Top-down motoring

[MOCAŠ]

Question for those of us with convertibles: how often do you get your top down?

If my car had one of those Mini-style openometers fitted, it would be showing upwards of 90%, as the only time the roof stays up is if there's something wet falling from the sky, and even then, if I'm already moving I'll tend to just carry on (until it starts to get too bad ).

I've had open-top cars for most of the time I've been driving, and have always preferred to drive with the top down, yet I see plenty of convertibles being driven with the roof up on the most pleasant of days, and I sometimes get very odd reactions from other drivers if spotted with the roof down when it's dark and/or bracing outside.

How about you?

 

[AMG-Al]

I would have to agree, No Rain - No Roof.

 

[NormanC]

I agree! If it's not raining the roof is down.

Since I got the CLK last August I've had at least some open top motoring every month and that includes December, Janary and February!!

 

[Simon_M]

My wife has it most of the time, but I totally agree. In my previous life with a Boxster I actually had the roof down on one foggy December evening!

S

 

[Charles Morgan]

When I had the Morgan, the roof was always down, rain, cold or hail. I had a little umbrella for when stationary though (but not used in the country). The main reason being that the hood (single layer PVC) was so awful and noisy that it was quieter without it up.

 

[The Boss]

same as other posts, if in any of the cabrios, i usually have the roof down.

I remember a few times i had the slk roof down in Jan during some mild fluffy snowfalls.. such a great feeling..

 

[stevesey]

When I had the MGB I once managed a whole month with the hood down (being a '66 car was a pack away in the boot hood not a folding one).

OK the car was garaged at night - but during the day it was parked in the open a 10 minute walk from the office. Checked the weather forecast every morning. Long time since we had a summer were you could do this.

 

[Matt32AMG]

No rain no roof
It always staggers me the folk who have drop heads, who don't put the roof down, even on beautiful days like we've had these last couple of days

 

[EDZ649]

Only take mine out when its dry so roof down all the time!

 

[Beetnik]

Just back from a 350 mile round trip. Had it down during sunshine and a few light showers - the air flow takes the rain right over the cockpit. Had to put it up for the last 75 miles as it was wanging it down.

-5 degrees is my record so far.

 

[The Boss]

Just back from a 350 mile round trip. Had it down during sunshine and a few light showers - the air flow takes the rain right over the cockpit. Had to put it up for the last 75 miles as it was wanging it down.

-5 degrees is my record so far.

-5 or there abouts for me too.. maybe even lower..

 

[MOCAŠ]

Well, what a like-minded bunch we are! And just who are these hood-up weirdos who don't conform to our way of thinking?

This syndrome seems to be particularly prevalent on motorways, where I very rarely see another car with the top down. Are they all really that worried about their hairstyles?

 

[s88]

would leave it down when in the garage but scared the mice would get in!!

They were under the bonnet of a previous car and started to nible wires! That could have been very expensive.
Try to convince the wife we need to lock the cats in the garage every so often to keep them at bay.

 

[st13phil]

The general rule with Angie's SLK is No Rain = No Roof, but the exceptions are:

1. If we need the additional boot space (very rare)
2. If it's seriously hot, i.e. 30c+ then having the roof up and the A/C on for a while can provide welcome respite
3. When there's strong sun and I've forgotten the sun block
4. On very long motorway hauls - i.e. > 4hrs - as the additional wind noise increases fatigue

This syndrome seems to be particularly prevalent on motorways, where I very rarely see another car with the top down. Are they all really that worried about their hairstyles?

Like I say, on very long journeys at high speeds the wind noise certainly increases fatigue. Also, I've found that at an 80mph cruise an SLK350 does around 1.5 to 2.0 mpg worse with the roof down compared to with it up.

 

[moonloops]

I opened the sunroof and had all the windows down in my CLK this weekend if it counts

I may have also got sunburn on one elbow

 

[Noodle-Pulp]

When I had my SLK:


<5 degrees C, rain..
or too hot & sunny = roof up
I never wanted to look like this

 

[EDZ649]

When I had my SLK:


<5 degrees C, rain..
or too hot & sunny = roof up
I never wanted to look like this

And you're still smiling!

 

[steve333]

Agree-no rain top down, i too am staggered by the amount of convertible drivers i have seen over the past couple of weeks while the weathers been fine with the hoods up,had mine down when the outside temp has been as cold as +2,thats why mb gave us heaters isn't it

 

[BTB 500]

Yup mine's a weekend car so generally only used in fine weather, hood down.

I do put the hard top on in winter though as I use the car for some longer runs then (to meetings / seminars / etc.).

 

[nickwilcock]

The 2 best accessories I bought for my SLK 32AMG were:

1. Garmin GPS.
2. Roadster Concept fitted luggage.

That now means that I don't have to wrestle with a paper map when driving with the top down - and the fitted luggage fits under the boot blind! So touring topless is now a lot more practical; I'm not bothered about difficulty hearing the Garmin audio as I always turn it off.

Except when driving to the airport, as the Roadster Concept luggage is perhaps less bag-cruncher proof than my normal Rimowa luggage. Which doesn't quite fit below the blind.

So if you ever see a silver SLK 32AMG driving between Chipping Norton and Elmdon airport on a nice day with the roof up (NOT using the boring motorway), it's probably me with luggage in the boot!

The only other issue is that there is too much wind noise for people to hear me if I need to use the (hands-free) phone with the top down - and finding somewhere to stop for the 25 sec it takes to raise the roof is not always that simple. It's a pity that it can't be operated at speeds of, say, 20 mph as that would make it possible to keep moving in towns, for example, where there are very few places to stop thanks to the nanny-state and its parking restrictions...