Convertibles

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Soldato
Joined
20 Jul 2008
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I've never understood why "petrolheads" seem to despise convertibles.

I just read the 911 Turbo Cabriolet article on Pistonheads and there are quite a few comments which echo this. Similar response to the last episode of Top Gear.

Now I can understand that on many cars such as the 911, chopping the roof off compromises structural rigidity but in reality is this actually true or only something an OCD purist would claim to notice? Even this doesn't explain why petrolheads still slate cars like the Boxster which have been designed from the ground up to have no roof.

Then you have those who say they're 'hair-dresser' or 'camp.' Wake up and smell the coffee, nobody buys an LP560-4 Spyder worrying that they'll look gay and I suspect most of the time the sort of people who buy them are doing so for the image rather than the driving experience and thus the convertible would tick more boxes anyhow.
 
scott212 said:
chopping the roof off compromises structural rigidity but in reality is this actually true or only something an OCD purist would claim to notice?
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Losing the roof obv affects structural rigidity, the car is then strengthened in other areas and usually comes out heavier than the fixed roof version. Not only does this blunt performance, but these convertibles never seem the be as stiff.

I imagine this is immediatey apparent on a track where the handling will suffer but to the average driver the effects will no doubt show on bad road surfaces.

As much as I like the idea of a 911 or E46 cab, the wobble issues would put me off (lots of poor roads up here). To a proper petrolhead I would guess these shortcomings make such cars pointless sports cars.

As for the Boxster... just a poor man's Porsche aren't they :D


n
 
Convertibles are also typically much heavier as well - due to the extra strengthening of the chassis and body, the weight of the mechanism, hood, stowage area and so on.
 
I'm not over keen on convertibles at the moment.

Spent all last winter driving a Mk1 Golf GTI convertible that leaked. I'm sure it would have been great during the summer, but when its cold and wet, a tin top is what you want.
 
I think the presumption usally is that chopping the roof off does nothing except make it more aesthetically pleasing to drive.

The extra strengthening (weight) and horrible drag co-effs/aerodynamics with the roof down ultimately blunt performance.
 
Bug One said:
I'm not over keen on convertibles at the moment.

Spent all last winter driving a Mk1 Golf GTI convertible that leaked. I'm sure it would have been great during the summer, but when its cold and wet, a tin top is what you want.
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Are you judging convertibles based on the performance of a 30 year old Golf?
 
[TW]Fox;15367269 said:
Are you judging convertibles based on the performance of a 30 year old Golf?
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I've only had one convertible, so thats the wealth of first hand experience I'll go on. How many drop tops have you owned?
 
I've never owned a convertible but I do drive a more modern one on a regular basis both in winter and summer and it doesn't leak and isn't cold.
 
Ive had a few comments. Even the hairdresser one towards my 3.0i Z4. Although that comment was from a jealous family member because it meant that I had a bigger engine than his 525i auto. :confused:
 
Bug One said:
So how does that make your judgement on convertibles more valid than mine?
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Not sure I can be bothered with this, surely its pretty obvious which judgement is more valid - yours is that a tintop is what you want, based on driving a car which went out of production in 1984 and is therefore absolutely nothing like anything at all you can buy today. Mine is that a modern convertible is fine in winter, based on driving... a modern convertible.

Yet you need to ask why I feel my judgement is more valid than yours, lol

Your judgement is like me saying that console gaming is poor and that a PC is what you want because in 1988, the NES sucked.
 
Of course you think your judgement is more valid, you always do think that your experience is more important than everyone else.

My opinion isn't just based on my 1990 golf - which incidently had a brand new roof in 2003. My friend has had two convertible minis which have both leaked, My dad used to own a convertible - which leaked. As soon as moisture can get in, its almost impossible to get properly dry until next summer.

I'm sure a new modern soft top is very nice, however I think that after a few years of wear, they will all leak. IMO the enjoyment of soft tops are not worth the drawbacks in a country where for at least 6 months of the year you cant use it.

The new folding roofs seem like a good option though, however they are heavy, expensive and either limit the space in the back or give the car a big arse. If you can get a convertible with a semi permanent hard top during the winter months then maybe that would make things better, but I've got no experience of them. Do they leak?
 
Durzel said:
I think the presumption usally is that chopping the roof off does nothing except make it more aesthetically pleasing to drive.

The extra strengthening (weight) and horrible drag co-effs/aerodynamics with the roof down ultimately blunt performance.
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Uhm, the drag is not that much more. You are looking at a couple of mph at most on top end figures. Doubt it is much more than driving around in a non-convertible with the windows down, I could easy see windows down causing more drag.


My S2000 does not leak and is not cold. The only one thing you could possibly complain about is a rattle every now and then but who the hell cares! You do not buy a drop-top for a quiet driving experience.

I never saw myself as a convertible kind of a person, then I ended up with one. Nothing beats blatting around with the roof down :) Visibility and a general feel of being out in the elements no car without a drop top can match.
 
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Nope.

Some grease on the seals and mechanisms every couple of months works fine. Its inevitable some water will get in when you open doors/get in it wet etc but that's no different than any other car and chucking the aircon on with re-circ soon sorts that out.
 
Bug One said:
Of course you think your judgement is more valid, you always do think that your experience is more important than everyone else.

My opinion isn't just based on my 1990 golf - which incidently had a brand new roof in 2003. My friend has had two convertible minis which have both leaked, My dad used to own a convertible - which leaked. As soon as moisture can get in, its almost impossible to get properly dry until next summer.

I'm sure a new modern soft top is very nice, however I think that after a few years of wear, they will all leak. IMO the enjoyment of soft tops are not worth the drawbacks in a country where for at least 6 months of the year you cant use it.

The new folding roofs seem like a good option though, however they are heavy, expensive and either limit the space in the back or give the car a big arse. If you can get a convertible with a semi permanent hard top during the winter months then maybe that would make things better, but I've got no experience of them. Do they leak?
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You quite simply had a broken hood. It hasn't got anything to do with your Golf being 'old', you using your convertible during the winter months or convertibles in general.

A 2009 'Modern' car with a borked hood will leak too.
 
Don't get me wrong, I love my S2000 for many reasons, having a drop-top is part of that. It was designed from the ground up as a convertible, I doubt I would ever buy a drop top variant of a car though, such as a VW Beetle, Mini. They do nothing for me.

I don't really get the whole initial argument though. Many sports cars with drop tops make a compromise somewhere to have it, be it weight, rigidity or loss of stowage space but they do not put a drop-top on them so you can get your wind in the hair on the track (It's fun as hell but not the intent :p) If it's a huge issue to the purchaser, don't get a drop top and have a "No compromise" track weapon.

For anyone who thinks any drop-top is wobbly, go sit in one designed from the ground up with a chassis built around having a drop top.
 
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I have noticed some of the beetle drop tops look awful. They do a cream coloured one. I've not seen many but whenever I have they've always looked dirty and rotten.

Without generalising, perhaps the kind of person who buys a beetle convertible isn't the kind of person who would care for their roof material.
 
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