Driving 14 hours with the top down

mad_machine wrote: Something to remember if the wind is bothering you.. put the windows up. I know people make fun of that.. but it really helps keep the buffeting down

It can also save your hearing. At highway speeds, most convertibles are dangerously loud with both top and windows down. Raising the windows drops the sound levels a lot.

I've made some 8+ hour journeys with the top down before. With side windows up, a hat, good hydration, and sunblock, the trips weren't especially arduous. I didn't wear earplugs, but they would undoubtedly help if noise were excessive.

If it does not rain, this will be an adventure. If it DOES rain it will be a future campfire story that will be tellable after a few years of recovery.

Longest I have done is London Ontario to Bozeman MT and back in a Miata.

I've done longer on 2-wheels. If you have hairy arms like me, the wind can start to bother you after a few hours. Long sleeves will fix it.

plus eleventy billion on the sunscreen.

My left arm is routinely more tanned than my right, and I don't even have a convertible.

Sky_Render wrote: plus eleventy billion on the sunscreen. My left arm is routinely more tanned than my right, and I don't even have a convertible.

Me too. My Civic has no A/C so in Alabama I have to run the windows down.

I've driven for about 5 hours in 100* heat with high humidity in a Miata. Black interior. And no AC.

I had a cooler in the front seat with 2 big gatorades and about 12 water bottles (with more in the trunk), a floppy hat, long sleeves, light pajama pants, really good sunglasses, and a rag I kept dunking in the cooler and draping around my neck. I wish I had thought of the ear plugs, but I really didn't have any issues and would do it again.

Incidentally, I've also done a couple hours with the top down in the E30. No issues, loved it. 14 hours would get to be a little much though.

Be careful with sun roofs too. Last April my wife and I went out and visited some friends in RI. We went with the sunroof open the entire time and the right side of my face was burnt thru the open sun roof.