Quick Trips while Parked: Convertible top up or down?

One of my earliest observations upon moving to Southern California was that convertible drivers so often keep the tops down while parked. This practice ranged from beater Fox body stangs to late-model Ferraris.

Since getting the Miata a few months back, I have began to do the same for short trips.

My logic:

• A soft top is barely more than a symbolic barrier

• Raising and lowering the top put additional wear on the top's mechanicals

• I parked my motorcycle on the street for years without anyone messing with it.

• Most importantly, I feel a rush of cool nonchalance when walking back to the car, and the top is already down.

The only convertible I would own would be one that had the ease of top-up-top-down conversion of the Miata.

On short trips, I would just reach, slam the top op and leave it unlatched.

I passed on buying a Mustang because putting the top up required actual minutes of my lifespan. I also figured that on year six, when all convertibles need a new top, the cost to replace the top on the Mustang was going to be more than the car was worth.

I rarely put the top down on my Miata, although I did today. When I do, I always leave it down when I park the car. And, up or down, I never lock the doors in a convertible. It's not worth the risk of a sliced top.

In reply to NOHOME:

I've learned that this is why t tops are stupid.

When I was shopping for my Camaro, I was hell bent on having something with t tops, for whatever reason - F body, 2nd gen MR2, 300zx... The reality of it is that they're a pain in the ass to take off and stow, make the car basically as (not) rigid as a convertible, offer 50% of the benefit of a convertible, and generally tend to leak like crazy (I'm lucky in that my car only leaks in one spot, where a chunk is missing out of the weather stripping.) I guess the one benefit over a convertible is the added security, but that's about it.

I never leave my car open for more than about 2 minutes, even in small-town PA, because I generally have my radar detector and my tablet for with me. As a result, I've probably had the t tops off 5 times this year. My next open air car will be a convertible for sure.

I have developed the mindset to not leave anything in the interior of any car and then I don't worry about locking the car. My 1977 911 gets locked only when left somewhere overnight. My E46 M3 convertible is often left with the top down and usually left unlocked. The biggest consideration for putting the top up is if there are trees that will drop crap into it.

I freely admit that Ann Arbor I s not the same as any big city. If I were in Chicago on vacation, I would have a really hard time walking away leaving the top down.

In general, up is almost always better than down. Storing the top crumpled up in the boot sets creases which can shorten the life of the fabric. I usually put mine up if it will be parked for more than overnight or for several hours.

The fabric is healthiest when it is stretched taut in the up position. Same as your shirt; it will do better hanging on a hanger than wadded up under the bed.

I put it up but don't latch it usually. Who wants to sit down on a black seat thst has beed sitting under direct sunlight? Also if under a tree there is always a possibility of birdE36 M3 ending up in your interior.

when I had my verts.. I only put the top up when there was precipitation or the car was going to be parked overnight. In ten years the only thing I ever had go wrong was a small bird managed to get poop on the -inside- of the windscreen.

Even with my cars with sunroofs.. unless it will be sitting overnight or it is going to rain/snow they are left open

Years ago I owned a 1961 Pontiac Bonneville convertible. For the most part, unless I got caught out in the rain I would put the top down in the spring and not put it back up until fall. I drove it everywhere, and the only thing I ever had that was close to an issue was one time I came back to my car and found two cute teenage girls sitting in it. They were very embarrassed to be caught sitting in a stranger's car, but I just laughed.

If the top is off, I leave it off while running into the store or parked at work. I did this with my Miata and current Targa topped Corvette. My only fear is bird E36 M3, or, a d-bag kid/adult tossing a slushie onto the seat for giggles. I've seen that done. Random, senseless vandalism.

I routinely left this old rig with the rear portion of the soft top off, and the doors off. My CB radio and the faceplate of my CD player got stolen, from my drive way in Vero Beach FL.

stuart in mn wrote: Years ago I owned a 1961 Pontiac Bonneville convertible. For the most part, unless I got caught out in the rain I would put the top down in the spring and not put it back up until fall. I drove it everywhere, and the only thing I ever had that was close to an issue was one time I came back to my car and found two cute teenage girls sitting in it. They were very embarrassed to be caught sitting in a stranger's car, but I just laughed.

That's the setup for a much more interesting story.....

With my Miata I almost never put the top up in the summer. It lives in the garage all winter.

When I had a TJ Wrangler a few years ago I put the top down twice. It took me 20 minutes both times, stupidest design ever!!

Parked overnight or left in the parking lot for a day in the office = top up

Any other use = top down

Beware bars and the party crowds at night. They dearly love to puke in open convertibles, or throw trash in them.

I park with my giant sunroof open (pretty much top of my car), windows down, keys on seat. Don't really care if someone drives off or messes with my car.

If I'm out where drunk people are though, i will close it up.

I can't stand it when it's a beautiful day and someone is driving with their top up. Especially jeeps.

Klayfish wrote: Parked overnight or left in the parking lot for a day in the office = top up Any other use = top down

This is how I treated my NC.

triumph stag I am making a goto work quick easy mini cover unveil at grm challenge

hanging an English car over an open topped English car is just asking for oiled leather

I almost never leave the top down and it's more of a weather/nature concern than for safety. I recall once at a local nursery a guy parked his BMW convertible (with the top down) out by one of the grass islands in the parking lot and when I came out the automated sprinklers had kicked on completely showering his car. I don't know how that one would be resolved or who would be responsible. The gym I use also does that with an unpredictable sprinkler schedule. I have complained to them but they just tell me it's controlled at the corporate headquarters in another state. Even at home in the driveway I have had birds fly over and poop in the car and sap from trees get on the seats. It's easier to get that stuff off the exterior than the interior. I once had a squirrel looking around in the car presumably for some food. It's a huge hassle but the top usually always goes up, even for a short stay.

Coldsnap wrote: I can't stand it when it's a beautiful day and someone is driving with their top up. Especially jeeps.

I much prefer the top down at sunset and later. Heat can be pretty brutal around here. 80 degrees at 80 mph is about perfect at night

I live in LA too.

I have a windblocker that makes it inconvenient for people to get in with the windows up and doors locked. I haven't had any problems leaving it down in public but Im careful of where and how long I leave the car open. During the day I prefer to put the top up again as the sun bakes the seats (everything that gets touched on the interior is black leather or plastic, yeesh).

I just keep trying to decide, top up, top down, lock the doors, don't lock them, then realize why I'm not stressed. Though I will admit, I wouldn't leave it outside a bar late at night. Who had the Porsche convertible in the movie, Caddy Shack, Dr. Beeper? We know how that turned out...

Here in NC My s2k top goes down when the weather goes mild and stays down until winter unless there is rain. It does go in a garage every night and there's nothing valuable when parked at a restaurant or shopping center.

During my Miata ownership it was always top down with the key in the ignition. Only time it was up was when the rain was too heavy to go overtop the car or there was slush that could be splashed in.

mad_machine wrote: when I had my verts.. I only put the top up when there was precipitation or the car was going to be parked overnight. In ten years the only thing I ever had go wrong was a small bird managed to get poop on the -inside- of the windscreen. Even with my cars with sunroofs.. unless it will be sitting overnight or it is going to rain/snow they are left open

I'm the same way. Convertibles are meant to have the top down, and sunroofs are meant to be open. I don't leave anything in my car and would rather have someone reach in and see that than cut the top for no reason.