OT: Talking Cars Tuesday - Raindrop DropTop
It's spring, when young folks' fancy turns to top-down cruising.
Unfortunately, convertible sales are tanking, and have been for a decade. http://www.npr.org/2015/08/20/433010969/sales-of-convertibles-are-decelerating-blame-the-fuel-economy
What's your best convertible experience? Story? Have one? Miss one? Want to buy a new one?
I used to not only go topless, but doorless! (not mine pictured) Being essentially outside was awesome, if somewhat terrifying on the highway. But, I guess the YJ was always terrifying on the highway....
March 21st, 2017 at 10:40 AM ^
I've never owned a convertible, but my first two cars were an '89 Firebird Formula and a '91 Trans-Am. Both had t-tops. While not quite the same, I absolutely loved driving those cars in the summer.
I had to keep the tops in the back seat because it was the mid-90's so of course I had two 12" subs in the "trunk" where the tops were supposed to go. Having that huge glass panel less than a foot above two subs made for an extremely loud car. At least it covered up the sound of squeaking and rattling from the crap build quality.
March 21st, 2017 at 11:23 AM ^
I has a '74 Firebird Formula 400. Lots of squeeks and rattles. Fast as hell whenever the smog controls did not cause the car to hesitate. No t tops though.
March 21st, 2017 at 12:03 PM ^
Mine were sadly, slow as hell. Both of them had the 305 with an automatic. Dad refused to let me buy a car with a manual transmission, despite teaching me to drive in a Dakota with a manual.
The Trans-Am at least had enough power that I was once able to cruise comfortably between 90-110mph on I65 between Lafayette and Indianapolis. I was lucky enough to get passed by a new Corvette as soon as I got on the highway. I decided to try and catch up to him, just to see if I could. I ended up sitting about half a mile back from him the entire way to Indianapolis. I will never make that trip that quickly again in my life. What normally took 80 minutes was done in around 60.
March 21st, 2017 at 10:41 AM ^
I drive a Triumph TR6 on nice days in the summer and my wife's daily driver is an Audi TT convertible.
March 21st, 2017 at 10:41 AM ^
British Racing Green with tan leather interior. Ran for a grand total of 500 miles before the engine seized without warning. So fun while it lasted.
Also, I've had a 20+ year love/hate affair with a 1972 Beetle Convertible - now totally dolled up, new color (Gulf Blue - really a 1960s color, but so nice), new seats, new top. It's a glorified riding lawnmower, but only a smidge more glory than a John Deere.
March 21st, 2017 at 10:47 AM ^
I've been thinking about getting a baja bug. I don't have anywhere to put it, and no where to take it right now, but they are such cool cars.
March 21st, 2017 at 11:07 AM ^
This is my fourth, but the others were all rust buckets. This one was a project car, and has been through two refurbishments. The first was on the budget side, the last was a bit overboard. Goal is to always have a driver rather than a "show car".
Fortunately, Ms. EM was on board with the last refurbishment. For a "cheap" car it's been a bit of a money pit. But really fun to toodle around in.
March 21st, 2017 at 11:14 AM ^
answers that question. I always wondered if it was 'Mrs. Everyone Murders' or just 'Mrs. Murders'.
If it was the latter I was going to really hope she was a pediatrician or something.
March 21st, 2017 at 11:42 AM ^
Ms., not Mrs. You really don't want to cross Ms. Murders.
March 21st, 2017 at 11:48 AM ^
obvious meaning is obvious. run for your lives!
March 21st, 2017 at 12:18 PM ^
she a pediatrician? Kindergarten teacher? That would be awesome. 'Ms. Murders sent me to the office....'
March 21st, 2017 at 10:46 AM ^
People are schmucks. Don't like sticks. Don't like convertibles. Schmucks.
Second:
1) I took a trip with my brother in his YJ from Detroit to Wilkes Barre Pennsylvania early in college for a family reunion. Top off, Doors off, listening to the radio. We got burned to hell and gone and had an absolute blast.
2) A trip up north in his Geo Tracker, up 75 in the fall while the sun was setting. Gorgeous.
3) Driving the Miata back from LA; we took a trip through Zion. Amazing. Also had the top down in Summit county, but at its highest peak the 1.8 liter was a little (alot) breathless. Still fun.
Honorable mention: My Dad had an '87 Dodge 600 Convertible. This was, IIRC, one of the first convertibles back on the market. The industry had gone almost completely away from them but Iaccoca drove a conversion vehicle and loved it so much he approved more widespread conversions. I think they were shipped to cars and concepts.
His was a Turbo. 146hp of fury. My dad went away for a week and allowed my brother to use it. He would drive me around to different HS events (I was in middle school) and to football practice. It was awesome.
March 21st, 2017 at 10:46 AM ^
I have an Audi TT roadster that is a blast to drive with the top down. Can't wait for warmer weather. The heated seats do help extend the season.
March 21st, 2017 at 10:54 AM ^
When I first began my career, I was an engineer on the SAAB 900 Cabriolet. Jerry had one in the Seinfeld show. Ugly, but they handled well.
March 21st, 2017 at 11:00 AM ^
but before i met my wonderful mgowife, there was this one 'friend' who had the coolest jeep scrambler when i lived in socal. actually used in some movies and series shoots. looked like this one, and had a 4 speed manual. met or exceeded minimum jeep standards:
that was a very fun ride.
March 21st, 2017 at 11:11 AM ^
it could have been an extra in the Fall Guy!
March 21st, 2017 at 11:49 AM ^
and i think you are correct. i never watched it but saw commercials. with lee majors, aka steve austin, the 6 million dollar man.
March 21st, 2017 at 11:57 AM ^
Heather Thomas....
March 21st, 2017 at 11:01 AM ^
A really good friend of mine from high school had a 1985 or 96 Nissan 300ZX, T-top. Just like this:
We pulled the top and went for a celebratory drive when he got into UVA, and did it again a week later when I did. This is one of the few Japanese cars I'll confess to really liking.
March 21st, 2017 at 12:16 PM ^
I think that the first car you get can form a special imprint on you. It doesn't matter if it was a rattletrap Escort that didn't have 4th gear. If you cruised around with it with you buddies, enjoyed some freedom and had some fun it was better than a bently.
And the car you showed was a Damned nice car.
March 21st, 2017 at 11:20 AM ^
March 21st, 2017 at 11:30 AM ^
Old or new Stingray? I could go for an old one.
March 21st, 2017 at 11:24 AM ^
S2000. High reving inline 4 cylinder Vtec engine in a PURE sports car. Honda's only rear wheel drive vehicle. Smooth and short throw shifter. It was a blast to drive. Many a skeptic who scoffed at the vehicle quickly changed their tune once they actually drove it. Too bad Honda stopped making it.
March 21st, 2017 at 12:15 PM ^
Honda gets a rep as a boring manufacturer sometimes; but the Prelude, CRX, and S2000 were all fun cars. S2000 was brilliant; but it never caught on like the Miata.
To me it was the ultimate 'upscale' convertible sports car. I'd rather have one of those than a BMW Z3.
March 21st, 2017 at 12:45 PM ^
There's talk of bringing it back. It's just talk but bettr than nothing. Those things were rockets.
March 21st, 2017 at 11:28 AM ^
with top removed to we could see planes, and windshield dropped and covered to eradicate glare. Never fun in Germany in February.
March 21st, 2017 at 11:34 AM ^
I had a buddy in high school whose parents owned an older Mercedes sedan convertible. When drove for our carpool he insisted on driving with the top down on sunny days regardless of the outside temperature. Relatively short drive - only a few miles - but cold as hell.
March 21st, 2017 at 11:40 AM ^
The back seat occupants definitely have a lot less fun than the driver.
March 21st, 2017 at 11:39 AM ^
Drove a convertible Mustang through Bryce Canyon in the middle of the night. No clouds, no moon, a million stars. There are parts where you drive through tunnels... no other traffic around so we'd turn the headlights off and go slow on running lights to keep the road. Above is all black, then drive out of the tunnel and the stars just jumped out... looked almost close enough to touch. Next day went through it during the day, and while it was beautiful I think maybe I liked the night drive better.
March 21st, 2017 at 12:05 PM ^
March 21st, 2017 at 11:51 AM ^
1st convertible I ever rode in was my uncles Saab 900.
Also, rode in a drop top S10.
Note: These aren't the actual vehicles, just look a lot like the ones I rode in.
March 21st, 2017 at 12:12 PM ^
I knew Chrysler did a limited edition drop top Dakota. As an aside, I googled 'Dakota Convertible' and it came up with Dakota Johnson. Interesting... ;-)
March 21st, 2017 at 11:52 AM ^
I had a 05 Crossfire Convertible for about 3 years from 05-08. Put a magnaflow exhaust on it to give it a bit more growl and it was a blast to drive. Really needed another 50-60hp but still fun. Really overpriced, but she gave me a lot of fun memories.
Before I bought my Mustang I test-drove a Crossfire. I even got to the point of sitting down with the salesman to go over facts and figures, until they went full slimeball mode. (In hindsight, these guys weren't very bright. I was young, stupid, and had some disposable money. They only saw the first two. The Ford guy saw all three and therefore the difference in the way I was treated was night and day. Don't regret the purchase for one minute, though.) Anyway, the Crossfire was wicked fun to drive. It was definitely overpriced and had a $20,000 interior in a $40,000 car, but it sure was fast, and turned on half a dime.
March 21st, 2017 at 11:56 AM ^
I always thought it was the coolest car on the planet as a wee 10 year old. If I were to buy my own muscle car I would probably go T-top instead of convertible.
March 21st, 2017 at 12:11 PM ^
Fun car
March 21st, 2017 at 12:43 PM ^
The Wrangler Unlimiteds are horrible. I had one over a weekend at it scared the hell out of me. Lousy handling, terrifying in a crosswind, and barely got up to 75 MPH. I like the idea of a spacious Jeep. But it's a horrible implementation.
March 21st, 2017 at 12:49 PM ^
1995 Mazda MX-5 Miata M Edition. The only convertible I've owned and it was a joy to drive
A few years after we got married, late Feb. 1987 featured a week of temps in the 60s and 70s. Crazy spring fever weather. The wife was due for a new car and with no kids at the time, she decided she wanted her dream car: a Mustang convertible. So, we ordered one and it took forever to arrive, but we did eventually get it in mid-June. As fate would have it, she got pregnant and we had our first child in the spring of 1988. The Mustang convertible was gone about a year after that. She wasn't happy moving to an SUV..
Many years later in the fall of 2003, I had an awesome year in sales (love that sales comp) and I had some cash on hand. The wife had hinted that she really liked the BMW Z3, so I found a Z3 that had just been returned from a lease and was in great shape. I surprised her by taking her out to dinner and then driving her over to the BMW dealer. I think it took all of one minute into the test drive that she said she wanted the car and that it was a "make up" for having to give up her Mustang. We still have that car. I can't get her to part with it. The car has the 2.5L inline 6, makes wonderful noises, and drives like a go-cart. Love driving it on a nice Fall day. But...I'd still like to find a nice used Boxster or get a new Miata to replace it.
I've never owned one and there really isn't much out there that interests me, being very tall kinda limits the options.
That said, if a major automaker ever put together a modern-ish verion of some of the big old convertibles of the 50s and 60s I'd probably buy one just because. Like a 1961-1963 Lincoln Continental or a 1969 Cadillac DeVille. Enormous, bench seats, built to cruise, not for speed.
Regrettably there are hundreds of perfectly understandable reasons why it'll never happen.
March 21st, 2017 at 11:12 PM ^
The Wife and I have a ragtop fund. $20 a week and I throw a little other cash in there sometimes. I'm at about 3k. When I get to 5k I'll start thinking what I want. I'm near retirement so I need something cheapish.