For those mentioning aging and convertible sports cars, my mom is in her mid-80s and still zooms around in one. I think it helps keep her young!
I see the appeal and have had friends that have gotten convertibles in FL but mostly as an extra car. The weather is near perfect now but the summer will be hot. We had a Datsun 300zx many eons ago and it really was fun at the time.
We owned a Jeep too.
I personally don’t like driving so low to the ground now especially when surrounded by pick-up trucks and other SUV’s. I want to see what’s up ahead. I traded in my van for a smaller SUV which is great but I still miss the cargo space at times. I’d never make it in a roadster. Shopping would be frustrating with no trunk space.
Yes, but too soft for autocrossers may still be firmer than what the OP is used to.
When you drive a convertible, you quickly realize you can’t curse other drivers or rant and rave because you look like an idiot. I actually think everyone should drive them! Also if you have long hair, a convertible will make it a tangled mess at over 40 mph, so invest in some hats and scarves.
Oh, do not spread/wash your window when you have the top down.
My g/f got the Infiniti convertible. After 4 kids, she wanted a change
I had a little red convertible RX7 for years. When it got to be high mileage and problematic, I bought a lower mileage little red convertible RX7. I loved that sporty little car! So my vote is YES!
But I agree with the idea of renting one for a week, to see how it fits with your lifestyle. You will have messy hair. You won’t be able to do much of Costco run. The seats will be blazing hot if you park in the sun with the top down. And never never park under trees with the top down!
It is quick and easy to put top up or down. I have black seats and cannot remember the seat ever being too hot.
@iamom - I had dark gray leather seats, and wore shorts or skirts. It was an issue!
We won’t but any vehicle with dark colored interior—too dang hot in HI.
I rented a convertible once and disliked the noise, the wind etc. It wasn’t for me.
My d and her H rented a convertible and I was sitting in the back seat and I got so much more wind in the back that I know I won’t sit in the back seat ever with the top down.
Your passengers won’t like it.
I’d strongly recommend a rental of at least a week to get a better idea if you’d really love the car—if yes, then I’d go for it. If no, then you can proceed with other plans without second-guessing yourself.
I was in this position a few years ago. The minivan was aging and the kids were mostly gone. We downsized and I had a Miata on my bucket list. DH drove one home one day, huge bow and all. It is so much fun to drive and when I drive another vehicle it seems very slow and clumsy. I have the top down if it’s not raining and the temp is over 40. Seat warmers are key. My only downside is that it’s so low that I think sometimes drivers don’t see me. A co-worker told me Miata means “We couldn’t make it any smaller” in Japanese. 
That’s an awesome trade!
@cbreeze - there is no back seat in this particular car. It’s a two-seater.
I would not have a car with a black interior in Florida. I am choosing exteriors colors (whether I go the SUV/Crossover or convertible route) by light color interior availability.
Dh says I don’t have to have the mindset that I have to keep it for 8 or 9 years. Just because that is what we have done in the past doesn’t mean we have to keep doing that. He isn’t pushing me to get it but keeps reminding me how much I’ve been talking about getting something fun once I no longer needed a mom car. Even Ds said, “Mom. you don’t have to be responsible anymore.”
@Hoggirl --my new SUV has black interior and I did worry it would get blazing hot inside. But that hasn’t been the case. The windows are tinted enough that it really keeps the heat out. I was very surprised. Stays surprisingly cool. It’s fun to drive with all the bells and whistles added. I also hate blind spots so with the new blind spot detector side mirrors it’s made things much nicer (those and a back-up camera were my two must-haves)
I hate wind noise and sun in my eyes–I like comfort while driving. I’d like a convertible for about 20 min tops. Another small sporty car (not convertible) would be more fun I think.
To everybody else–we don’t worry about seat warmers in FL. The air conditioned seats are nice touch though.
I’ve had two convertibles in my life. The first one was a Jeep Wrangler and it was the first car I bought after graduating college. I lived in Atlanta at the time and I usually had the top down or at least the side windows and rear window the majority of the time. My second one was a mustang convertible. This was more of a weekend fun car and not a daily driver. For the years I owned it I would say 90% of the time it was driven with the top down. I usually only put the top up when I had it stored in the winter or if we had it parked outside in the summer sun.
The wind noise is the big issue with most convertibles but mine have always been soft tops. Even with the tops up, they are noisy which running around town wasn’t an issue but drive it at interstate speeds for any length of time and I certainly noticed it in my hearing. The other issue was storage. Several times I’d run to Home Depot and buy something only to get to my car and realize it didn’t fit in the trunk. Not a big deal if by yourself but several times my daughters had to ride home from the store with some big box on their laps in the backseat.
I don’t know that I would want to have a convertible as a daily driver but I do plan to buy another one once my kids get through college and I am not paying tuition bills. I only got rid of the mustang to buy my daughter her car when she turned 16. Didn’t want a sports car and a teen driver on my insurance bill.
@gouf78 - see, to me the fact that the top is a hard top does make it more like a sporty, not convertible car. It might even look better with the top up, I think.
My indecisiveness is making me crazy! (I know - it’s a nice problem to have)
I failed to mention that there’s a Miata enthusiast’s forum:
Umm…is it inappropriate to ask which decade of life you are currently inhabiting? Ingress and egress in that car is not the easiest, and will become more difficult as time goes by. It is a great car to drive if you are an enthusiast, but not at all practical…it will limit you logistically in ways you haven’t yet anticipated…I speak from experience on this issue.
What you REALLY need to ask yourself is if you are in love with the car itself or with the IDEA of the car and how having the car would make you feel or appear…young, fun, irresponsible, impractical, not a Mom, etc. Answering that question will go a long way in determining whether you will regret a buying second car that is limited in so many ways.