Is there anything more romantic in car-dom than the notion of carefree cruising in a convertible? The wind in your hair, the sun on your face, the freedom of the open road before you? It’s pretty gosh-darn delightful, is it not?
Indeed, the notion of driving in a convertible is wonderful. The actual practice? Ehhh, I don’t love it. Now, don’t get me started on chassis rigidity, because you can’t get me started on chassis rigidity. I promise you, if you put me in a convertible, any convertible, chassis flex will not even be among my top 100 gripes.
Chief among the gripes: I find the entire affair to be unpleasant. The niceness that having the top down does add – sun on your face, wind in your hair – is more than made up for by the headache I get from wind noise, and the annoyance of all the head-buffeting turbulence that’s also making me miserable.
It all looks like fun, especially in movies and on TV. For example, consider Ben Gazzara in Road House below, just enjoying the weather in his 1988 Mustang GT drop-top, drifting from lane to lane and forcing any wayward Daltons off the road.
Or how about Jon Bernthal in the opening credits of American Gigolo (the Showtime series), taking in the California sun in that most phallic of convertibles, the Jaguar E-Type? Though second to the Jag, the Mercedes 450 SL Richard Gere drives in the 1980 movie also makes top-down driving look sexy and fun.
But it’s never sexy or fun for me! The not-sexy part, I get. After all, I’m in the car, so there you go. But it should be fun! And above 30mph or so, I don’t think I’ve ever really had fun in a convertible.
Now, to be fair, I haven’t yet ridden in a modern convertible, which I’m sure manages airflow much better and feels less like a car missing a roof and more like a car meant to operate well while roofless. But I’d love to give one a try!
Your turn:
The concept of a convertible is generally better than the real thing, but at some times in your life they’re great. Cruising through the mountains in a classic Porsche in the fall with your new wife at 30ish mph with the top down is sublime. Cruising down the boulevard on a Friday night with a couple interesting people was a good time too. But now I’m older and balder so it’s a recipe for a sunburn on my scalp and the young ladies don’t look my way much anymore.
You just need a collection of baseball caps behind the seat and you’re good.
I recently bought an ’00 Z3 roadster for some fun, to teach my kid stick and, yes, to pretend to be James Bond (I can’t afford a DB5 or a Z8, so…). I do like cruising around in it…1-2 days a week, when the weather’s nice. Would’ve much preferred the clown shoe, but again, finding one that’s not dogged out and in the budget is more problematic than the roadster.
A few months in to ownership, I can say, without question, that I would not daily a convertible even if we were talking a Murano cross-cab. I enjoy recirculated air, because I don’t enjoy breathing your exhaust, be it from your car, your vape, your cigarette or your joint. But on the right road, with the right weather and the right companion, it can be fun.
My then girlfriend now wife had the exact same Mustang in blue. We met in college and she was from out of state, so when she went home for the summers she would leave the Mustang at my house. I drove it every day because it was such an improvement on my POC (1987 Olds), but I would never want to daily one as a grown up. For one thing, I am pretty tall and my view was not great without the top down.
Convertible are nice below 40 mph with the A/C on. Above that and I want all all the windows up and a roof above my head. Both the noise and my hair blowing all around.
Motorcycles are a different story but I’m wearing a helmet with ear plugs and a communicator.
My first cars were cheap British convertibles and I loved every minute of top-down driving. First Spitfire required erection of top frame. Last Spitfire even parted my hair perfectly and added just the right amount of sun bleaching.
Unfortunately, I’ve never been able to find a satisfactory convertible to transport the family and fit my grown up budget. There’s also the practical cost of eventually having to replace that top…
Seeing the number of drivers on the roads who never even crack their windows, I’m not at all surprised that so many complain about the discomfort of a convertible.
I’ve had 3 Miatas, an MGB, a VW Rabbit cabriolet and a Chrysler LeBaron convertible, and I agree- the idea of a convertible is far more appealing than the reality. When it’s hot and sunny, you’re baking in the hot sun. When it’s winter time it’s too cold. On the freeway the wind just makes it unpleasant. So the only good time to go top down, is like summer evenings in the city. But every time you park you’d have to put the top up again.
The other issue, is that if you have the top down for any length of time, the inside of the car gets seriously dirty. You get dust and dirt in every nook and cranny of the interior. This never happens when you leave the top up.
It’s always nice when the show off their……..
Oh wait, you said top down, not topless…..sorry
I like open air. My “Lotus” (Clone-tus?) doesn’t even have a windshield. Our R107 is pretty darned wonderful with the top down too.
All that said, I do prefer open-air motoring on overcast days. Long sleeves to avoid sunburn is a bummer.
My first car was an automatic 4 cylinder 88 Mustang. Not a great car to endear you to verts. Of the 40(ish) cars I’ve owned, it remains the sole convertible.
It isn’t great on the highway, but on a nice back road….joy.
I loved my 85 300zx. Pop out the roof panels on a nice night, and the drive was heaven.
Or on a nice fall day, with leaves falling around the back road you’re driving.
I should also add that I really enjoyed my uncle’s Honda del Sol, for similar reasons. Its roof was better engineered than a standard T-top, and more secure in bad weather.
I’ve also ridden in aJeep YJ without a top or doors. Again, great on a nice summer day or evening.
That said, I probably prefer a target or a T-roof.
I think T-Tops are the worst possible way to experience the open air. I’ve had every type of sun adder: Convertible, T-Top (an 86 300ZX), sunroof, moonroof, Jeep with removable top. T-Top are a pain to remove and install quickly, and they took up valuable space in the hatch area. Jeeps are even worse, but I only drive mine when the weather is good.
Never owned one, although two cars with sunroofs had me thinking it might be nice.
My brother’s temperamental 1967 Spridget was a ton of fun when it ran. Not so much when it rained.
As someone who’s daily is a Wrangler YJ for the last 14 years, I love any chance I get to pull the top down. The added bonus of taking the doors off is icing on the cake. It’s not just driving around town either. I’ve taken multiple road trips of 2000+ miles with the doors off and loved every minute of it.
I keep the top on my convertible open all the time unless it’s raining or over 90 degrees.
Top down is the only way to drive.
I bought a Wrangler soft-top in ’99 and since then, my two requirements for anything I buy is that it has a stick and a convertible top. My current ride is a ’21 Mustang Eco-Boost and I’ll likely hold on to it for several more years because my options are steadily dwindling.
I can drive comfortably at 60 with the top down in my 986 with very little wind buffeting. For short distances I don’t even mind running at 75-80 on the interstate with the top down. Actually, I really don’t drive it much when I can’t put the top down.
We’ve had a Jeep Wrangler in the fleet since ’98. I will never not own a convertible. Currently have two Wranglers, one Gladiator, and a ’92 Lebaron. There was also a ’94 Sunbird and a ’03 Sebring in there at one point too. Driving with the top down lowers my stress and blood pressure every single time.
On the right day, there’s nothing better. Unfortunately, I live in the Snow Belt, and the right day won’t come along again for another five months, but when it does I will absolutely be out there with the top down.
Just like headlights on when wipers on – it ought to be a law that windows are down if the top is down. Just looks ridiculous – I don’t care if it makes you more comfortable. It’s making the rest of us retch!
The eternal question for those people: If you didn’t want the wind in your face, why did you buy a convertible?
Aside from when I am going low-speed on a trail in my Jeep, open-top motoring does nothing for me.
I dalied a Mustang GT ragtop for 7 years. Loved it. Top down unless it was raining or just too damn hot. October-November, when the nights finally start cooling down below the 90s were the best. Especially driving down a hill to a low spot where the cool air settles is one of the greatest joys of top-down driving.
No thanks. The outside is bad. It has lots of allergens and an angry sun that wants to burn me. I’ll stick to having a roof. And a real roof, not a piece of glass, thanks.
I don’t mind open roof vehicles for lower speed travel especially in areas where there’s a view.
I’ve found much to my chagrin that I don’t like dropped-top motoring on essentially anything faster than highway speeds. Too many objects flying around, too much unexpected things falling from above, and too many folks not properly paying attention. I shouldn’t feel the need to put on a full-face helmet in an automobile just for normal commuting.
I 100% don’t get the appeal. I’ve admittedly never driven a convertible, but been a passenger enough times. T-tops/targa top I could maybe live with, but I don’t like the noise, the heat from the sun, the cold from the wind, the glare in my eyes (I have incredibly light-sensitive eyes), or the general feeling of being in a fishbowl with people staring at me when stopped at a light or in traffic. Plus, the whole part where convertibles are (for the most part) less rigid and safe than their fixed-top brethren.
I’m glad they exist for those that like them, but they aren’t for me. If Miata was my answer, it would have to be an ND RF.
Got a Bertone X1/9 in my collection since 1988. Being in Southern California, the top can generally stay off year-round. Even in light rain, all you gotta do is stay above 18 mph or so and no rain enters the cockpit.
When Muffin and I leave the yacht club and go to the wine country, we only do so in the BMW vert. I mean, the poors can drive in their fixed roof poverty spec vehicles, not us.