Roof down

[Johnkitchen]

We have just bought a slk 2000 and are looking forward to some trips to Europe next year.
We are currently in France touring on our motorcycle and I have become a bit obsessive about how few cars I have seen "roof down" .
The weather is not bad but there seems a general reluctance for people to get their tops off, so to speak!

Has anyone else noticed this?

 

[Red C220]

Luggage space could be an issue with the roof down. I guess you'll travel light?

 

[Johnkitchen]

Travel light

We tour on a motorcycle, it doesn't get much lighter than that

 

[paneraiseeker]

Or might be anyone around the Calais area are in fear one of those blighter's may jump in if they have there roof down....

 

[Beetnik]

Nicely togged up, I've driven at - 5 C so no excuses. Aside from rain or snow the only time I've had to put the roof up was on the French riviera where it was just too hot!

 

[baxlin]

Haven't I read some stats somewhere that the UK is the best market for drop tops, yet we have the most iffy weather?

I hired a convertible in Southern Spain some years ago, but took it back after a day and swapped it for a tin top with aircon!

But before the C Class, I had a Saab vert, and the top was down most days, even when Mrs Baxlin was in the car. I agree, though I wonder why some people buy a convertible, as they never seem to go topless.

Malcolm

 

[BIRMA]

I have the top down on mine most of the time and I agree the occasional SL I see does seem to have the roof up.
One of the real benefits of the open top is on a late summer evening where you can take in the sights and smells of the countryside it's the nearest you get to riding a motorbike I hasten to add I have an old motorbike and a Honda Rune so 50 mph with an open face helmet does it for me.
The other evening after our local Lotus Anoraks meeting it was a bit nippy but I had the top down and for the first time used the heated air scarfs what a brilliant idea. When I first got the car I thought what a waste of money but they are actually very good.
The SL is such a civilised car to have the top down far better and a lot less blowy than any convertible I've had to date.

 

[rusty55]

I try and drive my SL mostly topless but it's not my main daily driver

 

[stwat]

My wife mostly drives topless too. And she ain't even got a convertible,,

 

[st13phil]

I hasten to add I have an old motorbike and a Honda Rune

Ah...

So you're the UK's Rune owner then?






Sorry, couldn't resist

 

[BIRMA]

Ah...

So you're the UK's Rune owner then?






Sorry, couldn't resist

Actually there are four of us down in the deep south and we meet up fairly regularly, quite a coincidence that there are four of us in a fairly small area as there are only 24 in the UK.
Bit of a marmite bike but I bought mine as a rideable investment as on a sunny day I have to choose between the SL, the old Triumph or the Rune so between the three of them I don't seem to big mileage.

 

[st13phil]

...on a sunny day I have to choose between the SL, the old Triumph or the Rune

A nice dilemma to have!

I'm honestly surprised that there are actually 24 Runes registered in the UK as it's so "left field" for the European market. All credit to you for enjoying it

 

[BIRMA]

A nice dilemma to have!

I'm honestly surprised that there are actually 24 Runes registered in the UK as it's so "left field" for the European market. All credit to you for enjoying it

Thanks, the worrying thing is that quite a few are being bought by a Japanese company that convert them into hugely expensive but totally fabulous (depending on your point of view regarding Runes) three wheelers.
As Honda USA only made just over 2000 in total during 2004-5 I don't think such conversions are welcomed by the die-hard Rune fanatics in the States.

 

[st13phil]

We have just bought a slk 200 and are looking forward to some trips to Europe next year.
We are currently in France touring on our motorcycle...

Sounds very like my wife and I - she bought her SLK350 in 2009 when I couldn't decide whether to carry on biking or not.

Angie uses her SLK as a daily driver and most days, unless the weather's miserable, arrives home with the roof down. We have no problem packing luggage for two- or three-week tours in the car (years of practice packing bikes!) and leaving enough room for the roof to stow.

When touring we have the roof down or up depending upon the weather, where we're driving and our mood at the time. For example, in really strong sun and high temperatures it's often more comfortable to have the roof up and the aircon on. Also, if you're spending a day on the motorway then it's much more tiring with the roof down due to the increased wind noise; I've found that we also get worse fuel consumption at motorway speeds with the roof down due to the poorer aerodynamics (typically it costs around 1 - 1.5mpg). BTW, if you don't have one already, the perspex wind deflector makes a massive difference to how still the air is in the cabin at speed.

We've enjoyed touring in the SLK immensely. We've done a trip to the south of France down the Route Napoleon, a tour around Spain, another to the Dolomites and Tuscany, and we're about to embark on another tour taking in Carcassonne, the Pyrenees, Siguenza and Caceres.

FWIW, after 3 years of essentially not using the bike, in 2013 we started touring again and I really got into it again. Having both options (bike or roadster) is really great