Would you buy a convertible?

[zbt]

Originally Posted by roddy

I'd buy one...for my wife.

+1 same here

[FR-S Matt]

There can only be one mid life crisis convertible..... corvette.

[hippari]

I'd rather have a Miata than an 86 Cabrio, but if they made it a proper roadster (no rear seats) then it might be cool, granted it doesn't gain weight in the chassis stiffening processes.

[Miniata]

I currently own a 1st gen Miata, and I'm not interested in a drop-top 86. I'd rather own a 3rd gen Miata (or S2000) than a convertible BRZ.

[einzlr]

Originally Posted by bestwheelbase

Seeing as you've done the convertible thing, can you elaborate on the downsides and how they effected the ownership experience? Asking both for the conversation and also because I am entering my first winter with a soft top.

Happy to But before I start in sounding all negative and all, let me emphasize how much I've enjoyed owning the M Roadster and if I could logistically manage owning more cars I'd keep it and get the Fr-S additionally.

So, downsides: The major one for me is that what makes a convertible romantic and fun also makes it wearisome. The sun in your face and the wind in your hair is only fun for a while, then always arriving sunburned and windblown gets old. Or rather, I only take the Roadster if I'm not going somewhere where I need to look presentable. I also take a different car if I'm going more than 100 or so miles round trip or if there's even a slight chance of rain (it sealed fine when new, but now getting caught in the rain means getting drenched, in addition to the fact that top-up visibility is limited to the point of being dangerous). Other downsides are the extra weight from the added reinforcement to stiffen the chassis (or lack thereof on some cars with resulting chassis twist) and that taking it to the track would require a roll cage, which in turn makes it even less DD-able not to mention ruins the styling. Some people will add to the list that convertibles are chick cars, but in my case that's a moot point and I usually respond to it with something like "your point being?"

If you have anything like real winter in your area I can't offer much advice beyond consider putting it in storage or ask someone like RaceR or whaap. Around here it reaches at least the high 40s for at least part of the day so I just leave the summer tires on and make a point of taking the car out now and then when there's a gap in the rain to keep the battery charged.

Dunno if any of that answers your question lol

[RaceR]

Originally Posted by bestwheelbase

Seeing as you've done the convertible thing, can you elaborate on the downsides and how they effected the ownership experience? Asking both for the conversation and also because I am entering my first winter with a soft top.

Originally Posted by einzlr

If you have anything like real winter in your area I can't offer much advice beyond consider putting it in storage or ask someone like RaceR or whaap.

Winters as quite mild where I live, but I can share some winter experience. Had my car over the cold mountains too.
I used the MR2 Roadster (MR-S) the whole year I owned it. But I had the hard-top on in the winter. No problems really. Too me it was basically like driving a normal car. Except that the MR2 was not refined at all in terms of noises. :p
It would probably have been fine with the soft top too.
Some soft-tops are probably better suited in the winter than others tough. My car had a vinyl roof, so that would probably have worked fine. Cars with a fabric roof might be another story. I would be more cautious with that. Those roofs should be treated with the stuff that keeps water out of the fabric and repels it. Water getting into the fabric and than freezing would not be good for durability nor water resistance.
I heard from an MX5 (NA) owner that he used some sort of rubber seal/conditioner stuff around the windows to keep the rubber/seal nice and functioning in the cold. And also to avoid that the windows would stick to the rubber/seal in frosty and moist conditions. Not sure if that is anything to worry about. I have never had issues from people not using that stuff. Convertible or any car...
Good luck!

[zerodark]

Speaking from a strictly aesthetic point of view..

I think the car looks terrible as a convertible! The convertible look seems to fit cars like the S2000, Miata, Sebring (to name a few), but I just don't think it looks good on the twins. Just MHO though

[Justin.b]

I don't think I'd buy a convertible FR-S. I don't think I'd really be shopping for any convertible with rear seats.

I'm assuming the FR-S would be a little more live-able with the top up than the Miata is, but there's a whole lot of room between 'Miata with the top up' and 'good.' If I can't put the top down, I will not take the Miata. I find the car so confining with the top up that I will leave it down in rain unless I'm stuck in traffic. I also put the top down any time I have to reverse because rear visibility is terrible.

-Justin

[CaptainSlow]

No. I think it'd mess up what the car is all about, honestly. It's just be heavier, slower, and wouldn't handle as well. What's the point?

[Tanuki]

I laugh when people even ask why I didn't get a sunroof in mine.

[zaptorque]

the only cars that i dig as converts are vette's and z4's.

also this thread is missing the ft86 club anthem: top down. id search for it but im at work, and im also lazy.

[eXtreme Burrito!]

Convertible...do not want

[rice_classic]

I loved driving around my S2000 with the top down and when I did on a warm summer day a surprising number of girls flashed me. Not sure what it was but in 1 summer in Seattle on 3 separate occasions I got to look naked breasts while cruisin' down I5. Never in my life in any other car has this happened, except for spring break at Havasu.

Also, one of my favorite things when I lived in Phoenix was driving around on a summer night with top down. Going for a spirited midnight drive with the top down on a 75F evening is outstanding.

[Wolfking]

Nope! I'm a motorcyclist...why pretend!