>>... I see dozensof woossies out with the hood up whilst I'm commuting round the M25. Makes you wonder why they brought a convertable???? My 7 is very cosy with the hood down even when cold but even the sidescreen TRs (2 & 3s) in the club rarely put hoods up. Jim
Not me! My hood's down unless it's raining. What's the point otherwise!
Andy
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Yes, quite agree. When we are out in the TR now it's back the hood is always down, yet I see dozens of woossies out with the hood up whilst I'm commuting round the M25. Makes you wonder why they brought a convertable???? My 7 is very cosy with the hood down even when cold but even the sidescreen TRs (2 & 3s) in the club rarely put hoods up. Jim
Phew! I'm glad someone else finds this strange :-)
My spider is also very cosy, big flying jacket, heater going 75% ( it's too hot at 100%! )
This question was finnly prompted by the site of a guy driving a saab hood up, but all the windows down..
JaB
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Perhaps his hood wasn't working.
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Perhaps his hood wasn't working.
True.... but that wouldn't be the case with all of the cars I see on hot sunny days with the hoods up.
Dull, overcast days.... fair enough not everyone is as mad me :-)
But we get so few blazing hot days and when we do I still see so many with the hoods up.
I'm not critising I'm just asking :-) cos it seems like a waste of a car :-(
JaB
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This is my explanation;
Lets say I had a Cabrio ...and I want to do a journey that would involve travelling on a m'way....and I want to listen to some music....and I want to hear my SatNav....and I want to hear my phone - then I'll need to have the hood up for the m'way part of the journey at least. Can I be bothered to put it down when I set off, put it up before I get on the m'way, then put it down once I get off and then put it up when I'm at my destination - NO.
However, on a nice leisurely trip in the evening or weekend YES.
Chad.
PS - Though I love the warm weather, sitting in a car being baked by the sun, never really appealled to me....must be the asian influence :-)
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Hmm...
I agree sitting in the sun is no fun :-(
However, I can hear my radio/CD player, I can hear my 'phone and answer it with the hood down.
But I guess they are all valid reasons....
;-) sorta
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May be hoods aren't so easy to operate now. The one on my 1947 Triumph Roadster could be flipped up or down with the left hand while driving along. I haven't had a convertible for ages now - aren't they all electric?
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I only put the hood up to keep the snow out whilst stationary.
MGs
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Mrs Vansboy has her top off, at every opportunity!!(Her Mx5, of course!!)
& as they say, a convertible has a roof you can drop in good weather - a roadster has a top you can raise - occassionaly!!
VB
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'May be hoods aren't so easy to operate now'.
smart cabrio. Drive along at any speed and press roof button briefly roof opens full extent - can't get much easier than that. When next stopped press button again and rear of roof drops down, push roof down from inside car and drive off.
When approaching parked car press button on key and roof opens to full extent.
Nice and easy which is why our roof is hardly ever closed.
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Cliff - if you flipped your roof up (or down) at today's speeds you wouldn't keep it long!
I've had 205 and 306 cabrios, and one reason I didn't hang on to them was the unpleasantness of hood-down motorway driving. But I do recall a 50-mile journey after dark on a balmy summer evening like those we have had recently.
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Cliff - if you flipped your roof up (or down) at today's speeds you wouldn't keep it long! I've had 205 and 306 cabrios, and one reason I didn't hang on to them was the unpleasantness of hood-down motorway driving. But I do recall a 50-mile journey after dark on a balmy summer evening like those we have had recently.
I can understand on motorways why people don't want the hood down but I'm talking about the large number I see on ordinary roads.
Don't gte me wrong I'm not having a go, I just think it's a shame and a bit of a waste is all. :(
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The real secret is to keep the hood down permanently and only take the car out if there is not a cloud in the sky. It has worked well like that for the last 3 years and has the bonus that what little metal is left lasts longer if you keep it dry!
pmh (was peter)
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pmh - trouble with keeping the hood down permanently is that it is so horribly creased when you eventually put it up. And of course you can't risk putting it down (permanently) if it is at all wet. Owners of 306 roadsters (they had both soft and hard tops) often did that for the winter. I think the hood keeps its appearance and condition better if it is up as much as possible, preferably under cover.
It's interesting that Brits buy convertibles more than Europeans, who have probably found that sunburn is a problem further south. You certainly don't see many on the continent.
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...probably found that sunburn is a problem further south. You certainly don't see many on the continent.
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I'm probably further south than most! Yes, sunburn is a major problem, as is heatstroke and dehydration. However, the joy of 80MPH+ wind in the hair motoring is worth it. (Or it was, once, when I had a ragtop!)
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pmh - trouble with keeping the hood down permanently is that it is so horribly creased when you eventually put it up.
When the car goes in the garage at the end of each day/trip I always put the hood up, I don't clip it all into place but it always goes up.
It's quite bizzare really... driving hood down, in the garage hood up.
My mates think I@m barmy
JaB
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It does seem a waste to buy a convertible and then never have the hood down, even on a glorious day. I see plenty around my way and the main "offenders" are usually BMW's and Saabs for some reason.
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Just bought an Astra convertible, thanks to sellign my Imprezza a couple of weeks ago and the Cavalier developing some major electrical problems. Its been a joy to drive with the hood down, but its a shame that it looks like the good weather we've been having may be coming ot an end.
--
I read often, only post occasionally
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The only decent excuse I heard was from a BMW cabrio driver - he claimed the new baby was in the back and was asleep.
If someone wants the hood up because its too noisy, why didn't they buy a coupe?
Anyway, while were (sort of) on the subject, can anyone tell me what the difference is between a Convertible and a cabriolet? For example, the BMW is available as a coupe or convertible. The 911 is available as a coupe or cabriolet. Both have 4 seats (2 adult plus 2 midget) so neither are roadsters.
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Anyway, while were (sort of) on the subject, can anyone tell me what the difference is between a Convertible and a cabriolet?
I think that traditionally a convertable had a hard top that was removed and replaced with a "toneua" (sp?) and the term was usually applied to full 4 seater cars.
A cabriolet was a carriage with a collapsible hood.
Also a cabriolet was often a 2+2 as distinct from a roadster which is a 2 seater.
These days the 2 terms are used interchangeably.
JaB
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My V70 2.4T is currently languishing at one of our air port long term car parks, whilst I'm in Denmark. As ever, I drove the extra mile, literally, to try and find a place to leave it where it wouldn't have suitcases trundled down the side on a pedestrian shortcut to the bus stop, where one side was ideally end-of-row, and where the adjacent slot was not a hulking great 4x4 or carelessly parked repmobile.
On this occasion, I got lucky with all of these wishes.
The relative relevance to this post?
The car next to mine was a totally immaculate Peugeot cabriolet, I guess of 1960s vintage, in the cream and beige that seems to be obligatory for this car. I don't recall the exact model, as a bus was waiting at the stop so I didn't hang around to ogle, but if a car can be petite and beautiful, this was it. Everything was totally mint, and whilst it was great to see such a classic in apparent daily use, there is no way I would have left it at an air port car park!
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Everything was totally mint, and whilst it was great to see such a classic in apparent daily use, there is no way I would have left it at an air port car park!
I guess if it's the only car they possess they may have had no choice but to leave it there...
I certainly wouldn't leave my spider in Long term Airport parking tho'
JaB
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Probably belonged to a member of PCUK. Funny thing is, old Pugs don't fetch high prices AFAIK.
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Didn't Columbo (TV Detective) have one of these?
Chad.
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Didn't Columbo (TV Detective) have one of these? Chad.
A pug 306 Cabrio ???? I don't think so.
I dunno what he did drive but I don't think it was European.
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LOL!!!
Obviously the discussion is dis-jointed in "flat view", rather like having conversation with my MiL I would imagine - I actually posted in response to the vintage pug left at the airport carpark.....
Chad.
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Columbo drove a 1959 Peugeot convertible, Model 403.
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>> Columbo drove a 1959 Peugeot convertible, Model 403.
Really? fancy that.... he really was the force oddball then :D
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I 've got a 306 cabrio. Driving on the Motorway with the hood down and windows down in the outside lane of the motorway is best driving experience. I don't have a windbreak, but at 120mph its sheer enjoyment :)
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306 2.0 SE Cabriolet
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I 've got a 306 cabrio. Driving on the Motorway with the hood down and windows down in the outside lane of the motorway is best driving experience. I don't have a windbreak, but at 120mph its sheer enjoyment :) -- 306 2.0 SE Cabriolet
Gotta agree. I have an S2000 and love nothing more than having the wind in my hair and hearing that engine rev to 9000 RPM.
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