Summer is nearly here, and you have probably spent the last 9 months dreaming of how you are going to enjoy the best of the weather while it is here. All that hard work in the cold winter might just have left you dreaming of buying a new car. And not just any car. An open top car.

And that would be a great move. You would, by all reckoning, be the envy of your friends. However, before you spend all of your hard earned money. It is always advisable to learn everything you can about the cabriolet that you want and whether it suits your needs.

As usual we here at AutoeBid are here to help you in getting you the best deal we can. So, here is a breakdown of the positives and ultimately the odd downside that comes with owning a convertible.

The Views

There are 3 major reasons as to why you should own a convertible. The first of them, in our opinion, is the views. There is no replacement for that 360o view that comes with owning a convertible. Driving down an open road, be that by the seaside or over the Pennines, and being able to absorb every single millimetre of your surroundings is a feeling that only top down driving can provide. It will leave you with a smile stretching right across your face.

Unfortunately, living in somewhere like the UK means one thing. The number of days when you can drive with the top down is limited. And the days when the roof is on mean that your 360o views suddenly become some of the least manageable views in any car available on the market. This is due to the way in which a convertible roof is built and the inability to have full width windows across the back.

The Experience

Following on from those fantastic views is the feeling that you get from the wind in your hair and the sound of the engine revving away as you cruise down the road. It ranks up alongside the likes of having your first child and meeting your soulmate. It provides a noise that is matched only by the sounds of the starting grid of the F1, it draws you in and will make you giddy.

But alas, as this is a piece to show balance, there are drawbacks. For example, if you choose a hardtop. You will have to accommodate with your choice of luggage when you go out, as when the roof is down the boot will be full. If you try to retain your boot space by choosing a soft top you will have to be wary of how the roof is taken care of. A badly looked after soft top roof can end up with leaks and a general ruining of your car.

The roof does not only take up potential valuable luggage space but also the lack of a fixed roof has the effect of removing the rigidity of the body. The result of this is that occasionally the car will suffer from an effect known as chassis shudder. The ride quality over roads that are a bit less smooth, shall we say, drops in comparison to their full body counterparts.

The Cool Factor

It wouldn’t be a car piece if you don’t factor in the cool factor. From the Top Gear Cool Wall, to the wide range of websites offering lists of what cars have the X factor. Cars will always hold some sort of status symbol. As mentioned at the beginning of this article there is a very high likelihood you will become the envy of your friends and family. The problems however arise when you suddenly cannot do everything that you can with a more economical car, be that doing the weekly shop to taking multiple people out with you.

From the very beginning the cost of having that wind in your hair will appear, from the higher cost of the car over its hard top cousin, to the increased insurance premiums and usually higher running costs, that lack of streamlining will definitely drop the MPG.

Overall

It really depends on what you are looking for, and how much you want a specific vehicle. The chances are that if you are buying a convertible you’re doing it because the possibility is there. Being sensible, doing your research and checking around. If you know you want this then why not use our ‘help me choose’ option, and see what you could save on your purchase of a brand new convertible.

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