Living with a convertible
Discussion
I've been playing with the idea of changing my daily for a convertible, one of these hard-top folding jobs, no more than a few years old.
I was wondering what other peoples experiences are, living with one on a daily basis. Obviously boot space is pretty much non existant when the roof is down and combined with the lack of four doors, makes it less practical than a standard hatchback/estate. However last summer I lost count of the days when I would really have enjoyed having a drop top.
Do they suffer more from wind noise at motorway speeds? Also is the handling noticeably adverse given the slightly more flexible body/lack of support through the roof?
Cheers for any feedback
I was wondering what other peoples experiences are, living with one on a daily basis. Obviously boot space is pretty much non existant when the roof is down and combined with the lack of four doors, makes it less practical than a standard hatchback/estate. However last summer I lost count of the days when I would really have enjoyed having a drop top.
Do they suffer more from wind noise at motorway speeds? Also is the handling noticeably adverse given the slightly more flexible body/lack of support through the roof?
Cheers for any feedback
I've got quite a bit of experience with a handful of folding hardtop is now.
To some degree am sure it depends on the manufacturer, my mother had a Peugeot ( the small one, I think it's a 207), she had it from new for about 18 months. Certainly not my favourite car, but she didn't have any squeaks or rattle is from the roof and it was fairly quiet at motorway speeds in comparison to a soft top equivalent.
My personal experiences have all been with German cars.
I had a Z4 35is (2010), no issues whatsoever, didn't have any particularly bad squeaks or rattles and was very quiet with the roof up. In fact it was too quiet and I couldn't really hear the exhaust tones, much better with the roof down.
I've currently got an E93 M3 convertible, again no squeaks or rattles, mind you it's very low mileage and very well looked after. Again very quiet on the motorway with the roof up, only uses a weekend car on sunny days so roof down most of the time I'm in it.
For the last 2 years I've been running a new SLK as my daily driver, once again no problems whatsoever with the roof, very quiet at speed on the motorway and lovely to be able to drop the roof at any time. I got rid of it in September and have the new one arriving on Monday, that to me speaks volumes.
You've already assessed the big problems, absolutely no boot space with the roof down. all of them have a huge boot when the roof is up, the M3 boot in particular is really small with the roof down with only a small " letterbox" accessing the boot space.
To some degree am sure it depends on the manufacturer, my mother had a Peugeot ( the small one, I think it's a 207), she had it from new for about 18 months. Certainly not my favourite car, but she didn't have any squeaks or rattle is from the roof and it was fairly quiet at motorway speeds in comparison to a soft top equivalent.
My personal experiences have all been with German cars.
I had a Z4 35is (2010), no issues whatsoever, didn't have any particularly bad squeaks or rattles and was very quiet with the roof up. In fact it was too quiet and I couldn't really hear the exhaust tones, much better with the roof down.
I've currently got an E93 M3 convertible, again no squeaks or rattles, mind you it's very low mileage and very well looked after. Again very quiet on the motorway with the roof up, only uses a weekend car on sunny days so roof down most of the time I'm in it.
For the last 2 years I've been running a new SLK as my daily driver, once again no problems whatsoever with the roof, very quiet at speed on the motorway and lovely to be able to drop the roof at any time. I got rid of it in September and have the new one arriving on Monday, that to me speaks volumes.
You've already assessed the big problems, absolutely no boot space with the roof down. all of them have a huge boot when the roof is up, the M3 boot in particular is really small with the roof down with only a small " letterbox" accessing the boot space.
kambites said:
My daily is convertible and I think I drive it with the roof down more than up. Certainly not much less if it is less.
This is it, the idea of having the roof folded away and the heaters on full blast in winter appeals enormously. These replies sound positive, this drop top itch needs scratching!
I really couldn't live without a convertible, I found so many since I passed my driving test when I was 17 back in 1988, they have come on leaps and bounds.
Yes there will be plenty of people telling you that the coupe version or hardtop version is a better car and that soft tops are just for posers, but you really can't beat the feeling of the wind in your hair and at the end of a long day in the office to neither is nothing better than dropping the roof and blowing the cobwebs out.
There has been many a time when I've had the roof down in the middle of winter with snow on the ground and late into the night.
Yes there will be plenty of people telling you that the coupe version or hardtop version is a better car and that soft tops are just for posers, but you really can't beat the feeling of the wind in your hair and at the end of a long day in the office to neither is nothing better than dropping the roof and blowing the cobwebs out.
There has been many a time when I've had the roof down in the middle of winter with snow on the ground and late into the night.
No complaints about my old 335i convertible, other than when the roof was in the boot it liked to get more tail happy. That roof was excessively heavy though and the car was around 1800kg if I remember right.
This model of 3 Series did have a fault though whereby the seals would let water into the boot and for some unlucky people it would touch the battery.
This model of 3 Series did have a fault though whereby the seals would let water into the boot and for some unlucky people it would touch the battery.
I have a soft top, not a hard top convertible, which i've owned for a year and a half. Day to day, i don't find myself struggling to live with it. Weekly shopping requires a bit of Tetris to fit into the boot, and the road noise can be wearing down on long journeys - due to the hood drain tubes, but that's all i can really think of.
There is nothing that beats the feeling of dropping the roof whenever you want, whatever the weather be it hot sun or snow. It's great because you can. I actually dropped the top on the way back from shopping last night - it was cold and drizzly, but i thought 'Why the Hell not.'
So if you have the itch, scratch it. You may like it, you may not, but at least you've tried it!
There is nothing that beats the feeling of dropping the roof whenever you want, whatever the weather be it hot sun or snow. It's great because you can. I actually dropped the top on the way back from shopping last night - it was cold and drizzly, but i thought 'Why the Hell not.'
So if you have the itch, scratch it. You may like it, you may not, but at least you've tried it!
How dirty/dusty does the interior get with roof down? Generally a long drive in dry conditions allows a thin layer of dust to settle on the paintwork, does this manifest itself into the interior seats/carpets with roof down?
Certainly sounding positive, the only slight issue I can see is how to fit a rear dashcam.. Maybe something to the back of rear headrest. Mounted to the rear glass wouldn't be particularly helpful with the roof down..
Certainly sounding positive, the only slight issue I can see is how to fit a rear dashcam.. Maybe something to the back of rear headrest. Mounted to the rear glass wouldn't be particularly helpful with the roof down..
I've had convertibles for the last 20 years (soft top Alfa Spider and MR2 mk3) and the last ten years I've had four two seater Mercs with folding metal rooves- original SLK, a R230 SL and two of the latest shape SLKs.
Apart from the loss of boot space there is no disadvantage that I know of with them. Scuttle shake is not evident on any of the above except the Spider (which was not based on a dedicated platform, but a Tipo floor pan).
I wouldn't have anything else.
Apart from the loss of boot space there is no disadvantage that I know of with them. Scuttle shake is not evident on any of the above except the Spider (which was not based on a dedicated platform, but a Tipo floor pan).
I wouldn't have anything else.
Muddle238 said:
How dirty/dusty does the interior get with roof down? Generally a long drive in dry conditions allows a thin layer of dust to settle on the paintwork, does this manifest itself into the interior seats/carpets with roof down?
Certainly sounding positive, the only slight issue I can see is how to fit a rear dashcam.. Maybe something to the back of rear headrest. Mounted to the rear glass wouldn't be particularly helpful with the roof down..
My dirtiest experience was a combination of doing donuts, and leaving the track into the grass on a track academy day.Certainly sounding positive, the only slight issue I can see is how to fit a rear dashcam.. Maybe something to the back of rear headrest. Mounted to the rear glass wouldn't be particularly helpful with the roof down..
If you have the itch, scratch it.
Get a convertible. Any compromise is far outweighed by the all season joy of roofless motoring. Unless you live in a problem area with no,garage, there is no need for a folding tin-.top. Modern fabric roofs are superb. All mainstream Fabric roofs now have glass windows. The main bonus of a fabric roof is that they luggage space will not usually be restricted.
I use my boxster daily. It is refined on the motorway and a great cruiser. There s slightly increased wind noise over a tin tip car, but it's perfectly acceptable. Also has 2 excellent boots, very practical as long as you don't need 4 seats. You need to get out and drive a few different cars. I used to love BMW 3series Convertibles and had several. Since it went to a folding hard-top I wouldn't even consider it.
I use my boxster daily. It is refined on the motorway and a great cruiser. There s slightly increased wind noise over a tin tip car, but it's perfectly acceptable. Also has 2 excellent boots, very practical as long as you don't need 4 seats. You need to get out and drive a few different cars. I used to love BMW 3series Convertibles and had several. Since it went to a folding hard-top I wouldn't even consider it.
Muddle238 said:
How dirty/dusty does the interior get with roof down? Generally a long drive in dry conditions allows a thin layer of dust to settle on the paintwork, does this manifest itself into the interior seats/carpets with roof down?
Not noticeably. When you're driving, especially with a wind break behind your head, the air pressure blows everything over the top. Worst that happened to me was a seagull crapping on the back seat in a car park.
My daily driver for 14 years was a Mk1 Golf Cabrio, then after than a gorgeous Audi 80 based Cabrio, the predecessor to the A4 Cab (both Audis are very handsome car in my opinion).
Both were soft-tops rather than hard-tops but road-noise and wind/weather were never an issue. If anything, the fabric roof was slightly quieter in heavy rain than a metal roof.
Boot space was compromised but not to the point that it was a major issue. The flip side was that when it came to moving bulky or awkward objects, simply open them up and pop the chest of drawers/mountain bikes/large old CRT TV/christmas tree/PA equipment on the back seat and off you go.
Air con in summer is crucial, especially if you're sat in traffic. And take a hat for summer - the top of your head burns surprisingly quickly and easily. And sunglasses to while I think of it.
They didn't get any dirtier inside than any other car and if caught in a shower you'd be surprised how much the rain gets blown over the car when at speed saving you from a drenching. I guess newer models will let you raise the roof while moving.
If the Golf hadn't have been written off I'd still have it as a weekend drive. It was replaced with the Audi but due to having a baby I had to sell it. A child seat in the back didn't seem appropriate at the time. Now my daughter is 3 and using booster seats I'd happily plonk her in the back of a convertible for short trips but it does get windy for rear seat passengers.
One last word of advice: not all convertibles are equal. A roofless Nissan Micra or PT Cruiser will not impress at any level.
Both were soft-tops rather than hard-tops but road-noise and wind/weather were never an issue. If anything, the fabric roof was slightly quieter in heavy rain than a metal roof.
Boot space was compromised but not to the point that it was a major issue. The flip side was that when it came to moving bulky or awkward objects, simply open them up and pop the chest of drawers/mountain bikes/large old CRT TV/christmas tree/PA equipment on the back seat and off you go.
Air con in summer is crucial, especially if you're sat in traffic. And take a hat for summer - the top of your head burns surprisingly quickly and easily. And sunglasses to while I think of it.
They didn't get any dirtier inside than any other car and if caught in a shower you'd be surprised how much the rain gets blown over the car when at speed saving you from a drenching. I guess newer models will let you raise the roof while moving.
If the Golf hadn't have been written off I'd still have it as a weekend drive. It was replaced with the Audi but due to having a baby I had to sell it. A child seat in the back didn't seem appropriate at the time. Now my daughter is 3 and using booster seats I'd happily plonk her in the back of a convertible for short trips but it does get windy for rear seat passengers.
One last word of advice: not all convertibles are equal. A roofless Nissan Micra or PT Cruiser will not impress at any level.
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