What's the point?

[Jay Zone]

Few weeks ago I saw a beautiful tan miata with excellent rims, top down in a mall parking lot in a major down pour. I mean one of those 20min downpours that roll in from nowhere. Felt real bad for the guy knowing that hes going to come out of the mall to see his miata swimming pool. Still hurts to think about it. Was a nice car.

So here is the question for those that do it.

What is the point of leaving the top down on your car when you go in to work or the mall etc.? Seems to me your asking for rain, vandels, birds, snakes to take up residence in your ride. With the exception of its 100 degrees outside and you dont want your car to become a toaster, what is the point when top up or down is a button press away?

Why do it? Coolness factor does not count.

[marcw]

Just laziness? With a fully automatic roof like our cars have there is really no excuse. But my mother-in-laws Z3 for example usually has the top cover boot on and it's a royal pain to take that off just to put the roof up if you run in somewhere for a few minutes.

[skier219]

The only place I ever leave the roof down is in my garage, and I don't even do that sometimes if there's a risk of dust from a project. I'd never leave it down in public unless for brief periods of time with the car in my sight. Then again, I don't generally even like to *park* my Z4 in public. Work and home are its main two stops.

[F87LUV]

This is my first 'vert and Ive had it a little less than a month and Im way too paranoid to leave the top down as tempting as it is. Even it does take 20 seconds, it would be nice to hop in and go with the top already down but I dont think Id ever do it unless the car was in plain sight.

[ZheHbKa]

in NY i would not leave the top down for 5 minutes without being next to the car, but i guess people are lazy

[F87LUV]

Originally Posted by ZheHbKa

in NY i would not leave the top down for 5 minutes without being next to the car, but i guess people are lazy

Who wants to wait 20 seconds before smashing down on the gas pedal? I dont!

[ZheHbKa]

Originally Posted by ZGirl07

Who wants to wait 20 seconds before smashing down on the gas pedal? I dont!

i know the feeling!!! but its all worth the wait, or u can do it at the first red light

[persian54]

get a SmartTop so that you can have it close while you walk away :P

[BlueZ4AZ]

The safety and security are well worth the miniscule 20+/- seconds it takes to close the top.

Some people are just not able to process that.

[jparnes1]

It's also bad for the leather to have prolonged exposure to the sun.

[Memphis1]

Originally Posted by skier219

Then again, I don't generally even like to *park* my Z4 in public. Work and home are its main two stops.

Originally Posted by BlueZ4AZ

The safety and security are well worth the miniscule 20+/- seconds it takes to close the top.

Originally Posted by jparnes1

It's also bad for the leather to have prolonged exposure to the sun.

you guys are not enjoying your car... use it and abuse it. you guys sound like you just want to have it in a museum and wipe it down every 5mins with a diaper...

do you tell your wife to stay home so no other guy will stare at her? or potentially talk to her what's the point of being paranoid about a convertible? might as well get a '89 honda to get you from point a to point b.

[BlueZ4AZ]

Originally Posted by Memphis1

you guys are not enjoying your car... use it and abuse it. you guys sound like you just want to have it in a museum and wipe it down every 5mins with a diaper...

do you tell your wife to stay home so no other guy will stare at her? or potentially talk to her what's the point of being paranoid about a convertible? might as well get a '89 honda to get you from point a to point b.

Why subject the car to the elements when it takes a few seconds to close the top? It's sooooo easy.

(My Corvette coupe was a different story.....Take the top out of the trunk, place it on the top of the car, align it, then get back in and hit the latches.) So, I generally never put the top back on, unless I was parking it at night.

With the Z4, if I go into a store for less than 20 minutes and it's not too windy, I generally don't close the top. Does that make you feel any better?

[Dr Stig 2]

Originally Posted by Memphis1

you guys are not enjoying your car... use it and abuse it. you guys sound like you just want to have it in a museum and wipe it down every 5mins with a diaper...

Welcome back Memphis

[Jay Zone]

Originally Posted by Memphis1

you guys are not enjoying your car... use it and abuse it. you guys sound like you just want to have it in a museum and wipe it down every 5mins with a diaper...

do you tell your wife to stay home so no other guy will stare at her? or potentially talk to her what's the point of being paranoid about a convertible? might as well get a '89 honda to get you from point a to point b.

Let me guess. You use and abuse your wife? Expose her to vandals and bird poop? Leave her out in the rain?

Just sayin.

[persian54]

Originally Posted by Memphis1

do you tell your wife to stay home so no other guy will stare at her? or potentially talk to her

My women know better :P

[bmw-nj]

I take care of my stuff but that doesn't mean I don't enjoy it.

Always have and will put the top up when parking.

[HerrK]

Originally Posted by Memphis1

you guys are not enjoying your car... use it and abuse it.

Right on Memphis -I own it, use it, and then care for it. It may be a "Testa Rossa" but it's not a 250 Ferrari (only in my dreams).

I prefer walking up to the car with the top down. It looks so much better. Rarely have to worry about isolated T-storms or showers in SoCal in the summer. Anyway the factory leather has "Sun-Reflective Technology".

[DRL1950]

Currently drive an 08 3.0, not as young as I used to be and it is just so much easier to get out of the car with the top down. So if weather is good and I wont be gone for too long usually don't put the top back up. Now my new 3.5IS is due her tomorrow or Friday and I have the Ca option so most likely will put it up since I can exit first and put top up after.

[Atebit]

I'm 50/50. When I go to work I put the top up. For short trips I leave it down if I know it's not going to rain (but even in that case I keep an eye on the sky). If I'm going to be inside fir a long time or in an unfamiliar place, I'll put it up. It is nice to walk up

[Alpha_Zulu]

Originally Posted by Memphis1

you guys are not enjoying your car... use it and abuse it. you guys sound like you just want to have it in a museum and wipe it down every 5mins with a diaper...

do you tell your wife to stay home so no other guy will stare at her? or potentially talk to her what's the point of being paranoid about a convertible? might as well get a '89 honda to get you from point a to point b.

Obvious troll is obvious.


I like to take care of my stuff, especially when the thing in question is worth quite a bit of money. I would *never* walk into a place for more than 2-3 minutes with the top down. If I literally was running in and out, okay yeah I could justify leaving the top down. But if it's more than 5 minutes? Fuck that shit, I'll put the top up and go in. I like my stuff looking in good condition and I don't like the idea of rain, the sun, bird shit, or just inviting people to fuck with the car while I'm away. Leaving the top down while you're away for more than a reasonable time is just plain dumb. But what do I know.

[cdeslandes]

Originally Posted by Memphis1

you guys are not enjoying your car... use it and abuse it. you guys sound like you just want to have it in a museum and wipe it down every 5mins with a diaper...

do you tell your wife to stay home so no other guy will stare at her? or potentially talk to her what's the point of being paranoid about a convertible? might as well get a '89 honda to get you from point a to point b.

So, you'll be leaving it outside with the top down this weekend?

I hear Westport is supposed to be a little wet...

[HerrK]

Originally Posted by Alpha_Zulu

Obvious troll is obvious.

Your a newbie so I'll be nice. Pull your foot out of your mouth because you obviously don't know what your talking about. Memphis is a trusted member of this post.