars any more than I have to keep gloves in my glove box, but it drives people mental to see a car driven with the roof on, for no rational reason I've ever been exposed to.

So you aren't alone. Also I suspect all the people who bought Caymens will agree with you too.

[loftylad]

Captain Muppet said:

I hate driving with the roof off for a whole range of reasons.... being spat at... having stuff thrown in to my car

Really ? You've been gozzed on ? ? ? WTF ?

[m44kts]

I liked my 306, nice on a really hot summers day to have the roof down, nice warm breeze and you get a nice t-shirt tan as you drive along.

Only cabriolets I'm not keen on, are diesel ones. There's just something not quite right about them and I can't put my finger on why.

[alfa pint]

I have two convertibles. That's my choice. If you don't like them, don't buy one. That's your choice.

[vixen1700]

Always been a coupe man myself. I was probably scarred by the convertible experience at the tender age of 18 when for some unknown bizarre reason I bought one of these:





There are some exceptions though, TVR Griffith, Sunbeam Tiger, 289 Cobra...

[jamei303]

I have to confess that I have lobbed a cup of coffee into a moving convertible once. It just seemed like a natural reflex as I jumped out of his way on a zebra crossing that he'd failed to notice.

[carreauchompeur]

I'm sure my M3 would be far better dynamically with a roof, and a tad faster. But the sheer joy of a cross-country hoon on a nice day like this is well worth it to me.

[Alex]

I think convertiblles are over-rated.

What I REALLY, REALLY don't get are diesel convertibles.

[Morba]

Alex said:

I think convertiblles are over-rated.

What I REALLY, REALLY don't get are diesel convertibles.

What is hard not to get?
99% of the population will not drive their convertible out on a quiet road where they can hear the immense petrol engines that they have.... I'd bet the majority of cabs have lower spec engines anyway (think 318 rather than M3 cabs for example).
Most people don't really notice their diesel engine noise chugging away. They like the look of the car, how it looks when in it and the fact that it is "cheaper" to run than a petrol variant.

[Alex]

Most convertibles do not do many miles, so a diesel engine is pointless. In the meantime you have to put up with the canal-boat death rattle, the soot, and the smell.

[ukzz4iroc]

We always get this post when spring/summer approaches. For me the convertible drivers are hated in the summer and the 4x4's in the winter as in both cases they are the best places to be.

Convertible 4x4 is the natural way forward.

I love driving with the top down and couldn't give a toss what self concious, conforming, miserable gits think.