Convertible Cars

[cookie]

I love riding in convertibles. Who wouldn't? My aunt had one and she drove us kids down to Fort Knox (in Maine--an old fort near the mouth of the Penobscot River from the war of 1812) for a picnic. Pine and sunshine and we came out fine. I've wanted one since then.

In high-school, I knew a teaching assistant with a beautiful Cadillac Convertible. It was long and lean, probaby late 60s; red exterior; white leather interior. I loved that car. You felt like a queen in it.

There was a woman in our church who had a TR6 and I dug riding in that.

I was interested in a guy with a Triumph Spitfire. I went riding with him one cold starry night. We broke down. No nooky, damn it, but a nice ride while it lasted.

I'm getting to the point where my credit and income have improved to the point where I can even *think* about buying a convertible. And I'm only thinkin'---and researching and keeping an eye open for an old but reliable Chrysler Sebring convertible. I admit that I like it because it's cute. I like the older models, not the new one with the molding on the front.

Would love a classic Caddy, but man, the price, the gas and maintenance makes that one out of reach. Same thing with the Mustang convertible.

I do not like the PT Cruiser convertible.

I'd prefer an American car.

What convertibles have you known and loved?

What convertibles would you recommend?

[Scott Dolan]

I think the new Pontiac G6 with retractable top is a pretty cool looking little buggy. And fairly easy on the wallet as well.







I've always dug the Miata, too.


My ultimate dream car is the Honda S2000, which the design team that built my long gone Honda Del Sol are responsible for.

[cookie]

Originally Posted by Scott Dolan

I think the new Pontiac G6 with retractable top is a pretty cool looking little buggy. And fairly easy on the wallet as well.







I've always dug the Miata, too.


My ultimate dream car is the Honda S2000, which the design team that built my long gone Honda Del Sol are responsible for.

I like that Pontiac. My aunt's car was a Pontiac. Oddly enough, she's currently riding around in her fiancee's 1984 Pontiac 2000 convertible. So the Pontiac definitely interests me. Thanks for the heads-up, Scott!

[walto]

old but reliable Chrysler Sebring

There is no such thing. (Or if there is, maybe there are a grand total of seven in the known universe.) Basically a souped up K-car--i.e., piece of shit.

[Scott Dolan]

Sure thing, Cookie.

There are lots of two seat roadsters on the market these days as well. But, I'm not sure if you're looking for something quite that small or not. They tend to be more of an enthusiast car, and not terribly comfortable for a daily driver.

[Chris D]

When I was really little, my uncle drove a drop-top Riviera that was the coolest thing around.
It was a lot like this one:

[cookie]

I definitely want a 4-seater. That way I can put the kids or a keyboard in the back.

[cookie]

Originally Posted by Chris D

When I was really little, my uncle drove a drop-top Riviera that was the coolest thing around.
It was a lot like this one:

That is one pretty car!

[walto]

Originally Posted by Chris D

When I was really little, my uncle drove a drop-top Riviera that was the coolest thing around.
It was a lot like this one:

Man, that was a beautiful ride....

[Scott Dolan]

Didn't that have the roll-away headlights?

[Scott Dolan]

Originally Posted by cookie

I definitely want a 4-seater. That way I can put the kids or a keyboard in the back.

Have you checked out the new Sebring? I think it has the smooth new retractable top as well.

[Chris D]

Originally Posted by Scott Dolan

Didn't that have the roll-away headlights?

If I remember right, it did.

[jazzy mary]

Originally Posted by Chris D

When I was really little, my uncle drove a drop-top Riviera that was the coolest thing around.
It was a lot like this one:

Nice car!! My older brother lives in D.C. but he has a condo in Palm Beach and he has a Volvo convertible that he lets us use when we go down there. It's nice. The back does have room for my 2 kids, but it is crowded.

[clinthopson]

My best friend in High School had a Hudson Terraplane convertible. It was a babe magnet.

[jesus marion joseph]

When I was a youngster in Virginia Beach one of my uncles had one of those Beetle-based dune buggies. As a kid, there wasn't anything much cooler than riding around in that.

Cookie: convertibles are notorious for lack of back seat room. If you want a truly functional rear seat and an American made car, I think your choices are the Pontiac and Sebring that Scott has posted or the PT Cruiser. I'm not sure if they still make it, but they used to have turbo version of the PT Cruiser convertible, which had the same engine as the Neon SRT-4. Mucho scoot-power.

If you don't really need the back seat, I would consider the Pontiac Solstice/Saturn Sky (I prefer the looks of the Sky, personally).




Automobile magazine recently had an article about a possible targa roof version, which looks really cool, IMHO.

[shrugs]

[shrugs]

[Scott Dolan]

...not bad choices if you're looking to drop a mint at the gas station a couple of times a week.

[GoodSpeak]

Did someone say driving in convertibles?

[hit it boyz!]

Knew you'd be a vision in white
How'd you get those pants so tight?
Don't know what you're doin'
But you must be livin' right

We got some places to see
I brought all the maps with me
So jump right in...Ain't no sin
Take a ride in my machine

City traffic movin' way too slow
Drop the pedal and go...go...go

Goin' ridin' on the freeway of love
Wind's against our back
Goin' ridin' on the freeway of love
In my pink cadillac
Goin' ridin' on the freeway of love
Wind's against our back
Ain't we ridin' on the freeway of love
In my pink Cadillac?

Never you mind the exit signs
We got lots of time
We can't quit 'til we get
To the other side

With the radio playin' our song
We keep rollin' on
Who knows how far a car can get
Before you think about slowin' on down

City traffic movin' way too slow
Drop the pedal and go...go...go


Drop the top down, Baby and let's cruse on into It's Better Than Ever Street

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lJgqKNM3zfU

[shrugs]

Originally Posted by Scott Dolan

...not bad choices if you're looking to drop a mint at the gas station a couple of times a week.

if you can drop 70 stacks for the Vette, shouldn't be a problem.
the rumble of the 427 would be nice to hear.

[Scott Dolan]

Maybe, but not as a daily driver.

[GoodSpeak]

My kind of convertible :

[Kevin Bresnahan]

If you can find a used one, the Saab convertible is very nice. A close friend of mine drives one.

I've owned 3 convertibles in my car-buying life. No more for me. No more slathering up with sunscreen to go to work. No more burnt scalp - you can't sunscreen your scalp and not look like a greaser at work. And if you buy a convertible, you have to put the top down.

Nah, I'm done with them. I already expect a skin cancer diagnosis any day now. It's prevalent in my family and several skin scans have turned up discolorations.

[Dr Dave]

I enjoy driving convertibles, but I'd never want to own one. No trunk space, too easy to break into, and the damn things always rattle once they've got a few thousand miles on them.

As much as I respect Scott's knowledge of motor vehicles, I think anyone who buys a Chrysler product at this stage of the game is just asking for trouble, and I'm not talking about quality, but about the likelihood that Chrysler will still be in business in the next three or four years. A big warranty won't mean much if there's no company left to honor it.

[walto]

and I'm not talking about quality

Throw in the (lack of) quality and you've got another good reason. Merde with cheese.

[Pete C]

You heard of those dirty jalopies,
you heard of the noise they make,
let me introduce my new Rocket 88,
yeah she's straight,
just won't wait,
everbody likes my Rocket 88,
Ride with me all round town in joy.

She's got a V-8 motor, baby black in design,
black convertible top and the girls don't mind,

[Pete C]

Originally Posted by walto

Merde with cheese.

Tish, you spoke French!

[Kevin Bresnahan]

Originally Posted by Dr Dave

I enjoy driving convertibles, but I'd never want to own one. No trunk space, too easy to break into, and the damn things always rattle once they've got a few thousand miles on them.

Anybody who buys a convertible expecting a quiet ride is delusional. Cloth and vinyl do not make a good sound barrier. Expect a loud ride or be disappointed.

As for rattles after a few thousand miles, that goes for many cars, not just convertibles. My sister's GMC Jimmy rattled like a soda can of pebbles after 2 years of driving. Buy a Toyota Solara convertible and I bet there won't be any rattles in that car.

[Al in NYC]

Originally Posted by Scott Dolan

Have you checked out the new Sebring? I think it has the smooth new retractable top as well.

My father will be taking delivery on one of these this fall. This will be his 7th Chrysler convertible in a row, since their reintroduction back in the early 80s. We always had convertibles throughout my childhood, albeit mostly used ones.

Yeah, they rattle, leak air in the winter, have smaller back seats (the back seat in that Sebring is pretty damn small too), and are very easy to break into, but riding around with the top down in the summertime will always remind me of being a kid, sporting those little colored plastic sunglasses we all had in the '60s, riding out to our cottage by the lake with the wind blowing our hair around, stopping off for a burger and a milkshake along the way. In short, making all trips fun!

My particular favorite was this little number (although ours was black with red upholstery):

[jesus marion joseph]

Some of you guys are showing your age. Not all convertibles are cloth tops nowadays. To wit: