Why do owners of cabriolets do this ?

[Chrishazle]

It all depends on where you're parking and for how long. For example, if we happen to take my cab to the supermarket and are going to be in there for a while, hood goes up. However, yesterday at the Classic Car Meet at Headcorn Airfield it stayed down for the 1 1/2 hours we were there - and every ragtop there, from Beetles to RR Silver Shadow, were the same - as was a very rare Jupiter Javelin convertible that was absolutely gorgeous, never seen one before!

Guess I'm from an earlier generation where common sense was, indeed, common!!

 

[Edd1968]

Been driving 7 different cabs in the last 4 years. I'd always leave the roof down while popping into a shop. It's pretty safe in the Highlands. And gulls, we have lots but never had the misfortune of having fill any of the cars with their very acidic, grit, shell filled sh1te!!

 

[Nat]

Unless I can see the car the roof goes back up. I've only had one incident where it looked like a Pterodactyl dropped it's guts all over the back seats.

 

[c63chris]

I knit the car locks all the compartments so in theory secure but I always put the roof down when I park. First for security and second to keep rubbish out. I hate mess so would only end up cleaning and hoovering when I got home!

 

[400ixl]

I do a mix, popping into a shop I'll leave the roof down, going to be in there for more than a few minutes put it up. Hard birds crap on the roof, but never in 10 years inside the car with the roof down, no idea why, but there you go. Until I put the smartop device in the car it was a pain in the backside where you had to either raise the roof and then get out, or stand by the door holding the button hoping the crappy Merc system would detect you were trying to get the roof up. Three presses as you walk away now and its done, probably makes me close it more often than I used to.

Someone mentioned insurance, always check the policies I have had and none have ever had any exclusion for having the roof down. Seeing as I change policies most years it would appear to be the exception not the rule to have any restrictions. Its not really any more stealable as the doors are locked and the immobiliser is on. Most people with convertibles don't fill their cars with crap to be stolen as they know they are a risk, so nothing is ever on display to entice anyone.

Don't know anyone with a convertible who has ever had any issue such as things thrown in. Just doesn't happen, certainly around here so not worth worrying about.

 

[rf065]

A guy round the corner from me always has the roof down on sunny days without fail, for most of the day in fact. The car rarely moves from his driveway though, he must lower the roof in the morning & put it back up at night without actually going anywhere.

 

[ferg f]

If I have the top of my Lotus I don't bother putting the top on if I am going in to the shops as long as the weather is settled but the OP has given food for thought with regards to the seaguls!!!!!! Might spare the extra two to three minutes to put the top back on in future.

 

[Alex225]

I popped over to see my nan over the Easter weekend, my aunt visited as well and drives an Alfa Spyder. Left it parked up outside for a good few hours with the roof down.

It's in a quiet cul-de-sac so no fear of it being damaged but parked under a tree. One I made the mistake of parking under once and my car turned into a bird toilet. Don't fancy getting back in my car after the roof is down to find the interior decorated with turds! haha

 

[MD5]

Apart from anything else, I always think you should protect the leather from the sun's rays as much as you can, which is why I always put mine up if I'm parked for more than five minutes. As for seagulls, I once drove under one as it flew over whilst parking its breakfast and it literally covered the entire length of the car, myself included, so you don't just have to be stationary to get caught!

 

[Petrol Pete]

OK, so as the OP I (think) I have my answer. Most owners of cab's NEVER leave the roof down when the car is out of sight...the others have been very lucky with regards to the Seagulls etc. And others either live in really nice places and only drive their cars to other really nice places.

On another note , the only time I did hire a convertible (Australia) it was just too damned hot to have the roof down most of the time, even with the aircon full blast cooling our feet and legs while destroying the Ozone layer. Probably why you see so many more of them in temperate climates such as the UK.

I might buy one.

 

[GeeJayW]

^^ Having the aircon on, does nothing to damage the ozone layer... just sayin'.

 

[Petrol Pete]

^^ Having the aircon on, does nothing to damage the ozone layer... just sayin'.

I think I read recently that it has pretty much 'repaired' itself over the years since changes were made to aerosols . So I will change my view to 'wasting fuel running the aircon on full blast with the roof down '

 

[whitenemesis]

So I will change my view to 'wasting fuel running the aircon on full blast with the roof down '

Tested most of my cars with aircon and none showed any significant difference with/without a/c running..
The biggest "waste of fuel" would be having the roof down, due to increased drag?

 

[E53AMG]

Tested most of my cars with aircon and none showed any significant difference with/without a/c running..
The biggest "waste of fuel" would be having the roof down, due to increased drag?

Yep that's why it's preferable to have a V8 in a convertible, that way you lose little performance and the economy makes little difference [emoji23]

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[Petrol Pete]

Yep that's why it's preferable to have a V8 in a convertible, that way you lose little performance and the economy makes little difference [emoji23]

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Ha ! Reminds me of a Kia hire car We had while working in Israel some years back. The thing was so gutless one of us was designated to hit the 'boost' button when instructed to do so by whichever one of us was driving to give the poor little thing a few extra BHP during overtaking or hill climbing.

The boost button had A/C printed on it and when depressed the little slug of a car could be heard and felt to gain more power, the only problem was when we pushed the A/C boost button the car interior became unbearably hot almost instantly so it was only used sparingly

 

[Deleted member 126251]

Apart from anything else, I always think you should protect the leather from the sun's rays as much as you can, which is why I always put mine up if I'm parked for more than five minutes. As for seagulls, I once drove under one as it flew over whilst parking its breakfast and it literally covered the entire length of the car, myself included, so you don't just have to be stationary to get caught!

Pretty sure that I read somewhere that MB convertibles have a special UV protection treatment on the leather.

 

[Deleted member 6183]

The roof of our old MX5 was slashed once, that couldn't have happened with the roof down.

 

[Deleted member 126251]

.......

On another note , the only time I did hire a convertible (Australia) it was just too damned hot to have the roof down most of the time, even with the aircon full blast cooling our feet and legs while destroying the Ozone layer. Probably why you see so many more of them in temperate climates such as the UK.

I might buy one.

I had a SLK 350 in Brisbane. It was my daily driver and I really enjoyed having the roof open, to and from work but, in the heat of the day, my roof was always closed.

On really hot days here, it is not that pleasant with the roof open and the sun, beating down on you and I have my roof closed but, that is a very rare event.

 

[Deleted member 126251]

Yep that's why it's preferable to have a V8 in a convertible, that way you lose little performance and the economy makes little difference [emoji23]

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...........and you already don't care about fuel consumption......

 

[E53AMG]

...........and you already don't care about fuel consumption......

Nope quite happy with my 30mpg anymore and I would feel I am being spoilt [emoji6]

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