Non-convertible convertibles.

[alfa pint]

Another pointless list I know, but just for the hell of it, humour me.

Below is a scientifically and mathematically weighted list of the convertible cars you are most likely to see with the roof up, regardless of the heat / sun / weather, taken from what must be years of carefully studied data. I've also added in a second list of the convertibles most likely to be seen with the hood down.

1 Peugeot 307 / Renault Megane CC
2 Merc SLK
3 MG F
4 Tigra
5 BMW 3 series
6 Audi TT
7 Porsche Boxster
8 VW Beetle
9 MX5 (weighted for numbers on the road)
10 Toyota MR2 Mk 3

Common theme seems to be convertibles driven by women.

Versus this list for cars with roofs down - quite male orientated?

1 Old convertible classics - Stags, Midgets, MG Bs, Lotus Elans, Jags inc E types, TR2-6
2 Morgans
3 BMW Z4 (unless driven by girl)
4 Smart Roadsters
5 Saab 9-3s (surprised by number with roof down)
6 Audi A4 (as for saab)
7 Porsche 911
8 Alfa Romeo Spiders
9 Merc C class
10 Jag XK8

Interested to see if there's regional differences between Scotland and the rest of the country. The weather up here isn't as bad as most people think.

[alfa pint]

deveng said:

Never really noticed that some convertibles are rarely seen with the roof down..... maybe I should pay less attention to driving and try to validate these statistics....

I fall into the population group that owns 2 soft tops and therefore looks at convertibles with roofs up on nice days thinking "What a waste." Just led me to thinking about the demographics of the owners and the variety of cars.

Note - the only reason TVRs don't figure on either list is due to their rarity.

[alfa pint]

I didn't intend to kick off the perennial roof up / roof down nonsense again, but purely to engage discussion about different makes of cars and different types of driver that choose to drive their convertible in roof up mode vs roof down mode.

[alfa pint]

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.

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.