Convertibles Guide

Are You a Convertible Person?

by STEPHAN WILKINSON, ForbesAutos.com
Convertibles Guide
Too Sexy for Your Car?
The Drop-Top of Your Dreams
      Basic Convertibles
      Roadsters
      Hardcore
      Cabriolets
      Luxury
      Exotics
All About Tops
The (Drop) Top Questions
Are You a Convertible Person?
Did You Know . . .

To decide whether you belong in a convertible, take a careful look at your driving needs, routes and habits.

Ask yourself:

Do I want a car just for fun or commuting?
(Convertibles are the ultimate fun cars, but some modern drop-tops work as daily drivers as well.)

If I'm going to commute, how much of the drive is on truck-trafficked Interstates?
(Convertibles are no fun in a hot traffic jam or amid diesel fumes.)

How important to me is having a super sound system?
(Certainly you can hear the radio or a CD with the top down, but most of the audio nuances are lost.)

Has my dermatologist told me to stay out of the sun?
(Duh!)

Is "going for a drive" another way of saying "going shopping"?
(You might need a bigger trunk than a convertible can provide, particularly because the tops on some, when down, consume trunk space.)

Does it bother me to have a restricted rear view?
(Virtually all convertibles have comparatively small rear windows — and often no rear-quarter windows — with the top up.)

Am I someone with long hair who won't use a cap, scarf or ponytail holder?
(Then get a very short haircut or skip the convertible.)

Are my roads too wintry for a convertible?
(Probably not. There's nothing nicer than putting the top down for a few glorious months after a Maine winter. And as long as you mount real snow tires in place of the high-performance treads that most upscale convertibles have, you'll navigate the snow just fine.)

Am I too deep in the Sun Belt for a drop-top?
(That's another matter. It's no fun in Phoenix if there's never a day cool enough to put the top down.)

So ... are you a convertible person? If you're still not sure, rent a Mustang for the weekend and test out the convertible lifestyle.

But if the answer is an enthusiastic "yes," start the search for your dream car here.

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