Well, on Friday night the hardtop came off the cabrio for the first time, and today I went out for a pleasant lunchtime drive.
As the temperature outside was at least 8C it seemed ideally suited to my first drive with the roof down - apologies for any typing errors but my fingers are still warming up again!
Which made me wonder - what is the coldest that anyone has seen a cabrio with the top down? And the coldest that any of us have actually driven one?
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Saw three cars with the top down on saturday around manchester, and thought three times "why?". Was 6 deg at the time, unless my cars thermometer was incorrect.
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If it's not raining our roof is down! A couple of weeks ago it was -3 here and the roof was open. Helly Hansen coat, woolly hat, heated seats on and heater blowing warm air directly at you - no problems.
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Between Christmas and New Year I was out in the MG with the hood down. When I got back into the Pug, the outside temperature was -2 celcius.
Yes, it was cold, but what's the point in a cabrio if the roof is up? Oh, and there's no heater in the MG!
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Well I was driving gf's 206cc and wasn't in the slightest tempted to get the hood down. Maybe that's because I feel it's a girly car tho, rather than because it was cold outside!!
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I think you could be right....
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"but what's the point in a cabrio if the roof is up"
It keeps you warm??
What's the point of driving with the roof down when it's -2 outside?
After all, most of us tend to keep our clothes on at that temp yet we could go topless!!!
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What's the point of driving with the roof down when it's -2 outside?
Perhaps it helps to justify the illogical decision to buy a convertible in our climate. :-)
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And the coldest that any one of us HAS driven one?
Not me, Guv! Though I suppose I could take a tinopener to an old banger...
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Any chance of some photos once you do?
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If you get a "proper" sports car, e.g lotus elan/elise, it matters not whether the hood is up or down, as even if it's up then the rain pours in and it's freezing cold! So get the hood down and enjoy a nice 70mph breeze to blow those cobwebs away! You big girls!
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Owen - you've hit the nail on the head...
PhilW - see above.
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"Owen - you've hit the nail on the head...
PhilW - see above."
Not having a Cabrio, and not wishing to be thought "a big girl", I shall take my shirt off and pop out for a bike ride tonight when it gets a bit colder. So tell me, why do you have the roof down and the heater on full blast, and why do most blokes who drive with the top at high speed in winter down seem to be bald?
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Now what was the explanation I read???
Oh yes......
A cabriolet, you can lower the roof in good weather..
A roadster, you can raise it, sometimes..
Ask Mrs Vansboy - I think it's almost time to get the hardtop off her Mx5, it's been on since December!!
VB
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Softops are great, we had the top down on the Z4 on xmas day, my brother was going for a drive on his scooter, so me and my dad went in the Z4 with the roof down, he followed and it meant we could keep him right at roundabouts etc. by shouting instructions at him.
With the heater on it was actually quite warm, despite the ffact that it was barely above freezing. I love that car :-)
Blue
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I have recently had the privilege (no, not insurance!) of driving a classic car with the roof down and it has been absolutely fantastic. It has been so cold around here that I have seen several brass monkeys with rather pained expressions on their faces, but nothing can beat the feeling of wrapping up warm, lowering the roof and getting some fresh air.
DieselBoy and Owen - you are spot on!
And to the poster above who alleged that all open-top fanatics are folically challenged - I can do nothing to dispel your theory! :)
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My dilemma when deciding whether to go topless:
1) How likely is it to stay dry until I reach my destination? and
2) Will I be able to pull over somewhere discreet to put the hood up so that I don't get scoffed at for having been so foolish in the first place?
And I got caught out big-time the other week: lovely blue sky that turned ugly within about 10 minutes and ended in a furious hailstorm!
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"My dilemma when deciding whether to go topless"
Carole,
I think you may have unwittingly (?) stimulated a lot of replies that will end with a moderator saying "stick to motoring please"!!!!
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Ah - so my Plan might work then?
(Actually, I did mean to put ".. when deciding whether to go topless (!)" but got carried away.)
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Actually saw a half-sensible personal plate on a rag top this week - L1D UP
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