Fastest with the roof down?

[thespannerman]

Took mine out on the motorway earlier. Was impressed with how quiet it was with the roof up ( for a rag top) even when being slightly illegal

Coming home I had the top down, and whilst it wasn’t to uncomfortable from a buffeting perspective (I have the wind deflector fitted) christ it was noisy at 70mph. I think earplugs would have been needed to travel much further than about 10 miles. My ears are still ringing after being home for nearly an hour.

What’s the fastest you’ve been with the roof down?.

Al

 

[Anonymous]

Indicated 144 mph (on a derestricted German autobhan of course) with Meat Loaf Bat out of Hell going..but mine's an E89..

 

[TheDan]

130mph on a track day at Bedford. Admittedly I was wearing a helmet so didn't notice the noise and drama as much probably.

 

[ronk]

Indicated 144 mph (on a derestricted German autobhan of course) with Meat Loaf Bat out of Hell going..but mine's an E89..

Same here!

Yes, a lot of noise but not from the wind, mainly from Mrs K sat next to me!

 

[firebobby]

I think my zed is quite civilised with the roof down at speed.

 

[JHW666]

I'd agree - it's more civilised than most with the roof down, and with the windows down too. We blatted up the M6 from Stoke to the Lakes last weekend at a reasonable rate of knots with the roof down and I wasn't deaf at the end of the day, or suffering from a wobbly neck! I wear a reasonably large hat when driving otherwise I look like a blistered beetroot after a while. In other cars the brim gets a buffeting which can cause a few vision problems - but no such issues in the Zed.

Cheers
John

 

[Bmwz4pl0vvc]

Just got back from Midlands to home in Devon after visiting family, M5 roof down all the way averaged 69mph on journey according to the computer could still hear the stereo, yes not as comfortable as with roof up noise wise but the round trip amounted to more miles than I’ve done in the last 18months in her so an enjoyable novelty!! Oh and 38mpg out of a 18yr old 2-5ltr auto .

 

[Jakg]

Coming home I had the top down, and whilst it wasn’t to uncomfortable from a buffeting perspective (I have the wind deflector fitted) christ it was noisy at 70mph. I think earplugs would have been needed to travel much further than about 10 miles. My ears are still ringing after being home for nearly an hour.

I'm not saying this to be an internet hardman, but I don't have this problem?

I haven't gone especially fast with the roof down, but I've driven over a hundred miles in one go with it down without issue - my passenger even had a sleep at one point.

I very rarely drive with the roof up, although I usually have the windows up unless it's seriously hot outside.

 

[buzyg]

LoL. I pretty much always have the roof down if I'm driving the ///MR. Driven from Plymouth to Fort William with the roof down for the entire journey. As for fastest, the couple of times I have gone for Vmax in the car have both been with the roof down. The entire two days driving at Spa in 2011, were roof down. 140mph at the end of the main straight each Lap top of 4th gear and 167mph on our fine European roads, with a bit left in 5th but I wasn't comfy, as the front was feeling quite light. I have to be completely honest and say I really didn't notice the buffeting, other things to think about. :driving:

Fastest road car I have seen roofless was a yellow Ruf 911 at Brunters. flat out on the main runway and it's sun roof/ taga top simply blew out. Boy did that make a bang when it went. :lol: Don't know the exact speed but it was shifting.

 

[thespannerman]

So either my ears are a bit sensitive or from all the roof down driving you guys are a bit deaf

Either way, it was enjoyable but think I will be happier just cruising a tad below the speed limit.

Al

 

[tomscott]

I followed PaulG on the autobahn driving the Z4M I currently have and I was driving a 911 and was showing 160mph... give or take the speed inaccuracy I thought that was very impressive with the roof down.

Got a bit more of the 997 tho 170 but lorrys like to pull out finding a good stretch can be difficult.

 

[mr.tourette]

So either my ears are a bit sensitive or from all the roof down driving you guys are a bit deaf

Either way, it was enjoyable but think I will be happier just cruising a tad below the speed limit.

Al

Tried lowering the seat a little? even just a cm or 2 can make a big difference, in my e85 I had the memory seats selection set at 1 roof down, 2 roof up, 3 for cleaning the roof down setting had me sitting lower in the car to reduce buffeting

 

[thespannerman]

At my height (6’5”) seat is as low and as far back as it will go.

Al

 

[spazmochad]

Would suggest anyone going 60+ use ear plugs to save their hearing. Get some musician ones which will lower the noise levels and stop the wind but still let you listen to music. Can recommend the Etymotic ER-20XS.

 

[BMWZ4MC]

An indicated 151mph in my old S2000 and around 120mph in my Westfield with no roof or side-screens. The former was windy, raw and very noisy, whilst in the latter a helmet spared me from the worst of it.

 

[Jakg]

So either my ears are a bit sensitive or from all the roof down driving you guys are a bit deaf

Coming home I had the top down, and whilst it wasn’t to uncomfortable from a buffeting perspective (I have the wind deflector fitted) christ it was noisy at 70mph. I think earplugs would have been needed to travel much further than about 10 miles. My ears are still ringing after being home for nearly an hour.

Do you have a genuine wind deflector, or a copy?

 

[buzyg]

So either my ears are a bit sensitive or from all the roof down driving you guys are a bit deaf

Coming home I had the top down, and whilst it wasn’t to uncomfortable from a buffeting perspective (I have the wind deflector fitted) christ it was noisy at 70mph. I think earplugs would have been needed to travel much further than about 10 miles. My ears are still ringing after being home for nearly an hour.

Do you have a genuine wind deflector, or a copy?

Or tinnitus. :wink:

 

[DMike]

Would suggest anyone going 60+ use ear plugs to save their hearing. Get some musician ones which will lower the noise levels and stop the wind but still let you listen to music. Can recommend the Etymotic ER-20XS.

Thanks for the tip, I’ll try them on next road trip. Driven several times roof open all day at motorway speeds and the buffetting air certainly is a strain to the ears. Heck, even my hair hurts the day after (or that could be from the second resplenishing beer after the long drive).

 

[thespannerman]

Genuine wind deflector

Al