roof down driving in winter?

[Bing]

Yeah, fcuk 'em, they know nothing. And you can drive when it's raining as long as it's not torrential and you're above about 40mph - aerodynamics keeps the rain out, done it on quite a few forum runs now.

Mines stayed shut over recent weeks, as despite the sun those puddles are going everywhere

With you on this recently, especially on back roads with 4x4s piling down them - mucho risk of embarrassing soakment ... Though by the afternoon when the roads are dry, roof down 8)

 

[SUUNTOBOB]

Yeah, fcuk 'em, they know nothing. And you can drive when it's raining as long as it's not torrential and you're above about 40mph - aerodynamics keeps the rain out, done it on quite a few forum runs now.

Mines stayed shut over recent weeks, as despite the sun those puddles are going everywhere

With you on this recently, especially on back roads with 4x4s piling down them - mucho risk of embarrassing soakment ... Though by the afternoon when the roads are dry, roof down 8)

|_plus one!



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[Nanu]

The only way is down, so as long as the roof is not frozen - it is down, no matter what temperature.

In the winter the exhaust sounds even better (sorry Coupe owners - you would not understand :evil: )

Like cream cakes. Naughty but nice :evil:

 

[PeterZed]

Ah yes roof down and not bothered what others think no heated seats but just alternate the heat from the floor then now and again to the hands via the dash vents and of course wrap up warm and a hat is a must

 

[Geezah]

Sure, hood down. I guess these dangleberrys must figure that you buy a convertible to drive with the roof up, right?

Anyway, certainly glad I had the roof up yesterday evening as I was doing 60 down an urban dual carriageway when BANG! WTF?
Noticed that there was goo streaming down my rear window. Stopped when I could and realised that someone had chucked an egg at me! Avid one handed magazine readers! Hosed it down at the adjacent ASDA garage.......I guess it could have been worse.

So....this underlines the 'knob' factor I guess....I drive a BMW, ergo, I am a knob, hood down or hood up.........hmmm, or maybe I'm just a knob anyway? :?

Oops, forgot to add.......hood down, you might be dead tomorrow!

 

[paulgs1000]

Yep always been roof down if it's not raining - there's lots of us on this forum feel the same - had a wonderful drive to work in the snow some years ago with the flakes swirling around me in the cockpit - brilliant.

Takes a little confidence though and some folk can make comment but I haven't come across many at all - mind I don't travel through London where there must be lots of folk and slow traffic - but I do travel through Newcastle. . . .

Sod em I say - you can understand them thinking it's odd but they could always keep themselves to themselves and keep their mouths shut - Tells you more about them than it does about you. You'll soon be past them and enjoying your experience again and that's what it's all about.

If you're enjoying it and we all do then join with us and set a trend - I'm sure there are more folk using convertibles and leaving their roof down than they used to be where I live - trend setter eh!! :roll:

I think you'd probably get the same people saying something whenever you come across them - just gob sh(one)tes - don't let those few spoil your enjoyment - I bet you there's a lot more folk that see you who wish they had the opportunity (and commitment) to do what you're doing.

Finally, I hate to say this but experience has shown me (and I bet many others on this forum) that you only get one life and it is a brief and fast ride which can be over before you expect it - so don't let anyone hold you back from doing what you enjoy if it doesn't impact on others - you do it and enjoy it while you can and when you want!

See you on the road with the roof down and give us a wave!

 

[AZ4MW]

went out this afternoon with my son for spin, sun out but a fresh day, first thing was roof down heated seats and blower on, got half a mile up the road and people where staring and looking, one chap was locked with his eyes on the car, so when we left the traffic lights on to the dual carriage way, i duly gave it a bit of stick he gave a thumbs up out the window, as long as its dry the roof is a must down

 

[Angie4m]

I drive a E89 now but had a E88 1 Series convertible and as long as it's not raining the tops off! No point in having such a car of you don't make the most of it. Plus I really love the open feeling. I'm fortunate to live in a very beautiful city and the drive out East is just amazing and looked even better when you've no roof distrusting the view.

I'm sure I get lots of looks. I know I did when I drove with it down when it was snowing. That was ace!

 

[Geezah]

I'm sure I get lots of looks. I know I did when I drove with it down when it was snowing. That was ace!

Nah, that's just 'cos you is a bird innit! :roll:

 

[Angie4m]

I'm sure I get lots of looks. I know I did when I drove with it down when it was snowing. That was ace!

Nah, that's just 'cos you is a bird innit! :roll:

Yeah that's what it will be

 

[andya1]

I went out to the North York Moors yesterday afternoon top down all the way it was superb

 

[Ninarvana]

This is an interesting debate. I used to own a beautiful MX-5 but I hardly ever had the top down ( I had a hard top with it so used to keep that on most of the time.) Most of the time it wasn't warm enough but when the sun was out it used to shine right on my forehead due to the positioning and make me feel ill! I can understand how this maybe different with the Z though, I test drove an MR and it was rather special with the roof down however when I see people driving around in the cold I do gasp, because isn''t it 'bad' to lower and electrically operated roof in particularly cold conditions?

 

[Wyldie85]

They just dont know any different!

Its completely acceptable. i used to think the same thing when I didnt own a convertible but with the heating set correctly and if it's a nice crisp day with the sun shining then get the roof down!

 

[Eviltad]

Ha, bit of a biased forum to ask the question on really.

I had my roof off yesterday Morning after dropping the girlfriend at work. Quick blast between Lichfield and Tamworth. Was great. Wintery topless drives are the reason my hardtop has sat obsolete in my spare room since I bought the car.

When I used to see XR3i's and the like, driving topless when it was less than sunny, I used to scoff at the posing knob driving it, so I guess, if you weren't aware of the difference between a Convertible and a Roadster, then maybe we could be tarred with the same brush.

 

[330standard]

My E46 330 sport convertible drivers handbook advises not to lower the roof under temperatures under 14 degs so not sure if that's the same for me z4 as well ( as didn't get a handbook)
For me I don't drop the top in winter anyway but when I drop the top summer and good spring weather I like windows down as dropping the top and having the windows up to me just spoils the whole look plus big jackets hats gloves whilst driving ....not for me.

 

[sam1832]

Roof down in the winter is good, even at night

But I know what you mean about driving through london with it down, you always get some dick who has something to say whatever the weather

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[Hunter]

I love driving with the rood down at night..winter or summer...heated seats on, music playing, heater on....love it!!!

 

[Stark]

I once had some kids throw a few snowballs into the car when I drove one sunny day in the snow, in London....

 

[Angie4m]

My E46 330 sport convertible drivers handbook advises not to lower the roof under temperatures under 14 degs so not sure if that's the same for me z4 as well ( as didn't get a handbook)
For me I don't drop the top in winter anyway but when I drop the top summer and good spring weather I like windows down as dropping the top and having the windows up to me just spoils the whole look plus big jackets hats gloves whilst driving ....not for me.

I've a 330ci M Sport E46 vert - i've actually never had any issues with the roof down in this weather and I never had any issues with the E88 either. Given the weather we can have in the UK if this was the case you could sometimes go a whole year without the roof down - nonsense!

I can't wait to get a drive with the roof down in this

 

[330standard]

14 degs is a bit far fetched I'd agree for me it's about sun temperature we get really good springs the last few years and a quite good summer my roof comes down about April till October and only goes up for rain : ) I dj a lot abroad and iam always tanned hence my two convertibles are for topping the tan up : ) and the joy of bmw of coarse lol so I'll wait till spring : )