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I had a convertible, it's fun but you really do not take the top down as much as you would think. Much of the time it is too hot or too cold or the sun is burning your skin. Also all convertibles will eventually leak and rain water will get in.
Most of life isn't about MPGs dude. Smiles per gallon is more like it. Gas is cheap. I've done entire road trips with the top down.
Glad someone said it. MPG? So that dude never has the windows down? Lame, man. On my list of reasons to buy a car... y'know where MPG is? Not on it. Not that I buy gas guzzlers. Both my cars are 4 cylinders. I'm just shallow. Looks are #1 to me.
Also disagree with Masterchef. The top on my Volvo C70 goes down constantly. Hell, I'll drop it to go 10 minutes down the street. It's rarely too hot to put the top down. Like never.
There isn't much trunk space with the top down. I remember some people on the street once remarking as they watched the top go down. "Man, there's not much trunk space with the top down."
My wife looked at the guy from the passenger seat: "we didn't buy this to haul stuff".
There isn't much trunk space with the top down. I remember some people on the street once remarking as they watched the top go down. "Man, there's not much trunk space with the top down."
My wife looked at the guy from the passenger seat: "we didn't buy this to haul stuff".
I love this quote so much. THIS is why I love having a convertible, and why I'm shopping around now. Stupidly sold mine a couple of years ago. Like I sold part of my soul.
Lesson learned.
I had a convertible, it's fun but you really do not take the top down as much as you would think. Much of the time it is too hot or too cold or the sun is burning your skin. Also all convertibles will eventually leak and rain water will get in.
Not really, depends on the make/model. My top is down all the time, unless it is raining hard, or the temperature is under 35F. If it is lightly raining, I just keep going, the cabin won't get wet unless I get stuck at a stop light. I live (now) in SC and never think it is too hot - that why I have air conditioning. I bought it in DE and it was rarely too cold - Either I would drive it with the heater on and the wind blocker up, or in Targa mode.
IMO, the biggest reason people don't or can't live with the top down as much as I do with mine are:
Fear of sunburn, (I don't burn).
Fear of convertible hair (I am bald and live in baseball caps).
If you date women, many of those I have known can't stand the top being down (I use a different car if they care that much).
Mine has 202K and is 30 years old - it still does not leak. My big water problem was water over the driver window and dropping onto the arm rest, but I cured that with a soda straw cut in half.
I don't like the added weight of a retractile, but I think it is a better solution than having to replace the cloth when worn out or damaged by vandals. As for maintenance, it can't be any worse than the worse car maintenance I already have done.
Right now, I am drawn to the 5xx SL, but it has a major mechanical flaw that keeps me away.
I also look longingly at the Jag F-Type, but it has a cloth roof which I wish was a retract. In either case thought, every time I get a bad case of car Pon-Far, I just wash and wax mine and I'm generally good for a few more years.
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