Soft top motoring

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Sat 6 Jun 2015 14:43
Soft top motoring - johnnyrev
Now that we have a soft top as a second car (after the fiasco of trying to hire a car for 6 weeks and then deciding to buy a cheap car, ending up with a convertible CLK for £2500) I thought I would start a thread on soft top motoring.

I had an x19 many years ago, but the CLK is more open to the elements, although info feel a bit exposed driving through town! So far I have gone everywhere with the roof down, and hopefully the novelty won't wear off, my son is certainly happy when I do the school run!

Has anyone had their roof down through the winter? I have often thought that soft tops should have an automatic function where the roof goes down its not raining. It seems a shame to leave the roof up.

And what about leaving the roof down when parked? I have so far, but it's only been outside school and in quiet suburbs visiting the elderly. I might change my mind the first time I park it in a multi storey, although that may be more secure (CCTV etc).

I would be interested to hear of others experiences of soft top motoring, so far I can't see much of a down side (although I do need to buy a sun hat!).

(As a footnote, the CLK so far seems as good as it first seemed, drives really well, no odd noises, 30mpg, and everything works as it should)
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Sat 6 Jun 2015 14:48
Soft top motoring - RichT54

I once left my MG Midget in a multi-storey in Southampton. It was rediculously easy to get into when locked. I had foolishly left an old jacket behind the seats which disappeared, along with a pair of sunglasses.

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Sat 6 Jun 2015 16:26
Soft top motoring - Avant

Welcome to the joys of soft-top motoring! For me, a 'fun car' needs to be a convertible: I can never see the point of a closed coupe.

On a cold but bright winter's day the combination of heater and open hood can be very pleasant - the lower half of your body gets warm, whuch is what you need.

I had a BMW Z3 for five years, and SWMBO has a Mini Roadster: here in rural north Dorset we might leave the hood down for a short time parked in the street or in a shopping car park, but not for any length of time (on account of the unpredictable weather more than the fear of theft?). The Mini makes a noise which would have presaged the fall of Babylon if you so much as put a hand inside the locked car with the hood down.

Enjoy the CLK and I hope all goes well for you.

Edited by Avant on 07/06/2015 at 16:08

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Sat 6 Jun 2015 18:01
Soft top motoring - bathtub tom

You found a CLK convertible for two and a half grand............................

I've gone a funny shade of green!

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Sat 6 Jun 2015 21:15
Soft top motoring - matstro

I've often wondered how safe it is to leave a soft top parked with hood down. I'm guessing you remove all items from the car. If you then immobilise the vehicle, theres nothing left to be taken?!

Just wondering also whether the novelty of a soft top wears off. Every spring I yearn for one then by winter its the worst idea ever. TBH if I had garage storage I'd buy one and SORN it in the winter. Keeping a softtop out on the drive cannot be much good for the car if its unused for weeks on end.

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Tue 9 Jun 2015 10:37
Soft top motoring - johnnyrev

You found a CLK convertible for two and a half grand............................

I've gone a funny shade of green!

There were several CLK's for a similar price, both on Autotrader and Ebay. Some were cheaper but had very high mileages (150,000+) and looked a bit tatty.

There were many more SLK's for a couple of grand, but most looked very tatty! We looked at many options for a second car and were amazed at what was available for £2-3k. Lots of very dull cars, hence we decided to go for smething more interesting!

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Sat 6 Jun 2015 22:20
Soft top motoring - Smileyman

some years ago whilst picking up a hire car is USA I was offered a convertable ... not much more I was told ... no way was my reply, why - I was worried of being mugged, nothing other than a map could be left in the car at any time in case some light fingered urchin took a liking to my property - however I do like an opening sunroof, not as good as a convertable but nearly, and much safer for my peace of mind

and yes, it's still great for tanning the bald patch on the top of my head (sorry ladies!)

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Sat 6 Jun 2015 22:31
Soft top motoring - John F
I would be interested to hear of others experiences of soft top motoring, so far I can't see much of a down side (although I do need to buy a sun hat!).

It will be a sad day when I relinquish my soft-top - I've had one ever since 1972 when, not really needing a car, I bought a wreck of an XK120 for £350 for fun and eventually reluctantly changed to a TR7 when I needed a reliable practical yet enjoyable car which, if it didn't appreciate, at least didn't depreciate.

Downside? Motorways - although on busy ones crawling along at 50 it's not a problem. Leaving it open when parked - the worst thing so far was a discarded cigarette butt burning a hole in the drivers seat cover.

Anecdote.....around 1990 the wife of a local manufacturer asked me from the comfort of her shiny BMW why I was driving such a ridiculous old car. Neither she, her husband nor the factory are still in existence. And I doubt if the BMW has survived.

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Sun 7 Jun 2015 13:23
Soft top motoring - 72 dudes

I used to have a Mk3 MX5 as a fun car (btw where is Bobbin Threadbare these days?) and I traded it in for an SLK350 in February last year.

I don't understand people who buy convertibles but hardly ever have the top down. Just this morning I was following a Mini convertible with the roof up, and the weather doesn't get much better than today.

I never leave the roof open when it's parked (except for a few minutes on a petrol forecourt). Too much dust, bee poo etc!

For me the novelty of open top motoring has not worn off, and there's nothing better than a brisk cold bright day with the heater, heated seats and airscarf turned on. A warm Spring evening in the dark comes close though.

Enjoy the CLK, but do get a brimmed hat or baseball cap :>)

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Sun 7 Jun 2015 17:32
Soft top motoring - jc2

I know someone who has owned a convertible for many years-tells me he always leaves it unlocked(glovebox open) and removes everything in the car!( Early Mustang in Germany).

Edited by jc2 on 07/06/2015 at 17:42

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Tue 9 Jun 2015 14:36
Soft top motoring - Gibbo_Wirral

I've been very lucky and had nothing stolen in my softops, but I did take the precaution of leaving the glovebox empty and open like someone posted earlier, and making sure the stereo front piece came with me.

But my mate had a Suzuki Samurai, where you could just unzip the back window to get in, and he got robbed on a regular basis.

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Tue 29 Dec 2015 19:51
Soft top motoring - johnnyrev
I thought I would do a quick update on the past seven months in our dirt cheap CLK. I'll start with the good stuff, which has been the pleasure at being able to put the roof down and making any journey just that bit more special. I've only managed to get the weather wrong once and leave the roof down when it rained (which was only outside the house- a heavy shower unexpectedly arrived, and there was washing on the line as well. I'm afraid the washing got wet while I put the roof back up!).

I use it most days for pottering around the parish. I have had a few funny looks, for example when I arrive at the crem to take a service with the roof down. And I have felt the need to tell parishioners how much it cost in case they think I'm raiding the collection plate!

Economy has been reasonable, usually around the high 20's, which is fine as I don't do many miles. There have been a couple of trips to the garage (WDM Cars in Birmingham, who are really good-cheap and helpful). The first trip was what sounded like a loose engine belt, and turned out to be the wrong size belt. WDM replaced both belts for £150, which seemed reasonable. The second trip was today to sort out a problem where I couldn't move out of Park. Turned out to be the brake pedal switch- replaced in half an hour for £70.

Other than that, everything still works, and I've even had the roof down this winter (the heater is very good!).
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Tue 29 Dec 2015 23:43
Soft top motoring - Avant

Many thanks for the update. I hope you're having a rest this week; I certainly am after playing the organ for five carol services and a midnight Communion!

Touching wood, you seem to have struck lucky with the CLK and got a good one. People often come on here asking for advice on what car to buy for the sort of amount that you paid. I tend to play safe and often suggest a Toyota (your other, newer, car if I remember right). But it's a thought, isn't it - more of a gamble to do what you did, but getting a good quality car that's been looked after, and is also fun to drive, has a lot to be said for it.

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