LOCAL MARKET REPORT
Summer is well and truly here, and this year it’s certainly a sizzler! Nothing is more life-affirming than driving around in your favourite classic convertible of all time, windows down, roof off, with the sunshine hitting your skin and wind flowing through your hair — that is, if you still have some hair left!
Every great road trip that has made history has featured a spectacular set of wheels, with one thing missing: the roof!
The long overdue arrival of summer got us thinking: in which classic convertible are you most likely to travel to your favourite holiday destination this summer? With sunshine and warm seas on our minds, we discover that there’s something really special about convertibles, cabriolets, and roadsters that appeals to the optimist in all of us.
Picture a beautiful summer day, warm but with a gentle breeze. You decide to hop into your car; put the top down; fire up the engine and gun it down our country roads, enjoying beautiful scenery; and head off for a picnic, a coffee, or lunch at your favourite restaurant. Absolute bliss, if you ask me!
Sure, as soon as you leave the house, that gentle breeze that you’re driving into is amplified to a coastal gale, ruining your immaculately arranged coiffure … but c’est la vie!
Pedestrians shoot you envious glances, and you’re pretty much sure that everyone out there is smiling at you. Life couldn’t be sweeter!
Yes, these stylish automobiles can leak a little and the wind noise be deafening, but the ability to waft along with the roof down on a sunny day, with some good music on the go, more than compensates. In fact, some people have so much fun driving convertibles that they keep the roof down all the time — even in the peak of winter!
I’ve had convertibles for many years. Driving with the roof down is one of my greatest pleasures in life. I think that warm evenings are the best time of day to drive ‘topless’, but it’s advisable to carry a longsleeved top in the car. I find that, during the summer months, you can get caught out by the sun shining bright in the sky, and, just because the sun is out, it does not mean that it will be warm when you are driving along with the roof down.
Since I’ve been driving convertibles, I’ve learned that hats do come handy too — as long as the wind does not blow them away. Cruising around town in your convertible? The likelihood is that it will be sunny, therefore you will become more susceptible to the sun’s rays, so it is wise to get yourself a nice hat to cover your head as protection.
And when it comes to the speedometer, it often feels like you’re doing 200kph when in actual fact it’s only reading 90kph. But never mind the numbers — the feeling is unbeatable. I suppose that, the smaller the car, and the more open the top, the faster everything feels. Nothing short of riding on the wing of a plane — all wind and noise!
The downside to all this glory — I can only think of one — is that the car gets rather dusty inside. But this just comes with the territory. Unfortunately, there is little you can do to prevent this from happening, unless one decides to never to put the roof down. But, then again, what’s the point?
I’ve always been amazed at the way a convertible top transforms the driving experience. Without a roof, every car feels faster, and the world seems bigger and more thrilling. It’s a bit of a cheap trick, but it works all too well, and, in my opinion, classic convertibles with the top down always feel faster than modern-day convertibles.
Like many great human inventions, a convertible car makes absolutely no sense when you analyse it in the cold, hard light of day. Removing a car’s top weakens it structurally and vastly complicates the task of keeping water out. A fabric convertible top can be sliced open by a thief. Folding metal convertible tops are heavy and take up valuable cargo space. And even with a roll bar, a convertible has less crash protection than a hardtop car. On paper, the convertible is an indefensible device.
But that doesn’t stop us from loving them. Convertibles feel fast, and they connect us with the world outside. You get sunburnt. You feel cold. Your hair gets messed up. Your every conversation is public. Hence why you should own a convertible. Preferably a small one — because, with a convertible, size matters. And the best ones are tiny — like the original Mazda MX-5, the MGB, the Triumph TR6, the Mercedes SLK, or the Porsche Boxster Spyder.
Plus, a convertible eliminates blind spots. It facilitates passive multitasking. It responds to your moods. It comes with unlimited headroom. It gives you entry options. It’s great for relationships. And what’s a convertible worth? One golden rule — when the top goes down, the price goes up!
Simply put, convertibles are fun. That should be enough said to go forth and seize the drop-top. You be Thelma — she’ll be Louise. Until next time, safe driving!