<p>As weather starts to get warmer, we are seeing more and more convertible on the road with the top down. I want to drive one of those because they look really cool. </p>
<p>DW made a comment about convertible saying the driver will be so hot when stop at a traffic light under the sun. Since you dont get to use AC with the top down. Is that true?</p>
<p>I have never own a convertible before but did test-drive two SLK32 AMG in March. It was waaaaayyyyyyy cool at the time. Do think DW is right about being hot driving under the real summer hot sun. </p>
<p>It doesn’t really matter. The convertible with the top down is worth getting a little warmer or cooler in than in a closed, climate controlled interior. I find it much more enjoyable to have the top down. In extreme conditions (like Phoenix in summer for example), you just put the top up and the air on. My car doesn’t have air and I like the feeling of the top down so I have mine down a lot plus I live in a good climate for a convertible.</p>
<p>If you haven’t had one, I suggest getting one since the top-down feeling is quite different than driving a coupe or SUV. It’s even better if you hang your arm on the door and play that song - “Low Rider”.</p>
<p>If you’re really unsure, go rent a convertible Mustang for a day or two and try it out.</p>
<p>But if you are lacking in the hair department, get a hat! My dad got a severe sunburn riding in a convertible years ago and he was pretty bare up top.</p>
<p>If you do the sweep or combover (snicker), you will not be very happy. And keep a long scarf in the glove box for your lady passengers.</p>
<p>I drive my mini cooper conv. top down most all of the time and I love it!</p>
<p>Rule of thumb: in lots of stop-and-go traffic in summer (like in rush hour on interstate), top might be up, but reluctantly. It’s usually quite wonderful!</p>
<p>In fall/winter, which are my favorite convertible-days, top is down unless and until the temp reaches below around 40 degrees. Lower if I am not going far. I just wear gloves and hats and scarves and turn on those seat-heaters!</p>
<p>Guess I’m a stick in the mud. H. had a two seater sports convertible for several years and I hated it. It was hot in traffic, noisier than a regular car with the top up, necessitated stops to put up top when summer storms popped up and I couldn’t see out the back window when backing up. I had long hair at the time and hair was so tangled when I got out it took forever to get it combed out.</p>
<p>Yeah, different convertibles actually have different air flow patterns. I have, in the past, driven an MGB and then a Cavalier convertible. I had problems similar to those described by MKM. When we were shopping for the mini, I looked carefully at other models with consideration for visibliity with the top up and ease of use.</p>
<p>Cool thing about the mini is the fully automatic mechanism for raising and lowering the top…and no need to cover it when lowered. Can you tell I love my car??? :)</p>
<p>We had two convertibles for a while. (Yes, well.) My husband had a Z3 and I had a Miata as my silly car. D borrowed Miata for a month (because I loaned her Mini to my sister)… and said she was glad she had: “Well, now I know I never want a convertible, so I can avoid that mid-life crisis.” I sold it not long after (my mid-life crisis was over) and got a dog instead. More fun. </p>
<p>However, my son took over H’s Z3 and started driving it lots. Even in Seattle weather–often drizzly and cool–he almost always has the top down. He LOVES that car. Meanwhile, H got a motorcycle (even more exposed).</p>
<p>There is no predicting whether you’re a convertible person.</p>
<p>I drive a VW bug convertible in South Florida, hot flashes and all. When its hot, its hot…I don’t notice it or mind. It’s why I bought a convertible. It’s the sunscreen you have to remember.</p>
<p>I have a convertable, and the main thing that bothers me when driving with the top down is not the heat; it’s the NOISE, especially tire noise. The noise made by the big tires on a truck or SUV on the freeway is awful.</p>
<p>I drive a BMW 330 convertible. The kids in carpool absolutely love it. When driving through hill and valley on the way to horses the kids put their hands up and pretend they are on a roller coaster. The top goes up in less than a minute, so you can put it up at signal if necessary, but I only really put it up when it’s raining. (Which is very seldom here in California…) With seat heaters and floor heaters, there’s nothing like driving home after a late night out under the stars.</p>
<p>Just got home from lunch and running errands with DH, in his convertible. He LOVES it, and it is a lot of fun. Yes, it can get warm in stop and go traffic, but so can a car that has been sitting out in the sun all day and the A/C hasn’t kicked in sufficiently to cool it off for the first 5’ of the drive. And just as he turns on the heat with the top down when it is cool/cold out, he occasionally turns on the A/C with the top down when it is really hot. Sounds silly, but it can help.</p>
<p>Right now we are dealing with SMOKE from the wildfires hundreds of miles south of here (but really causing a problem here, eh churchmusicmom??) that took a little fun out of having the top down. Allergy season is another challenge. Other than that, its a lot of fun, and I MUCH prefer it to a motorcycle. DH had one before we were married. No way I will let him have one now. What little brains he has need to stay INSIDE his skull :D</p>
<p>I don’t mind the noise, I don’t mind the hot sun (which is sort of rare around here anyway), I don’t mind the messed up hair. I absolutely love driving around in our little roadster convertible. Fortunately for us it’s mostly a fair weather car unless all drivers are home and everyone is going in difference directions. Even then, I’m content to be “stuck” with the roadster, though college son likes it a lot, too. He’s just not quite as adept at the manual transmission for certain driving oonditions. That’s probably part of the fun.</p>
<p>For me, the top is down as much as possible. That’s what heated seats are for. It also has A/C, but that is seldom used. (I can’t bring myself to use it if the top is down.) True, the visibility out the back is not as good with the top up, but I don’t know if part of that is due to having such great vision when the top is down. Anything hindering that top down view seems extremely cumbersome in comparison.</p>
<p>I am not a convertible person. My friend said the weirdest thing to get used to is that when your in a convertible people talk to you.
My husband has a really old beater convertible 1973 fiat. He uses it to go to the tennis court and beach(both only a few miles from home- doubt the car could make it much further). It is easy to put the surfboard on top. My youngest loves to ride in the convertible.
I hate the knots it makes in my hair.</p>
<p>They always looked cool to me, but sis rented one on vacation once and I didn’t like it. Yes it was hot and I didn’t like the ratty hair, bugs in teeth, dirt in face, etc. I’m not a cool person, though, so don’t listen to me. Rent one yourself and try it out.</p>
<p>love my convertible- after it hits 60 the top is down. When it gets over 100, it does sometimes get too hot on the stop/start trips ( the tree near the stop light is very convenient some days). We’ve had a Porsche, have a Toyota- I like a bigger car better. My kids don’t like the back seat with the top down for long rides though…</p>
<p>We have a two-seater convertible sports car that we drive for FUN. We usually take long drives in the mountains (curvy roads!), so the temperature isn’t that much of a factor. I have run the AC to cool off when it gets too warm, and it works well, even with the top down.</p>